“Just give it up, he’ll never love you.”

Sweat droplets flew from his face as Key quickly shot up from the bed. His vision was blurry and he breathed heavily, confused on where he was. His head whipped from side to side, looking around at his surroundings.

“Where-where am I? White..oh my god..There’s a needle in my arm, there’s a needle in my arm!” he thought panicking. His shaking hand reached for the IV to tear it out of his forearm until another hand firmly grabbed his wrist. The rapper’s shot up to see Jonghyun on the chair next to his bed. He had one hand on his wrist and the other up to his lips in a shushing motion. Key looked at the clock. 3:31am. He then heard a snore from a chair across the room. Onew turned in his chair, cuddling his blanket tightly. He then glanced at the couch near the door. Taemin was snuggled into Minho’s lap with the rapper’s arm on his back. It then hit Key that he was in a hospital and his friends had stayed the night with him.

“I’m glad you’re okay, Kibum-ah,” Jonghyun whispered turning Key’s attention back on him, “But don’t take the IV out until a nurse comes back later, okay?”

Key’s eyes quickly filled to the brim with tears and Jonghyun wiped his eyes with his thumb.

“What’s the matter, Key?”

“I-I’m sorry.” he whispered shakily. Jonghyun frowned and brushed Key’s hair back so he could see his face.

“Why are you apologizing? You didn’t do anything wrong, if anything it was me.. I’m the one that scared you.. Sorry.” The singer smiled sheepishly and scratched his head. Key laid on his side that faced Jonghyun. He held his secret love’s hand next to his face and closed his eyes.

Jonghyun tried pulling his hand away but Key opened his eyes and looked up at him pleadingly.

“Please…? Just..  for a little bit?” Key whispered sadly.

Jonghyun looked in those dark brown eyes filled with sorrow and gave into his request. Pulling his blanket over himself with his free hand, Jonghyun snuggled back into the chair and gazed at Key clinging to his hand. Those feline eyes never left Jonghyun’s as they both laid there in silence. They were filled with worry and need, as if he thought the dino would leave him alone.

“Sleep, Key. I’m not going anywhere.” Jonghyun reassuringly whispered. Yet, Key still kept his gaze on him, not even so much as a blink.

“Have I ever lied to you, Key?”

“…You promise?”

“I promise.”

“…Okay.” Key snuggled gently against his hand and closed his eyes. Jonghyun smiled and let his eyes shut and he slowly drifted off into a deep sleep.

Onew’s face scrunched up as the sun shone through the window and into his eyes. Yawning, he stretched his arms above his head and looked at the clock. 7:30am.

“Gosh, I never get to sleep in, even when I can.” Onew thought sleepily. He stood up and folded his blanket and drowsily shuffled his way to the cabinet to put it away. Rubbing his eyes, the leader glanced at Key’s bed. Onew smiled and lightly shook Minho awake. The rapper groaned lightly and yawned as he awoke. He also poked Taemin’s nose on Minho’s lap and the younger blinked himself awake. Sitting upright and rubbing his eyes, Taemin yawned, freeing Minho’s legs. Onew took the blankets and folded them up, quietly returning them to the cabinet.

“How’s Key?” Minho asked quietly. Onew chuckled and pointed at the bed. Taemin giggled and took his phone out.

“Can I, hyung?” Taemin whispered to Onew. Giving the younger a thumbs up, Taemin took a picture of a scene before him. Jonghyun’s arm was draped over the side of the bed as Key held his hand as a child would a blankie under their head. The dino’s chair had been pulled closer to the bed and the idol’s heads were almost touching.

“Awhh…”  Taemin giggled. Minho shushed him as Jonghyun stirred in his chair.

“Let’s go get some breakfast, we can bring something back for them,” Onew whispered. As Minho shut the door behind them with a click, Key’s eyes fluttered open. Letting go of Jonghyun’s hand, he rubbed his eye, waking Jonghyun. He pulled his hand back and yawned. Key sat up in his bed and stretched his arms with a sigh. Jonghyun looked at his friend and smiled.

“When did he become so cute in the morning?” Jonghyun thought. “..Wait. Cute?” Disregarding the thought, he stood up and folded his blanket up.

“How are you doing this morning, Key?” Jonghyun asked as he put his blanket away. Key blushed at the thought of how vulnerable he was the night before.

“Better. I’m sorry about..last night.” Key mumbled shyly.

Jonghyun chuckled, “I’m sure you would have done the same thing if I was in that bed.”

“Y-yeah…”

Jonghyun took his phone out of his pocket and it buzzed to life. Key watched curiously as he pulled it up to his ear, waiting for the person on the other line to answer.

“I’m sorry about not calling you earlier, Se Kyung. I was a little busy. Yeah, I’ll let you know when we get back. Okay,” Jonghyun smiled as he paced, looking at the floor.

Key sadly looked at his hands and his fingers squeezed the thin white sheets. A small tear ran down his cheek but he quickly wiped it away.

“Nothing’s changed, Kibum. He’ll never be more than a friend so why put your hopes up? They’re just going to be kicked into the ground anyways..” he thought bitterly.

“Just give it up, he’ll never love you.”

“Then why can’t I let him go..?” Key wiped his eyes as more tears fell silently.

“I’m so stupid,” he whispered resentfully, “I’m so stupid for loving you.”