Retaliations with a Rebel

~Chapter 23~

Jongin’s POV

“Up and atom!”

I groaned and squished my eyelids shut as tight I could while trying to block out the bright sun that seeped through the curtains. Daringly, I opened my eyes to see an overly happy Mingki standing in front of my hospital bed. He looked as if he could bounce off of the walls, and oh my… God knows what he’s wearing.

Suddenly I remembered Jaehi; I quickly glanced down at my arms to see her curled up and still sleeping peacefully. I pursed my lips and muffled my laugh with my shoulder at the sight of her long tangled hair. She groaned and her eye lids fluttered, “Go away Mingki!” Letting out another grunt, she snuggled closer into my chest.

I chuckled, “Dude, really? Who wakes up people like that anyway? Up and atom, huh, I haven’t heard that since… ever. My mom doesn’t even say that. She just pulls me out of bed. Or spills cold water on me. Or sends Hyesung to jump on me—or,”

Jaehi cut me off with a poke to my arm.

Mingki raised an eyebrow, “Jump on you—in bed? You did not just go there.”

“Relax!” I replied.

He huffed, “How ‘bout shake a leg?”

I shook my head; that one didn’t even make any sense. Mingki glanced around before his face lit up. “Let’s have you lazy daises—“

Before Mingki could even finish his wake up call, Jaehi flung the pillow that my arm rested on at his face.

“Worst one yet, Mingki, why are you even here?” Jaehi rubbed her face and turned around slightly to glance at him before turning back. The sunlight seemed to make her eyes squint so she decided to bury her face into our pillow.

Note to self: Jae is not a morning person.

Mingki gasped, “Can’t a best friend want to see his favorite ship at 7am and not have a motive?”

“Ship?” I was confused; there are no boats here…

“Yeah, I ship you two.”

“What?” The both of us replied in unison. Jaehi’s face was no longer in hiding. She flipped him the finger and groaned, “It’s 7am, Mingki! For God’s sake, let us sleep.”

“Jongin here has done enough sleeping, and you need to go get washed up. You smell worse than a sewer rat.”

Jaehi’s cheeks flared a red while I smiled at her. She started to unconsciously inch away but I pulled her back in.

Mingki rolled his eyes, “Actually, I’m here to get rid of you. Jongin and I have some man chatting to do.”

“Where’s the man?,” Jaehi scoffed.

Mingki plopped down on the end of the bed and smiled, “Right here! Now go to Hana and Haemi, they’re in the waiting room.”

“I don’t see any man other than Jongin…” Jaehi pressed.

Mingki glanced down at his lap, “My reproductive organs say otherwise. Do you need proof?”

I glanced anxiously at Jaehi. I mean, don’t get me wrong. I’m no homophobe and Mingki is a cool guy, but sometimes he scares the crap out of me—this was one of those times.

As soon as she rose from the hospital bed Mingki took her place before slinging his arm around my shoulder. My eyes darted towards Jaehi and I mouthed a clear ‘help me’ as Mingki babbled on about the new drama series he was in the midst of watching. “Hello! Jae?” I called after Jaehi, but all she did was shake her head and mouth back, ‘nope’. I watched her disappear out the door and Mingki stopped talking. “Good she’s gone now. Okay, Jongin, I’m thinking: romantic candle light dinner.”