Station Four.       

~ stations apart ~

Too lazy to go out of the building to eat, Ryeowook doesn’t have a choice but to buy his lunch at the hospital’s canteen. The foods served there were all nutritious and fine, far different from what were served at the patient’s rooms.

“I’m living my profession...do I really need to eat healthy all the time?” Ryeowook talked to himself. He wants some fast foods to relieve his stress but it is snowing hard again. The months of January and February are a lot colder than any month of the year.

“When winter ends I’ll spoil myself with all the foods I want,” he said munching potatoes in his mouth. “I don’t have to live the rest of my life sad like this,”

“Why are you sad?” suddenly a voice spoke startling Ryeowook. Kyuhyun was actually standing behind him listening to Ryeowook talking to himself. “Do you have any problems right now?” Kyuhyun asked as he placed his tray at the table and sitting at opposite of Ryeowook.

“No-nothing!” Ryeowook flustered. “I was just blabbering nonsense to myself,” he said looking down on his food to avoid Kyuhyun’s questioning gaze.

“Hmmm if you say so...” Kyuhyun didn’t press him more and began eating his lunch instead. They sat there eating in silence just like in their middle school years. From time to time, Kyuhyun’s eyes wanders towards Ryeowook studying his gestures. He wants to talk to him about anything but can’t think of topic worth mentioning at the time.

And every time Kyuhyun looks down at his food Ryeowook steals a quick glance at Kyuhyun. He’s more handsome right now, he thinks. He remembers the time when Kyuhyun would bring his thick books on the table while they’re eating. He would scold him and force him to abandon reading to eat first.

“You’re at it again,” Ryeowook was annoyed again when he saw Kyuhyun reading a thick book of biology. It was their lunch time and the two went to their usual spot to eat the lunches usually prepared by their moms.

“Can you put that away for a while? We don’t have any exams by the way...” he insisted.

“But I’m not yet hungry. Look, what I’m reading is interesting. I can’t wait to take anatomy subject in the future to learn more about the human body,”

“I know you’re interested to see large intestines, liver, blood and whatever inside us but you don’t want to have your stomach bleeding in ulcer,” Ryeowook opened up the two lunch box he carries. “I’ve seen my aunt wrinkle in pain when her ulcer attacks. So here, I made you some extra food here since I’m trying to learn some recipes,” he pushed the other box to Kyuhyun.

Giving up, Kyuhyun closed the book and put it inside his bag. “You’re learning how to cook?” he asked.

“Yup. Try this chicken curry, it’s your favorite right? I hope you like it,” Ryeowook smiled while spooning a bit of it to feed Kyuhyun.

“Ryeowook...Ryeowook, are you okay?” Kyuhyun asked snapping Ryeowook out of his thoughts. He realized that he was daydreaming of the past again.

“Did you say something?” Ryeowook questioned.

“No. I just noticed that you’re playing with your food,” he replied pointing his chopsticks at the chicken curry on Ryeowook’s plate. “Are you really okay?” he repeated.

Ryeowook smiled embarrassedly for zoning out. “I’m fine,” he looked down at his plate and thought of something. “Kyuhyun-ah do you want some curry?” he offered.

Kyuhyun stared at him like he did something wrong but something was triggered in his memory. And Ryeowook knows what he might be trying to remember at that moment. Kyuhyun accepted the offer mumbling a shy ‘thank you’.

Ryeowook felt h