Within an hour, all the junk food had been into the stomachs of the five hungry boys. The hyungs had monitored Dong Woon’s intake, and didn’t let him have too much. They were glad to see his appetite back in full force, but they didn’t dare let him have too much in case he got sick or worse, didn’t finish his meals and the nurses caught them. Dong Woon pouted, but the hyungs controlled the supply so he didn’t argue. For now.

‘Hey, how long do we have for our rest? If it was only a week then wouldn’t that means I’ll be spending all of it here?! No way!’ Dong Woon whined and sulked, much to the amusement of his hyungs. Actually, the company had given them two weeks of, including a 3D2N stay at a beach resort. Their manager had told them when they called him to inform him that Dong Woon was awake. Of course Dong Woon didn’t know because they didn’t tell him, and of course the hyungs didn’t tell him yet just to see him fume. Despite his matured looks, the maknae was the maknae after all. And he would use the maknae card pretty often, though not that they let him get away with it much. Sigh, the poor life of being the maknae… Dong Woon complained to himself whenever they kept things from him. However, the rest have already decided to withhold the vacation trip from Dong Woon for the time being so he could concentrate on getting well, so instead, they just sat there and let Dong Woon’s rant run its course, all the while smiling secretly. Dong Woon couldn’t get any response from his hyungs so he changed tack. He asked about the schedules after their break. This sure got a response.

‘Yah, why are you thinking about all these things in the future? All you need to do now is rest, Woon!’ Hyun Seung got flustered, afraid the maknae would take things into his own hands.

‘Yeah, Seungie hyung is right Woonie. You just need to rest for now and don’t think about all these okay? We’ll let the managers handle it for now.’ Ki Kwang chimed in.

Dong Woon just stared at them, knowing full well he should take his hyungs’ advice and not think about those things but he couldn’t help but worry. It was in his nature, to worry and fret.

‘Have you all opened any fan mails at all during these few days? I bet not right? Aish, the fans would be sad if we didn’t read them! Bring them to me and I’ll sort them out for us.’ Dong Woon shifted onto a different track, leaving his hyungs in his wake with his abrupt change of topic.

‘You just stay here and re- Huh? Fan mails?’ Yo Seob repeated, making Dong Woon laugh. He was the only one though, the others were still trying to recover.

‘Yah! Slow down a little with the conversation changes maknae! Why not we get Doo to bring them when he comes back?’ Jun Hyung was the first to catch on.

‘You guys are old and slow~’ Dong Woon sang, earning glares from the two oldest in the room. Namely the eomma Hyun Seung and the grouchy rapper Jun Hyung.

‘But he needs to sleep! And you guys need to go back and rest too! You all have been here for a while now, you all need to go back and take some rest too!’ Dong Woon protested quickly.

‘It’s ok Woon. We said we’ll be with you all the time so you won’t be alone, remember?’ Hyun Seung said.

‘No! I mean, I appreciate it, I really do, but you all need to go and rest too. I can’t have all of you looking half dead like Doo was! Go back! You all can come together with Doo Doo and the fan mails later.’ Dong Woon was adamant.

‘But-’ Ki Kwang was cut off by Dong Woon.

‘Please, hyung? I can’t rest well when you guys are not resting too. It would be more comfortable if you guys go back to the dorm and rest, instead of hanging around here.’ Dong woon gave the pleading expression the hyungs called puppy eyes. It wasn't fool proof, but it was pretty effective.

‘Aww man, the puppy eyes are out. Forget about it, KiKi and Seungie.’ Jun Hyung commented, waving his hands, already knowing where they will go. Back to the dorm, like what the maknae wanted.

The two just gave a sigh. Knowing full well nothing will deter the maknae when he brought out the puppy eyes.

‘Just… Just a little while more, kay Wooonie? A little more time so I can reassure myself that you are here and I’m not dreaming that you’re really okay.’ Ki Kwang whispered, looking down at his feet in his seat.

‘Come here, hyung.’ Dong Woon stretched out his arms, waiting. Ki Kwang slowly got up from his chair and let himself be folded into a strong embrace, trying to contain his tears. He buried his face onto the shoulders of the broader man, and ignored the slightly uncomfortable way he was twisted with the bed in the way. He also ignored the thinner frame of the maknae, trying to push away the fact that the maknae had lost weight the past month. 

‘KiKi-ah, I’m here. I’m really here, and you are not dreaming, Here, feel this?’ Dong Woon drew Ki Kwang’s hands to his chest, where his heart beat strongly. ‘Feel this? I’m here, KiKi. So don’t worry. I’ll be fine. Because, when have I not been fine?’ Dong Woon drew back, grinning down at the older man. That slightly insolent grin that had Ki Kwang’s own heart fluttering.

‘And besides, soon you will be complaining about how I keep bullying you even though you’re the hyung.’ Dong Woon continued, trying to raise the mood which had gotten a little too solemn for his liking.

Ki Kwang finally mustered a teary smile, sniffling.

‘And hyung, you know what? I can really really feel the height difference from here! Isn’t it cool?!’ Dong Woon had to make the tears go away. He didn’t like them at all.

The other three burst out laughing, the maknae was simply too cheeky for his own good.

Ki Kwang didn’t protest this time though, he was just glad he still had the chance to hear the maknae making fun of him again. He shuddered, refusing to think about all the dark thoughts he had these three days.

‘Hyungs! Seriously, go back and rest! You all have been here for hours already! Go back and take a nap, at least. When Doo Doo wakes up you all can come back with him.’ Dong Woon said, rousing the sleepy hyungs. They had lounged against the chairs and was dozing off in the silence of the room.

‘But you-‘ Hyun Seung started.

‘I’ll be fine Eomma. Really. Now go so I can sleep and digest the food the nurse brought just now.’ Dong Woon gave a bright smile to the man he just called Eomma. The said man’s eyes narrowed, but he never said anything. In fact, Hyun Seung was deliriously happy to hear the maknae call him Eomma again. Even though he didn’t agree with the title, his mood didn’t dampen. He stepped into Dong Woon’s outstretched arms and gave him a tight hug. Dong Woon relished the feel of those deceptively skinny arms around him, and poured his thankfulness into the hug. Jun Hyung looked on, trying not to lose it in front of s. He had been juggling the role of the leader for the past few days since Doo Jun was in no state to do so. He had to stay strong for the rest of the members, so he hadn’t had the chance to release his own emotions yet. Seeing the two man embrace, caused his own eyes prickle with long unshed tears.

Hyun Seung released the maknae, and stepped out of the room, his own eyes suspiciously bright. Ki Kwang and Yo Seob both gave the youngest their own hugs, and stepped out to be with Hyun Seung. That left Jun Hyung alone with the maknae. Both of them looked at each other, the rapper from his place at the foot of the bed, Dong Woon on the bed. Dong Woon smiled first, giving a bright grin to the usually surly rapper. He knew the rapper needed a hug as much as the others. Maybe a little more so. He knew the rapper wouldn’t be the first to initiate these kind of things usually, so he spared Jun Hyung from it. Instead, he opened his arms once again, waiting for the older man to make up his mind. His grin split his face, looking at Jun Hyung’s struggle with himself.

[a/n: hey guys. im starting sch tmr, so my updates will be lesser in the future. so sorry! i'll try my best kays?! and i finally got the gist of how my ending will be like, so im planning for it already. please anticipate it and support me and this fic kays?! :D comments are appreciated! :D]