Seungri follow the screaming sound. He admit that the screaming does sound creepy. By the time he arrive in that room TOP and Onew was already in the room.

He saw a kid sit on the bed, eyes open and fills with fear, sweat was dripping from the kid forehead as he screams. Onew standing beside the kid while looking helplessly. ‘I can’t stop him.’

TOP took and held the kid in his arms tightly. What’s wrong with him?’

‘I don’t know. He’s awake but he won’t respond to me.’

TOP smooth the kid’s hair while looking worried. Normally his brain will function in a speed but now it motionless. ‘His breathing is fast. Get doctor immediately.’

A very calm voice came from the door. ‘He’s not awake.’

TOP turn his head and saw Seungri, he was looking at the kid in TOP’s arms. ‘He’s having a nightmare. My brother had them too. You shouldn’t wake him.’

“He already wake up. See, his eyes are open.’ Onew’s eyes were cold.

TOP decide to ignore Onew. ‘You seen this before?’ there was fear in his voice, but Seungri still acting calm.

‘Many times. Who is close to him?’ Seungri throw his look between TOP and Onew.

TOP take a deep breath before answer. ‘I am.’

‘In that case you should be the one to put him to sleep. Hold him, that will make him feel safe. Talk to him quietly. Blow out all the candles except one. Darkness helps. When he fall asleep, stay with him for about ten minutes. I assure you he will have a good sleep after that.’

After deliver the instruction to TOP, Seungri look at Onew. ‘We should leave. The less people the better.’

But Onew’s expression was stubborn. ‘He knows me.’

‘It’s better that way.’ This time Seungri’s voice was firm.

‘Do as he says.’ TOP ordered while tucking the kid under the bed cover. He was quivering and shivering and his adult heart was broken to see him like this. A child should not suffer like this. He was close to call a doctor, but some reason he follow his guts to follow Seungri’s suggestion, all the while wondering why he was following the advice of a person he had no reason to trust.

He had whispering a soothing words for a while, his hand those fragile shoulders until he can feel him getting calm and relax under his fingers.

When he is assure the kid finally fall asleep, he get up and close the door.

Onew was waiting outside the room. ‘I can handle him.’

‘How long has this been going on?’

Onew hesitate to answer but decided to tell TOP everything because the Prince is going to know if he lie. ‘A while.’

Onew’s answer only add up his stress levels. ‘Why I not been told?’

‘You were not here.’

‘I thought I give clear instructions to inform me anything that concerns him.’ TOP were trying to control his temper. He realize he need to cool down before he speak whatever in his mind. ‘Stay with him.’ He clench his jaw and left.

He want to stay but there is something he need to do. TOP knock and open the door without warning. He had found Seungri standing still in the middle of the room with his hands clench into fist by his side, tension was evidence to his posture. He turn and their gazes locked.

They were caught the in awkward atmosphere.  ‘Thank you for your help. You know what’s wrong?’

‘Yes.’ Seungri’s confidence give TOP some assurance.

‘You have seen it before?’

‘Many times.’ Seungri’s voice turn tight, his eyes darken. ‘My brother start having it. Every night. He wake up screaming, his eyes were open. He seem awake, but actually he was sleeping. At first time it happened I was just like you...I thought he was awake.’

‘But he not?’

‘No. It took me awhile and some research to realise that my brother was actually sleeping.’

He do some research about this. He should expect that. ‘And you know what cause it?’

‘There are different triggers. High fever, extreme tiredness, and—’ Seungri his lips and turn his head away so that TOP could no longer see his eyes. ‘And stress. Stress can cause it.’

Guilt was twisted inside him. Because he know exactly what the trigger and the cause of the stress. ‘And in your brother’s case?’

TOP look Seungri’s shoulders become tense. ‘This is not about my brother.’ He ignore TOP’s question. ‘This is about the little kid I just saw. Has he been through a bad experience?’

How was he supposed to answer that?

This time TOP choose to ignore the question.

‘Is there a way to stop it from happening?’

‘I don’t know. I could only deal with it. I tried to make my brother feel more secure so that he didn’t go to bed scared.’

‘He was scared?’

They were exploring two parallel lines of conversation and TOP was aware that Seungri was avoiding his questions same as he was avoiding him.

‘Doctor say overstimulation of the central nervous system can cause it.’

‘So there was nothing you could do?’

‘I try very hard not to make he feel afraid.’

There are some aspects of our past neither one of us wishes to revisit. TOP caught the dark look within Seungri’s eyes and realise that there were thick layers protecting him.

‘What is he so afraid?’

‘If you want to help that kid, the best thing is to talk to his family and find out what the cause is. I think that shouldn’t be a problem because you seem to know him well.’

He seems ignored all my question about his life in the palace? Every time I asked he will dodge it. And suddenly he knew it. He need to make the first move.

‘I know the kid very well. I know him better than anyone else.’ He had to push the words harder to pass his throat. ‘He is my brother.’