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Taehyung opens his eyes and is instantly blinded by the light from the ceiling. There was an IV connected to his right arm, he notices that immediately. His chest starts to ache when he takes a breath and he can't move his left foot without wishing to have it cut off. He notices that there was a cast around his left leg. He starts to recall why he ended up here. Oh that's right, he got into a car accident.
Kim Taehyung is a model, and a very good one at that. At seventeen, he visited a small modelling agency and was accepted without hesitation. At nineteen, he has done multiple prints and has walked multiple runways. At twenty, he was already scouted by famous and big modelling agencies. At twenty-five, he is a supermodel, he has been on the cover of Vogue more than 30 times, has walked the runway on all the Big 4 Fashion Weeks and is one of the highest paid models alive.
He was on the way to a fitting when his car crashed. Maybe he should've known better than to wait in line for half an hour to buy cupcakes. (Totally not worth it right?) Therefore the driver had to speed to get Taehyung to his fitting on time. The last thing Taehyung remembered when he was in the car is himself saying 'take the detour' to his driver, and all he remembers after that was just a large force hitting his car and blurry images of ambulance sirens and hospital lights.
"Oh, you're awake." Taehyung hears a familar voice say. He turns his head as sees his agent- Kim Namjoon sitting on the grey couch at the corner of the room with his laptop in front of him. Beside him was a bag that Taehyung recognises as his. "Should I get the doctor for you?" Taehyung shrugs in response.
Taehyung couldn't have asked for a better agent than Namjoon. Namjoon is close to Taehyung's age, but mentally, it seems like Namjoon is three times Taehyung's age. But Namjoon isn't a prude, he's actually very clumsy and entertaining. Taehyung laughs in his head as he remembers all times Namjoon has broken props of Taehyung's photoshoot.
"Tae?" His mind snaps back into reality as Namjoon calls his name.
"Yeah." Taehyung says, his voice hoarse. He clears his throat before speaking again. "Go ahead." He was surprised that Namjoon actually managed to catch his words.
He sees Namjoon stand up from his seat and exit the door, leaving Taehyung alone. The position that Taehyung is currently in is beyond uncomfortable, but he knows that if he moves a single muscle, pretty much all of his body will ache. His chest aches as he takes a deep breath and he can feel his bruised ribs. He looks at his left arm and sees that it is completely covered in purple. His wrist and palm has a bandage wrapped around it, he finds out shortly after.
Taehyung hears the door latch click and hears creaking as Namjoon enters the room, with someone else behind him. Taehyung assumes that's his doctor. Namjoon walks towards the couch, and reveals the doctor behind him. The doctor is shorter than Namjoon, his hair is a shade of light brown. His eyes travel downward, to the doctor's coat and his clipboard that he's holding in his left arm. He doctor looks up from his clipboard and flashes a heart-shaped smile.
"Good afternoon, Kim Taehyung-ssi." The doctor's greets in a soothing voice. Taehyung only nods awkwardly in reply. "I'm Doctor Jung Hoseok, and I've been assigned to be your doctor for your stay."
Oh. So apparently Taehyung is staying here. Of course he understands that it's for his own health, but Taehyung gets easily bored and absolutely cannot stay still.
"Should I continue?" Hoseok asks and Taehyung nods. "Taehyung-ssi, you were involved in car accident eight hours ago. Thankfully, it didn't take your life but you do have a mild concussion, a bruised chest, your left leg is broken and so is your left hand. You'll be staying here for about six to eight weeks, or at least until you can stand on your legs again, we'll give you a pair of crutches and a wheelchair for you. However, your agent requests that you stay here until you're able to walk without crutches. Are you okay with that?"
At first, Taehyung goes against it, because hospital stays suck. But he knows that Namjoon knows better than himself and Taehyung finds himself agreeing with his agent. "Yes." He replies with his hoarse voice.
Taehyung sees Hoseok's heart-shaped smile again. "Alright, then. I'll check up on you again in three hours to see how you're doing." Hoseok says before he turns to face Namjoon. "Visiting hours ends at 9 pm, Namjoon-ssi." He says before leaving Taehyung's room.
He hears Namjoon take a deep breath. "I contacted your family and told them about what happened to you. Your mother freaked out and says that she'll visit you if she can. I've also handled things involving the public and press. You might want to check Twitter, #GetWellSoonTaehyung is trending."
When Taehyung chuckles, his chest aches, but so far he's already used to the pain.
Namjoon smiles at him. "But seriously, how are you doing?"
Taehyung clears his throat before replying. "Fine, I g-" he pauses and clears his throat again, "guess."
"I know you hate staying in the hospital, but it's for your own good. You'll see." And Taehyung can only nod while muttering a small 'okay'.
~
Hoseok returns just about half an hour after Namjoon leaves to take care of more things involving the public and his schedule. Such as photoshoots, fittings, meetings, and runway rehearsals. Taehyung is grateful for Namjoon and his ability to manage all these things without having his brain explode into pieces.
Taehyung sees Hoseok walk towards the right side of his bed, where the infusion pump is placed. Hoseok adjusts the position of the IV tube connected to Taehyung's arm before reading the infusion pump and writing whatever he's reading onto his clipboard. It was awkwardly silent between the two of them and Taehyung decides to break the ice first.
"Hoseok-ssi," he squeaked, hoping that he doesn't sound impolite.
"Yes, Taehyung?" Hoseok replies, he glances at Taehyung for a second before looking back at the infusion pump.
Taehyung inhales and his chest aches. "How old," he pauses to clear his throat, "are you?" He finishes.
Hoseok turns and looks down at Taehyung. "I'm twenty-seven," he smiles.
"Can I call-" Taehyung pauses as his chest suddenly aches, "-you 'hyung'?"
Taehyung notices Hoseok's heart-shaped smile again. "Of course you can."
He gives his own signature boxy smile in reply, but feels his cheeks aching and immediately regrets the action. "Ow," he mutters to himself.
"Do you mind lifting your left arm?"
Taehyung's arm is lifted up with his bruised elbow supporting it. The pain on his shoulder aches more when he tries to lift it past the elbows. He winces as he tries to hold it up until he hears instructions from Hoseok.
Hoseok looks up from his clipboard. "Can you try to lift it higher?" He asks, and Taehyung replies by shaking his head. "Alright. You can put it down now."
The ache slowly goes away as he rests his bruised arm on the mattress. He tries to form a fist and crack his knuckles- a small habit of his, but remembers that he can't. So he settles for just bending them until it hurts.
"You're arm will probably heal in about three weeks or so, but it'll probably feel different. Especially when you form a fist." Hoseok tells him. "Your left leg will probably take longer though, eight weeks at most. And, I think that's about it. Would you like something for dinner?"
"McDonalds." Taehyung responds. All he's been eating recently are 'nutritious' foods to maintain his model body. He can't even remember the last time he had McDonalds or KFC or Wendy's.
He hears Hoseok chuckle at his responds while finishing whatever he was writing. A rejection was expected from Hoseok, but instead Taehyung sees him nod. "You really want McDonalds?" He asks. Taehyung shrugs, and then winces at the pain. "Alright then, I'll ask one of the nurses to buy you something from the McDonalds downstairs."
The statement makes Taehyung's eyes widen with excitement. "Wait, really?!" Taehyung beams and flashes his boxy smile.
"I'm just doing everything I can to make you comfortable, Taehyung. I mean, you are going to be staying here for two months anyway." Hoseok reassures him. "And if that means I have to feed your McDonalds, then so be it."
Taehyung listens and almost blushes.
"Thanks, hyung." He responds.
Hoseok rips off the piece of paper he's been writing on and holds it behind his plastic clipboard. "Anytime, Taehyung."
~
Forty five minutes feels like an eternity to Taehyung. At least he's gotten used to his condition and is now able to move his right hand. He finds himself observing the infusion pump to his right. Not that he understands a single word or number on number on it. His eyes travel to the IV bags above it watching the liquid slowly flow through the tube. He feels like that's his only form of entertainment, since he forgot to ask Namjoon or even Hoseok to turn on the TV for him. Earlier, he had made a friend- a pigeon outside of the window, before it eventually flew away. An exhausted sigh escapes Taehyung's lips.
The door opens and two people enter Taehyung's room. The one that came in first was male, he had broad shoulders, a light shade of brown hair, and his carrying a plastic bag in his hands. The person behind him was female, she had wavy, dark locks and a petite body.
"Holy shit," he hears the female say while the male is putting the plastic bag on the tray beside the infusion pump. "Hoseok really wasn't kidding."
Taehyung raises his eyebrows and hears the male scoff. He turns his head and sees the male walking towards his bed while pushing a plastic tray with a McDonalds burger and large french fries. "You must be Kim Taehyung, am I right? As in the model?"
He nods in reply as the male- who he assumes is his nurse pushes a button and straightens the mattress. It was uncomfortable at first, but he needed a change from his previous position.
"Sooyoung here," he points to the female nurse. Sooyoung. He repeats in his head. "Is obsessed with you."
"Oppa!" Sooyoung squeaked and blushed. "He's just joking, I'm a fan but I'm not" she turns to the male nurse, "that obsessed."
The male nurse only chuckles and pushes the tray so that it's above Taehyung's legs and is in front of his ribs. "I hope a Happy Meal is okay with you." The male nurse says.
Taehyung smiles awkwardly in reply. "Thank you, Na-" he cuts himself off when he realises it wasn't Namjoon who was bringing him food. "Uh," he starts awkwardly, "I just realised I don't know your name."
"It's Seokjin, and please just drop the formalities and call me 'hyung'." Seokjin replies.
"Okay," he mumbles. "Thanks, for the food, hyung."
Sooyoung giggles and it echoes throughout the room. "And what about me?" She joked. "I was the one who ordered you the Happy Meal, Seokjin-oppa suggested to get you a McFlurry instead."
Taehyung hesitates before asking. "Are you older than me?"
Sooyoung nods in reply. "Yeah, I was born in ninety-three."
"Oh! Well then, thank you, noona." He thanks her and sees her cheeks turn a faint pink.
A squeaky laugh came from Seokjin as he points at the embarassed Sooyoung. Taehyung sees Sooyoung cover her cheeks with her palms and avoids Seokjin's gaze while smiling to herself.
"Anyways, can you try lifting your right arm?" Seokjin asks when his laughing dies down.
Taehyung gulps and hesitantly lifts his arm. It doesn't hurt as much as his left does, but there was a small ache in his elbow when he tries to lift it. He rests his arm on the plastic tray, beside the cheeseburger that was still wrapped in yellow paper.
"Okay, so your right arm isn't affected as much, you can probably eat with that. But if you're having trouble with anything just press the call button." Seokjin points to a button on a remote connected to the wall and resting on the edge of his bed. "Sooyoung and I always in this wing, so we wouldn't be far."
"Thanks, hyung." Taehyung grins. "But if you don't show up in thirty seconds I'll keep on pressing the button and annoy the other nurses." He jokes.
He hears a giggle from both Seokjin and Sooyoung. "Oh, please." Sooyoung scoffs. "Most of us would probably consider it a blessing to take care of the Kim Taehyung. You'd actually be doing them a favor."
That alone made Taehyung's cheeks flush. "Oh! Noona, do you mind turning on the TV?"
Sooyoung replies by taking the black remote from the coffee table and pointing it to the TV. A cartoon show- Steven Universe if Taehyung remembers correctly, pops out on the screen. Sooyoung passes the remote over to Seokjin, who places it on the plastic tray in front of Taehyung.
"Alright, I think I'm good." Taehyung informs, grabbing a french fry and throwing it in his mouth before chewing on it recklessly. "Thanks, hyung," he turns to Sooyoung, "noona."
With that, the two nurses leave his suite. Leaving Taehyung to drown in his Happy Meal and Steven Universe.
~
Hoseok comes to his room at 7 am sharp, to check up on him the next morning, right after Taehyung finishes his breakfast. Sooyoung and Seokjin trail behind him while giggling and chatting with each other. Seokjin is carrying a small metal tray while Sooyoung is carrying an empty plastic bag and a neatly folded hospital gown. Just like the night before, Hoseok observes the infusion pump and the IV bags hanging above it.
"How are you today, Taehyung?" Hoseok asks while he writes down a few things on his clipboard.
He's thinking of a witty answer as a reply. "Bored." He chuckles. "And thank you for the Happy Meal last night, haven't had anything that good in months. It's all just protein shakes and salads."
Taehyung hears Seokjin giggle. "You better be grateful, we'll be giving you hospital food from now." He says as he comes closer towards the bed and hands the tray to Hoseok.
He childishly whines as a reply and the whole room giggles. Sooyoung walks towards Taehyung's left side of the bed with Hoseok behind her. The sleeve of his hospital gown is rolled up before Hoseok asks him to make a fist. Taehyung tries, but ends up making a sort-of circle shape with is hand. His arm is tightened and Sooyoung dabs a wet cotton ball on his arm. Sooyoung's voice is faint as she tells him to relax. The needle is injected into his arm by Hoseok and Taehyung draws a short breath, almost like a gasp.
He watches as his blood fill up the syringe Hoseok is holding. Eventually, he pulls it out and places a cotton ball over Taehyung's arm and a bandaid over it. A small echo is heard as Sooyoung places the syringe on the metal tray before handing it over to Seokjin.
"We need to change your clothes now, are you comfortable with that?" Hoseok asks.
Taehyung chuckles. "Hyung, I've stripped butt naked for a photoshoot once. And I've done multiple Calvin Klein shots."
He spots Sooyoung's eyes widen and Hoseok's heart-shaped smile. Taehyung feels Seokjin support his back as he loosens Taehyung's hospital gown. There was no shame or embarrassment in him as he lay in front of the three staffs in his boxers. Sooyoung's (not so) quiet snicker is heard and Taehyung sees her trying to hide her flushed cheeks and faint smile as she hands the folded hospital gown over to Seokjin.
Taehyung feels like a mannequin as Seokjin and Sooyoung puts the new hospital gown on him. The scent smells different- like detergent, and the fabric feels a little stiff.
"All good?" Sooyoung asks as she stuffs the used hospital gown into the empty plastic Taehyung sees her carry when she came here.
Taehyung nods. "Do you need anything?" Hoseok asks.
Taehyung hesitates before asking. "Can I maybe," he pauses, "go outside?"
Hoseok's answer surprises Taehyung. "Sure, why not?" Hoseok answers, then turns to Seokjin. "Hyung can you grab a wheelchair for Taehyung? You don't have to push him. Fortunately, I don't have any appointments at the moment and I'm happy to take Taehyung on a little tour."
Taehyung unknowingly blushes.
~
It was nice freaking amazing to get out of his suite. Hoseok is currently pushing Taehyung's wheelchair through the hallways of the hospital, there was a pole attached to the wheelchair and his IV bag was hanging above him. All he's seen are patients waiting, nurses in light blue uniforms and doctors in lab coats that was similar to Hoseok's.
"Hoseok-ah!" Taehyung hears someone call Hoseok's name, though he couldn't exactly pinpoint the person that called him.
Taehyung feels like Hoseok is slowing his wheelchair down before eventually stopping in front of a door. There was a metal plate on the wall beside it. Dr. Min Yoongi. He reads. PEDIATRICIAN. It says below.
"Good morning, Yoongi-hyung." He hears Hoseok reply and Taehyung couldn't help but eavesdrop.
"Do you have an appointment coming up anytime soon?" He hears the other man- who he assumes is Yoongi, ask.
He hears a playful sigh that sounded like it came from Hoseok. "Actually, I do. I have to take my patient here, on a tour. He can't stand the suite apparently." Taehyung hears a small chuckle follow Hoseok's answer.
"Alright, see you around." Yoongi replies with a cheerful tone.
"You too, hyung." Hoseok replies before slowly pushing Taehyung's wheelchair again.
Taehyung waits a few seconds before hesitantly asking Hoseok. "Hyung?"
"Hmm?"
"Who was that?"
Hoseok's chuckle is heard. "That was my friend, Yoongi. He's a pediatrician, although he doesn't really look like one. Most people I've met think he's those scary types of surgeons."
"How did you, uh," Taehyung pauses, "know him?"
"We go way back. We went to med school together."
"Oh." Taehyung responds. "I thought he was your boyfriend." He accidentally spits out (and immediately regrets the action).
Hoseok giggles and Taehyung can feel him smiling even though he can't see it. "Nah, I'm currently single. Yoongi-hyung has a fiancé, he's about twenty-two or twenty-three. He's a music teacher, if I'm not mistaken."
"Where are you taking me?" Taehyung asks, changing the subject of the conversation.
"The best part of the whole hospital, the garden." Hoseok replies before stopping in front of the staff elevators and pressing a button that glowed in red.
~
Taehyung realises that he may or may not have a crush on his doctor. Okay, yeah, Seokjin is handsome too (he calls himself worldwide handsome), but he already has a boyfriend. Yes, Taehyung is gay. He publicly came out four years ago. He has yet to find out Hoseok's sexuality and has made it his lifetime mission to find that out.
He's been in the hospital for about three and a half weeks now. His left hand is healed, but it still feels weird, especially when he makes a fist. It's healed, but it's not the same. The bruises on his body was gone, his left shoulder and chest doesn't ache anymore. His leg is healing too, Sooyoung says it'll take about three to four weeks to heal but two more weeks before he could walk without crutches or a wheelchair.
Seokjin places a bandaid gently onto his arm after his venipuncture. It was just Seokjin this morning, Sooyoung is currently covering for someone else's shift on the second floor and Hoseok is needed in the ICU.
"Hyung," he calls and hears Seokjin mumble a small 'hmm', in reply. "How long have you known Hoseok-hyung?"
Seokjin pauses, Taehyung assumes he's trying to remember. "Hoseok came here about four years ago, if I'm not wrong. So, yeah, four years or so. I guess."
"Oh." Taehyung gulps.
In the corner of his eye, he can see Seokjin glancing at him before smirking. "Yes, Taehyung. He's gay, and from what I've heard; he's single too."
Taehyung's eyes widen as he attempts to find a way out. "What? Uh, I- I- I didn't say anything." He stutters. "About Hoseok-hyung, I meant." He adds.
Giggles come out of Seokjin's mouth. "I never said I was talking about Hoseok, Taehyung-ah." Taehyung looks down in embarrassment. "But the look on your face says it all. And please don't underestimate my observing skills, I've been watching the way you look at him for four weeks. I know a crush when I see one."
"Oh." He repeats as his cheeks flush. "Am I really that obvious?"
"Yes." Seokjin answers without hesitation. "Do you want me to help you on the wheelchair?"
Going out to the gardens as been a daily habit for Taehyung, especially in the mornings. After his daily venipuncture, either Hoseok, Sooyoung or Seokjin would help him on the wheelchair and take him to the garden. At first some of the hospital staff in unsure, since patients like Taehyung are supposed to "rest", but Hoseok assures them that fresh air is certainly better than filtered ones.
Taehyung nods. "You don't have to push me, I can do that on my own now."
Seokjin supports Taehyung's body before carefully sitting him down on the wheelchair. He takes the IV bag and hangs it on the pole attached to the wheelchair. "Okay, I guess you're good to go." Seokjin holds the door for Taehyung to pass.
"Thanks, hyung." Taehyung responds before pushing the wheels and going out of his suite. The map of the fourteenth floor is already planted on the back of his head. Right to the patient elevator, left to the staff elevator. He faces to the right and pushes the wheels, getting used to gripping and moving the metal wheels.
1436, 1435, 1434, 1433
Taehyung reads the numbers on the metal sign in front of each wooden door as he passes them. He abruptly stops when the door to room 1431 opens, not wanting to block the way. A doctor comes out of the room, Taehyung recognises him as Hoseok immediately.
He's talking to someone, the other voice sounds like a woman. "You're welcome, and if you need anything don't hesitate to ask." Hoseok says before closing the door. He turns his head and his eyes meet with Taehyung's.
Unknowingly, Taehyung flashes his boxy smile. "Hi, hyung!" He greets cheerfully. "I thought you were in the ICU."
"I was, I just finished moving the patient to this room." Hoseok explains. A pregnant pause was the only thing between them. "Say Taehyung-" he looks up at Hoseok's face in reply. "How would you feel about having coffee with me?"
"Nothing would make me happier, hyung." He smiles and may or may not have spotted Hoseok's cheeks turn a faint pink. Hoseok moves behind Taehyung's wheelchair and pushes him while walking.
They end up drinking their coffee in the garden. The air is getting warmer as summer is getting closer. Hoseok is sitting on a wooden bench beside Taehyung. The position made it appear that Taehyung is way taller than Hoseok.
"So," Hoseok starts, attempting to create a conversation. "How'd you like it here so far?"
"Good, but only because you're the one taking care of me." The words slip out of Taehyung's mouth. Being a model certainly did make Taehyung quite a flirt. He can feel the warmth spread on his cheeks and sneaks a glance at Hoseok, who had the same faint shade of pink on his cheeks. "Sorry, it's sort of a habit."
He hears Hoseok chuckle before sipping on his coffee. "You flirt on habit?"
Now Taehyung just feels embarrassed. "Uh, it's to work on my confidence. I guess? A lot of models do it too, some have other ways, but-" he cuts himself off, "I don't really know why I stuck with flirting."
"I think it's cute." Hoseok responds and Taehyung feels himself blushing and feels like his heart is about to pop out of his chest.
"I think you're cute." Taehyung fires back and finds both himself and Hoseok giggle in attempt to cover their flushing cheeks.
When the laughter has died down, Taehyung realises two things; 1) Hoseok is goddamn beautiful, 2) he needs to suck it up and ask him out.
"Uh, hyung," he hesitates. "I- uh, I think- sort of- I have a crush," he pauses, "on you. And uh- would you like to go on a date, with me? Okay, but we can't go on a date in the hospital, but maybe when I'm released we can go on a date?"
Taehyung only sees Hoseok's flushed cheeks and heart-shaped smile in reply. "Aish, Taehyung. You're so cute. Of course, I would. I was actually going to ask you out myself, but it seems like you did it first."
"Really?!" Taehyung squeals. Hoseok nods as reassurance.
"And we don't have to wait, we can date here, at the hospital. And besides, I can't stand waiting around. If that's okay with you."
"Yeah," Taehyung replies. "That's okay."
~
They had their first date in Taehyung's suite with two Happy Meals and more than six episodes of My Little Pony. They had their second date in the garden, it involves Hoseok picking a few flowers and making a custom bouquet for Taehyung. They had their third date in the twelfth floor, with the kids who were also staying (courtesy of Yoongi), their fourth listening to a girl playing a guitar in the waiting room, their fifth watching a horror movie in Taehyung's suite. They shared their first kiss when Hoseok gives Taehyung his medicine and Taehyung whines- he says it doesn't taste good, Hoseok offers that he'll kiss him if he takes it. So Taehyung takes it.They spent their first month anniversary in Starbucks on the second floor, along with Sooyoung and Seokjin. Their most recent date- they spent watching the stars from the garden after visiting hours were over, and Taehyung feels like it could last forever.
Maybe those cupcakes were worth it after all.