"Have you been telling your friends stuff about me?"

It's Monday morning. Donghae's walking with Hyukjae. To the bus stop.

"What kind of stuff?" Donghae asks.

"I don't know, stuff. All that... whatever..." Hyukjae clutches the straps of his bag tighter. His voice gets quieter. "My cousin and... my parents... and stuff..."

"No. You've ordered me a hundred times not to."

The boy breathes out. Donghae purses his lips.

It would be... helpful. If he could tell his friends. Right now... he's just requesting information. About any lesser demons. Aberrants. Whatever is territory related. Whatever could be a threat to him. Or Hyukjae. Because that's... about Donghae, too.

They near the bus stop. Stand. Donghae looks at the boy. Hyukjae's frowning. His eyes are on the ground. Donghae takes a breath.

"Can I?" he tries.

Hyukjae glances at him. "Can you what?"

"Tell them--"

"No!"

----

"You... are..."

Donghae's typing. Slowly. His phone makes noises. Tap. Tap. Tap. He mutters each word. Out loud.

"An... annoying... little... ... you should... stop being so ing annoying... and stubborn... before it results in... your death... you idiotic monkey... if your whole family was killed... what makes you think you will last long? Let me remind you... that you are a puny human... up against demons... and because of your... nonsense orders... and this bond... there are useless restrictions on what I can... and can't do..."

Donghae sighs. Lowers his phone. Doesn't send the text. Obviously.

He's getting anxious. Hyukjae's eighteenth birthday draws nearer. Will his mother's spell weaken? Disappear? Will Hyukjae be in more danger?

The demon rulers have been minding their own business. Ever since the last major conflict. Because war in their realm... means chaos up here. That could lead to the end of both realms.

Demons are beasts. Power hungry. By nature. Rulers are needed. That's what keeps the rest under control. They've all come to realize: it is best to have strict order. Best to stick to their own territories. Mind the demons under their own rule.

But when there's an opportunity...

No one knows who will be tempted.

Her bloody head flashes through his mind. Donghae closes his eyes.

It takes him over an hour. To get rid of these horrific thoughts. Of her. Actually, he gets distracted too. It makes him get pulled away. He opens his eyes. Sits up.

Yes... there's a... feeling.

Donghae gets to his feet. Reaches into their connection.

What is this?

"Yesung."

He waits a second. Then grits his teeth. Yells it out:

"Yesung!"

The other appears in his smoke. Looks alarmed.

"What happened? I was in the middle of making a drink--"

"Go check on Hyukjae. Now."

Yesung opens his mouth. To protest. But his eyes move over Donghae. He thins his lips. Nods.

---

"King... you're really going crazy. He's fine."

"Are you sure?" Donghae asks.

"Yes. He was just sitting in some history class, zoned out, not paying attention."

Donghae paces. "But he's almost back to sleeping fine. He still doesn't want to go to bed or get up in the morning but that's just him being him. What do you think?"

"I don't think anything."

Donghae resumes pacing. "I don't understand it. He doesn't want me near the school or at school now because he's a brat so I can't go check and knowing him, he'd probably know I was there and then he'd give me another stupid order that completely prevents me from doing for ing months." He drops on the couch. "I can't defy his orders unless he actually needs me and his words contradict his feelings so I can't do anything--"

He looks up. Yesung's examining his little fingers.

"Hey," Donghae says. "Is he safe?"

"Yes."

"You came back so quickly though! How can you be sure?"

"Because... he was in a classroom? And your human noticed me last time, which you didn't like, so I didn't think I should stick around and follow him."

Donghae nods. In approval. "Good. Thank you -- oh, did you find Siwon?"

"I've sent some minions to look for him, but two got killed."

"Just go yourself--"

"Can I?"

"What?"

"Donghae..." Yesung's eyes roll up. Turn green. "You keep summoning me here for Hyukjae. How can I do ?"

Donghae manages, "Oh." Then mumbles. "W-Well... it's because you're closer... Kyu is just a useless and Sungmin and Ryeowook are needed in our territory so..." He exhales. Wearily. "Fine. Sorry, Yesung. Thank you."

Yesung's smoke covers him. He leaves.

---

But Yesung surely missed something.

Hyukjae gets off the bus. He's pouting. Maybe it's not an unhappy pout. But he's not smiling. So that's not happy.

He mumbles, y