Heeseung grabbed his bag, ready to leave the hospital room that had become his temporary prison for the past week. The relentless, soul-crushing pain had eased enough for him to function. As he stepped into the hallway, the stale smell of antiseptic lingered in the air, and he exhaled deeply—finally free. His head still throbbed every now and then, but compared to the first day? He could actually think without blacking out.
Just as he rounded the corner toward the exit, a familiar voice called out.
"Where do you think you're going without saying goodbye?" Jay's tone was playful, but his grip on Heeseung's arm was tight.
Heeseung turned around, eyebrows lifting in tired amusement. "I'm going home, Jongseong. Home. Bed. Sleep. You know? Those magical things that let me survive?"
Jay rolled his eyes and took a few steps closer, grabbing Heeseung's arm with a dramatic cling like a child. "Fine, fine." Jay finally let him go, though not without a smirk. "How's the migraine situation?"
Heeseung huffed, though the corner of his mouth twitched upward. "They're a lot better now. Still bad, though." He shrugged nonchalantly, hoping to keep the conversation short.
Jay gave him a skeptical look but finally relented, slapping Heeseung's shoulder lightly. "Good. Because Sunghoon's flu shit ain't ending anytime soon, and Riki's driving everyone insane without you."
A chuckle escaped Heeseung at the mention of their youngest. "Mm, well, someone has to keep that kid in check."
Jay grinned. "That someone's you, old man."
Heeseung shot him a tired but playful glare before adjusting the strap of his bag over his shoulder. "I'm a year older than you, motherfucker." He sighed. "See you around, Jay."
Jay hesitated, his teasing demeanor dropping slightly as he gave Heeseung a knowing look. "Take care, okay?"
Heeseung smiled, giving him a small wave. "Aight, you too. Try not to miss me too much."
Jay chuckled, returning the wave. "Impossible, but I'll manage."
With that, Heeseung made his way out of the hospital, the cool evening air hitting him the second he stepped outside. He released a deep breath, rolling his shoulders to shake off the stiffness from too many days spent lying in a hospital bed. As much as he enjoyed Jay's company, he needed to collapse in his own bed for at least 24 hours—anything to restore some semblance of normalcy to his chaotic life.
When he reached the train station, he climbed aboard the empty car, sinking into one of the seats by the window.
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The train was unusually quiet for this time of night, with only a handful of passengers scattered across the seats. Perfect. Heeseung slumped down into the corner of an empty row, pulling out his phone to answer any texts before passing out.
A new message from Riki popped up at the top of the screen.
nikkimuraa
where tf are u
bro ur not home yet?
im early this time 'dad'
lmao
Heeseung chuckled softly to himself, typing out a quick reply.
urdadseung
omw, brat
don't text me anymore pls
im tryna sleep
Satisfied with his response, Heeseung tucked his phone back into his pocket and leaned his head against the cold window, letting out a soft sigh. The chill of the glass seeped into his skin, grounding him as his eyelids grew heavier with each passing second. Outside, the city's red lights blurred into red streaks, mirroring the hazy fog settling over his mind. The steady rhythm of the train's wheels clattering against the tracks and the gentle swaying of the carriage rocked him like a lullaby, pulling him deeper and deeper into a drowsy haze. His breathing slowed, body sinking into the seat, and just as the weight of sleep began to claim him entirely, the faint hum of his phone vibrating in his pocket dragged him back to consciousness.
Until his phone vibrated.
Heeseung groaned, squinting one eye open as he fumbled to pull his phone out. "If that's Riki again, I swear—"
His words caught in his throat when he saw the caller ID.
His blood ran cold.
It wasn't someone he wanted to call him.
It was someone else entirely.
And for the first time in weeks, Heeseung's heart didn't ache—it pounded in fear.
Why was he calling now?
YOU ARE READING
raspberries and mocha | heejake ✔
Fanfictionlee heeseung, an ordinary 5-Star restaurant worker has been raising a child, nishimura riki ever since he was abandoned by his parents in japan. the guy truly felt like he was a single dad raising his kid. riki had grown up to be a famous influencer...
