[ sunghoon 👼❌ ]

sunghoon 👼❌:
ayo my favorite confused little fella
where r u

jay:
can u not talk like that

sunghoon 👼❌:
y not ☹️
u don't like it? 😔

jay:
why do you have the mental capacity of an ipad kid

sunghoon 👼❌:
lmaooo
calm down i was just kidding
anyways are you going to heeseung's apartment now?

jay:
yeah
i'm on my way
why?

sunghoon 👼❌:
i see
take care 😊

jay:
thanks???

sunghoon 👼❌:
and make sure to check on heeseung if he's still breathing
bc what if he d-words ☹️

jay:
has anyone ever told you that you're sick in the head

sunghoon 👼❌:
ofc! i hear that everyday 🥰
on a serious note
take care of hee
he might tell u that he's gonna be fine on his own but don't leave him until you make sure that he's really okay

jay:
aight i got it

sunghoon 👼❌:
oki dokie byee 😙

---------

jay drops his backpack to the couch and proceeds to check the kitchen for porridge. he had to go to his apartment first to leave his things and to bring food and medicine for heeseung.

after a few more minutes, he finally packed the needed things inside a lunchbox that he found inside his room. jay closed the door of their apartment and walked a few steps towards heeseung's unit.

should i ring the bell? i don't know his passcode so... jay presses the button and waits right beside the door.

is he sleeping?

he pressed the button again, leaving his finger longer on the bell. he followed it with a knock, hoping that the older hears this time.

"open the door, i don't have all the time in the world..." jay mumbled. what should he do if heeseung doesn't open the door?

he sighed and grabbed his phone to dial the older's number. if he doesn't pick up, then i'm just gonna assume that he's sleeping dead cold inside.

the other line keeps ringing— then finally heeseung answered.

"hmmm...what?"

oh thank goodness he's not dead. "it's jay, open your door."

"...jay? why?"

"because i need to go inside your apartment to check whether you're still breathing. just open the door." he almost rolled his eyes.

he hears a cough from the other line. "i'm okay, don't worry. i'm going to sleep—"

"for fuck's sake, you literally sound like you're one cough away from passing out."

"sorry... i don't have the energy to walk towards the door, my head's still a bit dizzy."

"okay, just tell me your passcode then." jay opened the door's lock.

"uh, 1138." jay nodded and pressed the exact numbers. he sighed in relief as he heard the door finally opening.

when he got inside, the curtains were drawn and all the lights were off except for the bedroom. he walked his way towards heeseung's room while still carrying the lunch box.

the sight of heeseung all curled up under his blanket made jay feel guilty for being annoyed at him. the older has his eyes closed, but jay can tell that he hasn't had any sleep yet. he looks exhausted.

"hey," heeseung forced a smile when he saw jay looking at him. "who told you that i'm sick?"

"who else do you think? you know sunghoon can't keep his mouth shut." jay sits on the chair beside the bed. "did you take any medicine for your fever? i brought you food."

heeseung shakes his head. "i drank some painkillers though."

jay took the medicine that he bought and placed it on the bedside table along with a bottle of water. "drink this first, i'm going to get you a towel."

heeseung just watched as jay rummaged around his apartment and then coming back while holding a small basin with water and a towel. where did he get that?

jay sat on the side of his bed, carefully putting the basin on top of the chair. he reached out to touch heeseung's forehead, checking his temperature.

his hand is warm...

"you're burning up, no wonder you look like you're gonna pass out." jay glared at him, "are you even sleeping?"

no, he's not. when heeseung moved into his new apartment, he had to adjust to his new surroundings too. he's still not comfortable as compared to when he was in his dorm. being alone doesn't usually bother him, but this time it feels like his apartment is too empty.

maybe i'm homesick? "i'm fine. i'm used to getting sick once in a while. i survived on my own."

"so what? you want a medal or something?"

"i'm just saying, i'll be fine— ouch!" heeseung grunted when jay hit the top of his head.

"are you planning to join the hunger games? you always act like you're the only man living in korea. you have friends who can help you when you're not well, dimwit."

jay rolled his eyes and placed the towel on his forehead. heeseung closed his eyes as he felt the warmth travelling his body.

"right... you're here." he mumbled, his eyelids starting to feel heavy. he doesn't even notice jay's lingering stare on his face.

jay nodded, fixing heeseung's blanket to make sure that he's covered up. "i'm here."

he was about to stand and sit back on the chair when he felt his phone vibrate inside his jacket. he takes his phone out to check who just texted him.

---------

[ jakey ⚽ ]

jakey ⚽:
jay, where are you?
let's have dinner tgt ^^
my treat hehe
or are you busy? 😅
i just need someone to talk to

jay:
why what's wrong?

jakey ⚽:
nothing
just some random thoughts lol
so are you up? let's meet at 7pm

jay:
uhhh
sure
i'll text you when i'm on my way

jakey ⚽:
yay 😁
okie see you!

---------

"is that jake?"

jay stops typing on his phone when he hears heeseung's voice. "i thought you're sleeping."

"i'm not. so, was that jake?" he asked again, looking at him. there's the uncomfortable feeling again.

every time he mentions jake, it just doesn't sit right with me.

"yeah, he asked me to dinner."

heeseung managed to chuckle. "great. you should go ahead then, you two should enjoy your date."

what date is he talking about? he's delirious. "i never mentioned that it's a date."

"but it is, right? you like him, and he's probably gonna like you back. happy ending," heeseung even clapped his hands.

jay frowned, getting annoyed now. "he won't like me. can't you just shut up and sleep? you're more annoying when you're sick."

"i can't sleep. i'm scared of the nightmares..."

heeseung whispered, but jay heard it clearly. "what nightmares?"

"... when i sleep, i sometimes get these dreams— vivid dreams of my mother... or my little brother, usually it's about them."

jay just listened. he realized that he had witnessed heeseung waking up from a dream before, he was calling his mother. he looked scared that time...

"my brother passed away when i was young. he was... he was the one who binds our family together. when he died, a part of me died too. my own mother blamed me... i blamed myself for his death. until now, the accident is still etched into my head. every time i close my eyes, i get reminded of how he died..."

heeseung was mumbling words, and jay couldn't believe what he just heard.

accident? his brother... is already dead? his eyes widened a bit, the information is just too much.

just how... how did he endure all of that?

"so i'm scared, jay. i don't want to sleep." he stares at jay with his doe eyes.

jay blinks, trying to get himself together. hearing what heeseung just said made him want to cry.

"it's going to be fine, those dreams won't show up because i'm here now."

jay adjusted his position, moving closer to sit beside heeseung. he has his back on the bedwall while he placed his hand above heeseung's head, patting it and slowly ruffling his hair to make him fall asleep.

heeseung never felt this serene before. he's running high on fever right now, but it feels like all the stress and tiredness are leaving his body.

as he listened to the sound of jay's humming and the loud pounding of his heart, he closed his eyes— and for the first time, he slept soundly.

for the first time, the nightmare was gone.

and for the very first time— he found his peace.

--------

[ jakey ⚽ ]

jakey ⚽:
jaaaayyy
i'm outside of our fave ramen place
i'll just wait for you here ☺️
it's 7:30 now, are u gonna be late?
i'll just get inside and order first
what do you waaant? hihi
jay?
you're not answering ur phone
is smth wrong?
it's been an hour...
did smth happen?
i'm waiting :(
are you still coming?

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next update: 💔😔 /j lol