SEVENTEEN | SICKFICS - HURTFICS

MinWon | Sepsis/Car Accident Part I

Wonwoo had always been the type to keep his struggles to himself. He didn't want to burden anyone, especially not Mingyu, his boyfriend, who was always so busy with work. So, when a cold had crept up on him-sore throat, fever, the whole mess-he decided it was best to keep it under wraps.

Mingyu had left for a business trip just a few days ago, his flight packed with a full schedule. He had kissed Wonwoo goodbye, promising to check on him every evening, and Wonwoo had given him a smile, pretending everything was fine. But deep down, he was miserable, his body exhausted from fighting off the illness.

The first night Mingyu was gone, Wonwoo had curled up under the covers, his body too weak to get out of bed, his mind replaying their last moments together. The warmth of Mingyu's hand in his had felt like a distant memory, almost unreal in its comfort. But he couldn't let Mingyu know how bad things were.

"I'll be fine," Wonwoo muttered to himself, reaching for the glass of water on the nightstand and coughing into his sleeve. The fever was relentless, making his head spin, but he pressed on, trying to sleep, trying to let the night pass faster.

The second day was worse. He forced himself out of bed, sluggishly making a cup of tea that he couldn't taste, feeling the gnawing ache in his chest. His phone buzzed-it was Mingyu, his voice full of concern through the call.

"Babe, how's it going? Everything okay?"

Wonwoo blinked, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand. "Yeah, everything's fine," he replied, trying to sound normal. "Just a little tired, but it's nothing."

Mingyu didn't sound convinced, but he didn't press. "Okay... but don't push yourself too hard, alright? I miss you."

Wonwoo hung up, his fingers trembling slightly as he set the phone back down. He hated lying to Mingyu, but he couldn't bring himself to admit the truth. Mingyu had too much on his plate already. What could he do from so far away, anyway?

That night, after another restless day, Wonwoo lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. He was too sick to get up, and the house felt eerily silent without Mingyu. The absence of his warmth, his laughter, his presence, was like a void he couldn't fill. His phone buzzed again-it was a text from Mingyu.

I hope you're taking care of yourself. I miss you. Call me if you need anything, okay? Don't be stubborn, Wonu.

Wonwoo stared at the message, his heart sinking a little deeper. He wanted so badly to tell Mingyu the truth. To let him know he was sick and needed him, but he couldn't bring himself to say the words. The thought of Mingyu worrying, even though he was halfway across the world, made Wonwoo's chest tighten.

The next day, he barely got out of bed. His body felt heavy, the fever clinging to him. He forced himself to drink water and eat, but nothing stayed down. By the time night rolled around again, he was too exhausted to keep up the pretense.

The phone buzzed once more, and this time, Wonwoo answered it before he could overthink it. "Mingyu..." his voice came out weak, barely a whisper.

"Mingyu," Wonwoo said again, his voice sounding so small, so vulnerable. "I miss you too. I-I'm really sick, Mingyu. I didn't want to worry you, but I don't think I can handle it on my own anymore."

There was silence on the other end for a moment, before Mingyu's voice, full of concern, broke through. "Babe, why didn't you tell me? I've been worrying so much, thinking you're fine."

"I didn't want you to get distracted with work. You have enough going on... I didn't want to make things harder for you." Wonwoo's voice cracked, a mixture of exhaustion and guilt.

Mingyu sighed, and there was the sound of something rustling-probably Mingyu's suitcase or a jacket. "I don't care about work, babe. You're more important to me than anything else. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you. Please, just rest. I'll be home as soon as I can, okay?"