"Holy why would you scare me like that I've a weak heart.", Wooshin exclaimed as he had flinched in surprise after closing the door to his locker which revealed a smiling Xiao hiding behind it, greeting him with a simple Hey. Xiao hadn't expected Wooshin to get so startled since he wasn't scared easily.
"You're already done with basketball practice?", Wooshin asked in confusion as he didn't see any of the other players walk through the hallway. He scanned it quickly, but the only people he could find were from his own club and the art club. Xiao on the other hand grinned at him, "I faked illness and left earlier."
Wooshin's head shot back at him and he raised an eyebrow at the younger's behavior. Hadn't he said it was a lot of fun? Why would he want to leave earlier?
"I just didn't want to be in there anymore.", Xiao explained while locking arms with Wooshin as they left the campus to get to the older's car. Wooshin's confusion just rose up more. Xiao wasn't someone to talk like this, he was a yes or no person, not maybe. His statement hadn't been clear enough and it was easy to tell that he was lying and hiding something. Being someone of similar nature, Wooshin didn't intend to push his friend and chose to ignore it. If it was important Xiao would sure as hell entrust him whatever was bothering him.
Just a few seconds on the road and Wooshin's phone was already buzzing. Without having to order him Xiao took the phone out of Wooshin's jacket's pocket and looked at the caller ID.
"We're listening, Gyujin.", Xiao said into the phone after putting it on speaker. Luckily they had to stop due a to a red light so Wooshin could look at his phone in Xiao's hand. It was really Gyujin calling and at the thought of what news he would have for them both his excitement and fear grew.
"I've good news!", Gyujin exclaimed cheerfully and you could hear his smile without having to see it. Both of their anticipation grew now. Was it about a successful alliance? Did they get their drug stash back? Had Jinhoo woken up? Did Kuhn finally calm down?
"You might want to come over! Jinhoo woke up a few minutes ago."
Wooshin's phone almost fell out of Xiao's hands as the older had taken a dangerous turn to the right at a crossing which was first of all, already a red light and cars around them were honking furiously, second of all it had been so abrupt and already past the road they were supposed to use that during the turn he almost drove into the car from the oncoming traffic next to him, face first.
Xiao glared at Wooshin whom in contrary had seemed to like the little rush of adrenaline and grinned into himself.
"What the was that Kim Wooshin?", Xiao asked as he even had to adjust himself back into his seat and his breathing had calmed down a little.
"Just getting there as quick as possible.", Wooshin answered nonchalantly, still having this wide grin spread onto his face and if it would've been for any other reason Xiao would have actually found it adorable. Especially these days it was rare to see Wooshin smile or even grin. He wasn't having a lot of fun lately; life was tiring and serious for the both of them, but that didn't mean he would have to get them almost killed to get an adrenaline rush that would make him happy for roughly five minutes.
"We're on our way.", Xiao said to Gyujin and hung up, putting the older's phone back into said one's pocket, "Never do that again or I will have to kill you."
Wooshin chuckled at him. It was funny to know that Xiao was probably very capable of actually doing so, but Wooshin knew he had just been very surprised and scared.
"You love me.", Wooshin with another grin of his and looked at Xiao for a quick second whom rolled his eyes at him.
If you knew how much I actually love you.

Jinhoo was confused about a lot of things when Wooshin had arrived and visited him in the infirmary room together with Xiao. He hadn't known how many days had passed, what had happened nor where he even was at currently. Altogether they could help figure it out and slowly the memories came back into his mind. He made an both annoyed and hurt grimace as he remember how one of these nasty Noir members had tricked him. With Kuhn's help he sat up and drank some more of the water that was filled with liquid painkillers Gyujin had told him he would need for the next couple of days.
"This one guy told me he had heard Wooshin scream so I turned my head to the door of the living room where he was fighting in.", Jinhoo explained and his gaze stopped at Wooshin for a few seconds before he continued to look at the other members who kept staring at him in curiosity, "Turned out he just caught me in a weak moment because I shouldn't have been distracted by that and get worried during a fight." Wooshin could see on the oldest face that he was angry about himself and he could sympathize with him. Wooshin himself had almost died due to his emotions taking over him and he was only lucky enough to having been saved by Xiao.
Jinhoo continued with a sigh and looked down onto his hands he was nervously fidgeting with. Jinhoo was one of the members who were the most professional and rarely messed up. He was obviously angry about himself and disappointed. "He used that one second I wasn't looking at him and hit me with his gun. I was knocked out instantly. I seriously don't remember anything at all."
After Jinhoo had finished his story the members started exchanging both worried yet understanding and sad looks while Kuhn had rested a comforting hand onto Jinhoo's shoulder.
While Kuhn was talking about how this could've happened to annoy and encouraged Jinhoo not to feel bad about himself, Xiao kept on staring at Wooshin whom he was sitting next to on the stretcher opposite of Jinhoo. Usually only his eyes were filled with emotions, but now even his facial expression was indicating the worry and love he felt for Jinhoo and how relieved he somewhat was about him waking up already after Gyujin had been unable to figure out anything else for the past few days. Xiao was pretty happy about it too, because it meant that they were all together again, but there were this jealous and hurtful thoughts making its way into Xiao's mind. When was the last time Wooshin had been this worried about the youngest? When had he looked at him with such worry in his eyes? Had he ever looked at him like that?
Thought after thought kept running through Xiao's head and he, unaware of his actions, locked arms with Wooshin again, resting his head against the older's shoulder. That said one didn't react to him at all and just kept on listening to Jinhoo and Kuhn made his thoughts run even faster. Maybe they called each other best friends, but Wooshin had people that seemed more important to him. Was he just seriously getting jealous of a friend they shared? Of a friend that had almost died? I guess I'm getting more desperate with each day passing that I'm almost silently blaming Jinhoo for getting himself into such a situation. What kind of terrible and disgusting thought is that?, Xiao scolded himself in his mind and released himself from Wooshin. To Xiao's surprise in that moment Wooshin actually acknowledged his existence and reacted to him pulling away by shooting him a confused look. Was Wooshin so used to him always being there right by his side? Was he so dependable and a constant thing in his life? Wooshin literally never had to worry about Xiao leaving his side one day and therefore the youngest slowly came to the realization Wooshin had simply gotten used to him and not really appreciated him like he had used to. Jinhoo on the other hand wasn't a constant thing in Wooshin's life anymore. Jinhoo had decided against university and worked at a coffee shop as a barista which meant that despite their shared job as gang members they didn't see each other often and especially not daily. Sleepovers they had done all together during old school days weren't a thing anymore especially because Jinhoo had to work early. The only time they really saw each other was during their illegal business. Another example would be Miyeon whom Wooshin treated pretty similar to how he treated Jinhoo. He wasn't constantly around Miyeon and she was far from being a constant thing in his life. He worried about her and treated her gently, because she could decide to leave his side any day.
Xiao didn't have anything in common with Jinhoo and Miyeon on that matter. Xiao was always just a call away, even living close to the older so he could come over during whatever emergency there was.
"Are you okay?", Wooshin asked Xiao in a low whisper and said one just nodded at his question, not able to meet eyes with him. Was it even a worried Are you okay? or was he just confused that Xiao had let go of him and disliked it? There was never anyone else clinging onto him since he always pushed other people away except for him. Maybe Wooshin had to experience what life would be like without Xiao for him to appreciate him and worry about him more from now on. Additionally Xiao hoped that his crush would faint if they wouldn't be so close for a while.

As the majority of the members left the infirmary Wooshin sat down onto the stretcher next to Jinhoo and smiled at him, but same as Xiao he could see right through him. He could pretend in front of the other's that he was fine, but not in front of someone so attentive and gentle like Jinhoo.
"What's bothering you, Wooshin? You can tell me.", Jinhoo suggested and Wooshin's shoulders shrunk down even more. Usually he would consider telling Jinhoo about his problems, but he couldn't tell any of the gang members about Miyeon. She was what was bothering him the most. Her and his stupid love for this girl.
"I'm just stressed out about the fact that I let my guard down last weekend and almost got killed.", he decided to confess something else. He wasn't lying this time; Jinhoo would've been able to sense that. He was just not telling him everything and additionally Jinhoo had just woken up from a small coma. He needed rest and not immediately act like Wooshin's full time therapist.
Jinhoo laid down onto the stretcher so he could still face Wooshin and tried to think about what advice to give his younger friend. "You know it almost killed me, too, so we're sitting on the same boat.", Jinhoo started with a small laugh and a short pain stung through his head. Wooshin was already halfway up to go get Gyujin, but Jinhoo reassured him that it was fine and he should sit down again.
"What I'm saying is, it's good to forgive yourself from time to time. We all know you're usually not like this, same as you guys know I am not and forgave me for my mistake.", Jinhoo explained to him with his soft smile and Wooshin swore to god there was always something about the way Jinhoo looked at people while giving them advice and the way his voice sounded so assuring that his worries actually seemed to lift up from his shoulders slightly.
"If you tell yourself that this mistake won't become a habit, learn to grow from it and promise yourself to get better.", Jinhoo suggested and stopped in his sentence as he suddenly groaned in pain. He tried to sit up, but Wooshin got up himself and carefully pushed him back into the cushion. "You stay here, I'm getting Gyujin.", Wooshin ordered and was quickly gone through the door. Jinhoo's well-being was way more important than his little problems and he was already silently thanking him for his kind words.
"You need to check up on Jinhoo, he's in pain.", Wooshin said as met Gyujin upstairs. Said one had just been in a very loud and funny conversation, but his expression changed immediately as he excused himself and ran downstairs. Bitto looked at him in confusion.
"Jinhoo suddenly started groaning in pain while I was talking to him.", Wooshin explained with a sad look on his face. Bitto's expression wasn't far from his one now and they both went downstairs to the rest of the group. Downstairs he was greeted with the big clock over the couch staring at him, reading that it was already past 6PM and Wooshin still had to do a lot for University so he decided Xiao and him had to leave soon.
"Xiao!", he called out for him as he obviously wasn't with them downstairs. As the usual I'm coming! didn't echo back to him he was on his way to go upstairs as Sunyoul beat him to it, "He left already to get home."
Wooshin turned around to him, Bitto and Hwanhee sitting on the couch. "He left already?", Wooshin had to repeat it to himself as if he had to get used to these words, "I'm always driving him back home since we're from the same neighborhood.", Wooshin added rather to himself, but it sounded like as if he had to explain himself in front of people he had just met a few minutes ago, to explain his relationship between him and Xiao.
"He said he has tons of homework.", Hwanhee added and looked up from his phone quickly. Wooshin shot them another confused look, but then excused himself to get back to his car. During his way home he couldn't help but think that this wasn't like Xiao at all. Xiao would always ask the older if they could finally leave now, whether he was just tired or he still had stuff to do. He never wanted to walk home from there. Second of all, he hadn't even bid goodbye to him. That was something they never did to each other.
At home, Wooshin sent him a quick message, asking him if he was alright and had arrived home safely yet everything he got as an answer was Read.
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Double update since it's hwanhee's birthday in SK already! Xiaoshin is getting dramatic guys