↱RIBS↲ ⇾seongjoong⇽

しち

The Next Day

The next few days aren't easy, but the next day in particular is exhausting.

Hongjoong wakes up before Seonghwa, early in the morning, and sneaks out without waking him to see if he can find the nurse.

The same one is still there, her night shift moments away from being over, but she still takes a minute to tell him that Seonghwa's most likely going be put on a nutritional requirement plan, that it will take some more tests to find out exactly how to help him, and he'll probably need some therapy to get him to the point where he's willingly eating again.

Hongjoong takes that news as well as he can, bows to her slightly and thanks her.

He decides he'll have breakfast while Seonghwa's still asleep, figuring that eating in front of him might make him uncomfortable.

He checks on Seonghwa to make sure he hasn't woken, then hurries down to the cafeteria and shoves some food in his mouth, downing half a cup of coffee before he's racing back up to the hospital room.

Hongjoong's slumped in the bedside chair, finishing off an email to one of his clients—

It's a brief but professional thing, telling them the guide for the song will be ready a few days later than planned due to a family emergency— when Seonghwa wakes up from the smell of coffee.

Hongjoong knows this is the reason, because the first thing Seonghwa mumbles is "coffee?"

Hongjoong laughs, holds it out as Seonghwa sits up and rubs at his sleepy eyes.

The blankets pool around his waist, sunlight coming in through the window and casting across the bottom half of his face.

"Yeah, you want some?"

Seonghwa nods his head sleepily, his chestnut hair floppy and mussed, soft across his forehead.

His cheeks are pink with sleep, his eyes puffy. 

He looks absolutely adorable, smacking his lips and blinking his eyes open.

Healthier than the night before.

"Mmm." He hums, reaching for the paper cup.

"Ah ah," Hongjoong protests teasingly, a sleepily confused Seonghwa staring back at him, "I have to get a kiss first."

Seonghwa's face crinkles up, nose scrunched and eyebrows furrowed, eyes still sleepy—unimpressed.

He stretches his back a bit, arms above his head, and groans "Hongjoong" exasperatedly.

"Hospital coffee is expensive, baby, I can't just give you this for free," he teases.

Seonghwa slumps and pouts at him, lips pursing and eyes going all wide and soft and innocent.

Hongjoong raises one eyebrow.

"Fine," Seonghwa sighs, rolling his eyes, and grabs the front of Hongjoong's shirt to drag him in.

Hongjoong's so surprised he almost drops the coffee, but smiles into the kiss, using his other hand to cradle the back of Seonghwa's head.

Seonghwa tries to pull away, but Hongjoong pulls him back in, making Seonghwa laugh into his mouth.

"Coffee, " he insists, when he finally escapes.

Hongjoong hands it over.

It occurs to him that maybe Seonghwa isn't supposed to have coffee, as part of whatever nutritional plan they're going to give him, but it's only a few sips.

And if anything, he thinks it's a good thing that Seonghwa's showing interest in consuming something.

Even if it's just coffee.

"Mmm."

Hongjoong can't help but smile.