Hyungwon didn't wake up for several hours, but when he did, his face was pale and his body trembled beneath the sweat-soaked sheets.
"Hey," Changkyun said softly, stirring as he noticed that Hyungwon had awoken. "How are you feeling?"
Hyungwon swallowed, moving to draw his hand up, but his motion was stopped by the tightly-wrapped sheets. He looked down in confusion, his eyes twin windows of vulnerability. "Why...I can't..." He looked back up at Changkyun, still struggling against the sheets. "Kyun, I can't move my arms."
Changkyun rolled his lips inward.
"Kyun, help me, please," Hyungwon repeated.
Changkyun sighed, massaging his temple. "I'm sorry Hyungwon, I can't...I can't do that. You were going to hurt yourself." He paused. "Do you remember that? Do you remember what happened?"
But Hyungwon wasn't focusing on Changkyun's words. "Kyun, I can't move my arms," he repeated from earlier, looking down in dismay. "Kyun, please, help me."
Changkyun squeezed his eyes shut for a moment before drawing closer. "Hyungwon, do you remember earlier? How you were behaving?"
Hyungwon looked up, the vulnerability in his eyes overwritten by panic. "I'm okay now, Kyun. I'm better now. I'll be good, I promise."
Changkyun tried to ignore the desperation that had latched onto his friend. "This is for your own safety, Hyungwon, okay? Do you understand that? We're trying to keep you safe."
"Please, I'll be good," Hyungwon said, his eyes tearing up. "Please, let me go."
Changkyun exhaled, feeling his resolve shatter. "Okay, but only while I'm with you, okay? I'm sorry, Hyungwon, but when you're alone, we'll have to do that." He untucked the sheets on both sides, pulling them out so they became loose. "Do you want to go to the bathroom, Hyungwon?" he asked.
He was treating his friend like a five-year-old.
"Yes, please," Hyungwon answered back, his voice soft and docile like a child's.
Changkyun slid a hand underneath Hyungwon's back and helped him to an upright position before helping him out of the bed. Then he lead Hyungwon out of the bedroom and into the bathroom, Hyungwon pulling his clothes tight the whole way and wrapping his arms around himself.
Once inside the bathroom, Hyungwon hesitated, looking over at Changkyun expectantly.
"I'm sorry, Hyungwon, but I can't leave you alone. You know that, right?"
Hyungwon nodded weakly. Changkyun turned away so he wasn't watching Hyungwon, but he kept an eye on his upper half in the mirror. Once he heard the toilet flush, he moved out of the way and waited for Hyungwon to wash his hands, pumping the soap twice and letting the water wash the bubbles away. Then Changkyun led him back to the bedroom and held up the covers so Hyungwon could crawl back in. Changkyun set the blanket down but didn't sheet wrap Hyungwon just yet.
"What are you going to do about him?" Hyungwon spoke up, and Changkyun met his eyes, biting his lip.
"We aren't sure yet," Changkyun said. Which was partially true. They weren't exactly sure what to do about Kihyun, but they planned to bury him, privately. They didn't want his mother to know, and they didn't want the cops to know.
"I'm scared of him," Hyungwon whispered, sinking lower into the bed.
Changkyun frowned. The image of Kihyun's corpse had scared him as well. He'd never seen a dead person before, much less a friend, much less a murdered friend. The pale skin, the limpness of limbs- the thought of it sent a tremor through his body. "He can't hurt you," Changkyun answered lightly, trying to smile.
"No, he'll find me," Hyungwon said, shaking his head and looking up at Changkyun. "You can't let him find me."
"He won't," Changkyun said, his heart sinking. He didn't know if there was anything left of Hyungwon to salvage anymore. "Kihyun can't find you, Hyungwon. He's...he's gone."
"Not Kihyun," Hyungwon whined, his eyes pleading with Changkyun.
Changkyun hesitated, taking half a step back. "Hyungwon, who are you talking about?"
"Dr. Irving," Hyungwon said, his eyes big and wide and certain. "You can't let him find me or he'll kill me too."
