The Boyfriend Project | Sulay (1)

Four

"Wake up, Yixing, you need to take your medicine."

"Minseok, what day is it?"

"Tuesday."

"I need to go get my shots today. Can you come with me?"

"I have to go fill out paperwork for my service dog today."

"I can't go by myself. I'm too scared of the needles."

"Ask Junmyeon."

"I'm scared to ask him."

"Call him now, I'll be next to you if you freak out."

Yixing still had to get a hold of Junmyeon through Sehun. So, of course, he had to hear about Sehun's weird dream about Luhan, who he'd never seen, actually being a deer rather than a human, then, "JUNMYEON, WAKE UP!"

"What the hell? Hello?"

"Um, hi, it's, um, good morning."

"Hey, Yixing, do you need something?"

"I was wondering, and you don't have to say yes or anything, but I have to go to the doctor, um, and I'm too scared to get shots by myself and Minseok is busy, so, um, I was wondering if you could, um, come with me?"

Junmyeon yawned, "Sure, I'll pick you up in twenty. Text Sehun your address."

Yixing was surprised that Junmyeon actually agreed to take him. He kind of got the vibe that Junmyeon didn't really like him.

Junmyeon arrived in twenty minutes just like he had said.

"Thank you a lot for going out of your way to take me."

"It's no big deal, I have to take Jongin to get shots a lot because it freaks him out too."

"I should be used to it by now, I've had to get shots since I was little."

Yixing enjoyed watching people in the waiting room, even though he knew it was weird. He sat next to a blind man.

"You smell nice."

"Hey, thanks, nobody else has noticed my cologne today," Yixing smiled, "Can I ask you something weird?"

"Sure," This guy seemed pretty laid back for not being able to see.

"Is it true what they say about your other senses being stronger if you're blind?"

"I wouldn't know what it's like. I've always been blind."

"Oh, sorry."

"Eh, whatever. My name is Chanyeol, by the way."

Another note on the back of Yixing's bookmark: 'Chanyeol- blind.'

"I'm Yixing, do you want to be friends?"

Chanyeol laughed halfheartedly, "Okay, shake my hand." Yixing shook his hand, "I only have one other friend. His name is Baekhyun, but he doesn't visit me as much as he used to. I think his PTSD is getting worse. Why are you here?"

"I have hemophilia."

"What about the guy next to you?"

"He's my friend, he's here to help me get through the shots."

Junmyeon took the book from Yixing's hands, "My name is Suho. Do you want to listen to the book I'm going to read to Yixing?"

"I guess, why can't Yixing read it? He can see, can't he?"

"If he's reading in his head he gets distracted and forgets what happened on the previous page."

"Ah, I get it. Read on, Suho."

Junmyeon read approximately a chapter of the book before the three of them heard "Zhang Yixing."

Chanyeol handed him a business card with his phone number on it before he followed his doctor into the room.

"Park Chanyeol. Professional Musician," Yixing read in awe.

"Minseok's not with you today?" The doctor asked.

"No, I've got Suho with me. Minseok has to fill out paperwork for his dog."

"Minseok called me recently. He expressed some concern about what your medication has been doing to your memory."

"My memory is fine."

"What's the book called that Suho was reading to you?"

"Uh."

"Yixing, we might need to switch your medication."

"Is that safe? I don't want to switch medications, I've always taken the same one."

"Well, I'm not going to decide right away, of course, we'll see if your memory is affected anymore."

Yixing watched in horror as he filled the syringe. He didn't like to think that such a large needle went into his own body. Junmyeon sensed his fear and held his hand loosely. Minseok would never do that.

"Does it really still scare you that bad? Aren't you used to it?"

Yixing shook his head and looked away as the needle got closer to him. He winced, but seemingly never felt the pain, "Did you do it?"

"Yep, just one more arm now," Suho held onto the opposite hand, again, Yixing didn't feel a thing.

"I didn't even feel it! Is that bad?"

"If you're not thinking about it you won't feel it, usually," Junmyeon informed him then let go of his hand, Yixing wished he hadn't. The car ride back home was silent until Junmyeon said, "Been to the club recently?"

"No," Yixing could suddenly feel the pain in his arms, "I want to prove to you that I'm really not that bad. I have my reasons but I'm really not a bad person."

"What reasons?"

"If it's a stranger, I don't have to try and remember him. If it's a stranger, they don't have to see me as being weird or weak just because I have a disease."

"If somebody truly loves you they're going to love you regardless of your disease."

Yixing looked at Junmyeon because that's the only person he wanted to truly love him, but he didn't.

"It's not so easy," Yixing twiddled his thumbs, "wanting somebody to feel the same way, but they don't anyways."

Junmyeon nodded, "Is Minseok coming home tonight?"

"No, he has to stay overnight in Seoul. Why?"

"I didn't want you to be all alone, you can stay over if you want."

"I'd just be a bother," Yixing laughed nervously.

"No, really, I insist."

"Um, alright."

The door was opened to Jongin and Sehun yelling about their video games, "Do you want me to read to you?"

Yixing nodded, so Junmyeon led him into his bedroom and let him lay down on his bed. He read for a long time too. The book was about a character who wanted to understand the meaning of life, life was pointless to him. You live then you die.

Junmyeon's voice was comforting to Yixing, "Humans are just like dandelions, gusts of winds blow by and break us apart."

"I like that," Yixing interrupted, "You should stop there."

"Do you want to go to sleep?"

"Yeah, I could take the couch," Yixing stood up.

"You can sleep next to me, just don't try anything."

This whole Junmyeon/ Suho thing was confusing to Yixing. He didn't know if this was how he treated all of his friends or if he did like him back.

"Okay."