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Kyuhyun frowned deeply as he dialed Hyukjae’s phone again and no one answered. “Did he fall asleep?” he asked himself.

He was worried. He didn’t know what happened to the smaller and he hadn’t realized it had been raining heavily in the last hours. Where did Hyukjae go to protect himself from it? Did he make it into a store or something? He wished it was like that.

As soon as he went out from the restaurant, he had been trying to contact the smaller but the phone was unanswered. Even after going to leave Yoona home and staying there an extra hour, he kept trying and nothing.

“I told him to send me a text, dammit,” Kyuhyun groaned annoyed, calling Hyukjae for the nth time already and throwing his phone to the bed as soon as the voice mail’s message was heard. “ing dammit!”

It had been at least twelve hours and Kyuhyun had no idea where Hyukjae was. Kangin didn’t answer and they didn’t know where he was even in the company. Kyuhyun wished they suddenly decided to have some parent-son bonding time without letting him know.

He had gone to Hyukjae’s apartment but the latter was there and he was starting to panic.

He had agreed on going out to the movies with Yoona that night, but he wasn’t sure anymore if he couldn’t find Hyukjae.

The buzzing of his phone was what made Kyuhyun throw himself to the bed and grab his phone, sighing as he looked at the screen displaying a new text from Hyukjae. He opened it quickly and frowned deeply. ‘I’m sorry, I forgot to send you a text last night, I’m safe and dad’s with me. I’ll stay with him for a few days.”

A few days? Kyuhyun frowned deeply, typing back. ‘Where are you?’

The reply didn’t come and he waited for at least an hour before trying to track where the message came from, failing miserably.

He walked around his apartment, running his fingers through his hair frustrated. Did Hyukjae get mad at him for being so cold? It wasn’t really what he wanted. He didn’t intend being cold to him. It was just that he was hurt and he didn’t realize. He wanted Hyukjae to know he liked him.

Maybe if he went out with Yoona, Hyukjae would go back to what he used to before. But that was only a theory.

Kyuhyun spent the rest of the day groaning in frustration, kicking his furniture, sending Hyukjae texts, calling him, asking him if he was alright or if he ate, informing him that he would go out with Yoona again and that he thought the girl was really nice and funny.

He never received a reply and Kyuhyun felt his head spin in agony.

Why did Hyukjae ignoring him hurt so much?

“I really, really like him…,” he sighed deeply, closing his eyes as he rested his body against the wall and let his body slide down until he was on the floor, his back against the wall and his legs sprawled all over the carpet. “Kyuhyun, you ing idiot, you ruined it.”

•●•●•●•●•●•●•●•●•●•●•●•●•●•●•●•

“Hyukjae,” Kangin called worriedly, running to Hyukjae’s side on the hospital’s bed in the intensive care unit.

Hyukjae was connected to oxygen and he turned towards his father, smiling weakly.

“Hyukjae, what happened?” Kangin asked, looking around the room. “I didn’t see Kyuhyun outside and he’s not here. Where is he?”

Hyukjae looked at his father and said nothing, shaking his head slightly and feeling his tears already forming in his eyes. The machine he was connected to indicated that his heart and breathing were accelerating and Kangin panicked.

“Ok, ok, I won’t ask about him,” Kangin said quickly, though he would make sure to call the other male as soon as he stepped out of the room.

Hyukjae gave him a thankful smiled and nodded, closing his eyes for a few seconds to calm himself.

Kangin looked at his son and held his hand tightly. It hurt. Because Hyukjae was connected to machines. He was too young as to depend on them already.

The doctor came into the room after almost an hour in which Hyukjae was half asleep. “We gave him strong sedatives,” the doctor announced as he checked everything was in order with the dose he recommended.

“Why?” Kangin asked as he looked at his son.

“The pain was too strong, simple sedatives were not working,” the doctor looked at Hyukjae worriedly. “We had to use opiods, it’s the strongest drug we have to relieve pain… and even like this, we’re not sure it fully alleviates it. We can’t be sure. He’s too weak as to even complain about the pain anymore, even if he still feels it.”

“Does that mean he’s still suffering?” Kangin asked worriedly. “How long will he stay like this?”

“We hope only for three or four days,” the doctor said, sighing softly. “But it could last even two or three weeks.”

Kangin gasped, holding Hyukjae’s hand firmly. “W-Why?” he asked, shaking his head in denial. “What’s exactly wrong?”

“His lungs aren’t strong enough,” the doctor said. “You know how this is, Kangin.”

Kangin sighed deeply. “He’s really young, Joon…”

“We really can’t do anything about it. He’s in the list, waiting for a donor,” Doctor Joon said. “I just hope I can help him with the pain. He exposed himself to the rain for at least two hours, he also has an infection and you know how dangerous it can get with his weak body.”

Kangin looked at his son and nodded slowly. “I know.”

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Kyuhyun sighed deeply, looking at the screen of his cell phone as he groaned in annoyance. He has easily called Hyukjae at least two hundred times already in the entire day and it was only midday. It had been two days since the last time he knew about the smaller and it was driving him insane.

The hours passed by slowly and even when he communicated with Yoona, it didn’t get to distract him enough as to not think about Hyukjae at all.

He knew it would be days, but why was it so hard? He remembers Hyukjae also leaving for two days before, but this time was different, because he was kind of a jerk to the other and he couldn’t help but want to apologize and give the world to Hyukjae.

He couldn’t sleep, afraid that he would miss a call from Hyukjae and he was only looking at his cell phone, making sure it was working every three minutes.

Kyuhyun was definitely going crazy.

It was until the fourth day that Hyukjae called him and Kyuhyun answered quickly, not letting it ring even once. “Hyukjae!” he exclaimed, a wave of relief and pain going through his body.

“Kyuhyun,” Hyukjae called back softly. “How was your date with Yoona?”

Kyuhyun frowned. “It was good,” he answered. “Where are you?”

“I’m going to my apartment,” Hyukjae replied. “Really? Are you guys going to continue seeing each other? Yoona sent me a text telling me how happy she was that I introduced you both.”

Kyuhyun wanted to just stop talking about Yoona and focus on the important things. “Yeah, we have plans for a few days already,” he admitted. “Do you want me to go and get you?”

“No, it’s ok,” Hyukjae, said, crashing Kyuhyun’s hopes. “But come by my apartment tomorrow morning and let’s eat hamburgers for breakfast.”

Kyuhyun smiled softly. “Of course,” he said, sighing silently and hissing annoyed when he remembered he agreed on going out with Yoona to have breakfast together. “It’ll be a little late though…”

“Really? Why? Do you have something to do?” Hyukjae asked.

Kyuhyun sighed softly. “I agreed on going out with Yoona tomorrow morning, but it won’t take me long, I promise!”

Hyukjae laughed softly in the other line. “It’s ok, Kyuhyun. You can come by as soon as you can, no need to pressure, I’m happy for you. I finally found you someone.”

Kyuhyun sighed and hummed, slapping his own forehead at how clumsy he was being. “Is it okay if I go by midday?” he asked.

“It’s perfect,” Hyukjae said. “Duck will be staying with me, so you’ll get to see it!”

Kyuhyun grinned widely. “Good, I can’t wait.”

“Me neither,” Hyukjae replied. “I need to go now, see you tomorrow!”

Kyuhyun had no time to answer as the call ended and he sighed deeply, looking at his phone. At least things were going back to normal slowly.

•●•●•●•●•●•●•●•●•●•●•●•●•●•●•●•

Kyuhyun stopped as soon as he saw the huge man on the door and he opened his mouth to speak, ready to say his full name. “10th floor, apartment 2.”

Kyuhyun frowned deeply. Why wasn’t he asked his name as before? What else, the man seemed like ignoring him on purpose, as if he was mad or something. He looked at the other and raised an eyebrow confused, walking to the elevator slowly and shaking his head as he decided to stop thinking about it. Maybe he just wanted to be nice this time.

He walked to Hyukjae’s door and pressed the code, being welcomed by Duck’s eager tail. He grinned widely and leaned down to pet the dog as he looked up and searched for Hyukjae, decided to stand up and walk to the bedroom, finding Hyukjae buttoning his sweater.

Hyukjae was skinner and slightly paler. “Hyukjae, have you been eating well?” Kyuhyun asked, frowning deeply as he lifted the smaller’s face up and checked on him carefully.

Hyukjae laughed softly. “Of course I have,” he said, grinning widely. “My father has me eating the entire day, it’s worse than you.”

“But you look paler… and… skinner…,” Kyuhyun said, looking down at Hyukjae’s body.

“That’s because you stopped seeing me for a few days,” Hyukjae said, nodding for himself. “I think you had a image of me a little chubbier, which is fine, but hey, I’m not skinny, I’m thin.”

Kyuhyun sighed and nodded. “Alright, I’ll believe you.”

Kyuhyun had no idea how much those words hurt Hyukjae. The smaller wanted Kyuhyun to worry about him and ask him if he was serious. He didn’t want Kyuhyun to believe him so easily as that. “So, when am I getting my hamburger?” Hyukjae asked.

Kyuhyun smiled softly and nodded towards the door. “Let’s go.”

They went down the elevator and towards Kyuhyun’s car. As always, Kyuhyun opened the door for Hyukjae and the other jumped in happily, looking as the taller walked around and went up as well.

They told jokes and laughed at anything they could find, as always. But Kyuhyun didn’t like how it felt entirely. He didn’t like the fact that something seemed off with Hyukjae’s laugh. Maybe it was weaker, or maybe it was different. “Did you sleep well last night?” He asked, glancing as Hyukjae as he drove to the restaurant.

“Huh?” Hyukjae turned towards Kyuhyun and smiled, shaking his head. “Not really,” he said. “Does it shows? I’ll take a nap later.”

“So that’s why…,” Kyuhyun sighed and nodded for himself, parking the car. “You have to sleep well, remember?”

Hyukjae smiled, nodding. “I remember,” he said and he didn’t wait for Kyuhyun to open the door for him. Instead, he went out and met Kyuhyun halfway, grinning widely at the scolding glare he got. “Hurry, slave, I’m hungry.”

Kyuhyun chuckled softly. “Alright, fine,” he said, motioning Hyukjae to go to inside.

Kyuhyun reached his hand to hold Hyukjae’s but he couldn’t take it. Not because he didn’t want to, but because Hyukjae walked too fast as to be able to catch it. He frowned and looked up, at how Hyukjae walked in front of him and turned around. “Kyuhyun you’re getting slow, come on,” he said, opening the door. “I told you I was hungry.”

Sighing softly, Kyuhyun nodded and smiled at Hyukjae, holding the door open. “Of course, I’m sorry,” he said, pushing Hyukjae in gently before closing the door behind them.

It was in their way back, that Hyukjae looked tired and didn’t ask for him to carry him, that Kyuhyun realized, things weren’t as they should be.

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