𝐒𝐔𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐑 𝐏𝐔𝐍𝐂𝐇

#.. FORTY

just as jungsu was getting ready to meet up with jiseok, he suddenly received a call.

he smiled upon seeing the name pop up on his screen - min <3.

"seungmin, precious, is something?"

"i can't do this anymore"

"min, what's wrong? what do you mean?"

"you told me to call you whenever i feel the need to smoke.."

"oh... yeah i did. i'm glad you called me then. do you have any cigarettes near you? they can trigger an urge."

"no... well, my dad has a pack but he'd instantly notice if one is gone and i don't want him to know."

"and he won't know. cause you won't smoke it, right?"

"jungsu, it's so hard."

a heavy breath in, followed by a breath out. and a sob. seungmin was crying.

"darling, i know it is, i know. but you'll feel better about yourself tomorrow if you can resist now. i know it's hard."

"tell me about your day"

"well, i'm getting ready right now. 'm meeting up with jiseok in half an hour and i haven't even done my makeup."

a chuckle from the other side of the phone.

"yeah? i'll hang with gunil later, too. maybe we'll meet? where are you going?"

"the music shop. jiseok wants to buy a new guitar."

"damn, we'll be there, too. you have to hold jiseok back from buying one - gunil wants to gift him one for christmas."

jungsu remembered that the holiday was just a few days away. he still had to organise a present for seungmin.

and perhaps for the whole group. because after all, they somehow started hanging out in recess. all six of them.

hopefully it would stick for a longer period of time, too.

"shit. okay, i'll try my best. but don't you dare to smoke with gunil!"

"we wont, we wont, don't worry, love. also i'm going now, lets talk later again, yeah?"

"yes, of course. have to get ready too. love ya!"

"love you, too, babe."

[...]

now that the winter holidays started, jungsu noticed that he didn't really see jiseok the past one and a half weeks.

the younger fell sick really bad, bedridden for the whole time. luckily he felt better.

seeing the small boy from afar, jungsu couldn't help but crack a smile - jiseok dyed his hair back to black.

and there was also something else he noticed once they got closer.

jiseok's face has got slimmer again, his baggy clothes hiding his body shape, so jungsu couldn't really tell if he has lost weight.

but the feeding tube connected to his nose told him everything he needed to know.

"where you really sick?" jungsu asked, quickly hugging the younger as a greeting.

there were no words needed, jungsu knew the answer. and jiseok knew that jungsu was aware of it.

a sigh. "no... recovery is so fucking hard. i spent the week at the hospital because i starved, again... i'm sorry."

oh. jungsu adjusted the beanie on the shorter's head. "at least you feel sorry that you did it - that's already a step, no?"

jiseok's face lit up, hearing that jungsu didn't get mad. and he was right.

usually, jiseok would get mad if his body collapsed, feeling like he could handle more restriction. yet now, he felt mad that he even considered starving.

he was getting better. all thanks to gunil and jungsu's help. his friends were there for him.

"so, wanna go and grab a coffee? you can drink coffee, right?"

subconsciously, both of them started walking towards the café they always used to sit in. jiseok nodded and chuckled. "of course i can!"

and jungsu's plan on making jiseok forget about the guitar succeeded.