At night, Donghae has his eyes on the monitors. He's left a pencil at his door. It keeps it from shutting. Locking. This allows Donghae to hear more. From outside his room.

He goes to bed late. Wakes up early.

Donghae checks the screens. Switches through all the cameras. Hyukjae's in bed. But he's awake.

It's five in the morning. Did Hyukjae get enough sleep?

Donghae turns from that screen. He inspects his equipment. Listens to security's communication for a while. He ups the volume. Lowers it. Just to see any changes. It all seems fine.

He taps to get another view of Hyukjae. He's rolled around. To the other side of the bed. His leg's sticking off the edge. Donghae sniffs a laugh. Hyukjae's pajama bottoms have rolled up--

He leans in to the screen. Just below Hyukjae's knee... there's a dark mark. Donghae maximizes the view. It can't be a shadow. But it's difficult to see well.

Donghae closes it. Heads to his bathroom.

He washes up. Gets dressed. Puts on his equipment and devices carefully. Clips a few tools into his belt.

He makes sure his earpiece is hooked. That it hangs. He doesn't insert it. Donghae runs a comb through his damp hair. Comes to stand in front of his screens. He pulls on his suit jacket. Tugs the wire of the microphone. Down his arm. Gets it comfortable in his sleeve.

It is five thirty by then. His room is lighter. Donghae opens his curtains. A little. Just to let more light in. It mostly pours onto the wall behind. Away from the monitors.

Donghae pops up Hyukjae's room again.

Hyukjae has slipped out of bed. He's stretching. His back's to the camera. Donghae reaches for the phone on his desk. Presses the number for Hyukjae.

He watches Hyukjae pause. Straighten up. Turn. Look at the camera. Then he trudges to the phone. It's on the left corner of his bed.

"Hello?"

"Good morning, your highness. You're up very early."

"Um, so are you..." Hyukjae stares up at the camera now.

"I don't believe you need to be anywhere before ten..."

"I know..."

"Sir, I can be there in about an hour. Is that alright?"

"Oh, no, I'm not gonna leave the room yet," Hyukjae says. Donghae can see his pouty mouth. His eyeroll. "I know better than to do that now. I wasn't expecting you till eight anyway. I want to check on Eunji and maybe have breakfast with her before Sungmin comes to nag me."

"Yes, of course, your highness. I can do eight too."

Hyukjae shrugs his shoulders. "Sure."

"I'll see you in a few hours then, sir."

"Okay."

"And you know how to get in touch with me before that."

"Yep."

"Thank you, your highness."

"Mhm."

Hyukjae waits for him. To hang up. His eyes stay up towards the camera. Donghae ends the call. Hyukjae listens for longer. Then slowly places the phone back. He waves at the camera.

---

Donghae's room isn't far from Hyukjae's. For obvious reason. He'll be able to reach him fastest.

He passes through those corridors. Keeps his ears tuned to any sound. From the area itself. From the earpiece.

Donghae had almost strained his hearing. The previous day. Hyukjae went in to see Soonok. Donghae was left with his thoughts. The whole castle. To try and listen to.

There was nothing out of the ordinary.

He heads towards the kitchens. Donghae skims through the sounds around him. A few rooms are soundproofed. It's usually if they're private. If they're places where meetings occur.

But halls... corridors... stairways... entrances...

All the open spaces. The living spaces. Ones people pass through... step out into... continue pieces of their previous discussions in...

Those reveal a lot.

King Siwon, for instance. He's awake. Donghae would normally know. From security's correspondence. The guards stationed near the King's quarters. But it's too early. For the King to be going anywhere. For the rest of his team to join him.

So Donghae knows... from one of the attendees to the King. He also knows... Siwon's got a splitting headache.

Donghae heard Minho hurrying in the halls. Heard his short greeting to the guards. In front of Siwon's quarters.

As Minho was leaving... Siwon's voice came through the open door. It was raspy. Low. But it was loud and clear to Donghae.

King Siwon asked for more pain relievers.

----

Donghae grabbed some food from the fridges. Some coffee. There's always something in the kitchens. For staff working late nights. Early mornings.

He has lowered his earpiece. Sat at a table. It's in the back corner of an open room. Near the kitchens. He can view most of the kitchen spaces from it. But he can hear a lot of the castle.

Not many workers are up yet. It's quiet.

Throughout the day... this spot is busy. Noisy. There's meal preparations happening. Cooking. Cleaning. The staff shout orders at each other. Donghae can't use it. At all.

So he eats slowly now. Peacefully. Listens.

He is hearing more and more footsteps. Snippets of conversations. The regular workers are starting their day. Members of the monarch's court should be too...

Donghae stops chewing. Lowers his cup. Concentrates. Closes his eyes.

There are faint steps. Donghae can recognize who they belong to. If he isolates them... listens more closely...

But that's not what he needs to do. He's certain he heard... yes. There.

A cane.

Kim Soonok. He quickly catches the rhythm. Her footsteps. There's someone with her. It's on the south side of the castle.

"He's very stubborn... I can't get anything out of him..."

A man