[Morning | 8:00 AM]
Taekyun's eyes opened slowly.
For a moment, he didn't move.
He sat upright on the bed, his gaze drifting instinctively to Haru and Haneul beside him.
Haru was sprawled on her stomach, her face half-buried in the pillow, breathing softly.
The feverish flush from the night before had faded, leaving her skin pale and calm.
She looked peaceful,
Behind her,
Haneul was curled tightly, his arm wrapped around Haru's belly in a protective hold.
His fingers were clenched into the fabric of her clothes.
Taekyun watched them for a long time.
Slowly, carefully, he placed his palm against Haru's head, checking her temperature.
Normal.
The fever had ended.
Just as he relaxed, he stilled.
Something lingered in the air.
A faint scent.
It wasn't Haneul's pheromones.
Taekyun had sensed it once or twice before fleeting, easy to dismiss.
But now, in the stillness of the morning, it was clearer.
It was coming from Haru.
His brows furrowed.
The manifestation of a secondary gender often came early in the Kim bloodline.
Rare, but not unheard of.
Taekyun himself had manifested at seven.
Haru was turning six.
He had always known it would happen.
She took after him in too many ways.
Still, the scent unsettled him.
It carried something familiar.
Something old.
Like the air after rain.
Like something faint that once belonged to Harin.
She used to smell like this subtle, calm, almost forgettable unless you knew what to look for.
His chest tightened slightly.
Ignoring the scent,
Taekyun leaned back against the headboard and closed his eyes, forcing the thought away.
Then....
A sudden sound.
His eyes opened.
The bathroom door opened abruptly.
Haneul stepped out in a hurry, slippers barely making a sound against the floor.
Taekyun rose quietly and followed.
[Bathroom]
Inside,
Haneul stood in front of the sink, one hand pressed against his lower belly.
He frowned.
It wasn't pain just discomfort.
A strange heaviness that made his heart race for no reason at all.
He rubbed his stomach slowly, breathing in, then out.
Maybe I caught a cold too.
That was all he could think of.
Still, the nervousness wouldn't leave.
When he turned to leave the bathroom and pulled the door open,
He froze.
Taekyun stood right outside, looking down at him.
"Oh,"
Haneul blinked.
"You're awake."
Taekyun nodded, but his eyes narrowed slightly.
Haneul's pheromones were unstable faint, restless, unfamiliar.
"What's wrong?"
Taekyun asked quietly.
Haneul hesitated.
"Oh….. it's nothing. Just"
He didn't get to finish.
Taekyun could already feel his nervousness clearly.
Without another word,
Taekyun stepped forward and pulled him into a slow, steady hug.
His hand rubbed Haneul's back gently, grounding, patient.
Haneul's eyes widened for a brief second.
Then he realized.
Taekyun had noticed.
A warmth spread through him, easing the tension in his chest.
He slowly wrapped his arms around Taekyun and relaxed into the embrace.
He smiled faintly, clutching Taekyun's shirt, burying his face against his chest.
The familiar scent steadied him, calmed him in a way nothing else could.
After a moment,
Haneul pulled back.
He stepped aside, looking up at Taekyun as he moved past him into the bathroom.
Haneul glanced back toward the bed before walking out.
Haru was still asleep.
He covered her carefully, smoothing the blanket over her small body, then quietly left the room and walked back to his own.
[Downstairs | 9:00 AM]
Haneul stood beside Bora in the kitchen, speaking softly.
"You bring that over. I want to see it,"
He said.
Bora nodded.
"I received it last night. It's still packed.
We'll open it tomorrow
when sir and Haru leave."
Haneul nodded.
"Yes. I really want to end it first."
Bora smiled.
"You know...."
He began.
Before he could finish, a staff member entered.
"Sir Taekyun has come downstairs."
Bora and Haneul both looked up.
"I'll bring breakfast,"
the cook said quickly.
Haneul stood.
"Haru?"
He asked the staff.
"She's awake. She's with sir."
Haneul nodded, glancing at Bora.
"I'll check on her first."
Bora nodded.
"Her breakfast is ready too."
Haneul walked out toward the dining area.
Haru was sitting on Taekyun's lap, his phone held in front of her as he showed her something quietly.
Taekyun looked up as Haneul approached.
"Are you awake?"
Haneul asked gently.
Haru nodded, opening her arms.
Taekyun turned off the phone and set it aside.
Haneul lifted Haru carefully from Taekyun's lap and settled her onto his own as he sat beside him, brushing her hair back softly.
"Feeling better?"
Haru shook her head weakly.
"No."
"It's okay,"
Haneul whispered.
"You'll be fine."
"I'll take her to the hospital this afternoon," Taekyun said calmly.
Haneul looked up sharply.
"Hospital?"
"Just a normal checkup."
"I'll come with you,"
Haneul said immediately.
Taekyun nodded.
"Get yourself warm."
Breakfast arrived.
Bora came over, patting Haru's head gently. "Feeling better, Haru-ah?"
Haru nodded slowly.
Bora smiled, then turned to Taekyun.
"Sir,"
She said,
"I want six days' leave."
Both Taekyun and Haneul looked at her.
"All of a sudden?"
Taekyun asked.
"My mother… she's admitted to the hospital," Bora replied quietly.
"She's very old now.
And sir, you know my brother…. he just won't"
She stopped.
Taekyun nodded.
"You can go. I'll tell Lihan."
"No, sir. I can manage,"
She said suddenly.
Taekyun studied her, then nodded.
"Tell me if you need anything."
Bora bowed.
"Thank you."
Haneul watched her, unsettled.
He had just spoken to her earlier.
Why hadn't she mentioned anything then?
Her sudden change bothered him more than he expected.
Bora glanced at him as she left.
Haneul returned to the table and began feeding Haru.
[Haru's Room]
After breakfast,
Haneul dressed Haru carefully.
A knock sounded.
Bora entered.
"Bora-ah,"
Haneul turned.
"What's going on?
Why are you leaving so suddenly?"
Bora smiled as she picked up Haru's clothes from the bed.
"Are you already missing me?"
Haneul pouted slightly.
"You didn't mention it earlier."
"I just got the call,"
She said softly.
"And it's not like I'm leaving forever."
"But still"
"Haneul-ah,"
Bora said gently,
"I'm just staff. Someday, I'll have to leave anyway.
You can't depend on me forever."
Haneul frowned.
"Why are you talking like this?
Did something happen?"
"No,"
She replied quickly.
"Why?"
"I've noticed,"
He said quietly.
"You've been different these past few days. Sad."
Bora shook her head.
"It's not like that.
My mother is weak.
My brother won't take care of her because of his wife.
That's why I have to go."
She stepped closer.
"Don't you trust me at all?"
Before he could answer,
Haneul hugged her suddenly.
"Even if he's not a good brother,"
Haneul said softly,
"I am. You have to come back for me."
Bora smiled, eyes shining.
"I will. For you. For sir. And for Haru."
She smiled again.
"I don't have a place to run.
Where would I even go?"
"I'll wait,"
Haneul said.
"I'm leaving this afternoon,"
Bora added.
"You'll be at the hospital by then.
Just a week, okay?"
Haneul nodded, jaw tight.
"But don't forget we still have plans."
"Of course,"
Bora replied.
"And Haru's birthday too. I'll return. For sure."
[Noon]
Outside, Haneul hugged Bora tightly.
"Come back. I'll miss you."
"I will,"
Bora replied softly.
She held Haru and kissed her cheek.
"You'll be okay. Nana will be back soon."
"Nana, miss you,"
Haru whispered.
Bora laughed through tears.
"It's just a week.
Why are you acting like this?"
She bowed to Taekyun.
Taekyun nodded in response.
Inside the car,
Taekyun buckled Haneul's seatbelt carefully and covered Haru with a blanket.
The car moved.
Bora waved from the gate, still standing there, smiling.
Haneul waved back.
As the car disappeared, Bora stood alone.
I'll return.
Even if I can't tell you what I'm suffering from.
If I had more lives, I'd sacrifice them all.
I won't let you be ruined because of them.
Even if it means destroying my loyalty to them.