“Is he going to be alright dad?”

“Hopefully son,” the doctor refrained from the head of the boy lying on the hospital bed. His eyes was full of concern towards the kid. “His parents didn’t make it. I really hope he will.”

 

The room went silent another time. Only the beeps of the equipment inside were audible, as well as the heavy breathing the patient was unconsciously heaving. The doctor’s son went closer to the poor kid, examining the bruises and wounds he had on his face, on his limbs, on his neck.

He can’t believe something as horrible as this was possible to happen again. He already had heard a lot of car accident stories from his father, especially his mother’s, but this one held him the same.

 

“Minhyung-ah!” his father called for him. Without leaving his eyes on the wounded boy, he hummed in response, sensing a slight pat on his back. “Can you do this man a favour? Can you watch for this kid for a while? As much as I want to look for him, I can’t since I have more patients to look for.”

 

It didn’t take more than one plea for Minhyung to agree.

 

 

 

“I can’t wait to finally go to Disneyland! I will meet Mickey Mouse in person and I’ll be the happiest kid ever!”

A kid, Donghyuck, was yelling gleefully with his Mickey Mouse plush toy in his grip. His parents were eyeing him on the rear-view mirror, smiling at their son as if he’s the most precious ever.

“This is the best birthday gift ever,” Donghyuck beamed his brightest smile to his parents, earning a smile in return from them. “Thank you omma, appa. You all are the best ever!”

“Everything for our Hyuckie~” his mother squealed as his father was chuckling softly.

 

They were on their way to airport, bags and stuff placed in the trunk of their car. A soft and melodious song was playing on the radio, making the kid hum on the tune. Donghyuck stared at the window, watching as the raindrops trickled on the glass. It made him feel warmth although the coldness of the airconditioner made him wrap himself harder.

His father was driving their car, while his mother was sound asleep on the passenger seat. The silence made him feel drowsy. He watched as the wipers removed the waters out of the windshield, eyes following the movement of the lengthy object.

 

Left…

Right…

Left…

 

His eyelids slowly fell, almost touching each other, almost falling into deep slumber.

 

Left…

Right…

Left…

Left…

 

His sense of rhythm was almost out, vision was already blurry.

 

Right…

Right…

Left…

Light…

Reft…

…

…

…screech…

 

“OH MY GOD!” his father screamed out of the blue, turning the steering wheel as if their lives depended on it…

…but it really did.

A heavy truck had lost control on the road, hitting the side of their car, causing a loud thud that wakes up all of their souls.

The road was slippery. Donghyuck’s father was agitated with the steering wheel and his anxiety triggered as he closed his eyes, hearing only his mother’s screams and the tires deafening screech. A tear escaped from his eyes. Everything was blurry after a very, very, VERY loud crash.

 

This was his best birthday… supposed to be.

 

 

 

“Dad? Why is nobody coming to see him or his parents? It’s been 3 days and I still haven’t seen anyone come for him,” Minhyung inquired as soon as his father entered the room he’s been into for three whole days. Placing the clipboard onto a nearby desk, Dr. Lee walked straight to his son and the patient he’s concerned for the most.

“I don’t know Minhyung,” he answered honestly. “We tried to contact his relatives but it seems like they don’t even bother to respond.”

“What? That’s so evil,” he’s confused. The kid, who he learned the name is Donghyuck, probably has the most angelic feature he has ever seen in his life, of course after his mother, and he couldn’t accept the fact that his relatives were such evil jerks. Dr. Lee placed a hand on his son’s shoulder as he noticed the furrowing brows on his face.

“Don’t worry. There’s one who actually responded to us, but they’re a very, very distant cousin of his father,” a sigh of relief was heaved by the troubled son, now feeling at ease. “But it might take a week or so before they come here. They’re from overseas and you know it takes time for them to come here.”

“Don’t worry Dad, I’ll take care of him like my own brother,” Minhyung grinned so wide his father can count his teeth probably. He smiled in return, ruffling the boy’s hair and earning a groan from the kid.

 

It’s been 2 hours already, and Minhyung had done nothing relevant but to stare at the kid on the bed. The equipment had now been lessened because Donghyuck’s health had now been improving. His face was now free from all the weird stuff and Minhyung can fully appreciate the other’s visual.

His eyes couldn’t leave the kid’s face. Although some of the bruises and wounds were still there, Minhyung still found Donghyuck beautiful.

A twitch of fingers left Minhyung surprised and taken aback. Donghyuck’s eyes were opening, and Minhyung gasped at the view.

 

Donghyuck was now awake.

 

He eyed the whole room, as if observing wherever he was right now.

“Where am I?”

This was the first time he heard his voice, and Minhyung would be lying if he say he didn’t find it calming. Minhyung smiled a welcoming one when the other’s gaze averted to him.

“You’re in my dad’s hospital,” he said with reassuring depth on his voice. Donghyuck just eyed him, but Minhyung noticed the fidgeting of the other’s fingers. Seems like he’s nervous to spill out something.

“Omma and appa,” Donghyuck looked down, a frown on his face, hands clutched onto his chest, as if hoping for something. Minhyung’s smiles dropped and pity and concern to the other replaced the emotion he displayed. “W-where’s my omma? Where’s my a-appa? Are they alright”

 

Minhyung saw the tears almost escaping the other’s eyes. It hurt him to see him in this state, but Donghyuck must know, he has all the rights to know.

 

Minhyung shook his head.

 

That was all it took before Donghyuck broke into a sobbing mess. He grabbed on his white blanket and hid himself through it. Minhyung’s heart broke with the sound of the boy crying. He carefully walked beside the boy, carefully sat with him on his bed, and carefully locked the poor boy within his warm embrace, patting and rubbing his back as the river of tears continued on flowing from the dull eyes of the boy.

 

“I’m sorry Donghyu--”

 

“Why didn’t I d-die with t-them?” Donghyuck hugged back tightly, soaking the doctor’s son’s white shirt with tears. He leaned onto Minhyung’s chest deeper as his sobs continued. “W-why do I need to stay a-alive when they are not anymore? Why c-can’t I just be d-dead too?”

 

Hearing the kid’s wishes of death sent shivers to Minhyung’s spine. Of all the seven years he’s been into his dad’s hospital, everyone wishes for their lives to be healthier, to prolong longer, and to stay safe. It’s his first time hearing a death wish, and it shook him bad. Minhyung tightened his embrace as the sobs went louder and more often.

 

“Don’t say that,” Minhyung whispered sincerely, closing his eyes shut, stopping himself from the contagious tears of the other. “You’re alive for a reason.”

 

“I d-don’t have any-anyone anym-more. I don’t want t-to live a-alone,” Donghyuck struggled through his sobs, clutching the other’s shirt tighter in his fists. “I want to be with t-them. I wish I am d-dead too.”

 

“That’s not true,” Minhyung responded solemnly, breaking their embrace and looking at Donghyuck’s face, eyes catching each other in a second. Minhyung cuped his cheeks, wiping the tears off of his face with his thumbs, and offered him a smile full of concern. “You still have us, me, my father, and there’s still a family you can always run to. You still have people you can vent to, have fun with, and enjoy life with. You still have me Donghyuck, and I promise you won’t feel lonely at all.”

 

Donghyuck seemed to calm down a little as his sobs subsided not too long after. He cut the gaze as he looked between his legs. All the bruises patching his skin made him cringe. The obvious purple spots on his once smooth tan skin were everything but beautiful. All the scars and wounds scattered all over his thighs and arms were all disgusting. His jaws hurt a little and lips somehow tasted like rust. He didn’t need to look at his reflection to know he was ruined. His face was wrecked.

 

“My dad treated you,” Minhyung uttered out of the blue, hands still resting onto Donghyuck’s shoulders even after their hug. “To be honest you looked way worse when they bring you here, but now you have less wounds and bruises.”

 

Donghyuck avert his still glassy eyes to the other. The smile was still on that face, complementing adorably his pale face, his soft cheeks, and his weird looking eyebrows.

 

“Who are you?” he unconsciously said as he wondered and rummage his mind for any possible events they could had possibly met. To his dismay, he didn’t find any.

 

Minhyung’s eyes widened as slight blush crept on his cheeks. Oh I forgot, he thought. He chuckled, out of amusement and awkwardness, scratching the back of his head as he did so.

 

“I’m sorry. Where are my manners?” he simply responded, offering Donghyuck another smile and a hand for a shake. “I’m Minhyung. Lee Minhyung. I am the son of the doctor who treated you.”

 

Donghyuck stared at the other’s hand as if it was foreign to him, as if it wasn’t rubbed on his back just a while ago, as if it hadn’t touched his face a while ago. He glanced on the other’s face, the same smile he find adorable still there. He reached out for the other’s hand and shook it slightly before parting his own apart after mumbling “Donghyuck Lee” quickly.

 

“My dad told me to look after you,” Minhyung broke the eerie silence slowly swallowing the room. Donghyuck just offered him a weak smile, appreciating the boy’s efforts to keep him up.

 

“You don’t need to do that.”

 

“No, I need to,” Minhyung countered. “I solemnly swore to my dad I’ll look over you and treat you like a little brother of mine until your relatives pick you up here.”

 

Donghyuck’s stomach fluttered at the nice words. The thought of Minhyung being a brother he never ever had to him made him feel safe, glad. He only met the other literally minutes ago but he already has his trust. Donghyuck smiles just grew bigger before he hugged, for another time, the boy in front of him.

 

“Thank you,” he mumbled softly, but he’s sure the other heard him as he felt the smile growing on his face. Minhyung returned the embrace before a creak of the room’s door made them break it apart.

 

“Minhyung, you need to take your dinner now,” a man in a lab coat, holding a tray with food entered the room they were in. Noticing the slight surprise in the man’s face, which surprisingly resembles Minhyung’s, Donghyuck guessed he was the doctor Minhyung was telling him about. “Oh he’s awake now.”

 

“Yes dad,” the bliss on his voice as Minhyung called him ‘dad’ verified his speculation. The man, with a name pin stating “Dr. Lee” on his right chest made a beeline to his bed, putting the tray on top of a pedestal near him.

 

“How are you feeling now Donghyuck?” the man interrogates, concern evident on the tone of his voice. Donghyuck just mumbled an “ok” before the doctor hummed a tone and observed him a little more. “Are you still feeling pain somewhere?”

 

Donghyuck cupped his right jaw as a sudden throb of pain hit him after being asked. His face winced and it didn’t take any longer for the doctor to examine it.

 

“I suppose this still hurt,” he simply stated, Donghyuck noticing the dismay on his and his son’s face. “This side of your face took all the impact when your head hit the windows. It might take a while before the pain goes away. But I’ll give you pain killers just so it won’t trouble you.”

 

Dr. Lee smiled a reassuring one, resemblance with Minhyung getting more obvious. He squeezed his shoulder a little bit before excusing himself to go to the lounge and grab some of the pills. Donghyuck watch his back as the door slams shut once again. He felt something touch his jaw and the pain it felt automatically made him move for distance. He saw Minhyung trying to reach him out, his face to be exact.

 

“I’m sorry,” the other’s hand slowly moved away from him. “Did I hurt you?”

 

Donghyuck simply shook his head, mumbling “it’s fine”.

 

Minhyung jumped off the bed, sprinting towards the pedestal, trying not to slip on the tiled floors. He grabbed the tray of food and went back to the bed immediately, putting the tray in front of the sick boy.

 

“Are you hungry? You’ve been unconscious for three days so I supposed you would like something to eat,” Minhyung questions with excitement flowing from the tone of his voice. Donghyuck observed the tray and its contents. There was a carton of milk, two cartons actually. Fried rice put neatly on the side of the tray, with chicken on the top of it, fried eggs on the down, and carrot soup on the other side. There’s also an individually packed sandwich, yogurt, salad, and five slices of apple, a usual hospital meal that Donghyuck sees on every drama he watched.

 

Donghyuck felt his mouth salivate at the view of a deliciously plated food in front of him. His stomach grumbled loudly, obviously asking for food. He blushed a deep red in embarrassment as Minhyung laughed at him.

 

The next thing he remembered, he was being fed by Minhyung, or at least Minhyung forced himself to be fed.

 

“You’re sick” was what Minhyung insisted. It was a whole three minutes of “I can feed myself” and that until Donghyuck had agreed to Minhyung feeding him, to the two of the sharing the same spoon. It wasn’t awkward or anything at all. Donghyuck instead found it cute, but the “here comes the airplane” antic of the other made him disgusted, but he still found it cute.

 

The tray now empty, the two shared the milk and apple slices as they watched a kid’s show on a television hanging on the wall. Minhyung took the trouble of asking the nurses outside for the remote control. It was not too long after when his dad came back, a bottle of pain killers and a bottle of cold water in his hold. The two averted their gazes as the older approached them.

 

“Here,” Dr. Lee said as he neared the sick boy. “Sorry I took long. I had business with your relatives on the phone for a while.”

 

Donghyuck gave him a curious look, as if inquiring who of the many relatives he have was he talking about. He was aware of how his aunts and uncles were all selfish and evil humans. He could count with his fingers how many of his relatives are truly acting like one to him, to his parents.

 

“I’m talking about your relatives who is in Hong Kong right now.”

 

Donghyuck’s face dropped at the mention of the place.

 

 

 

“Hyuckie I will take you to a lot of rides once you’re here.”

 

A joyful blast of voice in the receiver surprised Donghyuck, making himself almost drop to the side of his bed.

 

“Goodness Jeno I almost had a heart attack!” he exhaled in hopes of keeping his heart’s pace slower. “You’re more excited than me to be honest.”

 

“We haven’t played in months, you can’t blame me,” the boy on the other side of the phone remarked. “Plus I promised my friends I will introduce you to them so I’m making sure you really will go here and would not stand me up.”

 

“Am I meeting your crush too,” he can hear his own smirk on his voice and he’s sure the other was blushing, evident by his stutters.

 

“I don’t—what are you—Jaemin’s not my crush!”

 

“Oops, but I didn’t mention any name.”

 

And after that the room was filled with laughter again. Donghyuck teasing his cousin, Jeno was now a habit of his every morning. There’s just something fulfilling about making the other frustrated, and the fact that Donghyuck can easily make him one made him delighted.

 

“I’m nervous Jeno,” Donghyuck silently uttered to the phone after the laughter subsided. Lying on his bed and looking into the ceiling, he reached his free arms out and acted to grab the light emitting from the bulb. “What if something bad happened to us while going there? What if our plane crashes? What if the whole airport catches on fire? You know there’s so many possibilities.”

 

“Shut up Hyuckie,” Jeno replied with obvious authority in his tone. “Nothing bad will happen. Stop thinking like that. I know you will come here safe and all pieced together. Don’t worry about nothing.”

 

“Sorry I can’t help myself.”

 

A solemn silence engulfed the room once again. Donghyuck laid his arms on his side and he took a glance at his calendar hanging on the wall.

 

One week before they depart to Hong Kong. One week before his birthday. One week before he celebrate it in Disneyland.

 

Donghyuck was excited. He really was. But anxiety is always a part of him and worrying is just a usual habit of him.

 

“Donghyuck,” Jeno called him with his complete name, and it’s during this time that joking was prohibited. He was all serious. “Promise me you won’t worry anymore. I’ll pray for your safety. I know you’ll get here in Hong Kong safe. I’m sure of it.”

 

Donghyuck can’t see Jeno, but he’s sure he was smiling; he’s sure his eyes was now forming crescents; he’s just sure.

 

“Thank you Jeno,” he silently replied. “See you soon.”

 

 

 

Dr. Lee tucked Donghyuck to sleep, covering him in blankets and wiping the tear stains on his cheeks, careful not to touch any bruises at the process. Minhyung was just sitting on the bedside, watching the sick boy carefully as he was deep into slumber.

 

“Aren’t you going to sleep son?” Dr. Lee asked between his yawn. Being a doctor can be stressing. Minhyung didn’t answer, didn’t move. Dr. Lee took a stand beside his son, placing a hand on his shoulder and squeezing it slightly. “What’s troubling you Minhyung?”

 

Minhyung averted his gaze to the floor. His mind was now full of the scenes not too long ago, of Donghyuck visiting his deceased parents, of him running away to the room, of him still crying heartily and nonstop on the phone, to his cousin Jeno, who sound like crying as well. Minhyung’s heart constricted at the thought, his eyes getting teary as well.

 

“Why can’t I make him happy dad?” he questioned, the grip on his shoulder getting loose as the moments passed by. He gave his dad a glance, waiting for answers.

 

“Just let him take a moment,” Dr. Lee smiles in assurance. “Everything’s still fresh to him. The wounds are still open. The hurt and pain are all there still.”

 

Donghyuck was peaceful in his sleep, unlike the ruckus that he was when he was crying. Minhyung knew he was exhausted, of the pain, of crying, and so he let him take a good night sleep.

 

“I don’t want him to go through the pain I had when mom passed away,” Minhyung replied to his father, gaze on the sleeping boy getting deeper. “I wanted him to be happy after all of this tragedy, just like what you did Dad.”

 

“You heard them on the phone,” Dr. Lee responded, eyes now on the boy on the bed. “You still have one week to make him feel all that.”

 

It’s true.

 

Donghyuck only had a week left on the hospital before he leaves the place. One week is enough for him to be fully healed, enough for him to fully recover, and enough for Minhyung to make sure he would feel all the happiness in the world.

 

He promised to do nothing but to keep Donghyuck happy in that span of time, to make him feel his worth, and to erase the sadness on his mind.

 

One week was enough for him to do all of that.

 

One week is enough for him to make Donghyuck the happiest person alive, even though after that, they’ll probably never see each other again.

 

After all, Minhyung is too young to travel to Hong Kong by himself.