Hello, hello~ After two months I'm finally back with the rest of this story. And, fittingly enough, it's the same day that Infinite came back (yay!)

I actually started working on this part a couple weeks ago. I was hoping to post it sooner, but... writing is hard. So this is the part where they wake up and find each other and live happily ever after because I don't do angst. The ending is kind of sudden and weird partially because I didn't know how else to end it, but mainly because the word count was a nice even number and I didn't want to mess it up with more words. There's a little bit of woogyu and I kinda wish I'd put more, so that means I could very well end up expanding on that somewhere at some point. I should stop talking now so you can finally finish the story. (If you need to re-read the first chapter to refresh your memory, I wouldn't blame you. I had to do the same thing.)

Sungyeol's eyes feel like they're taped shut when he tries to open them. He nearly gives up from the effort and when he finally gets them open it's takes even more work to keep them that way. His eyes roam around the room, focusing on one object at a time. There's a small collection of flowers, get well cards, balloons, and trinkets probably picked up at the hospital gift shop in one corner. The blinds are open to let in the afternoon sunlight and its rays fall on the bottom half of his bed. His eyes land on the open door opposite the window. It must be the bathroom. The sound of running water reaches Sungyeol's ears, making him wonder who's watching over him at the moment.

He gets his answer seconds later when the water shuts off and Sunggyu steps through the door. There's a vase in his hands with fresh flowers. He glances at Sungyeol briefly as he passes his bed, probably out of habit. His shoes squeak on the floor as he comes to an abrupt stop. The sound of the vase shattering breaks the stillness of the room. Sunggyu doesn't seem to have noticed he's dropped it. His eyes are fixed on Sungyeol, his mouth gaping with no sound coming out.

Sungyeol stares back. He doesn't have the strength to speak or even move. All he can do is watch Sunggyu as he realizes his friend is awake for the first time in Sungyeol has no idea how long. He knows the other man has been with him nearly every day that he's been in the hospital. Every time Sungyeol regained consciousness he would hear Sunggyu talking to him or moving around the room. Even when Sunggyu had been asleep, slumped in a chair next to the bed most likely, Sungyeol could still tell he was close by. So it's fitting that Sunggyu is the first person he sees when he wakes up.

Sunggyu backs away slowly, oblivious to the glass crunching under his feet. When his body finally catches up with his mind, he turns around to rush out of the room. He calls for a nurse before he even gets the door open. It seems like it takes him only seconds to return—that could also be because Sungyeol lets his eyes fall shut for a moment to rest from the effort of keeping them open. He must have started to doze off when Sunggyu storms back into the room and rushes to his bedside. His eyes flutter open at the sound of his name from Sunggyu and he looks up at his friend. He's panting slightly from running, his face red and his eyes shining with unshed tears. He takes Sungyeol's hand as the nurse gives Sungyeol a brief once-over while they wait for the doctor to arrive.

Once she does, the rest of the day is a blur to Sungyeol. He's put through a check-up, several tests, and a tearful reunion with his family. By the end of it all it's nearly impossible for him to keep his eyes open. Despite sleeping for the past month and a half (as the doctor had informed him), that's all he wants to do. To no one's surprise, Sunggyu volunteers to stay with Sungyeol overnight. Daeyeol tries to dissuade him, arguing that Sunggyu hasn't left Sungyeol's side in days, but the older man is too stubborn. He's sitting resolutely in the chair next to Sungyeol's bed when Sungyeol's family leaves.

Without his voice and on the verge of falling asleep, Sungyeol doesn't think he's the best company at the moment. Talking to him now would be about as interesting as when he was unconscious. But Sunggyu doesn't seem to mind. Rather than trying to hold a conversation, he seems content to just sit close to Sungyeol. 

He falls asleep first and Sungyeol doesn't doubt it's the most restful sleep his friend has had in a long while, even with the uncomfortable position he's in. Sungyeol, on the other hand, drifts off to a dreamless sleep. A part of him hopes that he'll go back to the limbo he'd spent over a month in—and get to see Myungsoo again—but when Sunggyu gently shakes him awake the next morning he doesn't remember anything.

"For a second there I was afraid you weren't going to wake up," Sunggyu laughs, breathing an audible sigh of relief.

Sungyeol can't bring himself to feel entirely the same. He is very happy that he survived and is recovering, but there's also a sense of disappointment. Or just a feeling of something missing. In the confusion of being checked and fussed over, Sungyeol had momentarily forgotten his promise. Now that he's rested and can actually think, it's all coming back to him. He remembers his time with Myungsoo, bonding with him, falling for him, and having to say goodbye. He had promised he would find Myungsoo no matter what it took. If he's going to fulfill that promise, he resolves, then he needs to regain his strength.

∞

Three Weeks Later

"What took you so long," Sungyeol whines at Sunggyu when he steps into the room. He's been waiting for his friend to come back from his job so he can take Sungyeol for their usual walk. Well, it's more like a push for Sungyeol. The accident had broken his leg in two places and with the cast still on he gets around with the help of a wheelchair. (He'd also bruised a few ribs as well as most of the right side of his body, but those injuries are nearly healed.) Sungyeol could very well get one of the nurses to push him around—they all adore him, even the male ones who he'd won over with his puppy-like qualities. But he and Sunggyu had come to an agreement of sorts. Although he still insists on taking care of Sungyeol, Sunggyu is now limited to spending only a few hours a day at the hospital. Sunggyu hadn't been very enthused by the idea, but he understood that his priorities needed to be sorted out. (Sungyeol had joked that Sunggyu needed to keep his job so he would have a place for Sungyeol to stay when he finally got out.) So now he only visits Sungyeol in the afternoons or late evenings and takes him out of his room to get fresh air. He spends more time at home than the hospital and Sungyeol's sure he's not the only one relieved by that fact.

Sunggyu walks over to the wheelchair in the corner by the door and pushes it closer to Sungyeol's bed. "Don't let the past couple of months fool you," he tells Sungyeol, positioning the chair next to the bed. "My life doesn't revolve around you."

Sungyeol only rolls his eyes. Now that he knows Sungyeol's going to be fine, Sunggyu likes to pretend he's not that concerned about him. The fact that he shows up every day (much more often than Sungyeol's family) easily gives him away. Sungyeol holds onto Sunggyu's shoulder as he slowly stands on his good leg. His body is stiff from laying down all day. He eases into the wheelchair, a quiet groan escaping once he settles in. They've been cutting down on his painkillers for the past week. Thankfully, he's really only experiencing discomfort instead of pain. He lets go of Sunggyu once he's in the chair and the other moves to stand behind it.

"Good to go?"

Sungyeol gives him a thumbs up in response. He's been ready for the last half hour. "Let's pass by the nurses' station on the way down," he suggests. A teasing smile plays on his lips when he tilts his head back to look up at his friend. "I think there's someone who wants to say hi to you."

"Shut up." Sunggyu pushes Sungyeol's head to get him to look away before he starts pushing the wheelchair. He doesn't say anything else until they're going through the door. "And I already said hi to him," he mumbles. He pushes at Sungyeol's head again when he turns his grinning face up to Sunggyu.

"You should ask him out before you can't use me as an excuse to be here." As fun as it is teasing Sunggyu, Sungyeol can tell the other has it bad for one of the male nurses. He's taken over enough of the older man's life, he would hate to be responsible for getting in the way of his friend's love life as well. And it's not like Sunggyu's alone in his little crush. The look in Woohyun's eyes tells Sungyeol all he needs to know about the RN's feelings for Sunggyu. All the two of them need is a push to admit their feelings—preferably to each other. Sungyeol is more than happy to be the one to do it.

Sunggyu scoffs to hide his embarrassment. He must've thought he was being subtle the whole time. "There's still the rehab for your leg," he states like he's seriously planning on dragging out his flirtation with Woohyun for another month before asking him out.

Sungyeol looks up at Sunggyu in horror. That sounds like torture, for him and Woohyun. "What did Woohyun do to end up falling for a coward like you?"

The wheelchair stops abruptly as Sunggyu pulls his arms up to cross them over his chest. "Well, it's not like he's made a move either," he huffs in frustration.

Forget a push, Sungyeol thinks to himself, these two need a shove. "You two are hopeless," he tells his friend. Sunggyu sighs, an agreement of sorts, and starts pushing the chair again. They pass several rooms and turn a couple corners until they come to the floor's nurses' station. There's a man behind the desk. He glances at the computer screen in front of him as he writes in a folder. With his attention on his task, he doesn't notice Sungyeol and Sunggyu approaching him.

"Your favorite patient is here," Sungyeol calls out to him.

Woohyun looks up, startled, before his eyes settle on the two men. His face softens into a smile. "That's debatable," he replies, closing the folder he'd been writing in and leaning forward on the desk.

"Your favorite friend-of-a-patient is here, then."

The smile freezes on Woohyun's face as his eyes immediately go to Sunggyu. They stare at each other for a moment in which Sungyeol thinks they're finally going to confess their feelings. But of course things are never that easy. Woohyun looks away first. He brings back his smile for Sungyeol, though it doesn't seem nearly as genuine as before. "I have that thing you wanted me to find for you," he says to change the subject. After a moment of searching the paper-strewn desk, he plucks a little square sticky note from the top of the computer monitor. "I went through a lot of trouble to get this." He holds the note out for Sungyeol to take, but pulls his hand back at the last moment. "I hope you know how illegal this is," he says.

Sungyeol lets out a sharp breath. "Yeah, I know. I owe you big time for this." Being friendly with the hospital staff had its perks. And Sungyeol couldn't help exploiting that fact to speed up his search for Myungsoo. He hadn't set out on winning over and then using anyone to get the information he needed. He's just a likable person—although Sunggyu would argue he's more like a tick you can't shake off. And it's not like he bribed Woohyun or blackmailed him into doing him a favor. He'd more or less explained the situation to the nurse and Woohyun had been completely willing to help as a friend. He knows just how to repay the other man too. "Don't worry," he says as he accepts the piece of paper from Woohyun. "I'll make sure Sunggyu takes you out on a date before I leave here."

Sunggyu lets out a mortified squawk while Woohyun takes it in stride. His smile reaches his eyes this time as he looks at Sunggyu. "I'll look forward to that."

"O-okay." Ever the coward, Sunggyu bows his head and pushes Sungyeol's wheelchair past the nurses' station. "I should make you take the stairs," he hisses at Sungyeol once they're out of Woohyun's earshot.

Sungyeol doesn't take the threat seriously. Sunggyu will be grateful for his help later. He looks down at the sticky note Woohyun gave him. There's a room number on it and fortunately it's on the same floor. "Take a turn up here," he directs Sunggyu before they reach the elevators. Normally, they would go down to the main floor to get to the garden in the back of the hospital. Today is different.

"We're not going outside?" Sunggyu's slows to a stop at the turn Sungyeol had pointed out.

"We have a field trip today," he answers. He holds up the note for Sunggyu to read. "I'm trying to find this room."

"Do I want to know why?"

Out of curiosity Sunggyu had asked Sungyeol about the time he'd spent unconscious. He'd answered vaguely out of fear of his friend not believing his experience; it does sound far-fetched. But Sungyeol believes it was real—he knows it was. Everything he'd felt, especially his feelings for Myungsoo, he knows that was real because he still feels the same now that he's awake. Sungyeol doesn't know how he's going to explain how he knows Myungsoo or how they met. But he'll worry about that later. First, he has to actually find him.

"It's probably better if you don't."

Any words of caution Sunggyu might have are held back as he starts pushing the wheelchair again. They turn the corner and Sungyeol counts off the room numbers as they pass them. Rather than being discouraged when they reach the end of the hallway without finding the room, Sungyeol grows more confident, giving Sunggyu more directions like he knows exactly where he's going. It's not until they reach the other end of the floor that the numbers by the doors start to resemble the ones on the note in Sungyeol's hand. His heart speeds up in his chest as the room gets closer. By the time Sunggyu stops in front of the door Sungyeol's heart feels like it's in his throat.

"Wait," he says when Sunggyu goes to open the door. He needs a minute to prepare himself. Besides the fact that he'll be seeing Myungsoo for the first time in real life, the other will be unconscious and there's no guarantee that he'll respond, that he'll know Sungyeol's with him. Sungyeol doesn't want to get his hopes too high. He nods to Sunggyu when he's ready.

Sungyeol's eyes are glued to Myungsoo as he enters the room. He looks nearly the same as Sungyeol remembers him. His hair is a bit longer and his face is paler and thinner, but other than that he's the same.

"Do you know him," Sunggyu asks softly. The room is almost too quiet to speak any louder. Sungyeol can only manage a short nod. His throat feels tight, the pressure behind his eyes signaling tears building up. He doesn't know why he suddenly feels so emotional. It could be either from seeing Myungsoo again after so long or not knowing how he's supposed to wake him up. Or maybe it’s just seeing him like this, still and fragile-looking. It’s such a change from the man he’d come to know.

Sunggyu doesn't press him for more information; he only pushes the wheelchair up to the side of Myungsoo's bed. And Sungyeol's grateful. He doubts he would be able to get any words out at the moment. Blinking back the tears that are fighting to get out, he struggles to stand up on his unbroken leg. Sunggyu grabs his arm to steady him. "What the hell do you think you're doing," he half-asks, half-scolds. But he still helps Sungyeol out of the chair and over to sit on the edge of the hospital bed. And like the best friend that he is, he senses the mood in the room and excuses himself. "I'll be right outside if you need me."

Sungyeol waits until the door slides closed behind him before he scoots closer to Myungsoo on the bed. He takes a hold of the other's hand and rests his head on his shoulder. "Myungsoo," he calls quietly (hopefully). He takes the slow movement of Myungsoo's chest as he breathes as an answer. "I found you. Like I promised I would. So you have to wake up now, okay?" He doesn't feel disappointed by the lack of response. Sunggyu and his family were always talking to him while he was in his coma, like they were having a conversation rather than talking to themselves. He has no way of knowing if Myungsoo can hear him now, but he chooses to think positively. He squeezes Myungsoo's hand, hoping the other can feel it and know Sungyeol's with him. "I know there's not much I can do, but I'll come visit you—every day if I have to—until you wake up." Before he calls Sunggyu back into the room, he leans over to press a kiss to Myungsoo's forehead.

∞

Sunggyu doesn't ask him anything about Myungsoo even though Sungyeol's sure he's dying to know. But he does bring Sungyeol back to Myungsoo's room, gradually turning their daily walks into visits. Sungyeol doesn't even have to beg him to do it; he agrees the first time Sungyeol asks. While Sunggyu claims he's just being nice, Sungyeol knows it's mostly because the older man thinks he owes him at least that much. There's still a part of Sunggyu that believes Sungyeol's accident was his fault. No matter how many times Sungyeol insists that the other has nothing to feel guilty about, he can tell his friend isn't entirely convinced. He can only hope Sunggyu will go easier on himself once he fully recovers.

"You're not going to ask about him," Sungyeol asks a week after he'd first found Myungsoo. The route to Myungsoo's room is more familiar now and shorter.

"Are you going to tell me if I do?" Sunggyu's voice is hopeful, but also careful. "You don't have to if you don't want to," he insists before Sungyeol can say anything. "I'm not trying to pressure you."

Sungyeol hesitates before responding. The whole truth still seems too difficult to admit. "I... I'm in love with him." He'd never told Myungsoo that, or even thought that was how he felt, but now he knows for sure.

"Well, I knew that," Sunggyu says as they turn into the hallway where Myungsoo's room is. "We wouldn't be here now if you weren't." He doesn't say it, but Sungyeol can tell he would rather hear how they met or who Myungsoo is exactly.

The door is open when they reach Myungsoo's room. Inside, there's an orderly changing the sheets on the bed Myungsoo had been lying in the day before. Panic rises swiftly in Sungyeol's gut even as he tells himself not to jump to conclusions. He's afraid of something bad happening to Myungsoo. Especially when he'd seemed fine the last time he saw him, albeit unresponsive. "Where is he," he all but demands. Sunggyu's hand on his shoulder urges him to calm down.

The orderly, an older woman Sungyeol thinks he's seen around the hospital, jumps at the sudden question. She has a hand over her heart as she turns to look at the two men in the doorway. "Goodness, you scared me. Don't show up so suddenly."

"Sorry," Sunggyu apologizes for Sungyeol's mildly rude behavior, bowing his head slightly. "What happened to the man who was in here before? He's a friend," he assures her when she looks reluctant to answer.

The woman goes back to pulling off the old sheets on the bed. "They took him down for some tests about an hour ago."

"You mean he's awake?" Sungyeol tamps down the panic that surges up again. The same thing happened to him when he woke up. There's nothing to worry about.

"Mhm, it was the strangest thing. His mother came in to see him and found him trying to get out of the bed." She dumps the sheets into the hamper she has next to the bed. "Can you believe that," she asks, pausing in adjusting a clean sheet on the bed to look over at Sungyeol and Sunggyu. "After six months he just wakes up like he was taking a nap. I don't think I've ever seen anything like it."

There are so many questions Sungyeol wants to ask. But he doubts the woman would have any of the answers. Sunggyu speaks up for him when he isn't able to find any words. "Do you know when he'll be back?"

"It might be a while still," the woman shrugs.

Sunggyu thanks the orderly for her time and excuses himself and Sungyeol. As they're heading back the way they came, he pats Sungyeol's shoulder comfortingly. "You can ask Woohyun to tell you when he comes back," he offers. "And maybe while you're waiting you can tell me about this Myungsoo you say you're in love with."

Sungyeol can't help the laughter that bubbles up and over the worry weighing down his chest. Sunggyu's been tip-toeing around the subject for Sungyeol's sake, but now he's not even bothering to mask his eagerness. Sungyeol's more than happy for the distraction. Tilting his head back to look up at Sunggyu, he says, "I was wondering when you'd come right out and ask."

"I was being nice," Sunggyu defends himself. "It was killing me not to say anything, though." He sighs heavily for dramatic effect, making Sungyeol snort.

All too soon, they reach the nurses' station where Woohyun is sitting with another nurse. Sungyeol's good mood dims enough to wipe the smile from his face. He isn't expecting Woohyun to be one step ahead of them. "I was going to tell you as soon as I heard," he says when he catches sight of Sungyeol and Sunggyu. His concern is written all over his face. "But I got called to the ER. I'll let you know if I hear anything else, okay?"

∞

This is stupid. You've done this before, why is it so hard now, Sungyeol scolds himself. Except he knows exactly why this time is so difficult. For the first time ever (or in a month or so, depending on how one looks at it), he's about to see Myungsoo face-to-face and talk to him and touch him and be with him and it scares him. Or it just makes him really, really nervous. Enough so that he almost wants to turn around and go back to his room. He knows he promised the other man that he would find him so they could be together and that seeing him in person isn't that much different from seeing him in their shared dream world. But it kind of is. It's real now. And there's a teeny tiny (but still incredibly loud) part of him that's afraid of that being enough to change Myungsoo's mind about the two of them. Or that he'd forgotten about Sungyeol in the time he'd been alone after Sungyeol left.

Don't be ridiculous. Sunggyu's voice rings in his head, loud enough that he looks around expecting to find his friend in the hallway with him. But it's only him. He is being ridiculous, isn’t he? Up until this point, he’d been so confident about their feelings for each other, about their relationship. He shouldn’t let his doubts hold him back now that he’s finally reached his goal.

Sungyeol reaches out to knock on the door before he can second guess himself. An unfamiliar voice calls him into the room and he slides the door open after only a moment’s hesitation. There’s a young man standing in front of the bed, blocking Sungyeol’s view of Myungsoo. He guesses the other must be the younger brother Myungsoo had mentioned several times. Moonsoo, if he remembers correctly. "Hi," he starts nervously as he wheels himself into the room. This is the first time he’s run into anyone else in Myungsoo’s room. He’d managed to avoid having to meet anyone in Myungsoo’s family and subsequently having to explain their relationship up to now. But, really, it was bound to happen sooner or later. "My name is Sungyeol. I’m… I’m a friend of Myungsoo’s."

The bed shifts at the same time that Myungsoo’s brother asks, "You’re Sungyeol?"

"Yes?" Sungyeol is just as surprised as the guy in front of him, as well as confused.

"He was asking about you."

"He was?" It’s only been a day since Myungsoo woke up; Sungyeol can’t imagine him having the energy to do much of anything just yet.

"Well, not quite. He couldn’t really talk after he woke up, but he kept trying to tell us something. We didn’t know what he meant when he wrote it down, though. And don’t take this the wrong way, but I wasn’t really expecting you to be what—or who my brother was talking about. He never mentioned you before now." An urgent sound from Myungsoo interrupts him so Moonsoo turns to look at his brother. Their conversation, although short and wordless, has the younger man chuckling softly when he turns back to Sungyeol. "I’m being kicked out now, so I guess that means you two have private things you need to talk about."

Sungyeol is still at a loss for words. His previous worries about Myungsoo have been eased by Moonsoo's words. He hasn't left Myungsoo's mind at all since the last time they saw each other. Knowing that, he's a lot less nervous now. "I'll try not to keep him too long," he says. He knows it’ll be a while before Myungsoo feels more like himself.

"Take all the time you need." Moonsoo gives him a reassuring smile. "Besides, I think Myungsoo missed you a lot." A sound that’s part groan and part whine comes from behind him, making him laugh.

Sungyeol flushes bright red. Obviously there’s no fooling Moonsoo about their relationship. He doesn’t say anything else as the younger man steps around him and leaves the room. He doesn’t even know how to respond to that. And then his eyes fall on Myungsoo in his bed and he forgets his embarrassment. It's like he falls in love all over again. (Even though he hadn't realized he was falling in love in the first place.)

"I found you." It's the first thing that comes to Sungyeol's mind. As obvious as it is, he still feels the need to say it. He brings the wheelchair closer to the bed before slowly standing up on his good leg. Myungsoo reaches out for him, worry etched onto his face as he eyes the cast on Sungyeol's leg, and he opens his mouth to speak. Nothing comes out, but Sungyeol already knows what he wants to say. "I'm okay," he says, although he lets the younger man hold onto his arms as he hobbles to his side. "It's coming off soon anyway."

After some awkward shuffling on both their parts (and a blatant disregard for possible weight limits), they end up on their sides facing each other on the bed. Myungsoo brings his hand up to run his fingertips across Sungyeol's cheek. There's a look of awe on his face like he can't believe Sungyeol is really there in front of him. Sungyeol wonders if he's making sure when he leans in. His eyes fall shut just before Myungsoo's lips touch his own. And even though they've done this before, even though it had felt just as real as it does now, somehow it feels like the first time. He puts his hand over the one Myungsoo has resting on his face when they pull away from each other.

"I love you," he confesses. It doesn't make him as nervous as he'd thought it would, admitting his feelings. In fact, he's even more sure of it now than he had been when he'd told Sunggyu. He nearly ends up with a mouthful of Myungsoo's hair as the other crashes into him for a hug. His arms hold on tightly to Sungyeol, as if he's afraid the older man might disappear. Sungyeol holds him back just as fiercely. After all they've been through (independently and together), it kind of feels too good to be true that they're together again. Sungyeol has every intention of keeping it that way, though.

"I think visiting hours are ending soon," he says a couple minutes later. Myungsoo's arms tighten briefly around Sungyeol before letting him go completely. He doesn't look very pleased with the amount of space between them. Sungyeol laughs at the other's pout. Myungsoo's still as cute as ever. "I'll be back tomorrow." It's another promise he intends to keep. "And the next day," he continues, leaning in to leave a quick kiss on Myungsoo's lips. "And the next day." Another peck. "And the day after that." When he leans in a third time, Myungsoo takes a hold of his face to keep him close. The short kiss turns into something longer, deeper when Myungsoo opens his mouth. All thoughts of leaving disappear from Sungyeol’s mind.

Paying close attention to Sungyeol’s broken leg, Myungsoo wraps himself around the other man again. "Don’t go," he rasps against the older man’s lips.

Sungyeol lets out a breathless laugh. If only it was that simple. As tightly as he might have most of the floor's staff wrapped around his finger, they still have authority over him. They are the ones that have been taking care of him and helping him heal after all. "I can get away with a lot of things here, but, unfortunately, that's not one of them. I'll be back as soon as I can tomorrow. And then we can spend the whole day together, okay?" In lieu of an answer, Myungsoo covers his face with his hands, turning away from Sungyeol slightly. "What? What is it," Sungyeol asks in confusion. He can't tell if he should be worried.

Myungsoo peeks at him through his fingers. His reply is muffled by his hands. "I must sound like such a spoiled brat. I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Sungyeol reaches over to pull down Myungsoo's hands so he can see his face. Myungsoo lets him, but avoids his eyes. "I missed you, too. If I could I would stay here with you." He can understand how Myungsoo feels at the moment. He had to say goodbye to Sungyeol without knowing if they would ever see each other again. The month he’d spent by himself in their shared limbo must have felt like an eternity. And then seeing Sungyeol again, someone who’s been through the same thing as him, someone he’s shared so much of himself with and gotten so close to. It makes sense that he wouldn’t want to let Sungyeol out of his sight. Especially since Sungyeol feels the same way.

There's a sense of urgency the next time Myungsoo leans in to kiss him. It could be because someone could barge into the room at any moment, but Sungyeol doesn't think that's the reason. Myungsoo clings to the front of Sungyeol's hospital gown as he presses their lips together. Sungyeol tries to match the other's eagerness even though he doesn't see the need to rush. When Myungsoo breaks the kiss to allow them to breathe, Sungyeol takes the opportunity to study the younger man's face. He seems more tired than anything else, a slight frown pulling down the corners of his mouth. Underneath it Sungyeol catches a hint of fear in Myungsoo's eyes as well as sadness. His heart clenches at the sight.

"I love you, too," Myungsoo says before Sungyeol can say anything. His hands have loosened their hold on Sungyeol's gown, opting for sliding down the other's chest to hold onto his waist. "I don't want to lose you again. I can't."

Sungyeol smiles at Myungsoo's honesty. He'd never doubted that the feeling was mutual; Myungsoo has always worn his heart on his sleeve. It feels really good to hear the words, though. "I'm not going anywhere." He places a soft kiss to Myungsoo's forehead and then another on his nose. "But I mean that metaphorically," he adds. "Because literally, I do have to go."

Myungsoo's laugh is hoarse, but it still eases the tension that had started to knot up Sungyeol's shoulders. "Remind me again why I like you?"

"'Love me'," Sungyeol corrects him. "And I'll be happy to." They're both grinning when their lips meet again.

∞

Two Months Later

The heat of summer is almost completely gone, the air now cool and the sun less blistering. The leaves have started to change color and fall from the trees. Soon enough there'll be cold days and colder nights and snow, but Sungyeol just wants to enjoy the weather as it is now. Just like he wants to enjoy one of the last dates he and Myungsoo will be able to go on for a while. The younger man is set to start working at his old accounting firm the following week. He'd wanted to go back sooner, but his boss insisted that he rest more. (Myungsoo had whined to Sungyeol that he'd been resting for eight months already; another week was just torture.) There's no doubting that he's eager to work again, though Sungyeol doesn't quite see the appeal in doing math for eight hours a day.

As for Sungyeol, he'd decided to try his hand at cooking. He's been taking a couple classes and working towards becoming certified. And now, thanks to yet another favor from Woohyun, Sungyeol is about to start working in a restaurant. Technically, it's more of an internship than an actual job, but he's excited for the experience. Even if it means he's stuck washing dishes for the first few months. He finally feels like his life has meaning; like he's not just taking up space.

The warmth of Myungsoo's hand in his own pulls him from his thoughts. He looks over at his boyfriend in surprised confusion. The street isn't crowded enough for them to get separated. Sungyeol doubts that's why Myungsoo reached out for him in the first place. "So which stew are we having tonight," he asks as they stop at a crosswalk. For some strange reason—a side effect of the coma is Sungyeol's theory—Myungsoo is determined to try everything once. At the moment that mainly pertains to food.

"That was last week. This week is noodles."

Sungyeol lets out a long-suffering sigh. "What noodles are we having tonight, then?"

"What do you want?" The sign turns to walk and they start moving again, no destination in mind just yet.

"I asked you first," Sungyeol laughs. "But if it's noodles, I have a couple packs of ramyun at home that I should use up. I could cook for you and then we could watch a movie or something." That actually sounds a lot more appealing than going anywhere else. Bouncing a bit from excitement, Sungyeol steps in front of Myungsoo, bringing them both to a halt. "Ooh, let’s do that," he suggests. "Let’s go back to my place. Or yours, whichever’s fine."

"What kind of a cheap date is that?" Myungsoo tries to sound offended, but it comes out more cutely exasperated. Probably because Sungyeol is not-so-subtly batting his eyelashes and leaning forward in the way he knows flusters his boyfriend. Myungsoo looks up at him with so much affection it’s a wonder he hasn’t already pulled Sungyeol into his arms.

The month they’d spent together in their comas hadn’t quite prepared Sungyeol for all of who Kim Myungsoo is. His boyfriend is sweet and caring and every bit as perfect as he had looked when Sungyeol first laid eyes on him. He’s also the weirdest person Sungyeol’s ever met with an insatiable need to touch. He sleeps like the dead and eats enough for five people and is so unbearably cute. And best of all, he’s so completely in love with Sungyeol. (Of course, the older man feels the same.)

Sungyeol already knows he’s won, but he likes the blush on Myungsoo’s cheeks. And the way he squeezes Sungyeol’s hand. "Maybe I just want you all to myself," he says as he leans even closer to the other man. "Plus, there’s a good chance you’ll get some tonight."

Myungsoo snorts. "Am I that easy?" Yet he still pulls Sungyeol along as he turns to go back the way they came.

"Yes. Yes, you are."

Myungsoo laughs, but doesn’t deny it. As they walk, he takes his hand from Sungyeol to slip his arm around his boyfriend’s waist. Sungyeol slings his arm across Myungsoo’s shoulder in response. They haven’t verbally agreed on their dinner plans, but they’ll get to it eventually. For now Sungyeol just wants to enjoy Myungsoo’s warmth.