"He did good on all his exams," Donghae says. He's at his place. Lying on the sofa. "Not amazing. But good. I was worried because I've helped him finish his homework, you know? But... he has no time. I guess he doesn't have a bad brain, he just can't do that much schoolwork. I've convinced him to work a little less now... he has more time to do things I know he wants to do, but... he always just comes back home."

Kyuhyun yawns. Loudly.

"I think I'll tell him I can go with him, wherever it is he wants to go, but I still don't understand why he'd need me to go with him? I don't think anyone dislikes him at school. I've never picked up on any ill feelings towards him, on the bus or near the school. I keep hearing a name though... it's a relative of his. Heechul? I heard him answer the phone once too, saying that. But he's never come to see him? As you know, I barely ever leave his side, unless he's at school or work, which I know he doesn't skip because his parents wouldn't have liked that--"

"Donghae," Kyuhyun says. Sits up. "Honestly, I don't give a single ."

Donghae frowns. Glares at his brother.

"You should give some s, you bastard. That boy is bound to me and I need him alive to stay alive! Do you want me to perish?"

Kyuhyun doesn't answer. Which is an answer. Donghae chooses to be the bigger person. Even if he's smaller. But he's the king. So he is a bigger person.

"He's turned seventeen!" Donghae goes on. Smiles. "I got him a cake and made him a meal! I think they gave him something at work too. He looked like he'd already cried. He cried all over again though." Donghae sighs. "What a stupid kid. He'll cry over the tiniest things."

"If you can convince him to do things," Kyuhyun says. "Why don't you convince him to let you go?"

"Because he needs me!" Donghae says. Rises to his feet. They keep telling him that. "Hyukjae is not going to just let me go! Or he wouldn't have done this in the first place! Do you know how scared he is of... of everything?"

"And that's not strange to you?"

"It is but... he's just a kid, Kyuhyun. He's not doing anything evil."

"Whatever. Can I go now? You can't force us to listen to the same boring stories about Hyukjae everytime you're lonely."

"They're not -- I'm not sharing the same..." Donghae pauses. "Did I tell you this? I thought I told Yesung?"

"You told me, Ryeowook, then Yesung, and now you're telling me again."

"Oh."

"Okay, I'm going now."

"Okay."

Donghae needs to go now too. To get Hyukjae. From work.

---

The boy eats well. Donghae knows what he likes. Doesn't like. He's not surprised by his tastes. Hyukjae is a