Hello my dearies ! I'm so glad I'm on time this week ! So glad I didn't beta-read the chapter yet, I was too excited to share it with you guys. I thought of cutting it in two like the two previous ones but it's been a while I haven't gave you a long chapter so here is 3500+ words for you guys ! I hope you'll like it ! 

When she slipped quietly into the room, the pale blue light of dawn was filtering through the shades. He was there, sitting on a chair at the bedside of the patient, his hands clasped on his. His head was pressed on the edge of the bed, as if he fell asleep while watching over him. She walked closer, the click of her heels rezoning against the polished floor. She leaned forward and cupped the man’s face with one hand, the other squeezing his shoulder. His eyelids fluttered and he raised his head, his eyes finding hers.

“Noona…” he whispered sleepily before he yawned. “How… What are you doing here ?”

“His accident was everywhere in the news. I knew you’d be here.”

Sunggyu blinked before straightening up, his gaze hardening with the reminder.

“How is he ?” she looked over the patient in concern, her gaze going to the beeping machines and tubes with a shiver.

“I don’t know.” Sunggyu said in a low, broken voice. “Stable I guess. For now.”

She felt a pang in her heart and crouched before him, just like when he was a child. She took his free hand on hers and gave it a comforting squeeze.

“What happened to him isn’t your fault Sunggyu-yah. Don’t blame yourself for something you had no control over.”

Sunggyu shook his head stubbornly.

“If I talked to him, if I explained beforehand… Then he wouldn’t have learned it this way… He wouldn’t have driven over the speed limit… And he wouldn’t be here…” Sunggyu’s voice eventually cracked as tears filled his eyes. “It’s all my fault… I should’ve been me.” He cried.

“Don’t say that.” She scowled before gathering him in her arms, hugging him while rubbing his back.

“I’m so scared noona.” Sunggyu cried, hugging her back as if she was a life buoy. “What if he never wakes up ? What if I lose him forever ?”

“You won’t.” she said firmly, mainly to reassure him. “He loves you. He’ll make his way back to you.”

Howon had woken up with a stiff nape, probably because he fell asleep on Woohyun’s shoulder. Thinking of the said man, he straightened up. He was sitting beside him, his head leaning back on the wall, sound asleep. Howon felt the corner of his lips tug up in a small smile. He had always thought Woohyun sleeping was one of the moment he was the most strikingly handsome. That, and when he smiled and his eyes shone like jewels, but that was another story. Howon thought of what happened last night. Once Woohyun managed to coax him out of attempting to murder his best friend, they sat on the corridor’s uncomfortable chairs. Howon must have fall asleep then, in the midst of exhaustion and sadness.

Now that sleep no longer blurred his mind, he started to wonder why Woohyun had stayed with him, all night, by his side. Wasn’t he the one who, barely a few days ago, told him he thought they would be better off as friends ? Bile rose in Howon’s throat at the thought. He really couldn’t understand Woohyun. It has been five years he knew him, but the mystery constituted by Nam Woohyun was still intact. What kind of guy loves you but wishes to stay friends ?  Howon realized something then, on the spot, something harsher than a slap on the face. Woohyun actually never said he loved him. Not on that night when they had in the hotel room. Not even when he barged into Woohyun’s apartment. He never said it, no once, since he left for Paris.

Howon always thought Woohyun loved him no matter what he said, even when he claimed otherwise. Woohyun avoided him after that last night, replying evasively to his texts and always claiming he was too busy to meet, his work life apparently busier than an idol’s. Howon had to wait for him, parked in front of his building until he came back from work, to corner him and press for an explanation. At first Woohyun got mad, saying he was intruding, which he defended by having no other choice since he wouldn’t face him. They went up to Woohyun’s apartment to avoid creating a scene in public and for him to not be recognized. There, Woohyun told him he wasn’t sure of wanting a relationship with him, that it felt weird to stirring on something that might end up disastrously seeing their mutual past. When Howon told him he loved him and he couldn’t bear losing him, Woohyun had the most incredulous and disarming proposal ever. He suggested that they remained friends.

“Friends ?” Howon said, astonished. “Are you ing kidding me ?”

Woohyun directed his gaze aside, as if he couldn’t bear to look at him in the eye.

“You were the one saying you couldn’t lose me. You won’t lose me if we remain friends. As a matter of fact, it’d be even better like this.”

Howon walked the distance separating him from Woohyun and grabbed the man by the shoulders, trying to meet his eyes.

“What we have cannot be contained by friendship. I love you for ’s sake ! I want to hold you and be with you and…”

“ me?” Woohyun said in a cold voice, pushing him away and walking further away. “Because that’s all you did so far. You come along, we , we go on with our lives. Maybe you rather be friends with benefits then ? I don’t mind letting you have your way with me once in a while.”

Howon wouldn’t have been so shocked if Woohyun beat him up and cursed him. He was frozen on the spot, feeling as if the air was knocked out of his lungs.

“That’s what you think of me ?” he said in a low voice. “That I came to you for ?”

Himself couldn’t even say if he was more hurt or angry at the assumption. However, he noticed Woohyun quiver, looking resolutely elsewhere.

“Well, you certainly didn’t send me flowers.” He ironized. “The only two times we were together, we ended up having .”

“That doesn’t mean I only want you that way !” Howon shouted. “I love you, just the way you are, in each and every way you give me. It’s not about , it never has ! I never would’ve touched you if you told me not to ! You know that right ?”

As Woohyun remained silent across the room, Howon felt as if his heart was torn out of his chest.

“Woohyun please.” He pleaded, his voice low and weak. “You know it right ?”

Woohyun casted a glance at him, and his lips were set in a tight line. But even he couldn’t say stoic in front of the heartbreaking sight of Howon right now.

“I know.” He said eventually, his voice softened around the edge. “And as much as I enjoyed it, I don’t think I want to go past that with you again. I don’t want a relationship with you anymore.”

“I don’t believe you.” Howon stated. “I can’t believe you.”

Woohyun had a tired sigh.

“That’s your problem Howon. You keep on living in the past. But I won’t encourage you anymore. This time, you have to let me go.”

And here they were, sitting side by side on a hospital’s corridor, like everything was just a nightmare. He held a hand to cup Woohyun’s face, his fingertips his hair. Woohyun stirred in his sleep, a small gasp coming out of his slightly apart lips. He looked so adorable Howon was tempted to kiss him, but the knowledge of being in a public place and the reminder of their previous encounter halted him. Instead, he leaned to whisper in his ear.

“Wake up Woohyun-ah.” he whispered. “Wake up.”

Woohyun stirred before slowly opening his eyes. When he saw Howon’s face so close to his own, feeling his warm breath against his skin, he could only blink, flustered as he was.

“Morning.” Howon said softly. “Coffee ?” he suggested.

“Thanks but no thanks. Their stuff tastes awful.” Woohyun replied, straightening up to put some distance between them.

“The nurses have their own in the staff break room. I think they’ll be more than inclined to share if ask nicely.” He said, attempting a smile.

Woohyun felt his heart flutter at the sight of Howon’s boyish smile and turned his head, hoping to not blush.

“I could do with one.” He said, thinking he’ll need time to pull himself together.

“I’ll be right back.” Howon squeez