Hyungwon didn't wake up until the next day, and when he did, he was in a state of confusion for the majority of the morning, unsure as to why he had to leave the room and being stubborn so far as to refuse to get dressed.
Wonho was patient with the boy, aware that if he pushed or pulled too hard, he would end up ruining Hyungwon's recovery, so he just repeated himself as necessary and gently urged the taller boy to action.
He wasn't sure what more he could do other than strongly suggest (i.e. force) Hyungwon to eat properly and get rest. He honestly wasn't sure why he was so invested in a stranger, but he did feel guilty for accidentally setting him off the other day without meaning to, and a large part of his character was made up of selflessness, unable to watch as someone struggled without throwing in a helping hand. He knew by the way Changkyun watched him with narrowed eyes that he hadn't won over any trust with the others, but he couldn't worry about that now; he only had the capacity to worry about his roommate.
They were both lying down in their beds, waiting for the lights to turn off, when Hyungwon spoke. It was odd enough that he'd talked; he did that very little, Wonho had discovered. What made it even more rare was that he wasn't answering a question or replying to something Wonho had said. Instead, he was starting a conversation, and Wonho wasn't sure if he'd even heard Hyungwon start one before.
"Do you...no, you don't," Hyungwon finished his own thought with a breathy laugh, his soft voice raspy against the walls, which deadened the sound.
"Do I what?" Wonho asked, unwilling to just let Hyungwon's attempt die. This is progress, he thought to himself. A good sign. He needed to take it.
"Do you remember...well, it's pointless," Hyungwon said, laying his hands across his stomach and staring up at the ceiling. He never looked over at Wonho.
"No, tell me," Wonho said, sitting up and looking at Hyungwon, giving him his full attention.
"When you were Nathan, you used to work out every night," Hyungwon said after a moment. There was something Wonho hadn't heard in his voice before. Fondness, perhaps. Or maybe Wonho was just surprised by how lucid Hyungwon sounded for once.
Wonho laughed, not because he really found anything to be funny, but because laughing might make Hyungwon feel more supported or confident. "Dr. Irving mentioned that I...that Nathan was an exercise buff."
"Yeah," Hyungwon said, and something in Hyungwon's voice made Wonho wish for a moment that he were still Nathan. But that was stupid; he was Shin Hoseok, and that's all he ever wanted to be for the rest of his life. "Nathan made me do push-ups," Hyungwon mumbled, surprising a genuine laugh out of Wonho, but when Hyungwon went on, Wonho grew quiet. "Nathan said...that physical activity...it helps you. Your body, and your mind."
Wonho tried to figure out where Hyungwon was going, but he couldn't predict anything about the boy.
"I know you're not...you're not Nathan," Hyungwon went on, still not looking over, "but...could you...could we...do that again?"
Wonho's eyebrows lifted, as this was the first time he'd heard Hyungwon voice that he wanted to get better. "You want us to exercise every night?"
There was a long moment of stillness before Hyungwon nodded, possibly afraid of Wonho's reply, but Wonho just grinned.
"Sure, I'd love to," he said, and Hyungwon's eyes flicked over to find his. "We can even start ton-"
The overheard lights flickered off.
"...tomorrow," Wonho said with a chuckle. "Does that sound all right with you?"
He was met with silence, and after a few minutes, Wonho sighed, figuring that Hyungwon had gone to sleep, but just as he began to lay down, he heard a soft voice in the darkness.
"Thank you, Hoseok."
