Long awaited update - I had multiple possibilities of where I could take this story for the next few chapters - I finally came up with this! I hope you like it <3

Changmin’s eyelids felt heavy as he tried to blink open his eyes. The room was white and dull and had somewhat sterile smell, like at the dentist. The idol tried to sit up from his lying position, only to grunt at the discomfort in his stomach and lie back down on the bed. His throat was dry and scratchy and he felt like he hadn’t eaten in days. He took a few moments to look around the room, concluding that he was definitely in some kind of hospital. Then his eyes rested on a dark brown mop of hair resting on strong tan forearms that contrasted beautifully with the white hospital bed sheets.

Changmin smiled a little, glad that Yunho was here and that he wasn’t left all alone. He tried to think back, to remember what brought him to the hospital in the first place but the last thing he remembered was rehearsing after hours with Yunho, 2 days before the SM Town concert, their long awaited comeback after the split. Due to the lack of light, Changmin determined that it must be night time, he wondered how long he’d been in here, how long Yunho had been sleeping in his awkward bent over position.

The youngest couldn’t help it when he reached his hand over, pulling various wires and tubes, and ran his fingers soothingly through his hyung’s messy hair. Changmin faintly heard a muffled groan before Yunho stirred, lifting his head and blinking wearily at him. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you.” The youngest cleared his throat, his voice was quiet and his mouth felt like sandpaper. His hyung immediately reached for the cup of water on the table and helped Changmin drink it through the straw.

“It’s okay, I’m just glad you’re awake. Oh god, I can’t believe you’re awake!” Yunho was also speaking in a hushed tone, but from disbelief and relief. Changmin felt tears spring to his eyes as he panicked when the eldest rose from his seat at his bedside and rushed out of the room. In contrast, he almost groaned in annoyance when Yunho returned to the room a few seconds later followed by 3 doctors, 5 nurses, 2 manger hyungs, his mum, his dad and his two younger sisters.

From then on, Changmin felt nauseous - too many people moving around the room, speaking at the same time, crying, and touching him and poking him with various needles. He vaguely registered one of the doctors asking him a question, but he felt like he couldn’t breathe, his stomach felt strange and his head felt like cotton wool. What was going on? Why was he even here? And why were his dongsaengs crying so much? His eyes scanned the room for the one person who would ground him, calm him. Making eye contact, the leader stepped forward and linked his pinky finger with Changmins as the doctors worked around him, before everything went blank in Minnie’s world for the third time.

* The next day *

The leader pushed a hand through his tangled hair and sighed, lost in his own thoughts. Changmin’s eyes quietly followed the movement, noting how his skin looked yellow and his eyes were bloodshot with blue bruising underneath.

“You look exhausted hyung. How long have you been here? What happened?” Yunho jumped at the sound of his voice, not expecting the maknae to be awake so soon after the doctors put him back to sleep. The doctors had told Yunho and Min’s parents that his vitals weren’t good, his heart was beating too fast, so they had to put him back to sleep to allow his body more time to heal.

Yunho looked over his shoulder where Changmin then saw Kyungchang hyung and the leader of their dance team sitting on plastic chairs by the window. “Can you guys give us a minute alone please?” Yunho’s tone was polite and the two men followed the request, giving Changmin’s foot a reassuring squeeze before leaving the two bandmates alone together in the hospital room.

The youngest looked down as his hyung clasped is hand in both of his. Changmin liked how warm and strong they were, for the first time in a while, he felt safe. “How are you feeling?” Yunho’s voice was full of concern and he was frowning, making him look older than he really was.

“You look like .” Changmin deadpanned, making his hyung chuckle slightly.

“Yah you little brat! You pass out on stage, go through life threatening surgery and sleep for 3 days while I sat here watching over you and all you do is insult me?” Yunho smiled affectionately at Min and interlocked their fingers together. Yunho tilted his head to the side and pouted in response to Changmin’s confused expression.

“What? Passed out? Surgery? 3 days? Hyung what’s going on? You’re scaring me.” Fat tears fell from Changmin’s wide eyes, the confusion upsetting him, and Yunho gently brushed them away with his free hand. Life threatening surgey?!... Weren’t his parents here?.. His sisters were sobbing…

“You don’t remember what happened?” Yunho asked, shocked at his friend’s sudden tears, for he was not one to cry often or show his emotions so freely, and his lack of memory of the traumatising event that was the talk of the entire country for the last 4 days.

“No…” Changmin shook his head, more tears flowing as he reached his arms up towards his hyung, who wrapped his strong arms around the maknae, letting him burry his head in the leader’s neck.