Hyukjae walks more. Accepts help. With movement. Getting in and out of bed. From everyone. He knows where the storage room is. He limps over there sometimes. Leans on the wall for support.

Dr. Goi often tells him to be careful. He can't eat everything. Donghae's ordered them to hide the spicy food. He's also scolded Hyukjae. For walking. For not using the chair.

"It's not far..." Hyukjae mumbled.

The boy does use the chair, however. Everywhere else. Sungmin sticks around. Everytime Hyukjae's on the chair. The boy calls it the magic chair. Donghae's caught them speeding by. A few times. He gives Sungmin a reproachful look. A mental message.

Sungmin always blames Hyukjae.

Then, Donghae sees Hyukjae flying. In the chair. Giggling.

"No," Donghae says. Has to stop them. "You will not do that in my castle."

Hyukjae's not happy about it.

-----

"Is this what you wanted?"

"Oh!"

Yesung's returned. He's come and gone. Many times. Since he brought the laptop. Too many times, it seems. From his bored expression. Hyukjae takes the books from him. His face has lit up.

"Yes! This is it! Thank you!"

"Okay." Yesung turns to Donghae. "Alright, boss. I'm leaving. I have to rehearse--"

"Don't call me boss. I'm your king."

"Wait, so you are in a rockband?" Hyukjae asks.

Yesung glances down at him. "Yes."

"Donghae said you were joking."

"No..." Yesung's mouth pouts a bit. He looks around at the table. At Donghae. "I'm very good. They like my voice. Kyuhyun's jealous. He's been watching theatre plays. He wants to sing and act."

"Tell him to come down," Donghae says. "I gave him a job."

"Okay."

Yesung's about to leave. Hyukjae grabs his sleeve. The other's eyes flash green. Hyukjae gasps. Lets go.

"S-Sorry... um... I-I..." Hyukjae helplessly seeks Donghae. His stupid chair moves again. To him.

"It's not like he'll bite you," Donghae says. "Go ahead. Ask him what you want."

"I haven't tried biting a human kid." Yesung smiles. "What do you taste like?"

Donghae glares at him. So Yesung stops smiling.

"I just like drinking coffee..." Yesung provides.

Hyukjae's still too reluctant. Yesung shrugs. Leaves. The boy's gloomy.

"How many times do I have to tell you? They can't do anything to you." Donghae lowers his voice. Ryeowook and Sungmin are here too. With stupid grins. "Besides. Look at them. They don't even want to."

"I-I know," Hyukjae whispers. "B-But he's still scary..."

----

"We have a problem," Dr. Goi informs. "Hyukjae believes he's well enough to have a bath, and he does not want my help."

Donghae sits up. "Why? What happened? Did you fight with him? What's he mad about?"

"No..." Dr. Goi appears thoughtful. Sits down. "Well, I don't think he's mad at me, or about... something I did or said. He quite likes me, you know? He'd already figured out that I used to be human--"

"What? Are you sure?"

"Yes, I feel it. Anyways, I think... this is more about me being a lady? I reminded him that I'm a doctor, but he's a teenage boy. He was never comfortable with the idea of me washing him up, anyway. It's just that he was always asleep when I did it, and all bloody and bandaged up and everyone else was scarier, so he understood I had to do it for him."

Donghae mutters, ". Whose help does he want, then? Mine?"

"Definitely not yours," Ryeowook says.

"Excuse me?"

"I think he wants to try it alone?" Dr. Goi interrupts. "He's gotten some freedom and independence now, and he doesn't need many bandages put on or changed, so he probably thinks he doesn't need to be helped in the bath. He said I could check if his injuries are okay after."

Donghae has to stand. "But is he actually okay to have a bath?"

Dr. Goi purses her lips. "Well... it will sting. He will struggle. The water can't be too warm. But if he says he can handle it, then he could be okay for... around ten minutes. Someone must help him get in and out, when he's done... but yeah, the rest might be okay."

Donghae groans. Rubs his forehead. Steps down. "Fine, I'll do it--"

"No."

This time, it's Sungmin. He and Ryeowook both said no. Donghae's surprised. Sungmin's gotten to his feet.

"I'll do it," he says. Smiles. "If he's not comfortable with Dr. Goi, how would he be comfortable with you?"

Donghae has to laugh. "What? Are you alright? What are you saying? I lived with him for two whole years! If he's comfortable with anyone, it's me!"

Sungmin shakes his head. Passes by him. Into the hall. Ryeowook chuckles.

"What?" Donghae demands. "I'm the only one Hyukjae knows! The only one he's not scared of! If we had to rank all of us, it'll be me first, then Dr. Goi -- no offense, doctor, I'm just saying."

"No offense taken, king," she says. Sounds amused. Just like Ryeowook

"Sure, Donghae, but I bet he will scream at you to get out -- especially if you try helping him bathe."

Well, yes. He might. But...

"That means he's comfortable enough with me to scream at me," Donghae says. "He feels safe. He won't do that to any of you because he's scared." Donghae realizes. Gasps. Goes marching after Sungmin. Running. "Hey! You can't be the one helping him because he'll be too scared to--"

Sungmin holds up a hand. To stop him. He's gotten to Hyukjae's door. He knocks. Pokes his head in.

"Hi, Hyukjae. May I come in?"

"Oh! Y-y