❄ Cold Relations ❄ [SEVENTEEN] ✓

Chapter 16: An Ailment of Two Hearts (i.e. JiHan's Array of Flavors)

Joshua dipped a cloth in a bucket of cold water, wrung out the excess fluid, and gently placed it across Mingyu's forehead. "We should have stayed at the movies. None of this would have happened if you had let us stay the night—"

"You don't know that for sure." Wonwoo appeared in the doorway with a syringe and some liquid penicillin. "Mingyu's hand would still be infected, and chances are we'd still end up at the hospital."

"Maybe," Jisoo agreed. "I just hope that he recovers soon."

"Me too."

"The sooner Mingyu is back on his feet, the quicker we can get out of here."

"You have something against hospitals?"

Joshua's eyes bore into the bleached walls and floors, and his nose wrinkled at the pungent smell of alcohol that stuck in his nostrils. "I can't stand it here. I don't know why. I just hate it."

"Fair enough. I'm not too fond of them, myself." Wonwoo hovered over his feverish friend's body while he cautiously filled the syringe with the recommended dosage of antibiotics. He was rolling up Mingyu's sleeve and preparing to clean his upper arm with a cotton ball reeking of alcohol when Kim cracked his eyes open and muttered feebly, "How much is this going to hurt?"

"You won't even feel it," Wonwoo lied. "Just relax. It'll be over before you know it."

The first few seconds following the shot were the most painful. Mingyu clawed at his sheets, his pillow, anything that was within reach, and fought Wonwoo's grip as fire raged in his blood. Then it was over, and he passed out from exhaustion.

Wonwoo intertwined his fingers with Mingyu's, a hint of worry hiding in the shadows under his eyes and a dash of affection in that dark gaze of his. Joshua watched them in silence and used this time to reflect. We're all connected by a special bond, one that will never be broken. It's stronger in some than in others, but in our hearts we are one. With this in mind, we still have a chance of someday reuniting—all thirteen of us. And I will earnestly await that day.

It was almost dusk when Jeonghan and Seungkwan returned, shivering, hair soaking wet and dripping into their eyes. Both of them were carrying what looked to be a corndog, and before anyone found out, they hoped to finish their little snack out in the hall. Joshua and Wonwoo were seated opposite each other in the hospital room. While Jisoo quietly dozed, Jeon walked through the doorway with his arms crossed, clearly irritated. The smell of warm bread and hotdogs was too hard to ignore.

"We'll all starving to death in here, and you have the nerve to stuff your faces outside, without bringing any for anyone else. You make me sick."

Jeonghan tossed the remains into the nearest trashcan and postured up against Wonwoo. "We were hungry, so we stopped for a snack. Is that such a crime?"

"Why are you all wet?"

"It's a long story," Seungkwan mumbled. Wonwoo couldn't decide whether the pink glazing Boo's cheeks was from memory or exertion. "We were playing around in the fountain."

"It's fifty-five degrees out. You guys are weird."

"Says the guy who's always fawning over Mingyu," Jeonghan teased. "If we're weird, I'd love to hear what you call that." Yoon had struck a nerve, and if it wasn't for Referee Boo Seungkwan, he might have had a sore jaw.

"You've gone too far," Wonwoo hissed. He fought to free himself of Seungkwan's iron grip, "Let go of me!", but his efforts were futile.

"I won't see you hurt," Boo said firmly. "Who's going to take care of Mingyu if you're all bruised and bloodied?"