Hyukjae's condition seems... mild.

He'll peer up at Donghae. From the bed. His head's on the pillows. He'll eat. Drink. Albeit slowly. Donghae just watches him. He's unsure. Of how seriously he needs to take this.

"How are you?" Donghae sits beside him. Feels his face.

Hyukjae shrugs. "Dunno."

"Well... when you got sick in the past, was it bad? What were your symptoms?"

Hyukjae blinks his eyes. To the left. Thinks. "It's different each time," he mumbles.

"Okay. Do you have any medicine? For fevers? Do you have a headache? Any pain?"

"Not now.... and everything I've got is expired because it's old."

Great.

"I will have to get something for you, then..." Donghae says.

"No," Hyukjae says. In a tiny voice. His hand's out. It holds his arm. "Please don't leave me..."

"What if I bring a friend here so I can ask him to get something?"

"N-No... but why... you don't have to get anything..." Hyukjae says. "I'll just sleep it off..."

"And if you can't sleep it off or you get worse or start feeling pain?" Donghae says. "Then can I get help from a friend?"

Hyukjae nods. Reluctantly.

Donghae smiles. "Okay, thanks."

He's about to get up. Hyukjae's hand's still around him. Weakly.

"Do you need anything?" Donghae asks.

The boy shakes his head. A little. But his gaze is on him. Donghae chuckles.

"Do you want me to stay here?"

Hyukjae nods. Meekly. His eyes flick away. More colour fills his cheeks.

"Okay. Let me find something to do."

Hyukjae's fingers slip. He nods again. Watches him.

---

He has to sit in bed. Beside him.

Donghae's got one of Hyukjae's books. It's some story about love. Two people who can't be together.

Hyukjae's still awake. Curled. Turned towards him. His eyes blink. Slowly. Heavily. Right up at him.

"You should just say what you want to say, Hyukjae," Donghae finally mutters. Lowers the book. "Then you'll be able to sleep."

Hyukjae's eyes grow bigger. "I d-don't... have... don't... want to say..."

"Okay..." Donghae goes back to the book.

Few minutes pass. In silence. Donghae doesn't mind extreme temperatures. He can tolerate them. But beside Hyukjae... it's very warm. His temperature has gone up. Donghae wants him to sleep. So he can get something for this fever.

He discreetly glances. Finds the boy staring at him. Donghae snaps the book. Places it on the night table.

"Hyukjae. Sleep."

"If..." Hyukjae whispers. "If I die... from being sick... are you free? Or do you die too?"

Donghae's surprised.

"Oh. It depends?"

"Depends... if it's something you can help with or not?"

"Yeah..." Donghae says. Thoughtfully. "The kind of illness. The master. If it's an order, if it's implied, or mentioned at all. The binding spell itself can be different, too. The conditions. Your conditions. Right? You should know."

Hyukjae shakes his head.

Donghae says, "Well, quite simply: most natural causes are not on me. If there's an earthquake and it takes you with it, then... too bad. The rest is all about intentions and choices. Yours, especially. If you're sick an