Chapter Text
Taehyun pov
In the blink of an eye, taehyun was back to his dorm room. He rubbed his head in confusion at his suddenly poor state of mind, unable to breath from the sudden change that hit him like a train truck. His mind was a mess, it seemed his memories were trying to rearrange them into some logical sense.
he had memories of himself at age 7 now which was a good sign.
Only, he could also remember being in the other side. He remembered how he had lived there for long enough to believe he was conjured up from nothing like everything else in that world. He could feel its absence, he knew his shelter was gone for good now.
It was what he had intended. So what was with this nostalgic feeling? Almost like a unexpected aftertaste of a dish he had not tried before? He was suddenly aware of his shallow breaths and found himself struggling to focus.
Along with the loud ringing in taehyun`s ears, he could make out beomgyu`s voice as he called out from taehyun`s bed,“ Taehyunie, you're back quick!“
Taehyun blinked several times, trying to get the fuzzy mental cloud around him to clear up. He stretched his hands and felt the ground, it was then that he realised he had fallen to his knees. He tried to gasp for air
'Taehyu-, wait are you okay?' When no response came, beomgyu rushed over just in time as taehyun lost his last bit of strength and fell forward.
'Taehyun! Talk to me please!' Beomgyu caught him just as his head nearly hit the ground, he then wrapped his arm around taehyun`s shaky body gently to lay him down on one propped up knee,
Taehyun tried to look up at him, his eyes half lidded and his mind a jumbled chaos.
It was okay now, he told himself. beomgyu was at his side.
He needed to tell beomgyu that the book would not trouble anyone ever again but gaining control over his body right now was like trying to reach an impossibly tall branch.
'Beomgyu' He barely managed to get the word out, his eyes out of focus and his chest tired from panting
'Yeah?'
'Its over, ...I made it' He muttered lazily before letting his body give up and passing out on his side.
Soobin pov
Soobin had settled down to play his computer game for around half an hour, he had already downed some ramen and was waiting for other players to reach the waiting room and start a new game.
'S'binn!'
A muffled voice made its way through his earphones, it went ignored as soobin tapped away at the keys to begin the game and start collecting supplies. The voice persisted, this time louder. Soobin tilted his earphones away from his ears to hear beomgyu yell clearly this time,
'Soobinn!'
It was not a yell, more like a plea, he registered. His eyes widened, having never heard beomgyu scream his name like that. Soobin took his earphones off and sprinted across to the next room.
He looked around the room, spotting beomgyu on the floor with taehyun.
He was at their side as quickly as he could manage, 'What`s wrong?
'Taehyun collapsed right after he got back, he said he made it. You told me he would be fine I-„
Beomgyu had his arms wrapped around taehyun`s upper body gently, he was supporting the unconscious boy's weight on his thigh.
Soobin reached down to touch taehyun`s neck and forehead, he felt hot.
'I think he`s burning up. Come on, I `Il help you lay him on the bed. '
Taehyun was moved to his bed to lay on his back, his eyes were ever slightly open with his lips parted. Soobin told beomgyu to get some towels and wet them before putting them on taehyun`s arms and forehead. His mind was frantic, having suggested taehyun go to the other world on his own. Part of him had feared it would collapse in on them.
It was cowardly of him, he admitted to himself, but sending taehyun alone had also made logical sense in his defence. The truth was that he could not have guessed the consequences this would have on taehyun.
'Do you think he took him back with him forcefully?' Soobin thought out loud before he could think to
stop himself.
'I don't know, the creator accepted him willingly so I thought he was ready to leave it behind' beomgyu said, his voice came out small. He was chewing on his lip. Worrying about that was no use now.
'I think maybe he just needs rest, I'll watch him for a bit if you want to sleep.'
Beomgyu hesitated, but soobin could tell he was exhausted from the way his shoulders were hunched.
They settled on beomgyu sleeping next to taehyun and soobin coming to check on them every once in a while in case taehyun awoke. Soobin had planned to spend the night gaming anyway so he came to replace the towels on taehyun`s forehead and arms after each of his game rounds. Taehyun didn't stir at all. Beomgyu was curled up beside him, he woke up a few times when soobin came even though soobin tried his best to keep quiet.
The night dragged on until soobin's ramen-and-coffee-fueled energy ran out and he too collapsed on his own bed.
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Beomgyu pov
When Beomgyu opened his eyes for the fourth time, the morning light was creeping in from the windows. He listened in to see if Soobin was ruffling around but there was no noise. He rolled to his side to find two huge eyes staring back at him,
'You're awake' taehyun observed. His eyes had their old shine back, beomgyu has missed them in the last couple of days. Taehyun had been busy studying for the most part so they only met for study sessions and the amount of time spent working had really taken a toll on him.
'How are you feeling?' Beomgyu asked, his morning was still croaky compared to the sweet baritone from taehyun's.
'Better. I don't remember getting into bed' it seemed like he was about to add `with you` but decided against it, or at least that is what it looked like to beomgyu.
'You were really weak when you got back so soobin and I carried you here. You also had a fever, soobin was monitoring you during the night which is why“ he yawned, as if his body remembered „I kept waking up, we should check if your fever`s gone'
'Thanks, I owe you guys'
'Don't be stupid, of course we'll look after you.“ beomgyu replied on reflex, his gaze trailed on taehyun`s bruised knuckles, „What happened in the end?'
'We talked but not for long, he said he liked my hair. Then we had to escape because of this darkness that was following us'
'Oh the shadowy creatures! I saw those when I was there, think they`re not meant to be part of the world'
''Yeah they nearly caught us.“
'So you have them? Your memories, I mean'
'They're slowly coming back.“ Taehyun rubbed his face with his sleeve, “It's as if there is a 1000 piece puzzle in my head and it's coming together on its own. '
'How does it feel?'
'Like I can breathe better. Like I can see new colours. The unpleasant ones are there but I think if I talk about them, it'll make me feel better'
'I'm glad to hear that, tyun. Are you hungry? You must be tired from eating all that cereal'
He received a sheepish smile from taehyun, 'Yeah, I had it for dinner. Then again for breakfast and lunch. But I skipped dinner yesterday'
'Okay, I'll make some soup!' Beomgyu dragged himself out of bed, momentarily sad leaving the warmth under the covers and Taehyun`s reassuring presence behind. He found Soobin sleeping on his bed with his legs hanging so far out they were nearly on the floor. Judging by the dark circle under his eyes and the opened packets of food on his desk, it was probably best to not wake Soobin. So he whipped out his phone to text yeonjun and kai, they replied within an instant:
Group chat name: bunch of losers and hueningkai;))
Guys, taehyun is up and he seems ok!
YJ: Nice :D, I`ll finish breakfast and be on my way
Kai: Same
If anyone has a thermometer can you bring it with
He had a fever last night
YJ: I have one dw, why is Soobin not looking on his phone?
YJ:SOOBINNNNNN CHOI SOO
YJ: BINNN, CHECK
YJ: YOUR
Kai: PHONEE
Soobin was looking after taehyun and gaming all night, he`s still knocked out
Kai: woah sounds like a busy night
YJ: oh.
Yepp
Hurry, I`m bored
Yeonjun
Kaii
Come onnn
Are you guys heree yet
YJ: fine fine, quit whining
(Read by Kai)
Yeonjun pov
By the time yeonjun arrived to the dorm, taehyun was humming to himself and cracking eggs into a bowl in the kitchen. He was slightly pale but still looked healthier than he had in days. Beomgyu sat next to yeonjun, a mysterious concoction was simmering on the stove,
„What`s that on the stove by the way?“
„the one on the left? I made some soup for taehyun but everyone can have some, it`s supposed to be healthy but I kinda just added everything together instead of following the instructions“ there was a judgmental silence from yeonjun, „…I`m sure it`s fine though“ beomgyu added.
As if reading his thoughts, a dishevelled soobin strutted into the kitchen, 'Oh woahh absolutely not!„ he was probably remembering the soup from when Soobin himself as ill, “I mean, how about we order take-out instead?'
"Nope, too late. It`s ready“
„please just let us order take-out, you want taehyun to recover fully right?“
„Soobin, the reason why you`re better is my soup. Just accept it. it`s even got onions which is good for him!“
„oh really? You have some then“ Soobin picked up some of the questionable liquid with a spoon and held it out to beomgyu. They made intense eye contact as Soobin fed beomgyu, yeonjun could feel the tension from the other side of the table. They ended up calling kai to bring pizza on his way since he was late anyway.
In the meantime, yeonjun went over to watch taehyun mix his dough and held out the thermometer to taehyun`s lips. The bowl around his around arm shook as taehyun accepted the thermometer and went to heat up a pan.
Soon enough, Kai arrived and they were able to sit down and wait for taehyun to finish his cooking as well. Whatever he was making, yeonjun thought it already looked more edible than the gooey monster beomgyu had created. He watched taehyun make his way to the table, kai took the thermometer to check how much it registered.
„38.9? Isn`t that too high? What do we do, do we take him to the hospita-“
„relax kai. It`s a little high,„ clarified yeonjun, “I think you should lie down after eating, taehyun. We can also give you some meds“
„sure thing, doc`. Will you guys have some of these first? 'I've made pancakes for you guys, ' yeonjun looked at taehyun`s hands to find the pancakes neatly stacked on top of each other. An image of younger taehyun flashed in his head, offering them pancakes when yeonjun had accidentally travelled there himself with Soobin. They instinctively turned to each other, lost in the memory for a second.
'guys? Is something wrong?' Taehyun stared at them blankly so yeonjun gathered himself together,
'Nnn no , its just that it looks delicious!' said Soobin.
'And feels familiar' was all yeonjun could say before filling up his plate. Sure, he technically already had breakfast but the pancakes looked too good to refuse. Also, maybe it was because taehyun was unwell, he found that saying no to taehyun was surprisingly difficult to do.
Kai pov
It was a few weeks later, taehyun had recovered physically and he had agreed to talk if anything troubled him. Kai was, admittedly, a little bummed out that he did not get to meet baby taehyun.
It was almost summer which meant break and graduation for yeonjun. He had promised to visit them from time to time next academic year, kai was happy for him but a little sad that he was leaving.
Kai was sitting on the floor outside the psychology building with taehyun, the grass was all warm from the sun so it was the ideal location for lunch.
They had just finished sharing a cinnamon bun when kai spotted kazuha passing by. She gave them a nod in recognition and went over. Kai hoped that taehyun was not feeling too awkward so kai attempted to make conversation, „Do you have any weekend plans kazuha? Ohh, I`m just asking in a friendly manner of course. It wasn`t supposed to come out that wa-“
„I get it, don`t worry kai. There is this laser tag place close to campus, I was going to reserve a spot with friends on sunday“
„ you wanted to do that when we were kids as well, right? You would bring some glowsticks and we would pretend that it was a laser shooting our hands.. It sounds like a great idea“ taehyun commented.
„ You remember that?„ kazuha looked positively taken aback,, “Oh my god! I knew it was you, do you want to come next time? You can bring your friends as well, I feel like they would enjoy it too“ she beamed.
„Sure, sounds cool“
Kai he was glad that taehyun was comfortable talking to kazuha now.
„I`m on board too“