Letters From The Sky (JoongNine AU)

Chapter 21

Joong

I was unconscious for quite some time, the last I remembered was talking a few words with P'Tha in the ambulance. I opened my eyes and looked at the white ceiling, and the smell of disinfectant. This smell was familiar, whenever I visited Nine at his workplace. The thought of him brought an immediate a smile to my lips. The direct light caused my eyes to feel prickly, so I closed them back.

"Oh, you're awake...", I heard his familiar voice that always greeted me whenever I woke up from sleep, seeing him already in his work attire, going to the hospital, sometimes too early, that the sun had yet to show it's ray of light. He was that dedicated, that even though his working hours started later, he would always go to work an hour early to take note of all the info from the previous shift before starting his own.

"Joong, opened your eyes...", I heard his voice again. And then feel my hand was held by someone. Wait? Nine? Nine is here. Am I in a dream?. I opened my eyes slowly, and look to my side. That sweet lovely face of him, was right in front of me. I looked at him silently, thinking a little bit, whether this is real or a dream.

"Aish...stop looking at me liked I'm a ghost!", the look of cute annoyance on his face, made me realized, that yes, this is really real. I gave him a sleepy smile, and tried to pull him to lie on the bed too.

"Joong, you're in a hospital, not your home...", Nine was stretching back and tried to pull away, but my determination was stronger and just pulled him back again not to just lie on the bed, but into my embrace as well. I snuggled liked a cat, giving soft kisses here and there on his face, breathing in his unique scent that was solely his, without any perfume, and my heart felt full. His struggles that started off strong; gradually weaken and finally he just accepted my show of affection.

"Nine, my Nine...", I said, and gave a final firm kiss on his lips. I backed away a little, to look at him that stared back at me. "P'Tha told you? When did you arrived? Work?". My questions were said one after the other, before he could even answer the first one. He raised his hand and touched the bandage at my temple, a little above my ear and near my left eyebrow.

"Hmm, things never changed. I remembered our earlier meetings; you had a different accident every time you came to see me. I almost thought you were self-harming, Joong. But, when it happened now; that you are someone important to me, someone I cared about so much, my first thought was to run to you. Nothing is more important than to see you are alright". How could a healthy heart feel so weak? That, his simple words, felt liked a right kind of pain in my heart.

"It is far. You took a taxi directly from work? I could smell the alcohol on you...", I teased him while sniffling the side of his neck, my lips went astray. I was just using that as an excuse to kiss him again.

"Oyyy, Joong. The Doctor or P'Tha could come in anytime! Just, loosen your hold a bit, so I can jump from this bed immediately if they do...". I just laughed a little and did as he asked. That hard shell again, it's alright. I remembered that Nine refused to take a leave when he was sick, but he left work just to come to me. The moment he said I am more important than anything else, I knew I was the lucky one, that I was loved, that I was put as the top on his list.

"Good. They could come and see how much I am loved. Why am I warded anyway? I had this cut here only...", I said, trailing off while touching the bandage carefully.

"They wanted to do a thorough check, because you collapsed on a hard floor. In case some internal injury that can't be seen from naked eyes occur, it's better to detect it early rather than later. Your blood was tested too, to find the cause for your sudden unconsciousness".

"Hmm, though I didn't feel anything wrong, but, okay if that is the case. I will comply, rather than be lectured by this Doctor", I teased him again, and he smacked my arm lightly.

"How do you feel, Joong, before the collapse happened? Even if you have a fear of fire, it shouldn't just happen without any warning. Ahh, let me scold you first, what the hell were you thinking offering yourself for something you're afraid of!", this time his smack was stronger.

"Ouch! Are you really a doctor?", I said while rubbing my arm, "P'Tha shouldn't have tell you that so early, I will, maybe...quite later...much later when you're in a blissful mood".

"Now!". I sighed. When his scary mode is on, the sweet face turned so serious, still cute though.

"I wanted to face my fear, Nine. I didn't know why I develop this fear of fire since I was a kid. I never had any traumatic event, or face anything to cause me to fear it liked this. But, only in a larger scale though, I could still boil some water on the stove", I smiled a little.

"Don't try to change the topic...", he warned me. Damn, I thought the jest could made his worry lessen, but he knew me better.

"Alright. Stop being so scary...can I go back to sleep while holding you?", his thinning lips made me raised my white flag and continued.

"I beg the director to give me a chance to try. The scene was a simple one, not the core stunt scene. The safety measures were well taken care of, if you think they neglected it, they didn't. Nobody, not even me expected that it happened at the end. I really was just suddenly transported into another world; dream? I didn't know whether it was a dream; or an illusion; since I was unconscious, Nine. But, I saw fire, huge fire that cost my parent's life, then darkness where I slept, and then light, when I was awaken. Yes, my friend was the light, Nine. I saw my friend again and something new that never happened before. I saw him! Finally! That was the first thought that came to my mind when I came back to consciousness. I was so happy that finally, I could see his face. He looked so sweet, petitely sweet, just like you", I said while caressing his cheek. Funny...seeing Nine so close liked this, I really think my dream friend, almost looked like a younger version of Nine.

I could see Nine's expression changed; a slight dent between his brows, the cold sweat that appeared alongside his temple. Gradually, the warmth of his hand that was holding mine, turned to cold. Is the air conditioner too cold? I should have covered him with my blanket too. So, careless.

Just as I was about to do that, the door to the room was opened; and just as fast, Nine turned and jumped off the bed, and stood awkwardly, smiling with a blushed face to the surprised Doctor, and the rolling eyes of P'Tha that was berating me. Because he knew, it must be my naughty deed indeed.

Though I could feel the painful pinch on my side, from the person whose back was facing me, I just smiled, and didn't even feel a bit embarrassed; or regretful.