The night in the hospital had been relatively quiet. Hyunjin and Jeongin had sat side by side in a bed and talked to each other.

At some point, Jeongin Hyunjin had confessed that he often had nightmares and therefore tried to stay awake as long as possible.

But finally he had fallen asleep on Hyunjin's shoulder and after he was sure that Jeongin was sleeping soundly, he had carefully laid him down and covered him. After that, he climbed back into his bed, but it took him quite a while to fall asleep.

Accordingly, it was difficult for him to open his eyes when the nurse came into the room to bring them their breakfast. Jeongin, on the other hand, was already sitting in his bed fully woken up.

"I'm so sorry I kept you awake for so long. I really didn't want to stop you from sleeping. But I slept very well thanks to it. No nightmares tonight."

Groaning, Hyunjin rubbed his face. "Innie, stop it. I'm not even fully awake yet." Still, he had to laugh when he saw the cute expression on Jeongin's face. "It's okay. I'm just not a morning person I guess."

"Maybe you should have some breakfast first." Jeongin went silent and turned to his breakfast.

The food was nothing special. There was soup, steamed rice and kimchi, but it tasted pretty good.

Hyunjin also pulled his tray to himself. He missed Felix's cooking skills, but was insanely hungry, which is why he ate everything anyway.

"When will Felix be here?" Jeongin looked like he was about to jump out of bed, that excited was he.

"Uhm.. no idea. He just said he's coming over today. Not when exactly. Why is this so important to you?" Hyunjin suppressed a grin and tried to squeeze his pillow under his head.

Embarrassed, Jeongin pressed his pillow in front of his face. "Because I really want to eat the brownies," Jeongin muttered and let the pillow fall into his lap. "And somehow I'm excited to meet him. It sounds like he's a really great friend."

Grinning, Hyunjin shook his head. Although he still felt that it was somehow already crossing every line of professional framework, he just couldn't destroy Jeongin's wishes.

"I'm sure he'll love you."

If Jeongin had been able to, he would have jumped out of bed with excitement. He never had had real friends before, which is why he was perhaps a little too eager to find some.

Apart from that, he was almost idolizing Hyunjin.

Groaning, Hyunjin tormented himself out of bed and tore Jeongin out of his thoughts. "Fuck, why does it hurt so much?"

Worried, Jeongin climbed out of his bed and walked over to help him. "Everything okay? Do you need something?"

Sighing, Hyunjin shook his head. "No, I just have to go to the bathroom. My chest just hurts so insanely." He reached for Jeongin's arm and leaned on to him for a moment. "Sorry little one, it just really hurts," he groaned.

"When was the last time you got your pain medication?"

"I don't know. Either I overslept or they reduced it. But right now it hurts like crazy."

Now Jeongin looked really worried. Slowly he led Hyunjin to the small bathroom that was part of their room. "You go to the toilet and I'll get someone to give you your medication."

Hyunjin nodded and walked into the bathroom with small steps. Every movement hurt and he regretted leaving the bed in the first place.

Washing his hands was also a torture, but after he had sprayed a little water on his face, he felt at least a little refreshed.

Slowly he made his way back to bed and was insanely happy when the door opened and Jeongin came in. Behind him was followed by a nurse with an infusion in her hand.

"Sorry Mr. Hwang, apparently you didn't get your pain medication tonight."

Groaning, Hyunjin lay down in bed and stretched out his arm towards the nurse with the IV cannula. "It doesn't matter. I will survive."

Jeongin squatted worriedly on the chair next to Hyunjin's bed and watched the nurse judgmentally.

"I'm really sorry!"

Hyunjin just nodded and prayed that the infusion would start working as soon as possible.

"The pain medication should start working soon. I'm really sorry." With that, the nurse disappeared from the room.

"Do you need anything else?," Jeongin asked quietly and, after a moment's hesitation, reached for Hyunjin's hand.

But Hyunjin just shook his head in torment and closed his eyes. "I think I'll try to sleep a little longer if you won't be mad at me."

"Why should I be mad at you for that? You won't have to endure the pain while you sleep." With a smiling smile on his lips, Jeongin pulled his hand away. "I'm in my bed if you need anything."

When there was a soft knock on the door, Jeongin felt a mixture of excitement and nervousness rising in him.

"Come in..?"

His voice sounded small and insecure and somehow it annoyed him that he sounded and felt like that.

But when the door was opened and a young blond man with a warm smile and cute freckles on his cheeks came in, his insecurity was almost instantly gone.

"Hii, you must be Jeongin. I'm Felix," the blonde introduced himself.

Jeongin nodded and had to smile involuntarily. He was surprised that Felix came to his bed and hugged him after a short hesitation.

"I heard you like my brownies?" Felix asked, smiling kindly at the younger one.

"Uuuhm...", Jeongin couldn't stop him from blushing. "Did Hyunjin tell you that?"

Felix chuckled softly. "He did. He's telling me pretty much everything. Just as I do too. We even live together. Oh and I love him, as a best friend and big brother. Quasi. God, I should stop talking."

A wide smile appeared on Jeongin's lips. He immediately felt much more confident and less tense. "I'm usually the one who talks a lot. At least when I feel comfortable with someone. It's nice that others feel the same way."

Relieved, the two grinned at each other and Jeongin slid a little to the side. "Sit down."

Felix hesitated for seconds and his eyes wandered to Hyunjin's bed. But when he realized that his best friend was fast asleep, he finally sat down on Jeongin's bed.

He would have loved to cuddle up in Hyunjin's arms to be close with him, but somehow it didn't feel right to do that while Jeongin was in the room.

"Why is he still asleep? Is everything okay with him?" He finally asked, so as not to just sit silently on Jeongin's bed.

Instantly Jeongin's gaze darkened and he looked over at Hyunjin. "They forgot to give him his pain medication at night. He wasn't doing so well after breakfast..."

Worried, Felix jumped out of the bed and walked over to Hyunjin. His best friend's blonde hair stuck to his forehead, but otherwise he looked quite peaceful.

Felix couldn't help but bend over him and gently kiss him on the cheek.

Hyunjin moved restlessly, but didn't wake up.

"But then he got his medication ?" Felix gently caressed Hyunjin's cheek before going back to Jeongin and sitting down with him again.

Jeongin couldn't help but smile. What Hyunjin had said seemed to be true. Felix was an incredibly sweet, caring person. "Yes he has. Right after breakfast and since then he is sleeping."

Felix nodded relieved.

For a moment they both kept silent, until Jeongin remembered that Felix had wanted to bring brownies.

"Felix...? Didn't you want to bring brownies...?" he asked quietly, looking at his fingers, with which he was nervously playing with his duvet.

A grin appeared on Felix's lips. "I guess I wanted to, but I think my sherpa got lost," he chuckled.

Jeongin looked at Felix in confusion, but before Felix could explain it, there was already a knock on the door.

The grin on Felix's lips suddenly was replaced to a beaming smile and he jumped out of bed and ran to the door.

"God, I think all of Seoul is in the hospital today. It took me forever to find an empty parking lot."

Instantly Jeongin felt insecure again. He had been prepared for Felix to come, but not for him to bring anyone else. And since he couldn't see the door from his bed, he couldn't judge at all who had come.

He heard something crackled and then heard Felix whisper something, but he couldn't understand it. "Thank you Min."

Footsteps came closer again and Jeongin bit nervously on the inside of his cheek. But when Felix came around the corner, he instantly relaxed again.

In his hands Felix carried a basket wrapped in transparent foil and came directly to him.

Behind him appeared an insanely good-looking young man, but Jeongin was far too distracted by the fact that Felix sat down with him and held out the basket.

"What... what is that...?" he asked quietly and didn't dare to accept the basket.

"Well.. a gift...? I didn't know exactly how long you will have to stay here, but it's insanely boring in the hospital after all. I thought you might feel a little more comfortable here and at least have something to do."

Nodding invitingly, Felix held the basket a little closer to Jeongin, who finally accepted him incredulously.

"Are you serious?"

Tears gathered in Jeongin's eyes and his hands began to tremble. He carefully placed the basket on the trolley next to him and wrapped his arms around himself.

Uncertainly, Felix turned to Minho, but he just shrugged his shoulders uncertain.

"Of course I'm serious! And of course I also brought you the brownies... May I... can I hug you?" Felix just couldn't stand to see the younger one crying.

Jeongin nodded quickly and Felix carefully pulled him to himself. "I just wanted to make you happy and not-"

"It's just been a long time since someone treated me so nicely. Apart from Hyunjin and Chan of course...", Jeongin whispered, leaning against Felix.

Felix really didn't know what to say. That's why he just caressed Jeongin's back. "I hope you like the basket...?"

Jeongin immediately broke away from him and took a closer look at the basket. "The plushy is insanely cute. But I don't know what that's supposed to be...?"

"This is a quokka. They live in Australia. You absolutely have to watch videos about the little guys. They are insanely cute."

"Almost like you, baby."

Surprised, everyone turned to Hyunjin, who had meanwhile woken up and sat in his bed with his hair wildly standing up.

Apologetically, Felix squeezed Jeongin's hand and jumped out of bed. "Baby, will you give him the brownies?" Felix asked Minho before he circled the bed and carefully wrapped his arms around Hyunjin. He gently ruffled through Hyunjin's hair and then pressed a kiss on his forehead. Normally he would have kissed Hyunjin properly in such moments, but with Minho and Jeongin watching him, he didn't dare.

"Are you okay?" he asked quietly, leaning cautiously against the older.

A gentle smile appeared on Hyunjin's lips and he reached for Felix's hand. "After all, I'm not in pain right now. And you're here, that makes everything so much better."

Unlike Felix, Hyunjin didn't have the concerns and just kissed his best friend.

Grinning, Minho turned to Jeongin, who stared at Felix and Hyunjin in confusion. "But aren't you... and him... and Hyunjin...?"

Minho winked at him, giggling. "What should I say... the two are something very special." He shrugged his shoulders and leaned against the younger's bed.

With bright red cheeks, Felix looked at Minho and Jeongin and looked insanely guilty. But as soon as he discovered Minho's grin, the tension immediately fell off him again.

"What can I say... it just feels so good to kiss him. And he's just insanely handsome...", mumbled Felix embarrassed, with still bright red cheeks.

Minho just shrugged his shoulders giggling again, while Jeongin looked like he was having a lot of questions, but didn't dare to ask them.

"Eat some brownies, little one. Nothing get between the two. Not even someone this handsome like me" Giggling, Minho held out a can of Felix's homemade brownies to Jeongin.

"If you say so," Jeongin mumbled and reached for the can, while Felix chuckling hid his face on Hyunjin's shoulder in shame.

36
꧁⟢ ⍭〄⍭ ⟣꧂