--

Jiyong stands at the balcony, feeling the wind against his face. He slips a slim cigarette out of the pack and lit it up. He takes a long drag, and blows out a sickly smelling puff of smoke. But somehow it feels good. The feeling of the smoke travelling down to his lungs and out again gives him indescribable pleasure. It feels like he is releasing the tension he has been withholding in his body for the whole day. It feels sinfully good.

A creaking sound signals that the door is sliding open and Jiyong is not alone anymore.

He turns around to see his baby panda standing by the door, a pout on his face.

"Hyung, you prefer your cigarette to me?" Seungri asks, his voice thick and hoarse from the flu. He has woken up to an empty space beside him. Missing the warmth, he comes looking for his boyfriend.

Jiyong ruffles Seungri's hair affectionately, "Go back to bed; I will join you in a while."

"No. I am waiting here for you until you are done." Seungri insists, his stubborn self showing.

Jiyong frowns, "Babe, the second hand smoke is not going to help your flu."

"As if the first hand smoke is going to help your body."

Jiyong takes another puff, "My body is used to it. Listen to me and go back to bed. I will be done in five, I promise."

Seungri waves his hand, trying to disperse the smoke and the awful smell in the balcony. He coughs a feel times as the smoke enters his lungs anyway and he feels a burning sensation.

Jiyong pats his back a few times lightly and gives him a “I told you so” look.

“All your fault hyung.” Seungri counters in the midst of his coughing.

He can hear his own breathing grows louder and louder, his chest tightening and it gets harder and harder to take in the oxygen. Seungri presses one hand to his chest, knowing something is wrong.

Jiyong panics. Seungri bends over, trying to breath, his face quickly turning red. Jiyong quickly puts out the cigarette by pressing it against the railing of the balcony, not caring that it is going to leave a mark.

He holds on to the maknae’s arm, “Breath slowly Seungri. Try to relax.”

He guides the gasping man into the living room and onto the sofa, “I will go grab your inhaler.”

Jiyong races into the room and grabs the familiar bottle sitting on the maknae’s study table. He runs quickly back to the living room again. He holds the inhaler close to Seungri’s mouth and presses it. He watches nervously as Seungri breathes in slowly. He waits a few second, and releases another puff into his mouth.

He sighs in relief as Seungri starts to breath normally again.

“Are you all right? Can you breath?” He asks, his arm around the younger’s shoulder.

Seungri nods, breathing deeply a few times, feeling relief that the suffocating feeling is gone.

“You scare me.” Jiyong laments, tightening his grip around his boyfriend.

“Sorry hyung.” Seungri says sheepishly.

But the sheepish look is gone in a second as he recalls the cause of his attack, “But it’s not entirely my fault that your cigarette nearly kills me.”

Jiyong rolls his eyes in pretend annoyance as he pulls the maknae up from his seat, “Let’s go to bed before you start wheezing on me again.”

He watches as Seungri climbs into his bed. He pulls the blanket up to make sure his baby is fully covered to avoid any worsening of his cold.

“I will go wash up and join you in a while.” Jiyong says as he places a kiss on the maknae’s forehead.

Seungri nods, settling comfortably into the bed.

Jiyong heads to the bathroom, not before dumping his pack of cigarettes into the dustbin.

--

Boom Shakalaka.