Our Heart (Rewritten)

Family

That evening, Peat was watching Noeul after he and his mom had a disagreement. Normally, Noeul's mother wouldn't leave him alone even if Noeul wanted her to but there are times when she would walk out on him to show the boy she would not be swayed by his hysterical behavior.

She did the same when Noeul strongly refused more biopsies when he was younger and when he got cold feet and suddenly didn't want to get a transplant on the evening before he was scheduled to go in for surgery.

Of course, she always had his best interest at heart. But sometimes, she concerned herself a little too much on his physical health without trying to see things from Noeul's perspective.

After the bomb Noeul's mom dropped before she left, the boy cried for a long time and was in pain so the nurse gave him some medication that eventually helped him sleep—or so Peat thought.

Given that it had been a long day, he got drowsy shortly after and took a nap on Noeul's bedside only to find him no longer there moments later.

Of course, Peat panics but he doesn't contact Noeul's mom right away. For all he knows, the boy might be in the comfort room or the lobby or outside getting some air. But after looking everywhere nearby and not seeing even just his shadow, Peat starts to consider alerting Noeul's mother.

Once he does, then that will be the second time he fucked up today. And there's no saying if he will still be trusted to watch Noeul after this. But only seconds before Peat pushes the dial button on Noeul's mom's contact, he sees them.

Noeul and Boss, both wet and soaked from the waist down; only their shirts are dry. Boss has multiple towels wrapped around Noeul's shoulders and he's helping the latter walk, serving as kind of a third leg since Noeul's knees are just about giving out.

"Noeul!" Peat hisses, more worried than he is upset. Honestly, if he was in Noeul's shoes, he'd probably lose his mind too. "What happened to you?"

But Boss softly interrupts, "Ask him later." He tells Peat and passes Noeul over to him, not coming any closer so as not to overstep his boundaries. He knows Peat hasn't really warmed up to him and he doesn't even have to ask why.

But on the contrary, for the first time, Peat inwardly acknowledges that perhaps the voids in Noeul's life which he cannot fill, Boss can. 

He brings Noeul along without a hint of hostility and simply looks over his shoulder and nods at Boss as a form of non-verbal thanks. The latter understood perfectly and even with this small improvement, he's content and happy.

But right before going back inside, Noeul pauses and turns to Boss then asks shakily, "A-are you...leaving?"

Just hours prior, Boss was determined to walk out on the boy, not because Noeul is a handful but because he had unresolved issues and wasn't confident he could contribute anything positive in Noeul's life.

But things have changed.

"I'll just shower and change at Fort's then we'll drop by in the morning."

Hearing this, Noeul feels at ease and is now willing to let Boss go if only for a few hours. He turns back to Peat and lets his friend usher him inside without making a fuss. Now more than ever, Noeul wants to be healthy because he has something—and someone—to look forward to.

~~~

Now in fresh clothes, Noeul and Peat are sitting on the hospital bed with the latter drying the former's hair with a blower. They can't have his mom catching him with damp hair or all hell will break loose for sure.

They haven't spoken since Noeul got back and the silence is starting to make Noeul feel anxious so he pipes up then, "Aren't you gonna ask me what happened?" He asks in a small voice, waiting to be scolded just as Peat often would.