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3

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“You nearly cracked the bone on both sides and partially hyperextended it. We’ll wrap it and keep it in a brace. We want you off it for a consecutive fourteen days. That means in bed, and if you need to get up to go to the restroom, someone will have to help you there. Little to no pressure is to be put on your ankle to ensure it heals quickly and correctly. Also, no pushing your dancing; after the fourteen days is up, walk slowly, and take it easy with the dancing. You’re lucky you didn’t do anything worse to it.”

The instructions were very clear, and it was obvious he couldn’t stay at the dorms. Yi Hyun knew this. No one would be there to take care of him. He needed the bed rest, the company, he needed to be fed, etcetera, and if he was at the dorms, no one would be there to take care of him.

She knew it, Kris knew it, and now what was the easiest way to break it to everyone else?  Yi Hyun sat on the bed with him and watched tenderly as he watched and listened to the doctor continue to speak about his limitations. Kris’s hand was gripped over the top of hers that rested against his thigh for his own comfort as he was delivered the bad news.   

“Did you ever discuss who would take over as leader in the case of prolonged absence?”  Yi Hyun asked softly as the nurse prepped the wrap and brace for Kris’s ankle.  Kris’s gaze, which had been fixated on their hands, moved to her eyes, his head lifting to look up at her. He shook his head, not even bothering to form words. Kris looked back over, feeling an air on his injured ankle before his eyes widened. He knew the pain that would come. The strip of fabric from Yi Hyun’s shirt that held Kris’s ankle had been cut off, and the glorious purple flesh was out for all to see.

The tearing sound of the medical tape the nurse was prepping had Kris shaking as he watched. Yi Hyun’s fingers found his chin, turning his face back to hers. “You’re okay,” she hushed. “Who do you think is best suited for the position to take over for you while you’re out?” she asked.

Kris’s head tried to turn back to look as the nurse gently wrapped a strip of pre-wrap on his ankle, but Yi Hyun’s grip on his chin was too strong. “Don’t look, it’s okay,” she comforted.  “Just close your eyes and take deep breaths.” She was surprised the medication they had given him for the pain didn’t take effect yet. Maybe the dose hadn’t been strong enough.

“Luhan would be my first pick. I’m closest to him, and I trust him the most. But if it came down to leadership, I’d pick Lay, since he was intended to be leader until it switched to me,” Kris replied quietly, his hang gripping tighter on hers.

“If the medication hasn’t started working yet, this will be a little painful. I’m sorry,” the nurse apologized, taking the strip of medical tape into her thin fingers, pressing the end down on his ankle. The first wrap was tight, very tight, and she had to move Kris’s ankle past his level of tolerance to get it completely on here the way it had to be.  Kris bit his quivering bottom lip to keep in an unwanted whimper.

“It’s almost over, you’re okay,” Yi Hyun continued to comfort, her free hand now through his soft blonde locks, pushing his bangs away from his face. As the painful taping had been completed, the fastening of the brace wasn’t nearly as bad in comparison.

“We’ll get you a wheel chair and send you on your way. Thank you for your patience and cooperation,” the nurse said, giving a polite bow.

“Thank you so much for seeing him,” Yi Hyun replied quickly, bowing in return before turning her attention back to Kris who was staring blankly into air.  She watched him, watched his deep chocolate eyes, and watched his chest rise and fall as he breathed steadily. In the silence, she could almost hear his breathing, could almost hear his thoughts.

Despite the fact that she wanted to break the silence, she kept quiet and waited for him, when he was ready, to speak. He moved his right leg, doing everything he could to prevent moving his left to get in a more comfortable position. He had scooted to the very left side of the bed so that she could sit on his right, and she never left that spot, not even once.

And even when the nurse arrived with the wheelchair, not once did Yi Hyun leave Kris’s side on that bed. With a half-smile, she rolled him out of the hospital, looking down at him the entire way. “You know you can’t stay in the dorms, no one will be there to take care of you,” she whispered to him.

He nodded. “I know,” he replied.  “But I don’t exactly have very many options out there,” he added quickly as they approached her car.

“Stay with me,” she said.

“Yi Hyun, that’s kind of you, but I don’t think that’s exactly—”

“What other option do you have? You’re a Chinese member, Yi Fan. You don’t have family here, most of your friends, if not all of them, are idols, you don’t have anyone else.”

Kris stared at her, his lips pursed, his eyes fierce.

“And how well do you think this is going to go over with the managers?”

“Are you forgetting who I am? They can’t afford to lose you, and they’ll do it by accident or by force if they don’t cooperate,” she replied quickly. He hated that. He hated that she could pull her lawyer card on him all the time. He growled under his breath.

But right now, he couldn’t do much to fight it. The medicine was kicking in. He was beginning to feel light headed, and his ability to argue was dwindling by the second. She held out her hand to him, which he couldn’t process all the way, but put his hand in hers, letting her help him up and into the passenger’s seat of the car.

His head was spinning now and he was extremely drowsy. “I think I’m going to be sick,” he muttered, turning his head to look over to her. Her face was a blur, even as his eyes began fading.

Kris’s eyes opened, causing him to stare directly at the immaculate white ceiling, part of it being blocked by a cloth. He flinched in his laying position, realizing he didn’t recognize where he was, and the medicine he was given—now wearing off—wasn’t exactly helping. He reached up to touch the cool cloth on his forehead.

“Yeah, he’s just waking up now,” Yi Hyun said, speaking into the receiver of her cell phone. It took him a few minutes, but Kris finally remembered the conversation they were having before he lost consciousness. “I’ll be sure and tell him. You take care of yourself Suho, and send my love to the others.” And with that, she hung up the phone.

Kris was getting ready to sit up, but with the way Yi Hyun was sitting, that wasn’t an option. She was sitting on the bed, down by his thighs, facing him. She was too far away to push him back down with her hands, so instead, her quick slender leg shot out to push him back down by his chest. She stared at him, the power of her leg easily keeping Kris’s weak body down.  “If I had any kind of strength in me, this would not be happening,” he growled.

“Because I don’t know that,” she replied icily, staring at him from her sitting position. “Can’t you just stay still when you sleep? I caught you thrashing like three times. Holding you down isn’t exactly easy,” she commented, going back to the work on her computer screen.

“I thought I told you not to bring me here,” he said.

“You don’t have a choice, Kris. So you might as well just deal with it.”

What had caused this to come on? Yi Hyun had been so sweet to Kris earlier. Perhaps it was Kris’s attitude, his refusal to cooperate. He wasn’t exactly known to be the most graceful, or the warmest person around. In fact, he was rather cold. If Yi Hyun had to take care of him forcefully, it was no longer a factor. She didn’t care if he wanted it or not, she was going to take care of him, and he wasn’t going to stop her. 

As she continued to furiously type on her computer, her foot remained against Kris’s chest, continuing to hold him down. Not having an option, just as she said, aggravated, he sighed and settled his hand on top of her foot, almost holding it against his chest.  His fingers pried under her foot, trying to pull it away from his chest, but she only pushed down harder until he whined.

“I’m not going to be nice about this, Kris. Accept the help and I’ll go back to being sweet, but if you’re going to be difficult, I will also be difficult,” she said, shoving her glasses back up her face, not once taking her eyes away from the computer.  “And I really don’t want to be like this, so please, do us both a favor.”

Kris flicked his head away from her, his gaze now staring out the window. A growl rumbled in his chest as his hand fell away from her foot, relaxing under it until she finally pulled it away, crossing it back with her other leg.

A few minutes of silence passed between them; Kris’s stomach began growling and he set a hand on top of it, not daring to look over to her to see if she heard it. He didn’t need to; it was so loud he was sure she heard it.

A couple more minutes passed before it growled again, a low groan coming from Kris’s clenched teeth. “Hungry?” she asked quietly. When he didn’t answer, she set her computer aside and crawled up to him, flipping the washcloth on his forehead to the cool side, turning his face to look at her. “Do you want me to get you something small to eat? Or do you think you can handle a meal?” Her voice was back to that sweet tone, a soft ring that made him melt.

His angry, empty stomach gurgled again. “I haven’t eaten anything all day,” he whispered, looking down at his covered body.

“What do you want me to cook you?” she asked.

Kris immediately shook his head. “You don’t have to cook anything. We can get something cheap, take out, I’ll buy,” he interjected.

“A home-cooked meal is better for a stomach that just got off strong medications,” she said, reaching over to push her hand across his stomach over the covers of her bed. “It’s healthier, and I promise, your tummy will thank you later,” she smiled, watching his face warm up a little.  “What would you like me to cook for you?”

He hesitated before replying. “Anything,” he admitted, “If you cook it, I’ll eat it.”

Her smile widened. “Give me thirty minutes,” she said, rolling herself off the bed, leaving Kris in silence.