Changkyun didn’t want to go home. Partly because he didn’t want to leave his hyung, seeing the baby had been a lot to take in and just because he seemed happy now he’d been reassured the baby was okay that didn’t mean reality wasn’t going to set in and have him panicking again. He wanted to be there if that happened. He wanted to be that person he could talk to. But as their manager had pointed out Hyunwoo wasn’t the only one who was exhausted. It had been a long couple of days for him too and he wouldn’t be any good to Hyunwoo passed out in a hospital chair. And anyway Hyunwoo was sleeping now and it looked like he'd be asleep for a whilte, Changkyun should go home and get some sleep too, come back when he was rested.

And yes all that made sense. Changkyun was tired. Because he'd slept so badly the night before their concert due to nerves he'd been awake almost forty eight hours now, he should go home and go to bed. He’d feel better once he got some sleep and be much more useful to Hyunwoo too.

It was just he didn’t think he’d be getting any sleep, not right away. Everyone was bound to be worried. And that was the main reason he didn’t want to go home. They’d want to know why Hyunwoo had gone into the hospital in the first place and why he was still there. They'd want to know what really happened. And he didn’t have any answers for them. Their manager had expressly forbidden him from mentioning the real reason Hyunwoo was being kept in. He’d told him to say it was exhaustion, which wasn’t technically a lie. Hyunwoo was exhausted. But while it wasn’t a lie it wasn't quite the truth either Changkyun had never been very good at lieing, he was sure someone would see through him. And if they did he didn’t think he’d be able to keep up the act. He was much too tired. As soon as someone said ‘Are you sure that’s all it is?’ he was liable to break down and tell them everything.

But maybe, just maybe, he’d be in luck. Maybe Kihyun and Jooheon had managed to put their minds at ease already. Jooheon had a way with words and Kihyun was always so good at calming people down. So maybe their exoplanation had been enough and there wouldn’t be any questions for him at all. It would be fine. He was going to walk in there, say ‘Hyunwoo’s going to be okay, he just needs some rest’ and go straight to bed.

Or not.

“Is he okay?” Wonho was asking as soon as he walked in the door.

Changkyun, still taking his shoes off, nodded.

“I honestly didn’t mean to hit him so hard.” Wonho continued. “If I’d known how bad he was feeling I wouldn’t have touched him at all.”

“It wasn’t your fault.” Changkyun assured him for what felt like the hundredth time. He’d said the same thing so many times in the van on the way back from the venue. Why wasn’t he taking it in? “He probably would have fallen even if you hadn’t knocked him off balance. He was already feeling dizzy.”

“I don’t get why he didn’t tell us.” Minhyuk chimed in as Changkyun finished hanging his jacket up and shuffled into the living room, Wonho at his heels. He was sitting on the couch next to Kihyun, Hyungwon and Jooheon were sitting on the floor on the other side of the coffee table. It looked like they were in the middle of breakfast, pastries and coffee on the table. They smelled good. But as good as the room smelled and as hungry as he was all Changkyun could think about was his bed. His bed with its pillows and its blankets and its soft, soft mattress…

“If he was feeling ill he should have just said so.” Minhyuk added when Changkyun failed to reply.

“He didn’t want to worry anyone.” Changkyun explained, eyes still fixed on his bedroom door.

“It’s been going on a while though.” Minhyuk noted, expression thoughtful. “He hasn’t been himself in weeks but I thought it was just stress.”

“Yeah, well, stress does funny things to people.” Changkyun mumbled, trying to fight back a yawn.

“Is he really okay though?” Hyungwon asked from his seat beside Jooheon, a worried frown on his face.

“Yes,” Changkyun insisted, “he’s fine.”

“If he was fine he wouldn’t still be in hospital.” Wonho pointed out, joining Hyungwon at the table.

“Yeah,” Hyunwon agreed, “I know you’ve probably been told to keep quiet. Management never want to worry us if they don’t have to. But if there’s something up you can tell us. We won’t tell them. We promise.”

Hyungwon was looking at him with such beseeching eyes and he was so so tired. Maybe he should just tell them. Once they knew, once they were happy they’d been told the truth they might let him go to bed.

Luckily, before lack of sleep and impeded brain function had him breaking down and spilling the truth Jooheon jumped to his rescue. “He’s already told you, Hyunwoo Hyung is fine.”

And Kihyun was there to back him up. “And like we already told you, it crept up on him that’s all. Exhaustion’s like that. One minute you’re fine and the next you’re on the floor. Overall though he’s okay, perfectly healthy..”

“Is he though?” Minhyuk asked pointedly, eyebrow raised. “People who are perfectly healthy don’t need to stay the night in hospital.”

“And if it’s really just exhaustion…” Hyungwon added, “… why did he need you to stay with him? Why would he need you there it there wasn't something wrong?”

“I don’t know.” Changkyun said, voice containing a hint of a whine. He just wanted to go to bed. Why wouldn’t they let him go to bed. “But he is. Fine I mean. And he’s healthy. He’s just tired. And a bit dehydrated. Once he has some fluids they’ll probably let him home.”

“Fluids?” Minhyuk echoed. “Nobody mentioned fluids. Is there anything else you haven’t mentioned to us that you think you should?”

Oh, not much, just that Hyunwoo was pregnant with another idol leader’s baby. If he told them that would they stop asking him questions? Probably not he thought with a sigh. They’d just have a million more. Not that they didn’t have million more questions anyway. Since he hadn’t answered right away Minhyuk was already opening his mouth to say something else.

But Minhyuk didn’t get the chance to say what he wanted to say because Jooheon beat him to hit.

“Hyung…” he was saying reproachfully, “… can’t you see he’s tired?”

“Yes, but I can also see he’s keeping something from us.” Minhyuk countered.

“Where do you see that?” Jooheon asked him. “What I can see is that he’s swaying on his feet and if we don’t let him get to bed he might just pass out.”

It was a slight exaggeration. Changkyun wasn’t swaying on his feet, not yet but he did feel a little light headed. And very groggy. His brain really wasn’t working at all so he was glad Jooheon was speaking up for him. He didn't think he'd have been able to give such a coherent argument,

“He can pass out after he tells us what’s really wrong with Hyunwoo.” Minhyuk argued, undeterred.

“He’s already told you!” Jooheon exclaimed, getting to his feet. “It’s exhaustion and it’s dehydration. It happens to people all they time. They work too hard and it gets on top of them. Then before they know it they’ve made themselves ill. And if we don’t want our maknae to end up ill through lack of sleep too we should let him get to bed.”

Minhyuk didn’t say anything for a second, momentarily startled by Jooheon’s outburst. “Okay… okay fine.” He said. “We’ve all had a few hours sleep, we should let him get a few hours too.”

“Yes we should.” Jooheon said, satisfied. Then he was turning to an equally startled Changkyun. “Come on,” he said, holding out a hand, “Let’s go,”

Changkyun, still surprised by Jooheon having fought his corner so vehemently took the offered hand and let his friend tug him towards their room. “Night.” He called back over his shoulder. It wasn’t, it was almost midday but he had to say something.

A chorus of ‘good night’s’ were echoed back at him and happy to be finally going to bed he followed Jooheon through their door, letting it swing closed behind them.

And there it was. There was his bed. The bed he’d been dreaming about for hours now. Too tired to do anything else he dropped Jooheon's hand and flopped down on top of the covers without even bothering to get changed.

“Is he really okay?” he heard Jooheon say, his voice close and he turned to see him sitting on the edge of the bed by his shoulder.

“He is.” Changkyun mumbled. Jooheon looked tired too he realised. He’d assumed he’d slept when he got home but maybe he hadn’t. Maybe he’d been too worried. Seeing Hyunwoo almost fainting in the kitchen had been quite a shock after all. “It really is just exhaustion. He’s a little underweight too. But that’s fixable, we just have to make sure he eats a little more.”

“And the baby?” Jooheon asked, not looking quite convinced.

“They gave him a proper checkup and the baby’s fine too.” Changkyun told him, not liking the worry that was still in his eyes. “We got to see her moving around on the screen and everything.”

“Really?” Jooheon asked, clearly interested.

“Really. And you could see everything so clearly. Her hands, her fingers, her eyelids… she’s like a proper little person already.” And so she should be at almost fifteen weeks. Not that he felt like mentioning that part just yet. From the baby’s measurements it looked like Hyunwoo was a lot further on than they’d both guessed and he was too tired to deal with inevitable heart attack that would give Jooheon.

“That’s amazing.” Jooheon said, a smile making it’s way onto his face.

“Hmm hmm.” Changkyun agreed. It kind of was. “They let him keep a picture, I’m sure he’ll show you when they let him home.”

“Do you think it’ll be soon?” Jooheon asked.

“I don’t know. Maybe. Management probably want to come up with a plan though first before they let him tell anyone else.” Changkyun mused, fighting another yawn.

“Probably.” Jooheon said, Changkyun’s muffled yawn making him yawn too.

“Nap with me?” Changkyun mumbled, eyelids getting heavy.

“Sure.” Jooheon agreed and Changkyun shuffled over to give him some space.

There, that was better Changkyun thought as Jooheon made himself comfortable and he let his eyes finally drift closed. The thought of what was to come, for Hyunwoo and the rest of the group was a little terrifying but right now all he could think about was sleep. And yes, when he woke up things would be just as scary but at least Jooheon would be there for him to talk things over with.