Till Death do we Part
Title: Till Death do we Part
Chapter: 9/?
Pairings: KiHae (Main), KyuMin, YeWook, KangTeuk
Rating: PG-16
Warning: Character Death
Summary: The one thing Lee DongHae hadn't expected to happen that Sunday morning was to die. But that is exactly what happened, and now because of a 'lingering regret', he can't pass on fully. What regret is this? A long-suffering crush on a boy who didn't even know he existed; Kim KiBum. So he is given one week on earth as a ghost to fulfill this regret... Or heaven might not even be an option for him anymore. But with KiBum the only one who can see him, and an experienced ghost hunter on his tail, can he even make the deadline?
A/N: Just moving the plot along a little... By the way, thanks so much for all the comments guys! You all seriously brighten my day ^.^
Trailer || Chapter One || Chapter Two || Chapter Three || Chapter Four || Chapter Five || Chapter Six || Chapter Seven || Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine:
“A poltergeist?”
LeeTeuk nodded gravely. The three spirits were sitting down under the same tree they’d been under for nearly half an hour, DongHae looking from LeeTeuk to ChangMin with a confused, lost expression. “I don’t get it. Isn’t poltergeist just another fancy way of saying ‘ghost’?”
“It is, in a way… Humans know poltergeists as mischevious ghosts, who like to cause trouble. Most people believe all ghosts are poltergeists. These stories are only half-true. Not all ghosts are poltergeists… At least, not right away. You’re a ghost, DongHae, but you’re not a poltergeist.”
“Not yet anyways,” ChangMin mumbled into his hand. DongHae looked at him again. “So… What’s the difference then?”
“Poltergeists are… For lack of a better term… Ghosts gone bad,” LeeTeuk said. “You must have noticed by now, all your emotions are much more pronounced now that you’re a ghost.” DongHae nodded. “That’s because ghosts are pure spirit. It’s harder to control your emotions when you’re in that state. And the more times that passes while a ghost is on Earth, the more those emotions go out of control. And since all ghosts are here because of grudges they’ve had, those emotions will eventually to anger, jealousy, envy… And when that happens, all the good emotions are slowly eaten away, until there’s only the anger left. That’s when a ghost becomes a poltergeist. And poltergeists are very, very dangerous, for other spirits and humans alike.”
A bad feeling was slowly rising in the pit of DongHae’s stomach. “So… Then… I’m gonna be like that too?” He whispered.
“If you stay here past your one week deadline, yeah. It might not happen right away, but it will eventually. That’s why there are Spirit Guides like us,” ChangMin explained. “To help ghosts fulfill their regrets, and if they don’t, to send them to Hell before they can hurt anyone. Unfortunately though, there aren’t as many Spirit Guides as ghosts. Not all ghosts are helped, and those who have no clue what is going on, who are kept in the dark, usually fall faster. Even the nicest, kindest ghost in existence will still turn into a poltergeist eventually.” He smiled grimly, recalling his own death. “Poltergeists can harm others, even humans… And they can kill too.”
*****FLASH BACK*****
“It’s gotten dark,” The tall youth remarked, blinking up at the sky. The sun had set, the clouds blotting out the stars and moon, leaving a veil of darkness. He stood up, brushing the grass off his pants. “We should be getting back. My dad will have my head,” He commented, laughing.
His companion looked up at him, then out across the field. This was their sanctuary, a lone hill standing out on the fields just outside their town. They’d first met here as kids, and ever since kept on coming back. First acquaintances, then friends, now best friends.
“He knows you’re with me, so it shouldn’t be too hard to escape his wrath,” He replied dryly, standing up and stretching a little. “Well, lets start going back.” The walk took a good half a hour, but neither of them minded.
Walking down the hill, the shorter of the two shivered a little, a bad feeling running through him. “What was what?”
“What was what?” The other replied, already walking again, looking back at his best friend in confusion. “KyuHyun? What’s wrong?”
KyuHyun stayed where he was, looking around uneasily. “Don’t tell me you’re scared of the dark,” His friend teased, obviously not getting the same vibes the other was. He couldn’t feel it, KyuHyun realized. That must mean…
He felt it before he saw it; another shift in the air. Then a sudden increase in wind, blowing the tall reeds around. ChangMin frowned, batting the large plants away with one hand. “Is there a storm coming?” He asked, looking up at the sky.
When KyuHyun saw the air behind ChangMin move, his throat went dry in fear. “Ch… ChangMin!”
His friend looked at him in confusion. Then suddenly, the wind came blasting through the area, the taller boy falling onto his face with a startled yelp. KyuHyun braced himself, reaching into his coat pocket to feel around for a spiral dart. He went white as a sheet when he realized he had none left. He had his gun, but how was he supposed to actually catch the ghost if he couldn’t stun it first?
Pulling out his gun anyways, he looked up into blood-red eyes, a silhouette formed in the air where ChangMin had been standing. ChangMin groaned a little, sitting up. “What was that?” He looked up at KyuHyun, eyes widening when he saw the gun. He looked back where he had been standing, where KyuHyun was aiming, but he couldn’t see anything. “Kyu? Why have you got a gun?” He asked uneasily, standing up shakily.
“ChangMin, stay down!” KyuHyun exclaimed, firing the gun with a deafening bang. His friend blocked his ringing ears, shutting his eyes. KyuHyun stared at the spot the ghost had been in. Did he get him?
A choked gasp came from beside him, and KyuHyun whirled around, freezing in panic. The ghost was behind ChangMin again, lifting the boy off his feet effortlessly. ChangMin struggled wildly with the creature he couldn’t see, but none of his kicks or punches was landing. “P-put him down!” KyuHyun exclaimed, hands shaking as he held the gun.
The ghost put ChangMin down, but not the way KyuHyun had hoped. ChangMin was tossed to one side like a ragdoll, yelping as he hit the ground so hard he dislocated his shoulder. Panting, he looked from KyuHyun to where he had been standing wildly, eyes wide with fear.
KyuHyun straightened his aim and prepared to fire. But then something happened. The image of the ghost rippled, and then the red in the eyes faded, becoming dark brown, and KyuHyun could actually see the ghost standing there, semi-transparent. The Chinese boy stared at him, then looked down at his own shaking hands. “I… I don’t understand… Why is th-this happening…?” He stammered in broken Korean. The look of fear in his eyes tugged at KyuHyun’s heart, and he hesitantly lowered the gun. “… Who are you?” The ghost hunter asked.
The ghost boy looked up at him again, eyes torn. “Please… Please kill me,” He sobbed. “I c-can’t… I c-can’t continue… Please, kill me!”
“W-wait,” KyuHyun said, hesitating. “What’s wrong? Maybe we can help-“ His words were cut off by a yell from the ghost, the Chinese boy holding his head and screaming in pain. ChangMin blocked his ears again, unable to see the ghost but able to hear the noise escaping from him. “KyuHyun!” He exclaimed.
The wind suddenly roared to life again, and KyuHyun saw the ghost’s eyes glow red again. The creatures head snapped up, staring right at ChangMin with a gaze of pure anger. He raised one hand, towards ChangMin, and clenched his fist, pulling it back harshly.
Red splattered onto the reeds, soaking into the ground. ChangMin gave a choked gasp, staring right through the ghost, then slowly looking down at the hole in his chest. KyuHyun stared, the gun falling from his fingers as his best friend collapsed in a pool of red.
“CHANGMIN!”
*****END FLASH BACK*****
DongHae looked devastated, watching the pain on ChangMin’s face. “You mean… I might even hurt my friends? Hyukkie? SungMinnie? KiBummie?”
ChangMin nodded. “Poltergeists don’t recognize the difference between friend and enemy. They’re so angry, they don’t care who they hurt, as long as they hurt someone. That’s why you only have a week here. Because I’m sure you don’t want to hurt anyone, DongHae.” DongHae shook his head wildly, biting his lower lip. He finally knew the reason for the deadline.
And he couldn’t agree more. Even Hell was better than hurting the people he cared about.
*****
KiBum didn’t see DongHae the rest of the day. Though he didn’t want to admit it, he was more than just a bit concerned. Since he already knew what DongHae was, there was no reason for the other to avoid him, right? And yet he couldn’t help but get the feeling that was exactly what DongHae was doing.
He shook his head to clear it. DongHae was probably just visiting family. He focused on his classes, working on a new project they had been given. They were allowed to work in teams of four, so he, KyuHyun, RyeoWook and SungMin had all ganged up to work on it. While they worked, SungMin talked excitedly about visiting the festival after school.
“It’s supposed to be really great! There’s parades and stuff, and a bunch of rides like an amusement park! It’s going to be a blast!” He turned to KyuHyun beside him, turning on his charm to the max. “Kyunnie~, are you coming?” He asked sweetly. KyuHyun blinked. “I’m not sure, I’ve got some work I need to do…” He trailed off as SungMin pouted at him. A second of that look was enough to make him cave in. “… Alright,” He said weakly, and SungMin squealed in joy, wrapping his arms around him in a happy hug.
“I’m coming, YeSung hyung invited me,” RyeoWook said softly, a faint blush appearing on his cheeks. KiBum raised an eyebrow at him, and RyeoWook quickly busied himself with writing for the project, head ducked down to hide his face.
KiBum remembered DongHae’s request for EunHyuk to join them. He didn’t know which class the other was in, but that wasn’t going to stop him from finding him. He still felt bad for rejecting DongHae yesterday, and wanted the ghost boy to be happy.
When class ended, he told the others to wait for him outside, and set off along the hallways. He looked in all the classes, and when he couldn’t find EunHyuk anywhere, he went towards the lockers. He was in luck; EunHyuk was just leaving the locker area, his bag slung over one shoulder. “Hey,” KiBum greeted him. EunHyuk looked up at him in surprise, blinking for a moment. KiBum had never really spoken to him before. “… Hey.” He replied, looking confused.
“Aren’t you coming to the festival with us?” He asked. EunHyuk smiled faintly and shook his head. “No, sorry… I’m just going to head home…” He started walking again
“You know… DongHae wouldn’t have wanted you to be like this,” KiBum said, making the other boy stop in his tracks. EunHyuk looked back at KiBum, one eyebrow raised. “How would you know?” He said, a biting edge of his voice. “You never knew him.”
Yes I do, KiBum wanted to say, but he knew he couldn’t EunHyuk would never understand what was happening to DongHae now. “Maybe not,” He replied with a shrug. “But you did. Everyone says you knew him the best. And if you don’t know what he would say to you now, who would?”
EunHyuk stood still for the longest moment. Then he walked off again, not saying a word. KiBum looked after him, sighing softly. He’d tried. He wasn’t sure what else he could say to EunHyuk without giving something away. So he started walking towards the school entrance.
When he got there, the others were waiting for him. SungMin was chattering excitedly to KyuHyun, who looked amused at the others sudden hyperactivity. YeSung and RyeoWook were quiet, but the eternal magnae was blushing faintly again.
“Sorry for taking so long,” KiBum apologized. “Let’s go?”
SungMin nodded. “The festival is about fifteen minute walk, not that far,” He said happily, now practically hanging off of KyuHyun’s arm. “Let’s go!” They turned and walked through the school gates.
“Aren’t you missing someone?”
They turned around at the voice behind them. SungMin gasped. “EunHyukkie!” He ran forward to throw his arms around the monkey-boy’s neck, nearly making him fall over. “You’re coming?”
EunHyuk nodded, eyes meeting KiBum’s over SungMin’s shoulder. KiBum gave the slightest incline of his head, a faint smile on his lips.
“But what made you change your mind?” SungMin asked, eyes wide as they started walking again.
“DongHae would have wanted me to come,” He said simply.
They continued walking, chatting easily as they went. KiBum kept looking around him, feeling that despite the happy attitude, something was missing. Something important.
A shiver ran down his spine. Unable to suppress the smile that sprang to his lips, he looked in front of them again. A lone figure waited for them by the entrance to the festival grounds. The others walked on by, still talking, but KiBum slowed, letting them go on ahead.
“You’re late,” DongHae said with a pout. But then he smiled, and the world suddenly seemed so much brighter. “You got Hyukkie to come. Thank you, KiBummie.”
“It was nothing,” KiBum said, unable to stop smiling.
“KiBum!” SungMin called. KiBum and DongHae caught up with them quickly. SungMin grinned. “Now, let’s have some fun, why don’t we?” This was a chance for some of them to forget what had happened this week, for others to make the first step to moving on, and for one to spend a fun-filled evening with the boy he loved, before everything was over.
KiBum felt something slip into his hand. Looking down, he saw DongHae’s hand in his own, silently marveling at how well their hands fit. He looked up into DongHae’s bright eyes, then forward as the group moved on.
Chapter: 9/?
Pairings: KiHae (Main), KyuMin, YeWook, KangTeuk
Rating: PG-16
Warning: Character Death
Summary: The one thing Lee DongHae hadn't expected to happen that Sunday morning was to die. But that is exactly what happened, and now because of a 'lingering regret', he can't pass on fully. What regret is this? A long-suffering crush on a boy who didn't even know he existed; Kim KiBum. So he is given one week on earth as a ghost to fulfill this regret... Or heaven might not even be an option for him anymore. But with KiBum the only one who can see him, and an experienced ghost hunter on his tail, can he even make the deadline?
A/N: Just moving the plot along a little... By the way, thanks so much for all the comments guys! You all seriously brighten my day ^.^
Trailer || Chapter One || Chapter Two || Chapter Three || Chapter Four || Chapter Five || Chapter Six || Chapter Seven || Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine:
“A poltergeist?”
LeeTeuk nodded gravely. The three spirits were sitting down under the same tree they’d been under for nearly half an hour, DongHae looking from LeeTeuk to ChangMin with a confused, lost expression. “I don’t get it. Isn’t poltergeist just another fancy way of saying ‘ghost’?”
“It is, in a way… Humans know poltergeists as mischevious ghosts, who like to cause trouble. Most people believe all ghosts are poltergeists. These stories are only half-true. Not all ghosts are poltergeists… At least, not right away. You’re a ghost, DongHae, but you’re not a poltergeist.”
“Not yet anyways,” ChangMin mumbled into his hand. DongHae looked at him again. “So… What’s the difference then?”
“Poltergeists are… For lack of a better term… Ghosts gone bad,” LeeTeuk said. “You must have noticed by now, all your emotions are much more pronounced now that you’re a ghost.” DongHae nodded. “That’s because ghosts are pure spirit. It’s harder to control your emotions when you’re in that state. And the more times that passes while a ghost is on Earth, the more those emotions go out of control. And since all ghosts are here because of grudges they’ve had, those emotions will eventually to anger, jealousy, envy… And when that happens, all the good emotions are slowly eaten away, until there’s only the anger left. That’s when a ghost becomes a poltergeist. And poltergeists are very, very dangerous, for other spirits and humans alike.”
A bad feeling was slowly rising in the pit of DongHae’s stomach. “So… Then… I’m gonna be like that too?” He whispered.
“If you stay here past your one week deadline, yeah. It might not happen right away, but it will eventually. That’s why there are Spirit Guides like us,” ChangMin explained. “To help ghosts fulfill their regrets, and if they don’t, to send them to Hell before they can hurt anyone. Unfortunately though, there aren’t as many Spirit Guides as ghosts. Not all ghosts are helped, and those who have no clue what is going on, who are kept in the dark, usually fall faster. Even the nicest, kindest ghost in existence will still turn into a poltergeist eventually.” He smiled grimly, recalling his own death. “Poltergeists can harm others, even humans… And they can kill too.”
*****FLASH BACK*****
“It’s gotten dark,” The tall youth remarked, blinking up at the sky. The sun had set, the clouds blotting out the stars and moon, leaving a veil of darkness. He stood up, brushing the grass off his pants. “We should be getting back. My dad will have my head,” He commented, laughing.
His companion looked up at him, then out across the field. This was their sanctuary, a lone hill standing out on the fields just outside their town. They’d first met here as kids, and ever since kept on coming back. First acquaintances, then friends, now best friends.
“He knows you’re with me, so it shouldn’t be too hard to escape his wrath,” He replied dryly, standing up and stretching a little. “Well, lets start going back.” The walk took a good half a hour, but neither of them minded.
Walking down the hill, the shorter of the two shivered a little, a bad feeling running through him. “What was what?”
“What was what?” The other replied, already walking again, looking back at his best friend in confusion. “KyuHyun? What’s wrong?”
KyuHyun stayed where he was, looking around uneasily. “Don’t tell me you’re scared of the dark,” His friend teased, obviously not getting the same vibes the other was. He couldn’t feel it, KyuHyun realized. That must mean…
He felt it before he saw it; another shift in the air. Then a sudden increase in wind, blowing the tall reeds around. ChangMin frowned, batting the large plants away with one hand. “Is there a storm coming?” He asked, looking up at the sky.
When KyuHyun saw the air behind ChangMin move, his throat went dry in fear. “Ch… ChangMin!”
His friend looked at him in confusion. Then suddenly, the wind came blasting through the area, the taller boy falling onto his face with a startled yelp. KyuHyun braced himself, reaching into his coat pocket to feel around for a spiral dart. He went white as a sheet when he realized he had none left. He had his gun, but how was he supposed to actually catch the ghost if he couldn’t stun it first?
Pulling out his gun anyways, he looked up into blood-red eyes, a silhouette formed in the air where ChangMin had been standing. ChangMin groaned a little, sitting up. “What was that?” He looked up at KyuHyun, eyes widening when he saw the gun. He looked back where he had been standing, where KyuHyun was aiming, but he couldn’t see anything. “Kyu? Why have you got a gun?” He asked uneasily, standing up shakily.
“ChangMin, stay down!” KyuHyun exclaimed, firing the gun with a deafening bang. His friend blocked his ringing ears, shutting his eyes. KyuHyun stared at the spot the ghost had been in. Did he get him?
A choked gasp came from beside him, and KyuHyun whirled around, freezing in panic. The ghost was behind ChangMin again, lifting the boy off his feet effortlessly. ChangMin struggled wildly with the creature he couldn’t see, but none of his kicks or punches was landing. “P-put him down!” KyuHyun exclaimed, hands shaking as he held the gun.
The ghost put ChangMin down, but not the way KyuHyun had hoped. ChangMin was tossed to one side like a ragdoll, yelping as he hit the ground so hard he dislocated his shoulder. Panting, he looked from KyuHyun to where he had been standing wildly, eyes wide with fear.
KyuHyun straightened his aim and prepared to fire. But then something happened. The image of the ghost rippled, and then the red in the eyes faded, becoming dark brown, and KyuHyun could actually see the ghost standing there, semi-transparent. The Chinese boy stared at him, then looked down at his own shaking hands. “I… I don’t understand… Why is th-this happening…?” He stammered in broken Korean. The look of fear in his eyes tugged at KyuHyun’s heart, and he hesitantly lowered the gun. “… Who are you?” The ghost hunter asked.
The ghost boy looked up at him again, eyes torn. “Please… Please kill me,” He sobbed. “I c-can’t… I c-can’t continue… Please, kill me!”
“W-wait,” KyuHyun said, hesitating. “What’s wrong? Maybe we can help-“ His words were cut off by a yell from the ghost, the Chinese boy holding his head and screaming in pain. ChangMin blocked his ears again, unable to see the ghost but able to hear the noise escaping from him. “KyuHyun!” He exclaimed.
The wind suddenly roared to life again, and KyuHyun saw the ghost’s eyes glow red again. The creatures head snapped up, staring right at ChangMin with a gaze of pure anger. He raised one hand, towards ChangMin, and clenched his fist, pulling it back harshly.
Red splattered onto the reeds, soaking into the ground. ChangMin gave a choked gasp, staring right through the ghost, then slowly looking down at the hole in his chest. KyuHyun stared, the gun falling from his fingers as his best friend collapsed in a pool of red.
“CHANGMIN!”
*****END FLASH BACK*****
DongHae looked devastated, watching the pain on ChangMin’s face. “You mean… I might even hurt my friends? Hyukkie? SungMinnie? KiBummie?”
ChangMin nodded. “Poltergeists don’t recognize the difference between friend and enemy. They’re so angry, they don’t care who they hurt, as long as they hurt someone. That’s why you only have a week here. Because I’m sure you don’t want to hurt anyone, DongHae.” DongHae shook his head wildly, biting his lower lip. He finally knew the reason for the deadline.
And he couldn’t agree more. Even Hell was better than hurting the people he cared about.
*****
KiBum didn’t see DongHae the rest of the day. Though he didn’t want to admit it, he was more than just a bit concerned. Since he already knew what DongHae was, there was no reason for the other to avoid him, right? And yet he couldn’t help but get the feeling that was exactly what DongHae was doing.
He shook his head to clear it. DongHae was probably just visiting family. He focused on his classes, working on a new project they had been given. They were allowed to work in teams of four, so he, KyuHyun, RyeoWook and SungMin had all ganged up to work on it. While they worked, SungMin talked excitedly about visiting the festival after school.
“It’s supposed to be really great! There’s parades and stuff, and a bunch of rides like an amusement park! It’s going to be a blast!” He turned to KyuHyun beside him, turning on his charm to the max. “Kyunnie~, are you coming?” He asked sweetly. KyuHyun blinked. “I’m not sure, I’ve got some work I need to do…” He trailed off as SungMin pouted at him. A second of that look was enough to make him cave in. “… Alright,” He said weakly, and SungMin squealed in joy, wrapping his arms around him in a happy hug.
“I’m coming, YeSung hyung invited me,” RyeoWook said softly, a faint blush appearing on his cheeks. KiBum raised an eyebrow at him, and RyeoWook quickly busied himself with writing for the project, head ducked down to hide his face.
KiBum remembered DongHae’s request for EunHyuk to join them. He didn’t know which class the other was in, but that wasn’t going to stop him from finding him. He still felt bad for rejecting DongHae yesterday, and wanted the ghost boy to be happy.
When class ended, he told the others to wait for him outside, and set off along the hallways. He looked in all the classes, and when he couldn’t find EunHyuk anywhere, he went towards the lockers. He was in luck; EunHyuk was just leaving the locker area, his bag slung over one shoulder. “Hey,” KiBum greeted him. EunHyuk looked up at him in surprise, blinking for a moment. KiBum had never really spoken to him before. “… Hey.” He replied, looking confused.
“Aren’t you coming to the festival with us?” He asked. EunHyuk smiled faintly and shook his head. “No, sorry… I’m just going to head home…” He started walking again
“You know… DongHae wouldn’t have wanted you to be like this,” KiBum said, making the other boy stop in his tracks. EunHyuk looked back at KiBum, one eyebrow raised. “How would you know?” He said, a biting edge of his voice. “You never knew him.”
Yes I do, KiBum wanted to say, but he knew he couldn’t EunHyuk would never understand what was happening to DongHae now. “Maybe not,” He replied with a shrug. “But you did. Everyone says you knew him the best. And if you don’t know what he would say to you now, who would?”
EunHyuk stood still for the longest moment. Then he walked off again, not saying a word. KiBum looked after him, sighing softly. He’d tried. He wasn’t sure what else he could say to EunHyuk without giving something away. So he started walking towards the school entrance.
When he got there, the others were waiting for him. SungMin was chattering excitedly to KyuHyun, who looked amused at the others sudden hyperactivity. YeSung and RyeoWook were quiet, but the eternal magnae was blushing faintly again.
“Sorry for taking so long,” KiBum apologized. “Let’s go?”
SungMin nodded. “The festival is about fifteen minute walk, not that far,” He said happily, now practically hanging off of KyuHyun’s arm. “Let’s go!” They turned and walked through the school gates.
“Aren’t you missing someone?”
They turned around at the voice behind them. SungMin gasped. “EunHyukkie!” He ran forward to throw his arms around the monkey-boy’s neck, nearly making him fall over. “You’re coming?”
EunHyuk nodded, eyes meeting KiBum’s over SungMin’s shoulder. KiBum gave the slightest incline of his head, a faint smile on his lips.
“But what made you change your mind?” SungMin asked, eyes wide as they started walking again.
“DongHae would have wanted me to come,” He said simply.
They continued walking, chatting easily as they went. KiBum kept looking around him, feeling that despite the happy attitude, something was missing. Something important.
A shiver ran down his spine. Unable to suppress the smile that sprang to his lips, he looked in front of them again. A lone figure waited for them by the entrance to the festival grounds. The others walked on by, still talking, but KiBum slowed, letting them go on ahead.
“You’re late,” DongHae said with a pout. But then he smiled, and the world suddenly seemed so much brighter. “You got Hyukkie to come. Thank you, KiBummie.”
“It was nothing,” KiBum said, unable to stop smiling.
“KiBum!” SungMin called. KiBum and DongHae caught up with them quickly. SungMin grinned. “Now, let’s have some fun, why don’t we?” This was a chance for some of them to forget what had happened this week, for others to make the first step to moving on, and for one to spend a fun-filled evening with the boy he loved, before everything was over.
KiBum felt something slip into his hand. Looking down, he saw DongHae’s hand in his own, silently marveling at how well their hands fit. He looked up into DongHae’s bright eyes, then forward as the group moved on.