small words || jeongcheol

02: dinner is compulsory.

"Might I ask what you mean by that?" the man asked.

"Might I ask who the fuck you are?"

"Choi Seungheol," he replied, "I'm a nurse here."

"Nice," Jeonghan commented, "Great to know you're not as fucked up as the rest of us."

"I need to check your bag," Seungcheol explained, gesturing to the suitcase that lay open on the bed.

"Go ahead," Jeonghan said with a shrug. He moved his long dark hair out of his face.

"Got anything in here that I should know about?" the nurse asked as he pulled on a pair of plastic gloves.

"Such as...?" he drawled, crossing his arms.

"Drugs, sharp objects, you know," Seungcheol said, offering a pleasant smile as he rifled through Jeonghan's clothes.

"I'm not into that kind of stuff," he replied.

Soonyoung hid his arms behind his back and grinned nervously.

"I don't care if you aren't," Seungcheol answered blatantly, "But some of the others are into that sort of thing. We try to break bad habits here."

"Evidently."

"Alright, you're clean."

"Damn straight," he scoffed.

"But you're not," Soonyoung said under his breath.

"Yes, Soonyoung, thank you for your input," said Seungcheol, as Jeonghan turned to glare at Cheetos boy. "You also have to hand in your phone."

"What?" Jeonghan exclaimed, but rolled his eyes when he saw Seungcheol's no nonsense expression. "Fine," he said, handing over his smart phone, hands brushing as they did so. Seungcheol's fingertips burned hot on his skin.

"I'll see you at dinner," said the nurse, smiling as he left the room.

"Are all your nurses that hot?" Jeonghan asked Soonyoung.

Cheetos boy grinned widely. "Josh is. Moonbyul would be too, if I was less gay. But even I think she's pretty good-looking."

"Why were you calling me out, then?" Jeonghan asked wrinkling his nose. "Hoping to get lucky?"

"Ew," Soonyoung said in disgust, "I'm not interested in you. I already have a hot boyfriend. I just don't have a filter. You'll get used to it."

"Sure," he said dismissively. "Didn't you say another girl is here?"

"Yeah, Yuju," said Cheetos boy, "She's here for anxiety."

"That doesn't sound too-"

"You don't get it," he cut him off, "She's got bad, really bad, ptsd. She goes batshit crazy."

"Great," Jeonghan groaned, "I'm in a place full of loonies."

"See you at dinner!" Soonyoung said brightly. "I'll come call you at six pm."

"I can tell the time."

"There isn't a clock in here. June says it ticks too loudly." Soonyoung moved a lock of bright orange hair out of his narrow eyes. "Bye!"

And then he was gone.

"Well, shit," Jeonghan muttered, sinking down onto the mattress. "But I thought my roommate's name was Junhui...?"

***

"Jeonghan!" Soonyoung yelled.

The long-haired boy was sitting in his room, alone and reading a book. He could hear the heavy running footsteps of Cheetos boy in the corridor.