The Boy in the Wool Hat
Title: The Boy in the Wool Hat
Pairing: Kyuhyun/Sungmin
Rating: PG
Genre: Romance, Angst
Summary: "Smile for me again."
Sungmin approached the counter to receive his body checkup report. Nodding thanks to the nurse, he peered at the piece of paper in front of him. Nothing bad, he thought to himself and stuffed it into his bag. He gave a large sigh, tired after all the procedures he had gone through the morning. Feeling thirsty, he placed his bag on the ground, fumbled in his pockets for some change, and lightly pushed a coin in the slot of the vending machine. He unconsciously pouted his lips in thought of which red button to press, eyes scanning at and down at the variety of drinks displayed in front of him.
There were a few loud shouts in the hallway and nurses turned disapprovingly at the source of the sound. But Sungmin didn’t move, too immersed in making his decision for a drink. Until someone bumped him from behind and he slammed into the vending machine, face first, yelping in surprise and pain. Groaning, he touched his face to make sure his nose wasn’t broken and heard a thunk as some canned drink that he had accidently pressed dropped into the compartment at the bottom. Sungmin glared behind him in annoyance, more by the fact that someone lost him his dollar rather than getting a faceplant, but nobody was there. He scratched his head, confused. A rustle of leaves to his right made him jump in shock and trip over his bag he had dropped.
A snigger came out from the leaves and Sungmin stood up, face red, and spotted a boy that was crouched behind the thick potted plants in the hospital hallway. He was about to retort back at him when the boy silenced him with a quick shh! and whispered urgently for him to turn around. Doing as he was told and uncertain why he did, he watched as a group of men dressed in black run past him, shouting frantically.
“Um, whatever you’re hiding from, you can come out now,” Sungmin called behind him, and he heard another rustle of leaves before a young boy emerged, dressed in a white hospital gown and a winter wool hat that fell over his eyes.
“Gimme your coat,” he hissed, and Sungmin complied, then asked, “you have a car?” and Sungmin nodded, “at the front door.” The boy grabbed his hand and ran, pulling him along, the drink forgotten while Sungmin wondered why he had agreed to everything the boy asked him.
“Oi, open.” He was standing in front of his car, the boy at the other side, looking around nervously, waiting for him to get in. “Oh,” he said stupidly and unlocked the doors with his keys, the boy jumping in at the speed of lightning and slamming the door shut. Sungmin got in cautiously, sat down, and stared at the form beside him.
“Drive!” The boy ordered hurriedly and Sungmin revived the engine and drove away from the hospital. A few seconds passed and the boy shouted a cry of victory before settling back into his seat, a proud and excited expression on his face. There was an uncomfortable silence before Sungmin, before he could control himself, had to ask
“The hell are you doing?”
The boy turned to him in mid-yawn. “Huh? Oh.Had to get away from those guys.”
“You mean the guys in black?”
“Yeah, my bodyguards. I hate them.”
Sungmin raised his eyebrows. He must be from a really rich family, he thought. That explains his demanding behavior.
“So, is there anywhere you want me to take you?”
“No, I just need to get out of the hospital. It’s torture to stay there every day.”
“Every day? For what?”
The boy hesitated. “Daily body checkup?” he replied uncertainly.
“Oh.” Sungmin stopped himself from asking anything more. “Hey, kid, I have to go to work in about....... an hour so I’ll drop you off at my house where you can take a shower, get something to eat, and I dunno, do what you want to do?” Kyuhyun opened his mouth to reply but Sungmin suddenly asked, “Wait, don’t you have to go home? Your parents will be worrying.”
The boy’s expression darkened. “They won’t care. They won’t care if I even disappear. All they care about is work, work, and work, and send those bodyguards to follow me every day. They’d be glad if I ran off.”
Sungmin sat there silently, trying to think of something to say. “But they----“
“Don’t give me that “parents will always love you” shit. Mine don’t. I’m just a burden for them. They even thought of sending me to the orphanage when I was born.”
Sungmin allowed the boy to ramble on, paining at what he had to go through. Even if you had all the money, living without your parents’ love was unbearable for a boy like him.
The boy paused abruptly and started breathing in short irregular breaths, clutching at his chest. “Hey, hey, you ok?” Sungmin leaned over, startled.
“Yeah…. Yeah, I’m okay. Sorry. I went too far.” The boy regained his breath and sighed miserably, looking out his window. They reached Sungmin’s apartment and he gave the boy his keys.
“Fourth floor, the one to the left. Relax, do anything you want, just don’t break or steal anything.” He grinned and tried to lighten the atmosphere. “If you want to leave earlier, leave the keys on my bed, don’t worry, I have a spare one.” Sungmin jingled the other ring of keys. “I’ll return from work at about 8pm so until then, you’ll be alone. I gotta go, okay?” He patted the other’s head, or the grey wool hat he was wearing.
A grateful smile appeared on the boy’s face and he thanked him as he got out of the car. Before he turned to leave, however, the boy asked, “What’s your name?”
“Sungmin.”
“Kyuhyun.”
“Nice to meet you, Kyuhyun. Now I really have to go.”
Before rounding the corner, he heard a voice from behind him, “I won’t steal anything!” and a smile crept up his face.
Sungmin hurriedly inserted the key into the lock, clattering loudly against the metal. He entered to see the dining table a mess of empty snack packages, the kitchen light and tv still on, but Kyuhyun nowhere in sight. Sungmin sighed loudly. He figured this would happen. Dropping his bag onto the couch, he started cleaning up the mess and making a small sandwich for his protesting stomach.
Better change first, he thought to himself and entered the bedroom, switching on the light.
“Turn the lights off,” a voice grunted and Sungmin jumped a few feet into the air, falling for the second time that day.
“Holy shit, I thought you left,” he gasped, rubbing his chest. A muffled murmur came out from the bundle of blankets on the bed. The mound slowly rose and a hand poked out, reaching for the woolen hat and disappearing again along with it. Sungmin watched as a sleepy Kyuhyun came into sight, eyes heavy-lidded and barely open, wearing his hat.
“Alright, you’re up then, I’m going to shower if you don’t mind,” Sungmin pulled open his closet and started to take his shirt off. He heard a surprised squeak from behind him. Kyuhyun, eyes now wide open, was peeking through the gaps of his fingers, eyes darting away when Sungmin turned to glance at him.
Sungmin smirked and took his time to take his shirt off, enjoying Kyuhyun’s reactions. He took a step towards the bed and Kyuhyun squealed again, diving into the pile of blankets, hugging Sungmin’s pink stuffed bunny. Sungmin let out a chuckle and tickled the boy, who squirmed and yelled for him to stop. Kyuhyun emerged, looking disgruntled but face still red. He straightened his hat and stomped out of the room. Sungmin smiled. As isolated and unloved Kyuhyun was, he was still a cute young boy.
After taking a shower, Sungmin, with a towel on his head, found Kyuhyun sprawled on the couch, lazily staring at the tv screen.
“Yah, is there nothing else you can do?” He sat down beside him, watching the cartoon with an indifferent expression.
“No.”
“Ah, okay.” They sat there for a few minutes; the only sound the animated effects coming out from the speakers. “Anyway, I’m going to bed soon, I’ve got some extra toothbrushes in the cupboard, and-“ he didn’t get to finish before Kyuhyun jumped up without turning off the tv and ran into the bedroom. Sungmin followed him and saw the boy lying extravagantly in the middle of the bed, his eyes closed contently.
“Sleep on the couch.” Kyuhyun said without opening his eyes.
Sungmin was taken aback. “Hey, this is my house, I get to sleep on the bed. The couch is free for you. At least I’m letting you stay here.” He stood at the doorway grumpily.
Kyuhyun gave an exaggerated yawn. “Oh my, I’m so tired, goodnight Sungmin,” he snuggled into his pillow while grinning mischievously.
Sungmin stared at the boy, flabbergasted. Then an idea popped into his head. “Well, I guess then I have no choice …..” he declared loudly as Kyuhyun giggled into his pillow at his victory, “….. but to sleep with you,” the boy stopped laughing and shouted in protest as Sungmin crawled under the sheets beside him. Sungmin was expecting something from the boy beside him but turned around to see him inching to the other side of the bed, face covered with a blanket except a pair of eyes looking scared? Embarrassed?
“What are you being so shy about?” He snickered, pulling the other by the arm towards him. He could smell his shampoo in the boy’s hair. Kyuhyun struggled against his grip, but to no avail, with Sungmin’s firm grip on his arm. He pouted and glared at the other. Sungmin laughed evilly. He was about to ruffle Kyuhyun’s hair, but realized that his fat was still on.
“Yah, take your hat off when you’re sleeping,” he reached to tug it off Kyuhyun’s head but the boy frantically pressed his hands to his head, startled. “What?” Sungmin asked, surprised.
Kyuhyun’s expression turned angry. “I hate it when someone touches my hat. I have a right to do whatever I want, thank you,” he huffed and glared at Sungmin.
“Alright, have your way then,” Sungmin raised his hands in surrender. “Jeez, so stingy.” He chuckled and pinched the boy’s cheeks. “Cute.”
“I am NOT cute!” Kyuhyun growled and hit him with the pink stuffed bunny. “What about you? You-you’re---” he blushed at not being able to retort back.
“Me? I’m strong and manly,” Sungmin lifted his chin in an arrogant manner. “While you’re the cute little boy who likes the pink bunny!”
“I do not!” Kyuhyun put his hands at his hips angrily, which made Sungmin laugh even harder. The boy let out an indignant cry and sent flying pillows and stuffed toys at him.
“Stop, stop!” Sungmin yelled between his giggles and he grabbed Kyuhyun’s wrists, pulling him down. He heard a loud oof! when the boy flopped down on top of him. Breathing hard, Kyuhyun lifted his head to see Sungmin’s large eyes staring into his and quickly rolled himself off of him, hiding his face. “Why do I keep getting in such awkward situations with you?” he muttered into the bed.
Sungmin laughed. “Night, Kyu,” he grinned and closed his eyes. He felt the bed tilt as Kyuhyun shifted shyly into a comfortable position, and with the comforting presence of someone else sleeping beside him, he soon drifted off into slumber.
The alarm clock rang shrilly and Sungmin groped for it sleepily, sighing when he hit the snooze button. He took some time to rethink the events that happened yesterday. Kyuhyun.
“Kyu?” He lifted an arm to wake the other, darting up to feel an empty space beside him. “Kyu?” he called again and walked out into the dining room, spotting a piece of scratch paper on the table.
Morning, Sungmin.
I’ve decided to leave early to go back to the hospital so my parents can find me. Thanks for everything yesterday. Are you by any chance visiting the hospital any time soon? I want to see you again. You’d better come.
Kyuhyun
Sungmin smiled. The little brat wasn’t that bad after all. Kyuhyun was one of a kind, and last night he felt like they had developed some special bond. Rubbing his eyes, he trudged back into the bedroom to prepare himself for work.
A few weeks passed, and one day Sungmin felt like seeing Kyuhyun again, although he convinced himself that the nagging loneliness he felt wasn’t because he missed him. Telling his friends he had an appointment with a doctor and that he couldn’t go hang out on Saturday, he drove again to the hospital, hoping to catch the boy there since he said that he was there every day. Getting Kyuhyun’s room number from the counter, he ventured through the many hallways of the hospital, a somewhat eager skip in his gait and hugging his pink stuffed bunny to his chest. Since Kyuhyun liked it so much, he thought he’d give it to him as company. Having reached door number 13-G, Sungmin knocked softly on the door.
“Come in,” a soft voice answered behind it, and the door opened, and there stood two tall men, like the ones in black he saw last time, and they blocked the entrance, preparing to question him when the voice asked, “Who is it?” Sungmin recognizing it as Kyuhyun’s.
“Kyu, it’s me!”
“Sungmin?” Kyuhyun exclaimed incredulously. “Can you guys leave us for a while?” The guards obeyed and left quietly.
“Surprise!” Sungmin yelled, jumping out. Kyuhyun’s eyes widened and broke into a huge grin, fixing the same grey woolen hat on his head.
“Sungmin! I can’t believe you actually came!” Sungmin walked over to the bed he was lying in and gave him a fond pat on the head. “How are you?”
As Kyuhyun told him about his last few weeks, Sungmin couldn’t help noticing that the boy had lost his usual energy; he had become thinner and his skin a pale complexion. His aura of liveliness and haughtiness had disappeared, Sungmin felt like wasn’t the boy that cheekily talked back and full of life anymore. An uneasy feeling bubbled up in him.
He cut in in the middle of Kyuhyun’s sentence. “Kyu, how have you really been?”
Kyuhyun paused, surprised, then grinned. “Better than ever.”
“No, you’re not. What happened? Are you sick?”
Kyuhyun raised an eyebrow. “No, I’m perfectly fine, why?”
Sungmin frowned. “You’re obviously not well, Kyu, look at yourself!” He started talking rapidly in anxiety. “You look so weak and unhealthy and-“
“Sungmin…..”
“No, stop, Kyu. There’s something you’re not telling me, what’s happening to you?” Sungmin couldn’t apprehend the expression on Kyuhyun’s face.
“It’s nothing Sungmin. Can we forget about it? Please?”
He shook his head and started sputtering in panic. “No, I won’t! I can’t bear to see you like this. Tell me what’s wrong!”
There was a brief silence. “Sungmin, if you don’t stop I’m going to call my guards,” Kyuhyun warned in a low voice.
“I don’t care!” Sungmin’s shrill voice rang throughout the room. “Kyuhyun, don’t be like this, you’ve changed so much, please tell me so I can help you!”
“Guards?” Kyuhyun called loudly and Sungmin grabbed his hands. “No, Kyu, no,” he begged as the men came back into the room. “Take him away please,” he heard Kyuhyun’s cold voice and then the next thing he knew, he found himself locked out of room 13-G. Terrified, he ran blindly to the nurses behind the counter, breathing hard and eyes wild.
“Excuse me, the patient Kyuhyun at room 13-G, the one that comes here everyday?”
“Give me a second, sir,” the nurse flipped through her files and looked up, puzzled, at Sungmin. “Cho Kyuhyun has been hospitalized for almost a year now. Are you sure you’re looking for the correct person?”
Sungmin gaped. “What did you say?”
“Cho Kyuhyun has been staying in room 13-G for 11 months already. Sir, are you alright?” The nurse asked, alarmed, at Sungmin who had staggered backward. He knees felt weak and his head was spinning, but he managed to gasp out, “What’s wrong with him? Why is he staying in the hospital?”
“Well, Mr. Cho was diagnosed with heart cancer about 10 months ago, and has been treated to chemotherapy and various other programs since. Recently his health has been deteriorating, and so today he has been scheduled to go into surgery in about…” she checked the clock, “…….15 minutes.”
15 minutes.
“Oh my God, oh my God, what is happening?” He muttered to himself. Why didn’t he see it earlier? The irregular gasps the boy had that one time, the woolen hat he had refused to take off……. He gritted his teeth at his own stupidity, clenching his hands and unclenching them.
“Wi-will he be ok after the surgery?”
The nurse looked at him with a downcast expression. “I’m afraid that would be very unlikely. Mr. Cho also has diabetes, which adds to the high risk of death after the surgery. I’m sorry.”
Sungmin choked. He turned and ran as fast as his legs could take him back to Kyuhyun’s room, which was open, nurses and doctors working busily in and out of the room. Soon a hospital stretcher was pushed out, with a certain patient lying on it. Kyuhyun.
“Kyuhyun!” Sungmin shouted and rushed to his side, tears blurring up his vision. The boy smiled sadly up at him.
“Ah, too bad, I hoped that you would be out of the hospital before you saw me like this,” he chuckled, “Guess my plan didn’t work.”
“Kyuhyun, Kyuhyun, Kyuhyun,” Sungmin’s tears fell on the boy’s cheek, “don’t leave, you can’t.”
Kyuhyun smirked. “Really? You’re crying? Guess you’re not so strong and manly after all.”
“But you’re still the cute one,” Sungmin sniffed. The doctor beside them told Sungmin he’d allow another three minutes alone for them. Sungmin thanked him gratefully.
“Why did you hide it from me Kyu? Why didn’t you tell me earlier?” Sungmin began sobbing even harder.
“Because I just wanted to spend a day as a normal person, getting out of the hospital, doing things that I want to do. And you came like a savior and helped me fulfill my wish. Thank you, Sungmin.” Kyuhyun’s angelic smile pained him.
“I-I--………” Sungmin was lost for words. The doctor interrupted them. One minute. Sungmin, you idiot, just get out with it. He took a deep breath. “Kyuhyun, I’ve never met anyone like you. Although you can be a bossy little moron sometimes,” Kyuhyun grinned at his words, “but I don’t know why, I missed you these past days. And I can’t help thinking back to that day we spent, even if it was just a few hours, but deep inside, I felt something. Something that I’ve never felt before. And-“ He stopped, surprised as Kyuhyun laced their fingers together.
“You don’t need to say any more,” he smiled again, “I feel the same.”
Sungmin bit his lip in happiness, and tears welled up again. “But now, look at you. I want the old Kyuhyun back.”
The boy gave his hand a squeeze. “I AM still Kyuhyun. The same one. And nothing is going to happen to me, don’t worry. As long as I know that I have you with me.”
“Kyuhyun, promise me one thing.”
“Yes, anything.”
“Smile for me again after the surgery.”
“I will.”
Sungmin slowly bent down and placed a soft kiss on Kyuhyun’s pale, chapped lips. He whispered softly into the kiss three words that were meant for the boy under him, only for him.
“I love you.”
And then the nurses were back and Kyuhyun was being pushed into a large room, the doors swinging shut with a sound that echoed in Sungmin’s ears. The hospital settled into silence again. He dragged his feet back into Kyuhyun’s room, spotting the pink stuffed bunny he had brought. It was left on the ground, alone, and Sungmin kicked himself for forgetting about it. Picking it up and brushing the dust off it with his hands, he stared at the carefree smile on the bunny.
“Kyu will be all right, won’t he?” He spoke softly to the stuffed animal. It smiled back at him, assuring him. Sungmin patted its head and curled up on a chair, tired and inside queasy from anxiousness.
Someone was shaking him awake.
“Sir, sir,” he opened his eyes to see an outline of a person dressed in green. “Are you Mr. Cho’s relative?” Sungmin jumped up and nodded vigorously. “Yes, um, no. But whatever. How is he?”
The doctor’s eyes stared unblinkingly at him as he shook his head.
The truth came crashing down on him. Everything seemed to happen in a haze. He heard the doctor’s apologies, felt himself falling down into the chair, and again the apologies that didn’t sound heartfelt at all. His heart was breaking into a million pieces, the little spark of hope he had diminished into darkness.
“Can I see him?”
He was then being led to some other room in the hospital, to a bed that someone was lying in. A nurse was draping a white blanket over the body. Sungmin slowly approached the unmoving figure. He lifted the blanket, unveiling Kyuhyun’s face. It was drained of color and his eyes were closed peacefully. But something else he saw tugged at his heart. Kyuhyun had fulfilled his promise.
The boy lay there, with a contented smile on his face. He had remembered, until the end. A nurse gave him a sympathetic look and placed a hat into his hands. Kyuhyun’s grey wool hat. It was then Sungmin completely broke. He cried into Kyuhyun’s body, tears drenching the blanket while clutching the hat to his chest. He poured all his suppressed feelings out, trying to lessen the pain that was torturing him from inside. He could imagine Kyuhyun laughing at him, being such a crybaby. Sungmin smiled bitterly. At least Kyuhyun would be free from his pain. At least the boy in the woolen hat would be free at last. And that was enough.
A/N: Ugh, why do I keep writing sad endings? :(
But still, hope you guys like it :D
Pairing: Kyuhyun/Sungmin
Rating: PG
Genre: Romance, Angst
Summary: "Smile for me again."
Sungmin approached the counter to receive his body checkup report. Nodding thanks to the nurse, he peered at the piece of paper in front of him. Nothing bad, he thought to himself and stuffed it into his bag. He gave a large sigh, tired after all the procedures he had gone through the morning. Feeling thirsty, he placed his bag on the ground, fumbled in his pockets for some change, and lightly pushed a coin in the slot of the vending machine. He unconsciously pouted his lips in thought of which red button to press, eyes scanning at and down at the variety of drinks displayed in front of him.
There were a few loud shouts in the hallway and nurses turned disapprovingly at the source of the sound. But Sungmin didn’t move, too immersed in making his decision for a drink. Until someone bumped him from behind and he slammed into the vending machine, face first, yelping in surprise and pain. Groaning, he touched his face to make sure his nose wasn’t broken and heard a thunk as some canned drink that he had accidently pressed dropped into the compartment at the bottom. Sungmin glared behind him in annoyance, more by the fact that someone lost him his dollar rather than getting a faceplant, but nobody was there. He scratched his head, confused. A rustle of leaves to his right made him jump in shock and trip over his bag he had dropped.
A snigger came out from the leaves and Sungmin stood up, face red, and spotted a boy that was crouched behind the thick potted plants in the hospital hallway. He was about to retort back at him when the boy silenced him with a quick shh! and whispered urgently for him to turn around. Doing as he was told and uncertain why he did, he watched as a group of men dressed in black run past him, shouting frantically.
“Um, whatever you’re hiding from, you can come out now,” Sungmin called behind him, and he heard another rustle of leaves before a young boy emerged, dressed in a white hospital gown and a winter wool hat that fell over his eyes.
“Gimme your coat,” he hissed, and Sungmin complied, then asked, “you have a car?” and Sungmin nodded, “at the front door.” The boy grabbed his hand and ran, pulling him along, the drink forgotten while Sungmin wondered why he had agreed to everything the boy asked him.
“Oi, open.” He was standing in front of his car, the boy at the other side, looking around nervously, waiting for him to get in. “Oh,” he said stupidly and unlocked the doors with his keys, the boy jumping in at the speed of lightning and slamming the door shut. Sungmin got in cautiously, sat down, and stared at the form beside him.
“Drive!” The boy ordered hurriedly and Sungmin revived the engine and drove away from the hospital. A few seconds passed and the boy shouted a cry of victory before settling back into his seat, a proud and excited expression on his face. There was an uncomfortable silence before Sungmin, before he could control himself, had to ask
“The hell are you doing?”
The boy turned to him in mid-yawn. “Huh? Oh.Had to get away from those guys.”
“You mean the guys in black?”
“Yeah, my bodyguards. I hate them.”
Sungmin raised his eyebrows. He must be from a really rich family, he thought. That explains his demanding behavior.
“So, is there anywhere you want me to take you?”
“No, I just need to get out of the hospital. It’s torture to stay there every day.”
“Every day? For what?”
The boy hesitated. “Daily body checkup?” he replied uncertainly.
“Oh.” Sungmin stopped himself from asking anything more. “Hey, kid, I have to go to work in about....... an hour so I’ll drop you off at my house where you can take a shower, get something to eat, and I dunno, do what you want to do?” Kyuhyun opened his mouth to reply but Sungmin suddenly asked, “Wait, don’t you have to go home? Your parents will be worrying.”
The boy’s expression darkened. “They won’t care. They won’t care if I even disappear. All they care about is work, work, and work, and send those bodyguards to follow me every day. They’d be glad if I ran off.”
Sungmin sat there silently, trying to think of something to say. “But they----“
“Don’t give me that “parents will always love you” shit. Mine don’t. I’m just a burden for them. They even thought of sending me to the orphanage when I was born.”
Sungmin allowed the boy to ramble on, paining at what he had to go through. Even if you had all the money, living without your parents’ love was unbearable for a boy like him.
The boy paused abruptly and started breathing in short irregular breaths, clutching at his chest. “Hey, hey, you ok?” Sungmin leaned over, startled.
“Yeah…. Yeah, I’m okay. Sorry. I went too far.” The boy regained his breath and sighed miserably, looking out his window. They reached Sungmin’s apartment and he gave the boy his keys.
“Fourth floor, the one to the left. Relax, do anything you want, just don’t break or steal anything.” He grinned and tried to lighten the atmosphere. “If you want to leave earlier, leave the keys on my bed, don’t worry, I have a spare one.” Sungmin jingled the other ring of keys. “I’ll return from work at about 8pm so until then, you’ll be alone. I gotta go, okay?” He patted the other’s head, or the grey wool hat he was wearing.
A grateful smile appeared on the boy’s face and he thanked him as he got out of the car. Before he turned to leave, however, the boy asked, “What’s your name?”
“Sungmin.”
“Kyuhyun.”
“Nice to meet you, Kyuhyun. Now I really have to go.”
Before rounding the corner, he heard a voice from behind him, “I won’t steal anything!” and a smile crept up his face.
Sungmin hurriedly inserted the key into the lock, clattering loudly against the metal. He entered to see the dining table a mess of empty snack packages, the kitchen light and tv still on, but Kyuhyun nowhere in sight. Sungmin sighed loudly. He figured this would happen. Dropping his bag onto the couch, he started cleaning up the mess and making a small sandwich for his protesting stomach.
Better change first, he thought to himself and entered the bedroom, switching on the light.
“Turn the lights off,” a voice grunted and Sungmin jumped a few feet into the air, falling for the second time that day.
“Holy shit, I thought you left,” he gasped, rubbing his chest. A muffled murmur came out from the bundle of blankets on the bed. The mound slowly rose and a hand poked out, reaching for the woolen hat and disappearing again along with it. Sungmin watched as a sleepy Kyuhyun came into sight, eyes heavy-lidded and barely open, wearing his hat.
“Alright, you’re up then, I’m going to shower if you don’t mind,” Sungmin pulled open his closet and started to take his shirt off. He heard a surprised squeak from behind him. Kyuhyun, eyes now wide open, was peeking through the gaps of his fingers, eyes darting away when Sungmin turned to glance at him.
Sungmin smirked and took his time to take his shirt off, enjoying Kyuhyun’s reactions. He took a step towards the bed and Kyuhyun squealed again, diving into the pile of blankets, hugging Sungmin’s pink stuffed bunny. Sungmin let out a chuckle and tickled the boy, who squirmed and yelled for him to stop. Kyuhyun emerged, looking disgruntled but face still red. He straightened his hat and stomped out of the room. Sungmin smiled. As isolated and unloved Kyuhyun was, he was still a cute young boy.
After taking a shower, Sungmin, with a towel on his head, found Kyuhyun sprawled on the couch, lazily staring at the tv screen.
“Yah, is there nothing else you can do?” He sat down beside him, watching the cartoon with an indifferent expression.
“No.”
“Ah, okay.” They sat there for a few minutes; the only sound the animated effects coming out from the speakers. “Anyway, I’m going to bed soon, I’ve got some extra toothbrushes in the cupboard, and-“ he didn’t get to finish before Kyuhyun jumped up without turning off the tv and ran into the bedroom. Sungmin followed him and saw the boy lying extravagantly in the middle of the bed, his eyes closed contently.
“Sleep on the couch.” Kyuhyun said without opening his eyes.
Sungmin was taken aback. “Hey, this is my house, I get to sleep on the bed. The couch is free for you. At least I’m letting you stay here.” He stood at the doorway grumpily.
Kyuhyun gave an exaggerated yawn. “Oh my, I’m so tired, goodnight Sungmin,” he snuggled into his pillow while grinning mischievously.
Sungmin stared at the boy, flabbergasted. Then an idea popped into his head. “Well, I guess then I have no choice …..” he declared loudly as Kyuhyun giggled into his pillow at his victory, “….. but to sleep with you,” the boy stopped laughing and shouted in protest as Sungmin crawled under the sheets beside him. Sungmin was expecting something from the boy beside him but turned around to see him inching to the other side of the bed, face covered with a blanket except a pair of eyes looking scared? Embarrassed?
“What are you being so shy about?” He snickered, pulling the other by the arm towards him. He could smell his shampoo in the boy’s hair. Kyuhyun struggled against his grip, but to no avail, with Sungmin’s firm grip on his arm. He pouted and glared at the other. Sungmin laughed evilly. He was about to ruffle Kyuhyun’s hair, but realized that his fat was still on.
“Yah, take your hat off when you’re sleeping,” he reached to tug it off Kyuhyun’s head but the boy frantically pressed his hands to his head, startled. “What?” Sungmin asked, surprised.
Kyuhyun’s expression turned angry. “I hate it when someone touches my hat. I have a right to do whatever I want, thank you,” he huffed and glared at Sungmin.
“Alright, have your way then,” Sungmin raised his hands in surrender. “Jeez, so stingy.” He chuckled and pinched the boy’s cheeks. “Cute.”
“I am NOT cute!” Kyuhyun growled and hit him with the pink stuffed bunny. “What about you? You-you’re---” he blushed at not being able to retort back.
“Me? I’m strong and manly,” Sungmin lifted his chin in an arrogant manner. “While you’re the cute little boy who likes the pink bunny!”
“I do not!” Kyuhyun put his hands at his hips angrily, which made Sungmin laugh even harder. The boy let out an indignant cry and sent flying pillows and stuffed toys at him.
“Stop, stop!” Sungmin yelled between his giggles and he grabbed Kyuhyun’s wrists, pulling him down. He heard a loud oof! when the boy flopped down on top of him. Breathing hard, Kyuhyun lifted his head to see Sungmin’s large eyes staring into his and quickly rolled himself off of him, hiding his face. “Why do I keep getting in such awkward situations with you?” he muttered into the bed.
Sungmin laughed. “Night, Kyu,” he grinned and closed his eyes. He felt the bed tilt as Kyuhyun shifted shyly into a comfortable position, and with the comforting presence of someone else sleeping beside him, he soon drifted off into slumber.
The alarm clock rang shrilly and Sungmin groped for it sleepily, sighing when he hit the snooze button. He took some time to rethink the events that happened yesterday. Kyuhyun.
“Kyu?” He lifted an arm to wake the other, darting up to feel an empty space beside him. “Kyu?” he called again and walked out into the dining room, spotting a piece of scratch paper on the table.
Morning, Sungmin.
I’ve decided to leave early to go back to the hospital so my parents can find me. Thanks for everything yesterday. Are you by any chance visiting the hospital any time soon? I want to see you again. You’d better come.
Kyuhyun
Sungmin smiled. The little brat wasn’t that bad after all. Kyuhyun was one of a kind, and last night he felt like they had developed some special bond. Rubbing his eyes, he trudged back into the bedroom to prepare himself for work.
A few weeks passed, and one day Sungmin felt like seeing Kyuhyun again, although he convinced himself that the nagging loneliness he felt wasn’t because he missed him. Telling his friends he had an appointment with a doctor and that he couldn’t go hang out on Saturday, he drove again to the hospital, hoping to catch the boy there since he said that he was there every day. Getting Kyuhyun’s room number from the counter, he ventured through the many hallways of the hospital, a somewhat eager skip in his gait and hugging his pink stuffed bunny to his chest. Since Kyuhyun liked it so much, he thought he’d give it to him as company. Having reached door number 13-G, Sungmin knocked softly on the door.
“Come in,” a soft voice answered behind it, and the door opened, and there stood two tall men, like the ones in black he saw last time, and they blocked the entrance, preparing to question him when the voice asked, “Who is it?” Sungmin recognizing it as Kyuhyun’s.
“Kyu, it’s me!”
“Sungmin?” Kyuhyun exclaimed incredulously. “Can you guys leave us for a while?” The guards obeyed and left quietly.
“Surprise!” Sungmin yelled, jumping out. Kyuhyun’s eyes widened and broke into a huge grin, fixing the same grey woolen hat on his head.
“Sungmin! I can’t believe you actually came!” Sungmin walked over to the bed he was lying in and gave him a fond pat on the head. “How are you?”
As Kyuhyun told him about his last few weeks, Sungmin couldn’t help noticing that the boy had lost his usual energy; he had become thinner and his skin a pale complexion. His aura of liveliness and haughtiness had disappeared, Sungmin felt like wasn’t the boy that cheekily talked back and full of life anymore. An uneasy feeling bubbled up in him.
He cut in in the middle of Kyuhyun’s sentence. “Kyu, how have you really been?”
Kyuhyun paused, surprised, then grinned. “Better than ever.”
“No, you’re not. What happened? Are you sick?”
Kyuhyun raised an eyebrow. “No, I’m perfectly fine, why?”
Sungmin frowned. “You’re obviously not well, Kyu, look at yourself!” He started talking rapidly in anxiety. “You look so weak and unhealthy and-“
“Sungmin…..”
“No, stop, Kyu. There’s something you’re not telling me, what’s happening to you?” Sungmin couldn’t apprehend the expression on Kyuhyun’s face.
“It’s nothing Sungmin. Can we forget about it? Please?”
He shook his head and started sputtering in panic. “No, I won’t! I can’t bear to see you like this. Tell me what’s wrong!”
There was a brief silence. “Sungmin, if you don’t stop I’m going to call my guards,” Kyuhyun warned in a low voice.
“I don’t care!” Sungmin’s shrill voice rang throughout the room. “Kyuhyun, don’t be like this, you’ve changed so much, please tell me so I can help you!”
“Guards?” Kyuhyun called loudly and Sungmin grabbed his hands. “No, Kyu, no,” he begged as the men came back into the room. “Take him away please,” he heard Kyuhyun’s cold voice and then the next thing he knew, he found himself locked out of room 13-G. Terrified, he ran blindly to the nurses behind the counter, breathing hard and eyes wild.
“Excuse me, the patient Kyuhyun at room 13-G, the one that comes here everyday?”
“Give me a second, sir,” the nurse flipped through her files and looked up, puzzled, at Sungmin. “Cho Kyuhyun has been hospitalized for almost a year now. Are you sure you’re looking for the correct person?”
Sungmin gaped. “What did you say?”
“Cho Kyuhyun has been staying in room 13-G for 11 months already. Sir, are you alright?” The nurse asked, alarmed, at Sungmin who had staggered backward. He knees felt weak and his head was spinning, but he managed to gasp out, “What’s wrong with him? Why is he staying in the hospital?”
“Well, Mr. Cho was diagnosed with heart cancer about 10 months ago, and has been treated to chemotherapy and various other programs since. Recently his health has been deteriorating, and so today he has been scheduled to go into surgery in about…” she checked the clock, “…….15 minutes.”
15 minutes.
“Oh my God, oh my God, what is happening?” He muttered to himself. Why didn’t he see it earlier? The irregular gasps the boy had that one time, the woolen hat he had refused to take off……. He gritted his teeth at his own stupidity, clenching his hands and unclenching them.
“Wi-will he be ok after the surgery?”
The nurse looked at him with a downcast expression. “I’m afraid that would be very unlikely. Mr. Cho also has diabetes, which adds to the high risk of death after the surgery. I’m sorry.”
Sungmin choked. He turned and ran as fast as his legs could take him back to Kyuhyun’s room, which was open, nurses and doctors working busily in and out of the room. Soon a hospital stretcher was pushed out, with a certain patient lying on it. Kyuhyun.
“Kyuhyun!” Sungmin shouted and rushed to his side, tears blurring up his vision. The boy smiled sadly up at him.
“Ah, too bad, I hoped that you would be out of the hospital before you saw me like this,” he chuckled, “Guess my plan didn’t work.”
“Kyuhyun, Kyuhyun, Kyuhyun,” Sungmin’s tears fell on the boy’s cheek, “don’t leave, you can’t.”
Kyuhyun smirked. “Really? You’re crying? Guess you’re not so strong and manly after all.”
“But you’re still the cute one,” Sungmin sniffed. The doctor beside them told Sungmin he’d allow another three minutes alone for them. Sungmin thanked him gratefully.
“Why did you hide it from me Kyu? Why didn’t you tell me earlier?” Sungmin began sobbing even harder.
“Because I just wanted to spend a day as a normal person, getting out of the hospital, doing things that I want to do. And you came like a savior and helped me fulfill my wish. Thank you, Sungmin.” Kyuhyun’s angelic smile pained him.
“I-I--………” Sungmin was lost for words. The doctor interrupted them. One minute. Sungmin, you idiot, just get out with it. He took a deep breath. “Kyuhyun, I’ve never met anyone like you. Although you can be a bossy little moron sometimes,” Kyuhyun grinned at his words, “but I don’t know why, I missed you these past days. And I can’t help thinking back to that day we spent, even if it was just a few hours, but deep inside, I felt something. Something that I’ve never felt before. And-“ He stopped, surprised as Kyuhyun laced their fingers together.
“You don’t need to say any more,” he smiled again, “I feel the same.”
Sungmin bit his lip in happiness, and tears welled up again. “But now, look at you. I want the old Kyuhyun back.”
The boy gave his hand a squeeze. “I AM still Kyuhyun. The same one. And nothing is going to happen to me, don’t worry. As long as I know that I have you with me.”
“Kyuhyun, promise me one thing.”
“Yes, anything.”
“Smile for me again after the surgery.”
“I will.”
Sungmin slowly bent down and placed a soft kiss on Kyuhyun’s pale, chapped lips. He whispered softly into the kiss three words that were meant for the boy under him, only for him.
“I love you.”
And then the nurses were back and Kyuhyun was being pushed into a large room, the doors swinging shut with a sound that echoed in Sungmin’s ears. The hospital settled into silence again. He dragged his feet back into Kyuhyun’s room, spotting the pink stuffed bunny he had brought. It was left on the ground, alone, and Sungmin kicked himself for forgetting about it. Picking it up and brushing the dust off it with his hands, he stared at the carefree smile on the bunny.
“Kyu will be all right, won’t he?” He spoke softly to the stuffed animal. It smiled back at him, assuring him. Sungmin patted its head and curled up on a chair, tired and inside queasy from anxiousness.
Someone was shaking him awake.
“Sir, sir,” he opened his eyes to see an outline of a person dressed in green. “Are you Mr. Cho’s relative?” Sungmin jumped up and nodded vigorously. “Yes, um, no. But whatever. How is he?”
The doctor’s eyes stared unblinkingly at him as he shook his head.
The truth came crashing down on him. Everything seemed to happen in a haze. He heard the doctor’s apologies, felt himself falling down into the chair, and again the apologies that didn’t sound heartfelt at all. His heart was breaking into a million pieces, the little spark of hope he had diminished into darkness.
“Can I see him?”
He was then being led to some other room in the hospital, to a bed that someone was lying in. A nurse was draping a white blanket over the body. Sungmin slowly approached the unmoving figure. He lifted the blanket, unveiling Kyuhyun’s face. It was drained of color and his eyes were closed peacefully. But something else he saw tugged at his heart. Kyuhyun had fulfilled his promise.
The boy lay there, with a contented smile on his face. He had remembered, until the end. A nurse gave him a sympathetic look and placed a hat into his hands. Kyuhyun’s grey wool hat. It was then Sungmin completely broke. He cried into Kyuhyun’s body, tears drenching the blanket while clutching the hat to his chest. He poured all his suppressed feelings out, trying to lessen the pain that was torturing him from inside. He could imagine Kyuhyun laughing at him, being such a crybaby. Sungmin smiled bitterly. At least Kyuhyun would be free from his pain. At least the boy in the woolen hat would be free at last. And that was enough.
A/N: Ugh, why do I keep writing sad endings? :(
But still, hope you guys like it :D