Past Me was a Fool (2min)

For You

He could have done better. He could have answered that paper better, god, he changed so much answer in the last minutes. Seungmin swore he was well-prepared, he memorised and practised all he can managed!

But the disappointment weighing down every step he took and every breath he exhaled is too significant to ignore. Deep down he knows that wasn't his best performance and if this continues, there would be a major negative impact to his overall grade.

"Seungminie, sweetheart, your car is right here," Hyunjin, despite being exhausted, still called out gently as he directed his best friend towards the awaiting vehicle. Away from the bench that he almost ran his knees into.

"Hojun-ssi, by any chance, did he manage to sleep?"

The said driver watched with concern at how Seungmin immediately slumped his body sideways into Hyunjin's side when the taller simply tugged at his arm, eyes trying to shut close but it was as if Seungmin was fighting against it.

"I apologise for the lack of my awareness, but young sir seemed to be conversing with no apparent problem with young master by the door before we departed."

It is only Monday, Hyunjin frowned and rubbed at his best friend's arm. What could have happened throughout the weekend after he left Seungmin? From what the driver said, it did not seem like there was a fight between his best friend and Minho.

Unbeknown to Hyunjin, Seungmin does fight with Minho, although one sidedly but Seungmin is upset anyway. The younger is well aware that Minho can't read minds, but Seungmin must have shown enough from his body language, or expressions, that he does not prefer to hear anything about or related to his brother for now. Or ever.

Haven't he?

And he is unforgivingly unable to accept it if Minho talks about Chan during his exam period. Which he did, does. Even earlier during breakfast and before he went to the university. He might have smiled, but can't Minho see that his smile was strained?

"Seungminie, I think you should go home and sleep."

The younger hummed and tiredly pointed out that he is already at home, not getting what his best friend is saying when they obviously just entered his apartment. Even though Seungmin is showing his back, Hyunjin still shook his head and put his hands on his hip.

"No, I meant back at the mansion. I don't think you should be alone right now–"

"I don't want to."

To say Hyunjin was taken aback by how cold the younger shot him down without even sparing him a look, is an understatement. That actually set him on edge and very, very worried.

"Seungmin," he carefully approached the younger when he stopped in his track right in front of his bed room. "What's wrong?"

From behind, Hyunjin watched Seungmin's shoulders and back tensed, for a moment a bit too long, before they sagged and slumped. The younger did not turn around like Hyunjin hoped for though.

"Sorry...I'm not in the mood right now. Just– I'll tell you when I don't feel like ripping my own head off. I don't want a fight, so you should go home. Before it gets dark," with that, he disappeared inside his bedroom, leaving Hyunjin outside with a heart that is heavier with every passing moment.

It was not until three days later that Hyunjin met his best friend again, in a more, heart-wrenchingly worrying state than when he last spoke to him in person. He had not met Seungmin when he submitted his final blueprint to Minho back at the mansion yesterday. Since Minho did not acted any different – still his annoyingly infuriating indirect smug self – Hyunjin assumed his best friend was fine.

Assuming Seungmin was simply revising and studying in his room somewhere upstairs, and being in a better mood because his husband, as much as Hyunjin could tell, was actually in a good mood when he shared how Seungmin helped him get ahold of an important intel to win over the Board's favour to his side rather than Chan's side.

That is a big improvement in their plan to help Minho gain the upper hand in the project so Hyunjin should be right to assume Seungmin was in a better shape and simply was too invested in revising to give him a text or two.

Boy was he wrong.

His best friend looks ten seconds away from passing out, and when he swayed on his feet after exiting the hall, Hyunjin grew alarmed at how light and pale Seungmin is when he caught him, now that he observed him closely.

"Seungmin, hey, Kim Seungmin," he jostled him as gentle as possible despite the panic raising in his chest, when his best friend seemed to be losing consciousness, eyelids heavy and trying not to close. "Shit."

He inwardly thanked the universe when the hallway, and basically the building, is empty. No other students witnessing him frantically sprinting towards the parking lot with an unconscious Seungmin in his arms. Gossips are the last thing he needs.

"Oh my, young sir–"

"Hojun-ssi, please stop by the pharmacy on the way to his place. He's running a fever right now," Hyunjin urgently interjected as both of them carefully place Seungmin in the back seat before the taller seated himself where he pillowed the younger's head with his thigh.

After a hectic ride, they finally have Seungmin eat a few spoons of porridge, take his medication, change his clothes and get his needed sleep. Hyunjin has a feeling that his best friend hides his sickness from his husband since even himself was not told. So he did what he thinks was the most logical thing that time, as he walked the driver to the door:

"Please don't tell his husband. I know you're worried and it's your duty to report to your boss but Seungminie, he's the type that doesn't like to burden people...and I doubt he'd want us to tell Minho-ssi without his consent."

And with a reluctant heart, Hojun agreed to not say anything about the young sir's condition. But he did ask for Hyunjin to really take care of Seungmin since they, as the latter's employees, could not do it for him.

Hyunjin thanked him a few times and waved him goodbye. He then padded back into Seungmin's room with a new bottle of water in hand and placed the said bottle onto the bedside table. He took the towel on top of his best friend's forehead and rewet it before placing it back again.

A sigh later, Hyunjin let his head rest on his folded arms beside the sleeping Seungmin.

One of these days, I might really do something stupid for you again, Kim Seungmin.

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A/N

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