They’re on a fieldtrip to the mountains rock climbing when Ryeowook falls off the ridge of the cliff, landing, thankfully, on a slightly inclined plane a few feet below them. Kibum peers over the edge, concerned, but Ryeowook waves his worries away, saying that he isn’t hurt or anything, which, in retrospect, is Ryeowook-speak for god damn it, my ing ankle is twisted.

Their classmates manage to pull Ryeowook up with a makeshift rope, and the girls swarm around him, simultaneously asking after him or screeching about how someone should check if he’s bleeding, and it takes a while before they all calm down and turn back to the bus.

“Does it hurt?” Kibum asks, quietly, and Ryeowook shudders, pressing his cheek against Kibum’s neck as Kibum hoists him up and carries him the rest of the way.

“A little,” Ryeowook confesses, and Kibum’s heart aches a little.

He calls Siwon with his phone and explains the situation to him, and he imagines Siwon close to hyperventilating and stealing his parents’ car to drive all the way to their location. Kibum purses his lips and passes the cellphone to Ryeowook, who finally takes it after a few seconds of fervent head-shaking.

“Hello?” He says, carefully.

“Are you okay now?” Siwon asks, tersely, and Ryeowook clutches the phone in his hand in a vice-like grip.

“Yeah,” Ryeowook answers, voice a little distant, “yeah, I think so.” Kibum gives him a patented bull look as he wraps the bandage around his sprained ankle, tightening it without warning that Ryeowook almost yelps in pain.

Siwon sighs in relief from the other line, and Ryeowook doesn’t have the heart to tell him the truth after that.

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Thank you for sticking with the story ^^.