17^th January, 2010

Park Medical Institute, Seoul

Room 322 – morning

“Good morning, Chanyeol-sshi! How are you feeling?” the first nurse asked – she was a doctor actually. A bright smile seemed to be permanently etched onto her face. Probably in her late 20s, Yi Fan concluded. She was tall like a model and beautiful too. As she got closer, Yi Fan saw her name tag.

‘Park So-Ra’ he read.

The second nurse who was pushing the cart wordlessly adjusted the rectangular table at Chanyeol’s other side of the bed. She carefully set down Chanyeol’s breakfast one by one. Once she was done, she bowed to Chanyeol and swiftly disappeared behind the door.   

“I’m feeling much better, thank you,” Chanyeol smiled to her. Colours were returning to Chanyeol’s face. He was indeed looking better than he was the night before.

“Okay, let’s see…” the doctor stopped at the foot of the bed and studied the patient’s chart while nodding.

“Discharge?” she regarded Chanyeol.

“Normal”

“Any pain still?” she addressed Chanyeol.

“Less last night and gone now,” Chanyeol said happily.

“Hmm, improvements I see,” she nodded, eyes onto the chart and she took a pen out of her lab coat and scribbled something onto the papers. Even though, Yi Fan was lost to the doctor-patient conversation, he was glad that he knew Chanyeol was in a perfect condition, at the very least.

She looked up and smiled. “Well, no worries then, Chanyeol-sshi. You’ll be out in no time. Let’s just wait what Dr Cho has to say about you first. And remember, even if you feel alright, don’t strain yourself too much, darling. Arasso?”

Chanyeol let out a hum of agreement.

The doctor petted Chanyeol’s slightly messy bed hair then nodded to Yi Fan who was silent the whole time.

“Oh, is this your friend, Chanyeol-ah?” she questioned Chanyeol but her eyes were assessing Yi Fan. Yi Fan tried to be nonchalant but he was feeling uneasy being stared like that. The woman’s eyes were somewhat fierce as if she was a tigress protecting her precious cub.

Chanyeol looked over his doctor’s shoulder and saw through Yi Fan’s macho’s mask to his discomfort. He snorted.

“Yeah, he’s one of the trainees in my group, So-Ra noona, Yi Fan. Hyung, this is my cousin, So Ra noona,” Chanyeol introduced. A hint of laughter was in his voice. Yi Fan was shocked. Came to think of it, there were resemblances between the two; like the height and the child-like features.

Park So-Ra smirked. She too could see Yi Fan’s awkwardness.    

“Ah,” she said, the smirk suddenly morphed into a warm beam, “Chanyeollie mentioned you before. You’re the one that beat him in the tallest department. He talks a lot about you. Nice to finally meet you!”

She extended her hand to shake Yi Fan’s – a sign of acknowledgement. Now, Yi Fan saw not the doctor but one of Chanyeol’s family members. He gladly accepted.

“Nice to meet you too, So-Ra-sshi,” he said, “So, ‘he talks a lot bout’ me, eh?” he directed a teasing smile towards the smiling Chanyeol

 Chanyeol who was sitting behind his cousin let out a squeak. He felt bashful. Oh, how he wished his noona would go away now and let him find a hole to bury himself into. He should’ve made her promised; cross her heart and hope to die to never tell anyone of his obsession of Yi Fan – yeah, it was childish but he was technically a child.

Park So-Ra, catching onto the older of the boy’s teasing game, said, “Oh yes, you should’ve seen his face when he talks about you, darling. He practically worships you!”

“And all he ever talks about is Yi Fan hyung this, Yi Fan hyung that. Sometimes I wonder if that’s all he talks about,” So-Ra continued. Chanyeol shrunk in the background Oh, kill him now! This was all so embarrassing.

So-Ra turned to see her red potato of a cousin and chuckled.

“Well, our Chanyeollie seems quite fine now, look at all the colours! I’ll leave you two now. Yeollie-ah, eat all the food, okay darling? Look how skinny you are!”

She poked Chanyeol’s long thin arm and the pink Chanyeol slapped her way and growled – trying to show her he was mad. However, the attempted menacing growl turned out into a cute one.

“Aigoo, I wish you could turn back into a baby! That way, I could cuddle you all day!” So-Ra exclaimed.

“Aish, ara, ara! Now go away, noona! Leave me in peace!!”

Park So-Ra laughed softly and patted the boy’s head before she excused herself out.

Now, it was only the two of them and Chanyeol was still as embarrassed as ever. He couldn’t even look up to Yi Fan’s face. Yi Fan, on the other hand, was entertained by Chanyeol’s cousin’s revelation and how it affected the feminine boy. To avoid Yi Fan, Chanyeol awkwardly pulled his white overbed table silently wishing to go away or that Yi Fan would say something. His prayer was granted.

“Let me help you with that,” Yi Fan’s voice sounded so near to Chanyeol’s ear. His model-like frame towered over Chanyeol’s petite body as he adjusted the table. His warmth radiated and Chanyeol could feel it. He yearned to be close to him again.

Chanyeol, you’re married!

That small voice woke Chanyeol of his dreamy state. Yeah, he was married. Married to someone he didn’t even know. For the first time since he was wedded, Chanyeol felt caged – restricted. A small part of his mind suddenly regretted his decision and his status.

“Here you go,” Yi Fan’s charming voice made him turn his head towards the owner. All thoughts vanished.

Yi Fan was looking at him with those warm eyes that made Chanyeol sometimes think that Yi Fan returned his feelings. That he also harboured feelings mutual to Chanyeol’s. Everything about the 19-year-old was warm. Ah, his mother never said that he couldn’t love another. Maybe, his husband – wherever he was – was also having a lover of his own. And who’s to say Chanyeol couldn’t?

“Thanks…”

“Something wrong?” Yi Fan voiced out concerned. One of the many things Chanyeol loved about the male.

“No, just tired” and embarrassed, he wanted to add.

“Excuse me,” Yi Fan said, “I wanna borrow the bathroom,” he pointed a thumb over his shoulder to the cream-coloured toilet door at the corner of the room.

With chopsticks in his hand, Chanyeol glanced at it and nodded.

“I won’t be long…”

True to his words, Yi Fan came back all refreshed. His hair a bit wet and his ponytail tightened.

Chanyeol couldn’t help but blurted out, “Sit here, hyung,” and patted the mattress on his right side. He moved a bit to give the older one some space. The older complied. He sat in an awkward position with his long legs dangling down the bedside.

“Are you hungry?”     

As if on cue, Yi Fan’s stomach grumbled - loudly. He internally cursed and apologised to Chanyeol. Chanyeol only laughed.  

“When did you last eat something, hyung?” he asked sceptically. A perfect eyebrow rose as he regarded Yi Fan.

“Ummm,” Yi Fan couldn’t even remember. Did he eat the day before? He skipped dinner - that was for sure. “I don’t remember.”

Chanyeol sighed. With his chopsticks, he picked a piece of a thinly sliced fish meat from his soup and directed it to the other’s closed mouth. Startled, Yi Fan widened his eyes to Chanyeol.

 “Say aaah, hyung!” the pouting boy demanded. Hesitantly, Yi Fan parted his lips and the 17-year-old carefully put the food into his mouth. Chanyeol watched as the older male munched slowly. He then scooped some rice with his spoon and was about to shove it into the other’s mouth. This time, Yi Fan wordlessly obeyed – he opened his mouth willingly.

Happy that Yi Fan was not complaining, Chanyeol continued to eat his food. When he saw the other gulped down his food, Chanyeol fed Yi Fan again. Both of them ate slowly, savouring the rare moment of the two of them together – no rush, no work, no pressure – just a little bubble of happiness. The cycle continued.

Feeling his legs getting cramped with the way he was sitting, Yi Fan’s eyes met Chanyeol’s, asking to move. Chanyeol bobbed his head down and Yi Fan climbed onto the bed and positioned himself behind Chanyeol. His back now comfortably pressed onto the hospital’s pillows. Chanyeol now sat in between Yi Fan’s outstretched legs – protected from falling and warmed.

Yi Fan took the steel spoon out of Chanyeol’s hand.

“I let you feed me, now it’s my turn,” Yi Fan’s baritone voice whispered seductively into Chanyeol’s pink ears. “Besides, you’re the one who should be taken care of.”

So that was the way the two spent eating breakfast. If anybody ever were to see them, they might come to the conclusion that the two were lovers. You could practically see the pink aura oozing and surrounding the two.

There was a silent mutual agreement between Yi Fan and Chanyeol – their relationship blossomed into something else, something more intimate – more than just two best friends. Without words being spoken, the two tied a promise to be with one another. True to the saying, actions speak louder than words.

“We can’t be together anymore,” he spoke brokenly. 

A/N: I'm back! Well, sorta, I'll be going away soon (probably round 3 pm) again :'( but till then, hope you find this chapter interesting! ^^ To those who subscribed, THANK YOU VERY VERY MUCH! And to you lovely commentors, YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME! So~ comment a lot, alright? I'll be reading them even if I can't reply you guys one by one. Comments and subscriptions fuel me to keep writing! ^^ Adieu