𝕘𝕚𝕧𝕖𝕟-𝕥𝕒𝕜𝕖𝕟 | ᴇɴ-

𝟕

I watch them from my seat by the window. We seem like seven brothers once again. I was worried we wouldn't fit in, or that one of us would get sick again, but no one else seemed to share my worries. In fact, no one seems to say anything about it. It's been a couple of months already and they act like the castle and our secrets never happened. It kind of feels like we're closing ourselves to each other again.

No one ever said anything about the blood on Heeseung-hyung. It made me wonder if I had maybe imagined it. But I didn't. That day in the baths seems to have happened centuries ago. Our hyung came into the room with blood on his shirt, looking so alive. And nobody said anything. We just ran.

What happened to him?

I tried to talk to our hyung. Ask him about that night. But he didn't tell me anything. The truth is, I wasn't sure how to even bring it up. So I went around the topic until it was clear he was going to keep his mouth shut.

And it was fine. For a while. They all seemed happy to try again. I was happy to start over too. All of us together once more. Except we never talked about what happened. We all suddenly started to appear better and that was the end of it. Now, none of them talk about the fever and our curse.

For a moment, Jay-hyung stops playing to look at the music sheets and Sunghoon-hyung's voice reaches us all.

"I think I'm sick again," he says.

My eyes snap to him, sitting in the couch beside Niki with Sunno-hyung standing in front of them both. The youngest had been weird in the kitchens this morning. Was it because he knew?

"What do you mean?" Heeseung-hyung asks. The piano remains silent and Sunghoon-hyung seems to realise that we all heard him.

"I...I didn't..." he stammers, clearly not expecting us all to hear him.

"How long?" Sunno-hyung frowns at him.

Sunghoon-hyung glances at Niki. "A couple of weeks."

Sunno-hyung curses.

"Why didn't you say anything?" I ask. Though the question is not just directed at him.

"I didn't want to worry you," he whispers.

"Damn it, Sunghoon," Sunno-hyung nearly yells. "You'd think you would learn the lesson by now!"

"Guys, keep it down," Heeseung-hyung holds his head as if we're being too loud.

"We came here to heal," Jake-hyung says. "Maybe the nurses can help us."

"No," Sunno-hyung tells him sternly. "We can't tell anyone. We promised we wouldn't."

"I agree," Jay-hyung adds. "The reason we came here was because we couldn't afford anyone finding out in the first place."

"So then what?" Niki asks us. "We do nothing?"

"There's gotta be something we can do," Jake-hyung says hopelessly.

"Can't you see? This curse will haunt us forever," Sunno-hyung seethes and his eyes begin to glow in time with his anger.

"Hyung," I gasp and look around frantically, hoping we're alone. That no one is around to see.

"Sunno, calm down," Jay-hyung stands to move over to him.

He's breathing hard and his eyes are bright.

"Take deep breaths," Jake-hyung tells him.

"I'm trying," he answers and I see his fangs growing when he speaks.

I hear footsteps approaching from the hallway. Niki curses beside Sunghoon-hyung, who looks like he's about to faint.

"Sunno, please," Jay-hyung begs him. He's scared. We all are.

Despite his best efforts, the fangs grow. So much that they take up all the space in his mouth and it's nearly impossible to keep it close.

"Sunno, get it together!" our hyung hisses.

The Mistress walks in with another maid. They're discussing something between themselves. Jay-hyung turns Sunno-hyung towards him as they approach. His eyes are shining. It's obvious, even in the sunlight.

I stay in my seat to keep the attention away from us. We're all trying to act normal, but if you look closely you can tell the tension in our bodies. The older woman smiles as she notices us. I bow slightly in greeting.

"Hello, boys, how are things?"

"We're alright," Heeseung-hyung answers.

The other maid gives Sunoo-hyung in Jay-hyung's arms a look, but doesn't say anything.

"Good to hear," she says before they continue to the kitchens, still within sight.

Jay-hyung whispers something to Sunoo-hyung. I glance at the kitchens. The Mistress is looking back at us. Jake-hyung has moved over to the pair. He's telling Sunoo-hyung to calm down. Another glance to the dining room tells me that the woman is still looking in our direction.

Sunoo-hyung pushes off of Jay-hyung. "Cut it out!"

"Hyung," I call him. Trying to tell him without saying anything that we're being watched. That his fangs are out. That his eyes are glowing. That the Mistress is in the other room.

He leaves, keeping his head down. I look over and meet the woman's eyes. I smile at her, looking innocent. She didn't see anything, did she? I mean, Sunoo-hyung didn't open his mouth too much. His fangs couldn't have shown. And she's too far away. Then again, she doesn't smile back.