Daehyun woke up few hours later, and along with him did Youngjae. As expected, the first thing Daehyun mentioned was food – so Junhong and Youngjae shared a laugh, and took out the lunch box Himchan had packed. Daehyun was fairly satisfied with the food, and Youngjae asked Junhong to go to sleep now. He tried to curl his long legs on the couch to the side and although it was hard to fold them, he was tired and sleep came comfortably.

Daehyuns parents were the first thing Junhong woke up to. Daehyun was busy telling them that he was fine, and he was only a little tired – but to add to the drama, a nurse walked in with the bills for the two days Daehyun spent in the hospital. She walked to manager Kang first; but the man was at loss of what was to be done.

Himchan and Yongguk arrived just then, and the duo took over the papers in the file and smiled her off. “We’ll look into it.” Yongguk said, and she nodded and left.

With manager Kang seated outside, they all sat down on the couch, Daehyun left on bed. Yongguk wanted to say something, anything – but he didn’t know what’s to be said. Daehyuns farther just sighed and took over the file and sat up.  What was happening was beyond their control, after all.

Himchans face turned red; and he left the room with Junhong saying he should wash his mouth because his breath stinks. Reality was that he didn’t want to face Daehyun when he came to realize what was happening.

“Why is dad paying?” He asked from Yongguk straight away, reading the dead air – and everyone’s eyes fell onto the floor. “Oh god.” Daehyun mumbled, rubbing his forehead. His mother sat up, and walked to him, and smiled. She left two pats on Daehyuns head and asked him to lie down.
Daehyun for once, listened and did as asked.
“I’m so sorry.” He mumbled, his voice nothing but a shaky mess, and the rest of the boys felt as equally shaken. “I’m sorry.” They all mumbled in a dragging chorus, and as much as the warm woman wanted to say it was okay; she didn’t.
One of these days, enough will be enough.

The cracks were obvious now. Soon it will shatter.

-

Daehyun rolled his eyes as Junhong woke him up again at six am, tapping his shoulder. “Time for medicine.” The maknae announced. Daehyun grumbled, turning over in his bed. “Seriously Junhong, its fine.” He said, but the youngest sat on his bed, and heaved a sigh without further protest.

The sun was faint from the window to Daehyuns room; but Junhong watched the faint blue color anyway. Later, Daehyun turned over, feeling sorry.
“Give it here.” He said, asking for the cup of water Junhong had on his hand, and he passed it over. Daehyun sat up while he kept grumbling about having to wake up this soon just to drink multivitamins. Junhong placed three pills on his palm as he opened it, and the youngest sighed.

“I told you you’re still drinking pills for your blood pressure. They can’t overlap.” He said, and Daehyun just shook his head. He gulped down the pills and washed it all down with water. Junhong then placed two other tablets of panadine on his palm, and Daehyun drank that down too.

Ever since he choked trying to drink all of it together, Junhong didn’t let him.

“If you go back to sleep you’d be the last to use the bathroom.” Junhong said as he stood up. Daehyun lied down on his bed again despite the warning. He pulled his sheet over his head and mumbled good night. “You don’t have to feed me pills. I can take them on my own.”

Junhongs hand brushed against his shoulder before he laughed a little.

“No way. You forget everything. Youngjae hyung is the same.” He said. Daehyun shook his head in disbelief, but then Junhong made him stop with just once sincere confession. “You know I’m doing this because I want you to get better, right?” he asked, and Daehyun couldn’t help but let the smile that broke past his lips to wake him up from the grumpy mood. 

He nodded in a wide smile, and Junhong returned him with one. The he left, and Daehyun wasn’t the last one to use the bathroom after all. The members knew that Daehyun was conscious of sharing it, and they all had made a small plan behind him to arrange things so that he can have one for his own. It’s going to be small and cramped, but Yongguk was pretty sure that they can manage that much.

-

Youngjae gulped as he read through their schedule with Jongup. Not a single day without a promotion or a music video shoot, or a fan meet for the entire month. Three verity shows overlapped on consecutive days, and Youngjae just sighed.

Jongup had very little reaction now; and after he went through it once more – he sat up and left.

Junhong put his earphones back on again; and everyone pretended that this was how it was supposed to be. Youngjae wondered if he should text Yongguk-hyung about the re-done schedules. He doubted if he would get a reply that would complain anyway. Tomorrow they had their performance and he wasn’t feeling very comfortable with the fact that Yongguk still wasn’t back to catch up on his sleep.  

None of them expected the same thing to happen again. But it did.
This time the ambulance caused a commotion and Yongguk was making it headlines in websites; and no matter how much he tried to say he was okay;
everyone knew he wasn’t. 

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