It's been one week since Cale Henituse came back to them, although the people still don't remember him. What's important for his friends and families was that they remembered him clearly. Ohn, Hong, and Raon were basically living inside Cale's room. Ron and Choi Han were also beside him, waiting for him to wake up. Kim Rok Soo and the others were busy handling things after the war.

"When will human wake up?" Raon asked as he snuggled closer to Cale, then he felt a sudden movement from the redhead. He flew right in front of his face and saw Cale's eyes fluttered.

"Cale-human is about to wake up!" Raon happily exclaimed. The three children were excited and it was evident how they couldn't hide their joys. Ron immediately approached the redhead.

Then, Cale's beautiful reddish brown eyes fluttered open. However, there was something wrong with his expression. He was wearing a blank expression, his usual sparkling eyes were dull as if it was dead. The first thing Cale saw was the black dragon who was crying and showing a happy expression at the same time.

Cale wobbled as he tried to sit up and Ron immediately assisted him. The redhead flinched from his touch and looked at him with wariness, which made the old butler feel a bitter sting on his chest. When the butler retreated, Cale's expression turned back to his blank stare.

Cale wasn't looking at any of them, he was just looking at his hands.

"C-Cale-nim," Choi Han called as he showed him his doe, teary eyes. The redhead didn't look at him.

Ohn, Hong, and Raon noticed how Cale was acting. However, Hong and Raon still approached him.

"Human! I'm glad you're awake now!" Raon happily expressed himself as he flutte his wings. Hong was also jumping up and down.

Still, Cale didn't pay any attention to them. Instead, they heard him ask, without even looking at them, which made them flinch.

"Why am I still alive?"

Nobody uttered a word. Then, the Emperor, who was just visiting, entered the room. Alver was shocked to see Cale woke up. He was so happy he approached him immediately and brought him into his arms and hugged him.

"Cale! I'm so glad you're awake," Alver said happily as he breathed in the familiar scent of his lover.

Cale didn't give much reaction. He didn't hug him back nor reply to him. His expression was the same. He was just blankly staring at them. His eyes showed indifference to whatever they say or do.

Alver broke off their embrace and faced his beloved Cale. He caressed his cheeks and noticed how dimmed his eyes once lit up whenever he saw him.

"Cale, you don't know how scared I was when I didn't see you," Alver said in a sad tone. Cale was just staring at his face, no expressions, no emotions, nothing.

"I know you're still confused with a lot of things but I guess you need to eat first. Look how famished you are," Alver continued as he instructed his attendant to tell the kitchen to cook for Cale.

Ron already called Cale's family and they all came rushing to his room. The redhead was still sitting quietly, not uttering a single word ever since he asked why he was alive. Ron knew Cale must be mad at them, especially if he remembered what they did to him.

"Cale, my son. I'm so glad you are awake," Deruth cried as he embraced his son. Violan and their children were crying too. Basen and Lily gave their older brother a hug too. But, Cale's stare was fixed on his hands. He wasn't looking at them. They broke off their embrace and Deruth cupped his son's face with his right hand.

"Cale, you don't know how much we missed you. I am glad you're really here now, everything will be alright now," Deruth smiled.

Cale looked at his father's face, he didn't feel anything seeing them. However, he wanted to stay away from them. He felt incredibly disgusted from their touch, stares, and presence. Still, he remained stoic and indifferent from all their fake smiles and concerns. He wanted to laugh at their faces but he was tired. Tired of all. He didn't want to be here anymore.

Cale frowned seeing their happy and teary faces, unlike how they sent him off from that cursed platform. His stomach churned as he remembered the cold metal slicing on his neck, as he unconsciously touched and felt his neck checking whether it was still attached. They all saw that and they all felt guilty. The children cried and hugged him, but Cale never returned it.

"Oh, Cale," Deruth softly said as his hand reached out to his son's hair.

"You're safe here now," Deruth said with an affectionate gaze which made Cale sick.

Safe? Cale asked in his mind. This place is the most dangerous of all places.

Then, Vicross came knocking and delivered the food for Cale to eat. The redhead's complexion paled seeing the one who tortured him the most during his time in prison. He still remembered the cold gaze of his supposed-to-be-older brother figure. Cale could still recall the cold, hard, whip he used to hit him. How his flesh began to rip, how felt he was being skinned whenever they tortured him. His body trembled as Vicross approached him, which didn't go unnoticed to them. So, Alver was the one who gave Cale his food.

All of Cale's favorite soft foods were right before his eyes. And yet he felt like he could vomit anytime.

"Cale, you have to eat to regain your strength, hm?" Deruth said. Cale lifted the spoon to eat the soup, but he just played with it.

Cale scooped the soup and he opened his mouth but the food didn't reach his mouth. It only spilt on his clothes. Ron immediately helped him wipe off the spilled food and Cale just flinched and trembled when the butler touched him, which broke his heart.

"I'm full," Cale said, no energy in his voice. They all frowned as it was impossible to get full, after all he hadn't eaten anything.

"I want to bathe," Cale followed, looking at them one by one with his eyes devoid of any emotion.

"A-Alright, Ron assist Cale in his bath," Deruth said in an awkward manner. Alver had ordered his aid to look for clothes for Cale to wear.

Cale walked inside the spacious bathroom, Ron left him after ensuring the water was warm and after placing his towels and change of clothes. The redhead removed his clothes and when he was about to wash, he saw his reflections in the mirror. He stared at it for a while. The bruises, the wounds, the mark of assaults, and the whip marks were all gone. Leaving only his pale and fair skin. As if what had happened to him was just a bad dream. However, he stopped himself from deluding himself that those people loved him. Those people cared for him.

Cale then remembered the expressions they had. He grimaced as disgust overtook him. He shivered from their touch. He looked at his reflection again, his eyes widened as he envisioned the faces of his assaulters. The way they laughed at him. The way they stared at him as if he was the evilest thing existed. The way they scorned him. He then remembered their words when they were torturing him.

"We trusted and gave you a chance despite how trashy you acted in the past! And here's what you will give us as repayment? Harm Rok Soo-nim? How dare you?!" Choi Han yelled at him as he swung another punch on his stomach.

"You do not deserve the kindness we ever gave you," Vicross added as he whipped him again and again until his flesh became raw.

Cale had tried to explain everything but their minds were too close.

I also trusted you and gave you all a chance and yet, repeatedly, you still killed me! Cale shouted in his mind as he swung his clenched fists on the mirror.

As a result, it got broken. The mirror shards managed to injure Cale on his hands, arms and legs, blood flowed out of his flesh— since some of the wounds were too deep as some of the shards had impaled his skin. He was bleeding and yet he couldn't feel anything. Since he couldn't feel anything, he went to dip himself in the bath. His blood got mixed in the water.

Meanwhile, Alver told the children they should give Cale space for the meantime since he had woken up from a nightmare. He convinced them that once Cale became fully awoke, he will give them his usual hugs and kisses and he would play with them. Hong and Raon were convinced, Ohn wasn't sure. She saw how emotionless their guardian have become. She saw how Cale trembled when they got close. She saw how uncomfortable her beloved Cale was when he was with them. The children were in the garden to pick up some flowers for Cale. Hong and Ohn had transformed into their human forms to create a flower crown for him.

The adults were all talking inside a separate room so Cale wouldn't hear what they were talking.

"It seems Cale-nim remembered everything too," Choi Han spoke. He looked sad and embarrassed, after all he had hurt him a lot. Vicross was the same.

"We can just explain ourselves to him, Cale will understand. We didn't mean that to happen and we are given a chance," Alver responded.

"Will he forgive us?" Choi Han asked.

"I'm sure he will. Cale loved us, that's why he came back to be with us. While Rok Soo is away, we'll look after him," Alver confidently answered. He's been with Cale for a lot of time compared to anyone, except for his family and butler, so he was sure his beloved will accept them again.

"Yes, he'll understand," Deruth seconded.

"Choi Han, Ron, I'll leave my son in your care for a while. We need to go back to the county to finish some things. We will come pick him up when everything has been stabilized," Deruth said.

After that, Ron, Alver and Choi Han went back to Cale's room. Upon entering, a stench of blood permeated their nose. They got alerted and immediately went to the source. It was inside the bathroom where Cale was bathing. Alver instantly bolted inside the bathroom, only to find his beloved Cale bathing in his own blood.

"Cale!" He shouted as he rushed beside him. Choi Han and Ron did the same. Alver immediately scooped the redhead from the bloody water and Ron wrapped him in a blanket.

Choi Han looked for anything that might have harmed Cale and he found a broken body mirror. The redhead's blood was also there, the shards were scattered on the floor.

Alver tried to wake Cale up but he was unresponsive. Ron already pressed a cloth on Cale's wounds and dried him up. Then, the children also entered the bathroom and their shock was inexplicable. They saw the bloody Cale in the Emperor's arms.

"Raon-nim, can you possibly cast thermal magic? His body's getting cold," Alver said to the black dragon who immediately followed what he said. He even took out a potion for Cale to drink. But the potion didn't do anything to him.

They brought him to the bed, Ron already went out to call for a physician. Alver was pressing on his wounds so it would stop bleeding. Then, the physician came and immediately checked up on Cale—he was already dressed when they came. He tended to his wound and he was out of danger. They sighed a breath of relief and Alver ordered his servants to clear out anything breakable so Cale won't hurt himself.

"Oh, Cale. Don't make me worry," Alver said as he kissed his forehead.

"Raon-nim, Ohn, Hong, I think it's better if Cale has you by his side, so he won't get hurt," Alver turned to the children who immediately perked up.

"Will do! We will do everything to protect him!" Hong and Raon said in unison. Alver smiled at them.

– to be continued ...