Woohyun is like a confused child, sitting on his hospital bed, watching Sunggyu fussing around making sure he is at his most comfortable. He glance at the other faces around the bed, Sungyeol and Myungsoo still standing at the same spot they reach the ward when Sunggyu hugs him. Hoya and Dongwoo had retreat farther away from the bed, just watching them with the same puzzled look.

“Are you okay? It still hurt?” Sunggyu asks, sitting on a chair beside the bed.

Woohyun shakes his head.

Sunggyu grab Woohyun’s hand in his. “Doctor Jung said you work too hard and the stress make it worse. What dance did you do yesterday?”

“Uh…there were a lot,”

“The stress? Was I the one who make you stress?”

Woohyun shakes his head.

“I’m sorry,” Sunggyu says despite the answer. “I shouldn’t get mad at you. I shouldn’t force you.”

Woohyun keep his lips tight, unable to utter a word. He needs help dealing with the situation but he is afraid to look at the other men in the room. He knows Sungyeol is worried about him and want to ask a lot of question. Myungsoo is like Sungyeol, they just arrived from the shoot back in Gohan, they’re tired and they have to go back home to rest. Hoya still had a lot to explain to him why he was here in the first place. Dongwoo is thinking, or looks like he is thinking.

“I’m…I’m fine now,” Woohyun replies, trying to pulls his hand off but Sunggyu tightens his hold.

“Woohyun, please. I beg you. Please don’t keep any secret from me,” Sunggyu cries.

Ba-dump.

Woohyun gulp his saliva. He feels his heart beat hard in his chest. He feels butterfly in his stomach. He feels his eyes teary.

Sensing something is definitely wrong with his artist and the trainee, Dongwoo nudge Hoya and pointed out the room. Dongwoo walk away first. Hoya pulls Sungyeol and Myungsoo on his way out. They close the door, leaving only Sunggyu and Woohyun to talk and settle the matter at hands without the ears of others.

“Did you…know something?” Woohyun asks.

Sunggyu nods. His eyes cloudy with tears. “Everything,”

“Everything,” Woohyun whispers.

“Woohyunie, why…why you didn’t tell me? Why you off your phone, change your number and leave me in the dark? Why you didn’t share with me the pain you’re feeling?”

“Hyung…” Woohyun put his other hand on top of Sunggyu. “I don’t want you to worry,”

“Don’t you think what you did make me worried more? I don’t know what happen to you and I can’t get in contact with you. Everyone says you’re fine no matter who I asked to,”

“You asked?”

Sunggyu nods his head, tears start falling on his cheeks. “I asked my friends if they heard anything but they know nothing. They said they saw you doing fine. You’re doing fine, but I ask myself, what did I do wrong for Woohyun to stop contacting me. Did Woohyun hate me? Did Woohyun want to break up with me?”

Woohyun shakes his head. His own tears sliding down his cheeks. “No, no, I don’t hate you, hyung. I can never hate you.”

“Woohyun.” Sunggyu sniffed as he wipe the tears away. “I’m sorry,”

“What for?”

“For everything.”

Woohyun shakes his head.

“I’m sorry for everything.” Sunggyu hold Woohyun’s hand in both of his hands. “I promise I will protect you. I promise I will take care of you. I promise I won’t force you to do things you don’t want to do,”

“Sunggyu hyung…”

“But I can’t let you stay as a trainee forever. Who knows what would happen without me or Hoya to take care of you. They would ask you to do the hard dance or clean the training room all by yourself or bully you because you’re too beautiful or asking you to…”

“Sunggyu hyung,” Woohyun calls, his face red with shyness.

The elder shut his mouth, feeling his face blossom with red as well. He lowered his face, embarrass. He rubs Woohyun’s back hand with his thumb.

Silence filled the ward. Sunggyu is too embarrass to lift his head. Woohyun is too shy to say anything. Their joined hands create spark in their gut, make them feel giddy and like a love sick school students, just like when they first holding hands back when they start dating.

“I know.” Sunggyu lift his head, surprising the other. “Will you join me to my world tour, Woohyun?”

“Huh? What?”

“We are going for a world tour. Hoya is my back up dancer, he will come with me. We won’t be back at least until Tuesday, and from what I know, Sungyeol is busy with his shooting. I can’t leave you alone here, I don’t want to,” Sunggyu says.

Woohyun tilted his head. “I won’t stay here, right? I will be discharged today, and I will be fine staying at home alone.”

“No. No. No.” Sunggyu shakes his head. “There are different with staying alone for a couple hours waiting for your friends to be home, and staying alone for days knowing your friends are busy and won’t be by your side.”

Quiet.

Woohyun hates to admit how correct Sunggyu is.

“Come with me, please, Woohyun. I beg you.”

And Woohyun hates himself when he easily give in to Sunggyu’s plea.

-----------

Sunggyu left after dinner time, reluctantly. Its past visiting time but it’s a private hospital and a VIP ward, anyone can come anytime they want. Sunggyu taking care of him, attending to his needs, feeding him food, helping him take his medication, holding his hand when they need to give him a shot, crying with him when its hurt too much.

Dongwoo come when they’re eating dinner. After they’re done, he kick Sunggyu out to finish his pending work, with a promise he will take care of Woohyun in Sunggyu’s stead. Sunggyu eyed the iced chocolate Dongwoo brought with him, frowning.

“Is this from this morning?”

“Of course not. Hoya left that cup when he runs after you and I gave them to my hyung. I just bought this,”

“Where is mine?”

“None for you. You go finish that work and go home to sleep.”

Woohyun just watch the manager and artist’s banter till Sunggyu left the ward. Dongwoo look scary when he scolded Sunggyu but he turns to an angel and always smiling when he turns to him.

“Are you…always fighting?” Woohyun asks, playing with the cup of iced chocolate in his hands.

“What? No.” Dongwoo giggles. “I’m the nicest person you have ever met. I was only scolding Sunggyu hyung when he was being hard.”

Silence.

Dongwoo eyed the younger man. The iced chocolate in his hand but he didn’t take a sip even once. “You like iced chocolate?” he start a conversation.

“Huh?” Startled, Woohyun turns to look at him. Dongwoo pointed to the cup in his hands as Woohyun look at the cup back, smiling. “Yeah, I like Americano mostly but sometimes I want to drink chocolate.”

Dongwoo tilted his head. “But Sunggyu hyung buy iced chocolate every day. Just today I learn it was for you.”

Woohyun turns to look at Dongwoo. “Sunggyu hyung only give me twice before,”

“Yeah, maybe it was the only time when he saw you. Any other day, he throw the drinks away and won’t let me drink them or give them to anyone else,” Dongwoo grunts. “It’s a waste of money and drinks,”

“Sorry…” Woohyun whispers.

It’s not his fault, but he still apologize, because it feels like it is his fault. Sunggyu buy the iced chocolate every day for him only to have the drink thrown away. Woohyun feels his cheeks burn with shyness again. They rarely dating out of school but whenever they did, Woohyun would choose chocolate as a drink or sometimes soda, never coffee or tea. It looks like his Sunggyu hyung still remember his preference. And his Sunggyu hyung buy the drink in hope to give them to him and have a talk.

“Woohyun,” Dongwoo calls, Woohyun lift his head to look at him. “What is your relationship with Sunggyu hyung?”

Ba-dump.

Woohyun gulp his saliva. “Why…why do you ask, Dongwoo-shi?”

“Sunggyu hyung said you two were friends before he graduated high school. But seeing how he treat you today, how worried he is, how he run from the office, how he fuss around you, make me think…you two is not just regular friends.”

Silence.

“I’m not judging and I’m not saying anything,” Dongwoo says, examining the other’s face. He sighs. “You two looks really close despite your grade difference. And Sunggyu hyung seems to really like you.”

Woohyun can only smile, didn’t believe himself to say anything to response.

“But can I ask you something, Woohyun?”

Woohyun nods, uncertainty.

“Please be careful. Sunggyu hyung is a top star right now. We don’t want bad rumours to ruin his name.”

It sounds like a warning, it sounds like a soft reminder. But Woohyun sure he mean exactly what he means. Their relationship had ended years ago. But Sunggyu’s action around him and toward him show the opposite. It must be strange to everyone who see them, a top singer was taking great care of a mere trainee, a senior fussing over his junior, a man would do anything for a mere friend.

“I’m sorry,” Woohyun says, lowered his head. “I will be careful.”

Dongwoo pats Woohyun’s hand, making the younger look at him. “It’s not your fault. I know Sunggyu hyung can be stubborn at times. It’s hard to go against him but please just be careful, okay?”

Woohyun nods his head.

“Okay, now, let’s talk about work, shall we?” Dongwoo clap his hands.

“Huh? What? Work?” Woohyun stuttered.

Dongwoo nods. “Everything is ready. Your passport, your ticket and Hoya will pack your bag. If you miss anything, we will buy them there. You will sleep here for tonight, we will fetch you tomorrow and we will go straight to the airport,”

“What? Wait, Dongwoo-shi,” Woohyun quickly says. “What do you mean? I’m going to the world tour? It can’t be, right?”

“Yes, you’re going. Our first stop is London.” Dongwoo grins. “You agreed when Sunggyu hyung ask you right?”

Woohyun is quiet for a while, remembering he had given in to Sunggyu’s plea this noon. “But…he can’t be serious. I…” He is at a loss of word.

Dongwoo pats Woohyun’s hand. “He is serious. Everything had been prepared,”

“My passport? I don’t have one,”

“Already taken care of,”

“My ticket? How did you manage to buy one for me? There’s a lot of member in the team, right?”

“Bought already. You don’t need to worry,”

“My belongings…”

“Hoya will take care of it.” Dongwoo replies to every questions calmly like repeating the answer to a small child. “You don’t have to worry about anything,”

“But…what would I do there? People will talk, they will ask. I’m not a backup dancer, it will be strange if I tag along,”

“You will be my assistant,”

“Assistant?”

Now this is new. Never in his mind, would Dongwoo want him to be his assistant. Since half a year ago, Dongwoo had ask him to change to a singing department and propose the idea of being an idol. Dongwoo never give up the idea and patiently wait for Woohyun to give in. But offering an assistant job to him is something Woohyun never see it coming, not from Dongwoo himself.

Dongwoo nods his head. “A world tour is not the same like regular shows or domestic concert. We had Sunggyu hyung’s first concert last year in Seoul and it really burned me out. A world tour with almost 20 destination is not easy and a helping hand is what I need.”

Woohyun keep his mouth shut, listening to Dongwoo’s talk.

“You are friend with Sunggyu hyung and he really likes you. I think it’s easy for us if you’re there rather than some other people who we’re not familiar with,”

“Uh…what would I do there?”

Dongwoo tilted his head. “Helping me, taking care of Sunggyu hyung’s need. You will be an assistant manager,”

“Assistant manager? Me?” Woohyun pointed at himself.

Dongwoo nods then grins. “You can’t back out now, we had bought your ticket and pay for accommodation. There’s no refund so if you back out, you have to pay.”

Woohyun groans as he leans his back on the pillow. “I don’t have a choice, do I?”

He shakes his head. “Nope. This is work, and you can learn a lot. Ah, we already told the teacher. You don’t have to worry.” Dongwoo stands up. “I have to prepare myself so I have to go now. You take a rest and we will see you tomorrow. Okay?”

Woohyun nods half-heartedly. “Yes, Dongwoo-shi.”

Dongwoo pats his head, smiling. “Who knows, your heart will soften and you want to debut after you join Sunggyu hyung’s team.”

He pouts. “I don’t think so.”

Dongwoo shrugged. “Who knows? Sleep well. Good night.”

Woohyun heave out a sigh after Dongwoo left the ward. There’s a lot in his mind. About his shoulder, Sunggyu know about the accident, about the VIP ward, about the leftover dancers surely will start to gossip, about this sudden proposition work, and about his nightmare.

He lowered his eyes to the cup in his hands. Iced chocolate. It’s not his favourite and not his least either. He first drink them when Sunggyu give him one in the earlier stage of their relationship, before they were dating. It was a chilly autumn and Woohyun had a bad day, but Sunggyu give him iced chocolate because there was no other option left. The drink is cold, making him trembling rather than comforting him. But Sunggyu hold his hand and whispers soft soothing words. The bitter taste of chocolate taste the sweetest when Sunggyu hug him, the icy drink give him warmth when Sunggyu whispers supporting words with his angelic voice.

He start to like iced chocolate and he drink them to have that feel of Sunggyu’s love embrace him.  

Woohyun plays with the straw, stirring the drink evenly before he raise the cup to his lips to take a sip.

“It’s not the same as the one Sunggyu hyung used to buy for me,” he whispers.

A sigh escaped his lips as he climb down the bed, went to the toilet to throw the drink away. He feels sorry for Dongwoo to waste the drink and money again but he can’t help it. Right now, even the iced chocolate can’t comfort him. What he needed the most is a quiet night to calm and collect himself.

He went back to his bed after he tone down the light in the ward and turns the back rocker to lower the upper mattress to a comfortable position. He pulls the blanket to his chest, messaging Hoya to remind him to bring his red cap along, then he shut his eyes, trying to get some sleep.

He didn’t know how long he had been sleep. But he wake up with a start and stream of sweat tickling down his temple and chest, despite the cool crisp air in the ward. Woohyun put his palm over his face as he tries to calm his beating heart. Soon, he hear himself crying in the silent night.

He search for his hand phone and type a message to Sungyeol, knowing he shouldn’t bother his friend’s sleep. He hold the hand phone dear to his chest as he cries himself to sleep.

To: Sungyeolie

From: Woohyun

Sungyeol, I’m scared.

------------------------------------------

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