𝐒𝐔𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐑 𝐏𝐔𝐍𝐂𝐇

#.. THIRTY-THREE

jooyeon completely forgot that it was the day to present their projects.

sitting in gunil's hospital room, they both had a deep conversation, where gunil told him everything that has happened.

he received some speech therapy, so that he could get a little warmed up to the new circumstances.

"it's not your time to go yet" jooyeon chuckled and looked out of the window. "i suppose these two times weren't the only ones you tried to kill yourself?"

gunil shook his head. "had many silent attempts, too. where i tried overdosing but woke up the next day as if nothing happened.

i fail at pretty much everything."

tears pooled in the boy's eyes, though he tried to seem tough, a stern expression as his gaze averted out of the window, as well.

jooyeon sighed and shook his head. "that's not true-" he started but gunil interrupted him.

"it is. i'm fine with that, you don't have to convince me that it's not."

gunil's mindset annoyed jooyeon. though he had the exact same, it hurt him to hear that from someone else who wasn't him.

"gunil, hey, if you were fine with it would you be lying here? besides, you may be a failure in your own eyes.

but if you ask seungmin, what do you think he would say?"

the elder shrugged and chuckled. "that i'm a no one?"

this surprised jooyeon. "what- no! while we designed our project, he talked about you. and, i quote, he is the best friend one could ever ask for.

or ask jiseok. i asked him what he thinks of you.

you know what he said?"

gunil did not answer, busy with keeping himself from crying.

"he said that you're flawed. and that you're an idiot." this made the elder laugh.

it sounded exactly like something jiseok would say. "but" jooyeon continued.

"but he sees that you're trying to become a better version of yourself. and he adores that, because he knows that you're trying because of him-"

jooyeon's phone rang, interrupting his speech. it was hyeongjun.

apologizing himself, he walked out of the room and accepted the call.

"what's wrong, honey?"

"where are you? we're searching for you everywhere!"

"what do you mean? who's we?"

"the others! joo, don't tell me you forgot that it's project day today.."

"it's today? i'm at the hospital right now, visiting gunil, you know?"

"oh.. okay at least i know where you are now. i was worried something happened to you."

"i'm okay, junnie. is it still worth it to come? gunil is so lonely, don't know.."

"yeah okay understandable.. but we haven't seen each other for so long, i miss you."

jooyeon couldn't help but smile. "miss you too, bunny. listen, i'll stay for some more minutes and then i'll come, okay?"

the silence hinted jooyeon that hyeongjun was fine with it. he must've nodded, forgetting that jooyeon can't see it through the cellphone.

"i'll pick you up - i'll be there in fifteen minutes then."

jooyeon agreed, both of them telling each other that they love each other before hanging up the call.

returning back into the room, gunil looked at him with a reassuring smile. "are you and hyeongjun an official couple now?"

jooyeon's cheeks reddened. "well- we know that we love each other. but i never asked him to be my boyfriend, no."

gunil sighed. "how come?" that was actually a good question. jooyeon shrugged his shoulders.

"i always forget whenever i'm with him. it's like we're already a couple, so i never think of the fact that we're not together, yet."

made sense. but they were so adorable together, gunil was so happy for them.

"well, then don't forget to do it someday. i'm sure hyeongjun will be so happy about being your official boyfriend."