𝑭𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓 𝑭𝒊𝒆𝒍𝒅𝒔 - 𝓜𝓲𝓷𝓼𝓾𝓷𝓰

𝓒𝓱; 74 𝓤𝓷𝓮𝔁𝓹𝓮𝓬𝓽𝓮𝓭

Minho's therapy consisted of every two days of the week now, a schedule he and his therapist established, targeted to bring a safe recovery. It still frightened Minho. Having to stand, setting a step, or worse, letting go of anything that gave him the guarantee that he could balance himself. But he was getting there. Slowly but steadily. As far as 'steadily' could take him, that is. 

His therapist reached out her arm, resting her hand on his upper arm, moving him in a direction while Minho's task was to follow. "That's right. Now can you let go of the rod for me? Try setting a few steps, and I'll observe, okay? Take your time." She reassured. 

"I'll leave you two alone. Today's therapy ends here," the physiotherapist smiled and moved away, clipping the pen and document on her board as she saw Jisung stand in the doorway. Minho turned around with surprise on his features, brow risen until his sight landed on the smiling demeanor of his lover. "Jisung," Minho beamed, almost wanting to step forward but realizing that was still too much to ask for in his conditions. "Good morning, Love," Jisung hummed and stepped forward. He lifted his hand. "Look at you." Jisung paused, eyes gleaming as his lips curled into a protruding grin that tugged at the corner of his mouth. "You're so far already." Minho reached up his hand, stretching out his arm as there was a respectful distance between them, connecting the palms of their hands, feeling the warmth elicit from the other's touch. That comforting touch. 

"I am," Minho reckoned, eyes somehow softening. That seemed to happen when he met with Jisung. Though he either wouldn't admit it or managed to turn everything around and make Jisung a stammering, amaranth red mess with it. Jisung intertwined their fingers. "Can you walk to me?" he asked, hesitantly, he didn't want to trigger Minho so soon. 

"If you prepare to catch me if I fall. Falling once for you was enough, you know?" Minho teased him back with a roguish grin, showing his teeth. Jisung held himself back to hit the other's chest as he didn't intend on actually letting the man topple over. "Minho." He instead squeezed his hand, averting his gaze while his cheeks hurt from smiling. "Fine, I will stop kidding," Minho finally assured and returned to his previous, neutral expression. 

The process of a few steps felt like a whole road track, Minho having to squeeze the other's hand one time as he tried to maintain his stance, flaying his body a bit as his eyes glued to the ground beneath him, lifting his head once Jisung stood right in front of him, already looking at him while their chests almost touched. 

"You look beautiful today." Minho's eyes flickered over Jisung's face, eyeing all his features, reaching up with a hand to trace them with his fingers. Jisung stood still in his spot, entranced in the other's gaze and touch. "And I don't look beautiful any other day? That is doubting my beauty, sir!" he retorted although there was no bite in his comment, just common teasing between them. Minho continued to trace his fingers over the other's features, landing on the bottom of Jisung's lip. "Of course you do, however, there's no wrong in acknowledging that beauty of yours." He tapped the top of the other's nose, eliciting a whine from him. "Stop being so sappy, that is like you and at the same time it isn't." 

"I am a man of many talents." 

"You are." Jisung admitted. 

Just then a knock sounded through the room. They lifted their heads towards the door and Jisung was the first to ask the words that Minho wanted to speak. "Mom? What are you doing here?" 

Jisu clung to the strap of her bag and broke into a smile. "Why? Am I not allowed to see my son at the hospital?" She rose her brow, referring to Minho. It still made Minho shy hearing her call him that as his eyes moved to every corner of the room, not knowing where to look or actually not having the courage to face her yet. After a while, he lifted his head again and asked. "Ms. Han, you really shouldn't risk such a journey for me," he responded, politely, earning a scoff in disbelief from Jisung. "Oh, and you let me walk all the way here?" 

Minho turned to Jisung who still stayed firm in his arms. "Oh, hush, Love. She's your mother." He leaned closer to Jisung's ear. "And you know well enough I would pick you up if I could." 

Jisu watched the scene unfold before her eyes, gaze giving off a motherly fondness, looking at these two together. They are right for each other. "There is no need to call me 'Ms. Han', Minho. You may call me 'mom' as well. I don't mind." 

Then she reached up to ruffle Jisung's hair. "This rascal here didn't wait for me or else I would've asked if we could go together. But I get it, you two needed some alone time." She eyed Jisung first then landed her gaze on Minho and back to Jisung again with play-suspicious, narrowed eyes and a smug, knowing smirk on her face. "Bet he was just that excited to see you." 

She focussed her attention back on Minho and resumed. "I was just wondering how my boy was doing. I'm glad to see you're recovering." She smiled. "My worries are slightly relieved," Jisu admitted honestly. 

"I brought something to eat from the store downtown so I'll leave it here with you for the two of you." She held up a bag full of convenience snacks and gave it to Jisung. "Take care of yourself, Minho." She patted his arm and turned to leave. "And Jisung, if you don't take care of him well enough or don't return home in time, I will wait for you," she warned, enjoying teasing her son as always. Consider it a tradition. Because she does. "Mom," Jisung whined, embarrassed. "Don't pull that with me, Ji." 

She sent the two a blowing kiss and left with a successful smirk on her face. "Have fun!" her voice echoed from the hallway before silence returned to the room again. 

"So," Minho trailed off. "Should we head back?" 

Jisung helped the other get into the wheelchair and paused. 

"Wait a minute. I'll be right back, I have to use the bathroom." he excused and walked off, keeping an arm over his mouth. "Okay.." Minho frowned and watched him run off all of a sudden. 

Jisung ran to the sink, gripping the edges, head hung over the edge. He coughed, a clot of stale blood coming out of his mouth, the remaining trickling down his chin, leaving a trail. "Shit," Jisung cursed under his breath, running the sink, quickly holding his hand under the water and splattering it over his mouth, moving to wipe the rest of his face. He raised his gaze, eyeing the mirror, droplets of water running down his face, drowning the tips of his hair in water. He sucked in a breath of air, trying to get his trembling back under control in the process, and opened his eyes again. "Okay. You're good. You're fine. Breathe," he spoke to his reflection and sighed, letting go of the edges, fixing his position before leaving the bathroom. 

Jisung ran back into the therapy room, slightly out of breath as he came to a halt, causing Minho to turn around and look at him. "Your hospital room, right?"