“You shouldn’t perform until you’re fully healed,” the doctor says, pointedly staring at the lanky young man on the examination table. “In fact, I’d much rather you not even get out of bed until you’re healed.” 

Hyungwon sighs heavily as he rubs at his face. He had known this would happen, it being the very reason he didn’t ant to come here in the first place. Kihyun’s hand comes to rest on Hyungwon’s good knee, squeezing it reassuringly. Hyungwon looks over to the older, and finds himself grinning slightly at Kihyun’s comforting smile. 

Hongsik glances between the two idols, and ushers the doctor out with the excuse of discussing treatment options. Though he doesn’t care about his boys being in happy romantic relationships with one another, he’s fairly certain not everyone would agree. 

Silence follows the manager and doctor after they leave the room. Kihyun finds it hard to continue looking at his boyfriend as he tries to sort through his thoughts. Bed rest until he healed meant he most likely couldn’t go on the tour with them… Kihyun thinks of staying behind in Korea as well, very much not relishing the idea of leaving Hyungwon behind in a different country for however long it’ll take him to heal, though he immediately squashes that idea.  

Of course I can’t do that, he tells himself. I’m the main vocalist… Besides, even if Starship were to by some miracle allow that, I couldn’t do that to our fans. I’d never forgive myself, and neither would any of the members. 

“I’m sorry, hyung,” Hyungwon finally says, his gaze on the floor. “I didn’t realize it had gotten so bad until it was too late. I thought that if I could just hide it until the tour started, I’d be okay. I wouldn’t have to get treatment.”

“Wonnie,” Kihyun sighs in exasperation, shaking his head. “How many times do I have to tell you that your health is most important? Did you learn nothing from when Minhyuk’s knee was injured during Hero? Now it acts up randomly, because he didn’t allow it proper time to heal. Is that what you want? Do you want to have to carry around a bottle of painkillers for the rest of your life, messing up your kidneys, because you didn’t take care of yourself?”

“Kihyun-ah,” Hyungwon groans, shaking his head, “not now, okay? Lecture me after I get done feeling guilty about missing the tour, please.”

Kihyun in a breath through his teeth, though more at himself than at his dongsaeng. He hums in surrender, leaning over to rest his head on Hyungwon’s shoulder. 

“Sorry, Wonnie,” he says softly. “It’ll be alright. I’m sure the company will let you join us overseas as soon as the doctors clear you.” He pauses, almost hesitant before he adds, “I don’t want to leave you here, love.”

“We had so many plans,” Hyungwon says sadly, an arm moving to wrap around Kihyun’s waist. The air grows thick with disappointment, and it’s all Hyungwon has to not cry right now. He’s always been one of the more sensitive ones in the group, absolutely losing all composure watching shows like Produce 101, but damn it all if he loses it now. He’ll cry later, when Kihyun isn’t around. That way, he doesn’t make the older feel any worse than he already does. 

“We’ll make up for it,” Kihyun assures him, sounding much more sure of himself than he feels. “Once you get back to us, I won’t leave your side for a second. Besides, this only gives me an excuse to buy you a bunch of things in the mean time. I’ll even take a lot more pictures than usual, so that you can have a full recount when you get well.” 

Hyungwon chuckles, pulling away slightly to give the older a grateful smile. Despite the trivial sound of these things, hearing them couldn’t make him any happier. He leans his head down to give Kihyun a gentle kiss in thanks, a mere brush of the lips. Kihyun reaches up, holding Hyungwon’s face in his hands as he deepens the kiss. He becomes lost in the closeness of Hyungwon, the intimacy of the moment... in how much he truly loves this man. 

All too soon, Hongsik returns with the doctor in tow, causing the idols to frantically separate themselves. The doctor seems to be none the wiser about their moment, for which Kihyun is grateful. He’d hate to have to give up the career he’d worked so hard for for Hyungwon, although if it came down to it he would without hesitation. 

Kihyun returns to the dorm via Hongsik some time later to pack up some of Hyungwon’s things. They’d decided to let the dancer rest in the hospital, despite his best efforts to get them to release him. However, even Hongsik thought it’d be for the better that he rest in the hospital. 

“How is he?” Hoseok is the first to ask, jumping up so quickly from his seat on the couch he spills his popcorn. The others immediately follow his actions, swarming around him with questions. Kihyun bites back a sigh, staring pointedly at the mess they had all just made. 

“He’ll be as good as new with some rest,” he tells them, shouldering his way through them. “The doctors say he has cellulitis, but they caught it in time to treat it properly without any lasting effects.” He does his best to sound unfazed by the situation, so as to keep them from worrying. After all, he’s worrying enough for all of them.

“Cellulitis…” Minhyuk murmurs, his tone making it obvious he’s looking it up on his phone. The boys then avert their attention from Kihyun to their resident search king, for which the vocalist is grateful. He has to focus on getting everything his boyfriend will need for his stay. The faster he gets finished, the faster he can get back to Hyungwon. 

“Bacterial infection?” Changkyun asks worriedly almost an instant later. Kihyun can almost hear the maknae snatching Minhyuk’s phone away to get a better look. He in a breath through his teeth as he leaves them to go into the room Hyungwon supposedly shares with Hyunwoo and Hoseok. All his stuff is still there, granted, but he doesn’t sleep there much. He’s much more often found cuddling with Kihyun in the older’s room than he is curled up in his own bed. It’s a tight squeeze to share such a small bed, but the two make it work. 

Kihyun willfully ignores the others as he goes through the necessary rooms to get Hyungwon’s things. He gets the younger’s phone charger, his notebook for poetry and some writing implements, the books he knows his dongsaeng to be currently reading, a fresh set of clothes for when he’s released… He even manages to find some miniature bottles to pour his favorite shampoos and conditioners into. Kihyun wracks his brain for anything else the younger might possible need during his stay. 

He already has his phone and earbuds, Kihyun reminds himself, glancing around his room one last time. He pouts as he thinks, scratching the back of his neck. He knows he’s forgetting something that could make Hyungwon’s tay more comfortable, he just doesn’t know what—

That’s it!

Kihyun’s eyes snap over to the small pink hamster plush lying on his bed, left there this morning by Hyungwon. It was meant to have been more of a cheesy gag gift than anything—Hoseok’s lame idea as a joke to get each of them their respective cutesy animal-selves in plush form so the couple would never have to truly be apart he had gotten them when Kihyun and Hyungwon had first become a couple—but they’ve turned out to be a legitimate couple item for the two. Kihyun himself even has a turtle plusher with big doe eyes eerily similar to Hyungwon’s.

Kihyun doesn’t even hesitate to stuff the hamster into the care bag before turning from the room and turning out the light.