Claustrophobia || Hyunin ||

Chapter 20

Rain pelted Jeongin's umbrella, but the small boy carried on unperturbed by the storm around him. The glow of the hospital lights broke through the sheets of rain, offering warmth to the boy. Jeongin smiled and broke into a gentle jog quickly passing through the automatic doors into some shelter from the storm. The storm continued to rage angerly outside but couldn't reach Jeongin, safe in the hospital walls. 

The storm had started Saturday night and head continued full force through Sunday. Jeongin's mothers had told him multiple times not to come but, Jeongin being a stubborn child, came anyway. 

Jeongin shock the water off his umbrella and headed for the staircase. He knew his mum would be mad at him from bringing her lunch in the rain but Jeongin couldn't pass up a chance to see her. She had been working so much lately that Jeongin was beginning to miss her. Of course, Hyunjin helped make it less lonely but the idol couldn't fully replace his mum. 

He pushed the door to the fourth floor open and stepped out into the corridor. Patients and nurses passed, not paying much attention to the boy. Jeongin shouldered his backpack and made his way to the nursing station, where his mum usually was. 

"Jeongin?" A shocked voice called from the nursing station. Jeongin smiled sweetly and approached his shocked mum. 

"What are you doing here?" She asked still in shock. 

"Well, you didn't take a lunch so I brought you one" Jeongin replied, pulling a lunch out of his bag. His mum gave the lunch a disapproving look before taking it off the counter. 

"You shouldn't have in this weather but thank you anyway." His mother stated, still eyeing the lunch suspiciously.

"But you're taking the bus home, I'm not letting you walk in this again," His mum said firmly. 

"don't worry I'm fine walking" Jeongin replied. His mum opened her mouth to argue but was cut of a doctor. 

"I'm heading home Nurse Yang" The blond-haired doctor called. 

"Chan, you live close to use right?" Miss Yang asked the doctor. Chan paused, turning to face the nurse. 

"Yes, I believe so," The doctor replied. 

"Would you do me a favour and give my son a lift home, I don't want him walking in this weather" Jeongin's mother explained. 

"Mum, I'm fine" Jeongin mumbled, feeling awkward next to the doctor.

"Don't worry, I don't mind giving him a lift home" Chan said with a wide smile.  

"Thank you, Chan," Miss Yang smiled. "Have a safe trip and make sure you do your homework Jeongin" The Burnett nodded and turned to walk with the doctor. The pair walked down the stairs and out into the car park in silence, the sound of the wind and rain acting as their backing track. 

"What horrible weather" Chan said, falling heavily in the drivers seat of the car. 

"Yeh..." Jeongin mumbled. The pair fell into an awkward silence as Chan started the car. 

"So... how old are you?" Chan asked in an attempt to break the silence. 

"I'm 17 nearly 18" Jeongin mumbled, watching the rain splatter against the window. Chan nodded, slowing car for a red light. 

"which highschool are you at?" Chan asked. 

"Stay Highschool" 

"Really?" Chan replied excitedly. Jeongin looked over confused. 

"Yeh," Jeongin replied slightly suspicious of the older. 

"I went to that school" Chan replied, turning to face the younger. "Is Mrs Yu still there?" 

"She's my Form teacher" Jeongin replied, a smile breaking across his face. 

"Wow..." Chan replied, focusing back on the road. "She hated me so much, I would always talk through her classes. 

"I think she hates me as well," Jeongin giggled. Chan smiled brightly, happy that he found something for the pair to talk about. A few minutes later, the car pulled up outside Jeongin's apartment building. 

"Thank you for the lift," Jeongin said, gathering his things from the footwell of the car. 

"No problem" Chan replied. 

Jeongin sat up about to open the car when he noticed something. A black van was parked in front of the building and a figure could be seen through the glass at the front of the building. Jeongin frown. 

"What is it?" Chan asked, picking up on Jeongin's change in attitude. 

"I've seen that van before but I can't remember where," Jeongin mumbled, nodded towards the van parked in front of them. Chan frowned as well. 

"I'd better come in with you just in case anything happens." An before Jeongin could argue, chan was out of the car and into the rain. Jeongin sighed but left the warmth of the car and headed into the building. As the pair entered the foyer, they could see a figure standing with his back to them, his phone held nervously to his ear. At the sound of footsteps, the man turned around to see Jeongin and Chan.

"Jeongin, thank god," The man said running forward. 

"W-Woojin? What are you doing here?" Jeongin asked in surprise. 

"Hyunjin has run off again, but he has work to do today, I thought he would come to find you but I couldn't remember your apartment number" Woojin explained, panic clear in his voice. 

"What did you say Hyunjin?" Chan said earning the other's attention. They both nodded at the question. 

"Hyunjin as in the Idol Hyunjin?" The pair nodded again, but slower this time. Chan let out a long breath and ran his hands through his hair. 

"Anyway, this way to my apartment," Jeongin said setting off for the stairwell. 

"Do I know you from somewhere?" Woojin asked, looking closely at Chan as they made their way up the stair. 

"I don't know, I feel like I know you from somewhere" Chan replied. The group fell into silence until the emerged from the stairwell into the corridor. As expected there was a figure standing in front of Jeongin's door. Jeongin couldn't hide the small smile at the sight of the figure. 

"Hyunjin!" Jeongin called. 

"Jeongin!" The taller replied. 

"Chan!" Woojin yelled, earning the doctors attention. A look of realisation spread across his face. 

"Woojin!?"