Soon, Hyukjae can stand. For a short time. He is very unsteady. He only wobbles a couple feet. Holds onto the bed. The table. Dr. Goi.

Only Dr. Goi.

He... mostly only talks to her, too.

Hyukjae has often been quiet now. With Donghae. He says few words. Closes his eyes. Drifts off to sleep.

Or pretends to.

It worries Donghae. Confuses him.

-----

Donghae's come once more. To check up on him. Hyukjae's in bed. He appears fatigued. His head is turned. Towards the curtained window.

"Not feeling good?" Donghae says. "You didn't hurt yourself, did you?"

"No..." Hyukjae says. Avoids his eyes. His whole body language is different. Wary.

Of... him?

Donghae's remained standing. At the door. He glances at the window. Then back to Hyukjae.

"What is it?" he asks. Softly.

The other takes a breath. Reluctantly answers.

"Y-You said... there isn't anything there..."

"Hm?"

"But there is something there..."

"Sorry, where?"

"Out there."

"Wait, you went to the window? When? You could've hurt yourself!"

"No... I didn't... I can't," Hyukjae mumbles. "Anna just showed me from here... because I could hear it sometimes... so last time I heard it, she was here... and she drew the curtains..."

"Ah..." Donghae says. Realizes. "And... what did you see?"

"This... massive... being...." Hyukjae meets his gaze. "All burning... Anna said it's yours..."

"Oh... that must've scared you..."

Hyukjae blinks away. Poutily mutters. "Y-Yeah... kind of..."

"Sorry, I completely forgot about it..." Donghae admits. Maybe that's what he was asking about. That last time the boy talked. "But yes, Dr. Goi's right."

"What is it?"

"Security. It just does rounds... checks for any intruders. It doesn't have much of an intelligence, so it can only follow orders. My orders." Donghae steps to the chairs now. Sits. "Don't let it scare you."

Hyukjae gives a small nod. Closes his eyes. Turns his head. Once more. To partially hide from Donghae's view.

"I'll try..." Hyukjae murmurs.

Donghae watches him. His pale skin. The scars. The sunken eyes.

Is he done talking again? Is he tired already?

It's not his physical health. Ryeowook and Dr. Goi both examine him. Consistently. Hyukjae still prefers Dr. Goi's help. That means Ryeowook hasn't given Donghae new information. He just repeated: he's probably thinking of his parents. His cousin. He recalls the attacks often. His own.

Donghae wishes he could get a glimpse. Of Hyukjae's mind. Then he'd know: what to tell him. What not to tell him. Yet.

Because...

They might not be here at all... if Donghae hadn't shared a truth. One that Hyukjae wasn't ready for.

"Hyukjae..." Donghae speaks. "Um, did you see these comic books Yesung got you?"

They're stacked. On the side table.

"Yeah... thank you..." Hyukjae doesn't turn his head.

"Oh, and did you try the ramen cups yet? We got a few of the ones you like..."

Hyukjae's head moves. He blinks slowly. At the ceiling.

"They're the spicy ones?"

"Yes, I made sure Yesung got those."

"Then it would be too spicy..." Hyukjae sounds disappointed.

"Too spicy for you?"

Hyukjae looks at him. "No... it's 'cause Anna said I can't eat spicy yet..."

Oh. Yes.

"She's right, sorry," Donghae says. At least Hyukjae's talking. Reacting. "There's ice cream too, by the way. You can ask Dr. Goi for it..."

"Okay..." Hyukjae closes his eyes. Lets his head loll. To the other side. His voice is quieter again. "Thanks..."

"I think you might be able to get a bath soon, right?" Donghae says. "Are you excited for that? You could wear some new clothes and change out of these gowns."

Hyukjae keeps his eyes closed. But raises his arms. They're still wrapped up. Most of him is.

"They'd have to remove all this first... Dr. Goi said these clothes make it easy for her... to check my injuries... I can't wear clothes that I can't get in and out of..."

Oh. That's... also true.

"Okay..." Donghae says. "It'll all be here, when you're ready. Um, when Dr. Goi and Ryeowook say you're ready."

He then leans forward. Keeps trying. Hyukjae might avoid looking at him. But he hasn't told him yet. That he wants to sleep. Or talk later. This is good. Compared to the last four attempts.

"Hyukjae..." Donghae says. Gently. "They're telling me you're recovering well, but... what do you think? How do you feel?"

Hyukjae's brow furrows. His mouth twitches. Slightly.

"I don't know..."

Donghae breathes in. Stands. Carefully steps closer. It makes Hyukjae open his eyes. Look at him. He's startled. Still.

"D-Don't."

"What?" Donghae says.

"You can't," Hyukjae says. His eyes tear up. "Please--"

Instantly, he shifts. To his side. Turns his heavily bandaged back to him.

"Kid? Are you okay?" Donghae says. Leans over to see. "I can't what?"

Hyukjae's body curves. He's shut his eyes.

"I-I want to sleep... I have to sleep!"

----

"What's the matter with him?" Donghae asks aloud.

Has he found out something? What was he talking about? What did he think Donghae would do?

"If it's something he doesn't like, why doesn't he just say? He's probably got it all wrong, anyway... I wasn't going to do anything -- I just want to know if he's well! I know there are things he'll get really upset about if he learns them, but..."

He can't have found out any of them. Hyukjae wouldn't react like this.

Right?

"I'm so confused..." Donghae groans.

Sungmin and Ryeowook are at his meeting table. They exchange glances.

"Don't tell me this doesn't matter!" Donghae sits back in his throne. Crosses his arms. "I have to know what's going on with him! I didn't do all this for... for... I don't even know..."

"I wasn't going to say anything," Sungmin says.

Ryeowook shakes his head to himself.

"Ryeowook!" Donghae says. "You gotta have found something out!"

"I told you," Ryeowook says. "He believes I'm only there to read his mind now. But he thinks I need to touch his head to do it... so I end up hearing all his frantic thoughts about how I'm gonna come and try to read his mind and he kind of ends up flooding me with panic, so I just... leave. Sure, I'm a demon, but I feel bad for him..."

Donghae frowns. When will this boy trust them? Trust him? It's so frustrating.

"Did you try when he's sleeping--?"

"Yes. I told you that, too. He's just dreaming and when I'm not close to him, I can't look too deeply in his mind. You've been around humans too, Donghae! You should know how complicated their whole... thoughts and emotions get! And then to try and understand their dreams, from a distance, because he knows immediately if I touch his head? I just see... jumbled things... they make no sense..."

"Why do you need to know what he's dreaming about?" Sungmin says. 

Ryeowook points at Donghae. "That's a great question! Now ask him!"

Donghae huffs. Crosses his legs too. They all remain quiet. Brooding. Until Ryeowook suddenly straightens up.

"Oh, could I show you something?"

Donghae sits up. "What? Yes -- what is it?"

He quickly notices. Ryeowook means through his mind. Donghae allows him. Closes his eyes. It's brief. Just a flash of a blurry scene. Donghae has to open his eyes. In shock. To stare at the other. Sungmin blinks curiously between them.

"Is that his mother?" Ryeowook says.

Donghae steps down. Sits at the table. Closer to Ryeowook.

"Show me again," he orders.

Ryeo