Slow Down - Jaywon

20: 'Can we just talk?'

Another day, Sunoo came to the room with the others trailing behind. A rough three days after the night Jungwon had woken up. He cordially greeted the latter with a benevolent smile. Distantly though, Jungwon wondered why Sunoo approached him as if they were the closest of friends.

They didn't talk that much, but Sunoo still treated him as if he knew him for years, just like the others. He didn't get anything from doing so, so Jungwon mulled over why he did. Did he truly just want to be friends? Was that just all of their intentions?

"How are you feeling?" Sunoo had asked him.

"I am fine," Jungwon murmured. He had belatedly decided that if they were really just trying to get to know him, then he should let them. Although it was uncomfortable, he had to get used to it and try to return what he was being given, so that he would never owe. "I have two more days here."

"That's great," Sunoo happily chimed. "Given that he has enough time-y'know, work and school so his schedule is hectic-Jay will be here until you discharge."

Don't do it. Jungwon was inches away from pulling the receptor away from his chest the moment he thought again, do not do it. "You do not have to," He said, speaking over the endless beeping coming from the blaring monitor, but not looking in Jay's direction.

"I'm pretty sure he wants to." Sunghoon patted Jay's shoulder casually, but undermining it was a condescending root. Jay leveled him with an acute glare. As much as part of him wanted to doubt the statement, Sunghoon was close to Jay, so he could be telling the truth.

Jungwon didn't look up from his fiddling hands. He didn't speak, but he wanted the others to do that for him, so that he wouldn't hear the monitor. Though everything fell painfully silent. Nobody knew what to say, what to and what not to mention.

"If you come to worry about it, no, Jay didn't call for an ambulance. He didn't want to draw unwanted attention and was determined to bring you himself, well with the help of Sunghoon and I," Jake mentioned. "So, so far your parents don't know. Though I'm sure your professors are questioning your absence. Not completely sure on what you'll have to do there."

"I will figure something out," Jungwon quietly responded. "But...how long have I been unconscious?" The question hadn't occurred to him until then.

"A month now," Jay answered him. The younger boy immediately grabbed the blanket in his fists, he murmured something about his grades that Jay was quick to distract him from. "Can you focus on your health before you worry about your parents and your grades?"

"Sorry," Jungwon mumbled.

Jay sighed out remorsefully. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and strode near the patient bed where Jungwon sat. "It's nothing to apologize over, Jungwon. I just want you to take a break, can you do that, at least once?"

"Are we supposed to be here?" Riki interrupted, his chin comfortably resting above Sunoo's shoulder. Sunoo quickly raised his shoulder as he hit Riki's chin dead on, and the boy complained as he pulled away touching his chin.

"We'll step out for you two to talk," Sunoo insisted.

Don't, if anything, take Jay with you. Jungwon clutched the end of the blanket. He grew fidgety with the beeping annoyingly singing in his ear. Surely it was enough time for him to take the sensors off, no? Turning to Jay after the others left, his words never quite made it to his mind before leaving his mouth.

"I'm sorry that you saw that...I'm sorry that it was you. Now it just feels like I'm giving you all my problems and I don't want you to feel that way either, I just...that's just why I wanted to keep to myself," Jungwon shakily explained. He fiddled with his hands out of fear to continue, but he was determined to say what he could.