Chapter 3.

Jaehyun did not call.

Two weeks of his new rota had been torturous. Taeyong’s number was saved in his phone and the piece of paper was tucked in his wallet, in between credit cards. Every single time he felt like calling he would stop himself, feeling unconfident and dubious on where exactly their relationship stood. Was it a one night stand that had happened in a moment of carnal weakness? Or was it a booty call? Did Tayong even know what he wanted? Heck, did Jaehyun himself even know what was going on?

It wasn’t clear cut but Jaehyun didn’t really want to know what it was.

He chewed on a power bar in the doctor’s mess after making rounds in the ward. The TV was to some bogus game show that none of the residents even watched. Some lingered about, catching a quick nap on the stiff beds or cold sofa’s before the night calls started filtering in. He held the piece of paper in his left hand, just staring at the numbers scribbled in pencil.

Maybe I should call, he contemplated. Just to ask if he was okay. His father did just die recently.

And you ed with him straight after the funeral.

Was it just that? Two sad people who were sad together then decided they didn’t want to be sad anymore so they ed because it was a good distraction.

One hell of a good distraction.

His thoughts were disrupted when his phone buzzed with a message from a nurse saying that there was an assault victim that just came in. He jumped from the sofa, eager to be far away from facing his problems. He fixed the cuffs of his dress shirt, before tightening his tie and pulling his white coat on. With his stethoscope in one hand and his phone in the other, he headed towards the A&E department on the lowest level.

The nurse, Irene, was waiting for him at the entrance. She was talking to Dr. Taeil about something before waving at Jaehyun.

“Where’s the patient?” Jaehyun immediately asked her.

“Right. Let me take show you.” She excused herself from Dr. Taeil with a nod but the older doctor simply followed them. He was always looking for an excuse to help out or check the progress of the patients in the emergency wards.

It was bad enough they were all friends now.

Jaehyun had always revered Dr. Moon Taeil not just because he was the senior that took care of him, but he was also soft spoken and caring and very very handsome. He wouldn’t admit it now, but he might have had a crush on the elder without realizing it himself.

However that respect totally crumbled (well not entirely) when Jaehyun walked into his apartment one fine morning to find the sweet doctor whom he had admired for years making out with his flat mate Doyoung. It totally shocked him that they even knew each other. From there, the two began a casual relationship in which no one knew their status exactly. Sometimes they were on, sometimes off. They paused occasionally but Jaehyun had never approached Taeil, and Doyoung was too much of a friend for him to be involved that way. So now behind everyone’s backs Jaehyun called Taeil by his first name or just hyung.

Because only god knew if he could get rid of that image of them out of his head even if he dug his eyeballs out.

“His vitals look fine but he’s pretty black and blue, poor boy took a rough beating. I put him on an IV drip because he looked like he could pass out any minute.” Irene reported, leading him to a curtained off unit.

“Age?” Taeil and Jaehyun asked in sync.

“Early twenties. Male. He’s a college student judging from his ID. Some good Samaritans brought him in.” She pulled away the curtain and Jaehyun’s eyes widened and he involuntarily gasped.

Sat on the hospital bed with his legs dangling of the edge, expressionless and woozy was Taeyong. His eyes were clouded and he looked as if he was run over by a truck. His face was swollen and blue on one side and his clothes were bloodstained. He turned to face them and for a very long moment, they simply stared each other, unblinking. Jaehyun’s mind goes blank.

He should have called.

Taeyong’s face broke into a small smirk, probably induced by the shock or the drugs, maybe both.

“We should stop meeting like this Jaehyun.”

They really should. It was getting ridiculous at this point.

“Do you know the patient Doctor?” Irene asked and Jaehyun simply sighed in defeat, nodding. Jaehyun cannot exactly form words in his head because the need to hold Taeyong in his arms now was real. Taeyong was already painful to look at.

Now the feeling was tenfold.

“He’s a friend.” Dr. Taeil is looking at him with a puzzled expression before glancing at Taeyong. Taeyong gave him the same lazy smile, despite the fact that it hurt to do so.

“Hi Dr. Moon. Long time no see.” Taeil nodded, kind of dumbfounded by the whole situation.

“I can handle him alone. I’ll call if I need any help. Irene can you prepare the paperwork.”

“Of course.” She handed him the clipboard and closed off the curtains. Taeil followed her back to the reception, both curious as to how their colleague knew the patient.

Jaehyun snapped on rubber gloves and sat on the stool before looking Taeyong in the eyes.

“Where are you hurt?”

“To be honest… everywhere. It hurts everywhere.” Taeyong groaned.

“Where should I start? Can you move your arms and feet?”

“My arm is sore but I think my feet are fine. I have a very deep cut on my collar and one on my knee.” There were blood stains on the edge of his t-shirt and another one at the knee part of his jeans. A laceration was clearly visible just under his collarbone. It was at least half an inch deep and Jaehyun knew it will scar. It was strange to think that just two weeks ago, he was drawing circles on the exact spot. Jaehyun knew that there must be other cuts, small and minor but it still rattled him. Someone had intentionally hurt Taeyong.

“I’ll clean your cuts first then treat your other injuries okay? Just so that they won’t get infected because they look pretty deep. Can I help you remove your shirt?” He nodded and Jaehyun helped him take off his shirt, though he did note that the younger had winced when trying to tug it out of his arms.

He dunked a cloth into distilled water and began to clean the wound, eyes not able to meet Taeyong’s. But he could feel the other staring at him. It was when Jaehyun began to apply antiseptic to the cut that Taeyong started to speak. Though the first thing he said made Jaehyun frown.

And to think he could have maintained his poker-faced professionalism around the boy.

“It’s official. Dr. Moon must think I’m a vagabond crook trying to fool his favourite student.”

“I’m not his favourite student.” Jaehyun answered, tight lipped.

“And I’m not a hoodlum.” He replied sarcastically. Jaehyun is amazed at his impudence even in an emergency room.

“No one uses the word hoodlum or vagabond anymore.” He said, his voice low and grave. He gave Taeyong a look that silenced him. “Do you want to explain how you ended up like… this?”

“It’s going to sound like a melodrama.”

“I’m a Doctor. My whole life is a melodrama.” Jaehyun assured him with a roll of his eyes.

“Fine… My dead father… gambled a lot in his spare time… and he accumulated a debt the size of China.”

“Wow that really does sound dramatic.” He sounded lifeless responding to Taeyong but it is partly due to the fact that he was concentrating on treating him. Jaehyun rolled up his jeans till they are just above his kneecap. He repeated the process of cleaning the wound all over again. This wound was bigger and he was definitely going to need stitches.

“I came back home from school late because I stayed at the library till midnight.” Jaehyun snorted and Taeyong glowered at the Doctor, highly offended. “I actually study okay.”

“Continue…”

“And there were these guys waiting outside the house. There were three of them and they were exactly like in those in those bad gangster movies, burly, and hairy and wearing gaudy Hawaiian T-shirts.”

“You remember what their t-shirts look like?” Jaehyun asked out loud as he prepared the surgical thread for the suture. “Look away if you’re squeamish.” He warned before proceeding to stitch Taeyong’s knee up.

“Don’t judge me okay? I ran but they caught up to me, cornered me in an alley, beat me up, and then demanded the money. I told them my father was dead. Of course they didn’t believe me and beat me up some more. Some pedestrians noticed and they fled. It felt like the right thing to do was go to the hospital instead of trying to patch myself up.” He finished his story but winced once again when he moved his right arm to look more closely at Jaehyun suturing his knee.

“Good. I’m glad you didn’t because I think your arm is dislocated.” He deadpanned whilst he finished off the knot carefully.

“I think they broke my nose as well.”

“Let me help with your arm. Turn around.” He lowered the bed a bit before wheeling the stool closer. Taeyong did and Jaehyun wrapped another cloth around itself, creating a ball.

“Put this in your mouth.” He passed it to Taeyong and he complied, eyes alarmed.

“This is going to hurt. Just bear with it okay?” The doctor warned before gripping his right arm. He moved it slightly around trying to find the socket, when he felt it; he pushed the joint back in mercilessly. Taeyong felt his swollen joint pop back into it’s original position and he sharply bit down on the fabric, teeth chattering, eyes stinging, as the pain slowly dissipated into something more bearable.

“That actually hurt!”He hissed, voice high pitched and accusing.

“I told you.” Jaehyun shrugged and placed an ice bag on his shoulder to ease the ache. He shivered when the cold came into contact with his skin. “Lie down, tell me if anything hurts okay?”

He stood up and mechanically moved Taeyong’s other limbs, checking for signs of damage and fracture.

“I know… it’s not my place to ask. But how are you planning to pay back your father’s debt?”

“I guess I’ll just… sell the house or whatever. It’s not like my parents left me anything valuable. I’m a scholarship student so I’ll stretch the money out somehow…”

“Where do you study?”

“I’m a scholar at SNU.” Jaehyun thought he misheard but he definitely heard it right. Suddenly, Taeyong doesn’t look like the simple boy he thought he was.

“That’s uh… a good school.”

It was the best school.

Seoul National University was the top university in the country. And Jaehyun knew for a fact that only the top three percent in the country could get into that hell hole. Taeyong was a scholarship student on top of that. The boy must either be dangerously hard working or a descendant of Einstein.

“Is there someone I should call to inform you’re here?”

“My friend Ten. My uncle is out of town and I don’t think I want to bother my aunt at this ungodly hour.” Jaehyun nodded and noted it down on his clipboard. Taeyong pointed to his phone in a tray next to the bed filled with his other personal belongings. He jotted the number down from his phone and then turned to Taeyong.

“Do you have a place to go back to? After this I mean.” Taeyong unconsciously shrugged and then yelped like a kicked puppy. Jaehyun felt the pain as well.

“Not sure…”

“I’ll make a sling for your arm in a bit.” The doctor internally cringed and began to write things down on the clipboard again. “I’ll ask Nurse Irene to put in some morphine in your IV drip and prescribe some painkillers soon. I’ll also prepare some ointment.”

“Can’t you give me something to knock me out immediately or whatever?”

“I’m a physician not your local drug dealer Taeyong.”

“Same difference.”

There is a pause before Taeyong spoke again, changing the tone of his voice.

“As for your question about where I will go after this… I’ll make it work somehow. I’ll sell the house and pay off the debt. I’ll stretch the scholarship money somehow; maybe find a room, work five jobs or something. Though I have to ask, this will cost a bomb right? I don’t think I have medical insurance.”

Oh dear, Jaehyun paled.

“I think my scholarship can cover the medical bills… hopefully.” Taeyong smiled wryly. Jaehyun was not convinced by the word ‘hopefully’.

“Stay at my place.” The words were out of his mouth before he could take them back. Jaehyun wanted to slap himself. What the hell was he saying? Sure… he knew Taeyong but he didn’t really know Taeyong.

“What?” The man in question himself looked a little taken aback by the offer.

“I mean… if you don’t have a place to stay. You met Doyoung right? I have an extra room now that he’s moved out.”

Stop stop stop…

You’re making it worst, Jaehyun’s mind screamed.

Doyoung had bombarded him with questions after that day, gushing about how handsome his conquest was before tearing into him about defiling an innocent boy. Taeyong was definitely not an innocent and neither was Doyoung for that matter.

“That’s really nice of you to offer… but I don’t need someone else’s charity or pity.” Jaehyun was somewhat offended but he knew how prideful the troubled were. And Taeyong was definitely trouble. But Jaehyun couldn’t sleep at night (or day) thinking about him not having a roof over his head or enough food on the table or physically hurt like he was now.

Even the thought .

“It’s not charity. I’m sincerely offering assistance. You can pay half the rent and bills when you’ve become financially stable.” He explained.

“Are you serious?”Taeyong sputtered, still skeptical.

“As serious as can be. Besides, I kind of need a flat mate and you look like a good kid who could use the help. I really do want to help you.”

Because I’m worried like hell you will suddenly appear into my life again, all bruised and bloody.

And I don’t want that to happen again.

Jaehyun’s inner worries were left unsaid.

“What of our… sleeping arrangements?” He coughed awkwardly. Jaehyun stared at him for a moment before his face lit up with an amused grin. He wanted to laugh but he’s sure the nurses will hear.

“You don’t have be so worried, I’m barely home so you’ll probably have the place to yourself. You can sleep in your own room. But… if you want to… I’m always there to help.” Taeyong can only guess what that type of assistance that really entailed.

“You mean you’ll totally be up for ing if I asked for it?”

“Totally.” He did not blink when answering.

“That doesn’t sound like a bad proposal.” Taeyong nodded, thinking deeply for once that night.

It sounded horrendous. Taeyong knew the risk of getting involved any further.

“How do I know you won’t kill me in the night and use my organs to create hybrid zombies in your secret underground lab?” He asked in all seriousness.

“Wouldn’t I have done that time the first time I slept with you?” Jaehyun did not even pause to answer the outlandish question.

“Touché.”

“I’m afraid I’m just a normal medical practitioner. Not Frankenstein neither Hyde or even George Clooney. Sorry to disappoint.” Jaehyun clicked his tongue.

“You watch Grey’s Anatomy too? Oh my ing god.” Taeyong gasped dramatically.

“You’ll have to accept my proposition now.” Jaehyun murmured, amused.

“Thank you my fellow Clooney enthusiast.”

They burst into laughter for a moment and Jaehyun clamped a hand over his mouth before composing himself and glaring daggers at the younger for making him lose his cool. Even in the hospital, his natural environment, Taeyong made him forget who he was. It was scary.

Taeyong’s laugh quickly escalated into heaving and then a coughing fit. When it subsided he turned to Jaehyun with glassy eyes.

“Ow. My chest hurts. I don’t think I can laugh. Don’t make me laugh.”

Right. They were still doctor-patient at the moment.

Though really in the span of a month their relationship had undergone a whole freaking metamorphosis; from strangers to one-night-stands to house mates.

“Give me a minute I’ll call Irene to help.” Jaehyun knew he should really be doing his job and relieving his patient of his pain by now.

“Wait! I’ll pay the half the rent starting from February.”

“If you insist.” Jaehyun really should call Irene to help now but Taeyong said something that stopped him in his tracks.

“Thank you Jaehyun. I mean it.” And he looked at Jaehyun with those eyes, like he was looking at a sunset and the doctor felt himself being dragged into something surreal. What was his name? What should he be doing right now? He blinked hard and fast.

“You’re welcome. I’ll be right back. Just lie down.” He excused himself to leave for awhile but he came back on second later, his head peeping from behind the curtain,

“Oh, I forgot to say… you do realise we have to report this to the police?”

Jaehyun dreaded the paperwork but it was standard procedure so he merely shrugged as his patient groaned and then slumped onto the hospital bed. Taeyong wondered how many forms he’ll have to fill and how much money he’s going to be forced to fork out.

Limitless, for sure.

Author's note: 

What can I say? I'm a very punny person >< 

Don't kill me guys .

I did a playlist for this story so check it out at the foreword.

Thank you for reading and giving me feedback !