raspberries and mocha | heejake

35

Heeseung's head throbbed with a dull, persistent ache that radiated down his neck, but he blinked his eyes open slowly, forcing himself to take in his surroundings. His vision was still hazy, but the room's sterile white walls and the distinct hum of machines confirmed it—he was in a hospital.

What the fuck? His heart raced with confusion. Was his situation really that serious? It was just a headache...wasn't it? His body still felt sluggish, but he managed to sit up, grimacing at the sharp twinge of pain slicing through his skull. He rubbed his temples, trying to will it away, as the smell of disinfectant hit his nose.

He squinted toward the far corner of the room, where Jay stood, animatedly talking with someone in a white coat—probably a doctor. The two spoke in hushed voices, but Heeseung could pick out a few words here and there. "Overworked...stress-induced collapse..."

When the doctor glanced in Heeseung's direction, spotting him awake, Jay's head whipped around almost instantly. Relief washed over his face, and without another word to the doctor, Jay muttered a quick thank-you and bolted toward Heeseung.

"Heeseung!" Jay dropped beside him on the bed, pulling him into a tight, bone-crushing hug. The familiar warmth of Jay's embrace was grounding, but it only added to Heeseung's confusion. He didn't expect Jay to be this shaken up.

"You scared the shit out of me, man." Jay's voice cracked slightly as he buried his face into Heeseung's shoulder. "I thought—I thought something worse might've happened."

"Relax, Jongseong." Heeseung gave him a tired but reassuring pat on the back. His voice was hoarse, as if it had scraped its way out of his throat. "I'm fine. Seriously. Nothing to worry about."

Jay pulled back just enough to look at him, his brow still furrowed with concern. "You collapsed, hyung. Like, full-on dropped to the floor. How is that fine?"

Heeseung chuckled lightly, though the movement sent a small ripple of pain through his head. "Okay, maybe not fine...But it's not the end of the world. You didn't lose me."

Jay exhaled a shaky breath, visibly trying to steady himself, before muttering, "I'm sorry for being such an egotistic asshole earlier. I shouldn't have done that. Not when you were already feeling like shit."

"Damn right," Heeseung teased, a tired smirk curling his lips. But he softened a bit, patting Jay on the shoulder. "Nah, I'm just messing with you. It's cool, Jay."

Jay seemed to relax slightly, but the worry didn't fully leave his face. "Still...I shouldn't have let you push yourself. You need to stop working yourself into the ground like this."

Heeseung sighed, running a hand down his face. The idea of resting sounded quite nice in theory—but reality wasn't that simple. He leaned back against the pillows, staring up at the sterile ceiling, his mind already racing. "I can't stop now, though. Sunghoon's not here—again, because apparently catching the flu five hundred times a year is his thing—and now I have to cover for him and take care of Riki."

Jay rolled his eyes. "Sunghoon's immune system is actual trash. Nonexistent. We knew that. But seriously, you don't have to do everything by yourself. Riki will be fine for a day without you."

Heeseung gave him a side glance, raising an eyebrow. "This is Riki we're talking about. The kid barely remembers to charge his phone, let alone take care of himself."

Jay chuckled, though the sound was tight with concern. "He's not as helpless as you think, you know. And I can check on him if it makes you feel better."

Heeseung opened his mouth to argue but stopped himself. His head was still pounding, and the thought of getting up to work made his whole body feel like lead. Maybe Jay was right. Maybe he really did need to slow down.

Still, the weight of responsibility gnawed at him. "I just hate feeling useless," he admitted, his voice quieter now.

Jay gave him a look, somewhere between exasperated and fond. "Hyung, taking care of yourself isn't useless. It's literally the bare minimum."

Heeseung huffed, rubbing his temples again as another wave of pain rolled through his skull. "I know, I know. It's just...hard to switch off, you know?"

Jay nudged him lightly, a small smile tugging at his lips. "That's why you have me, dumbass. So stop worrying and rest. I'll handle the restaurant, Riki, and whatever else you think you need to do."

Heeseung shot him a grateful but tired smile. It was rare for Jay to show this much care openly, but in moments like this, Heeseung was reminded why Jay was his closest friend. "Thanks, man."

Jay gave him a playful smirk. "You're welcome. And if you try to sneak out of here before the doctor clears you, I will drag your ass right back into this bed."

Heeseung snorted, the pain easing slightly at Jay's familiar antics. "Yeah, yeah. I'll behave."

For now, at least. But deep down, he knew this wasn't over. He wasn't one to sit still for long—and neither was life. Sooner or later, he'd be back in the thick of it, dealing with Sunghoon's flu, Riki's chaos, and whatever else the world threw his way.

But for now, he let himself rest. Just for a little while longer.