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Minghao could definitely say his Monday morning wasn’t going as planned at all.
It was his second week of college break, he wanted nothing other than waking up at least after midday, lounging in bed until his hunger got the best of him and then eating anything not healthy at all to celebrate the fact he could dismiss his diet for at least some weeks of his break.
He knew he would need to work his ass off towards the end of it to get in shape again, after all he did had an end of the year performance along with Soonyoung to practice for, but that was a problem for future Minghao.
Present Minghao was very content with eating junk food and simply playing videogames all afternoon. He had planned to call Mingyu and get his best friend to come over and obligate the boy to play Until Dawn just to laugh his ass off once the taller would scream for his life at every jump scare.
But unfortunately the events didn’t go as planned and by now Minghao would be happy if he simply got to sleep until nine in the morning without feeling some sort of excruciating pain.
Past Minghao was being too hopeful into thinking he could have a nice day that Monday and perhaps this was simply god being unmercifully with his poor little soul for planning to scare his best friend to death.
Okay god I get it, no more traumatizing Mingyu with horror games, I promise. He cried inside his head after feeling another strike of pain rushing through this body and making him curl even more into himself, as much as he could manage at least as he was sitting in a tiny uncomfortable metal chair in the waiting room of the fucking hospital.
This was too much. Minghao doesn’t handle pain very well; he suffers when he so much as cuts his finger with paper. He can’t see blood without feeling like he is about to pass out and he can’t even look at a hospital without feeling like he might throw up and now here he is, sitting in this uncomfortable chair, surrounded by sick people, with a huge yellow sticker on his shirt that reads allergic in big bold letters for anyone in a five mile radius to see.
He wanted nothing less than to run away and never come back inside this place again, but he couldn’t. He was two numbers away from finally being called into the room for the general practitioner to examine him and see what was making him feel so sick of his stomach while his side seemed to be on the way of some sort of lethal implosion.
His mother was pacing around anxiously. She seemed on the verge of breaking inside one of the doctors rooms and demanding whoever was inside to examine her son and Minghao was almost encouraging her to do so.
Once the beep from the speakers sounded again and Minghao looked over to see that yet again some elderly had passed in front of him, he wanted nothing less than to throw himself on the ground and cry.
These damn elders with their special numbers, cutting through the line and getting examined first. Minghao was bitter, but he was suffering with some sort of pain he didn’t understood so it was almost excusable for him to be like that now.
He also had barely slept at night because, naturally, he went to bed at four in the morning after watching movies all night and stood on his phone until five just checking Twitter and laughing at memes - Minghao loves some good memes - and by the time he actually managed to try to get some sleep the pain started, subtle at the start but fierce once it made itself known, making him roll on his bed in a matter of minutes.
Minghao was stubborn though, so he tried his best to endure the pain until it was so strong it clouded his vision and made him feel so unbelievably sick he had to rush to the bathroom.
After that he had no choice other than wake his parents up. His dad had to get to work because he had some important meeting that morning, but his mother was quick to call to the place she worked to tell them she wasn’t coming because she had to take her son to the hospital.
So basically, the boy got no sleep all night long, and now it was almost ten am and he was yet to be called in to be examined, even if he got a special number due to his obvious pain that was making him look unbelievably pale and almost lifeless.
Once he thought he was about to genuinely pass out right in the middle of the waiting room, his number got called and his mother rushed to pull him off the chair and push him into the doctor’s room.
The doctor was very efficient with her work and it took her less than two minutes to say she was almost certain it was a kidney stone that was making Minghao feel like he was about to have his right side ripped apart.
He still needed to get some exams done to be sure of it and know just how bad it was, but the doctor sent him right to the medication room to get some painkillers into his veins to ease down his pain.
The rest of the day was pure torture. Minghao had to have his left arm poked no once, but twice. Once to put the medication into his veins, and another time to get some blood out of it.
After doing some exams that included an ultrasound, that made him squirm all over because he can’t stand people touching him - what was useless by the way cause that exam didn’t show shit and he had to do another one in which he entered some huge ass scary machine - the doctor finally figured out that yes it was indeed kidney stone, thanks for sitting at different areas of this hospital all afternoon in order to figure out that you indeed have what we thought you had all along, cheers.
And apparently it was a bad case of kidney stone.
That meant that Minghao had to spend the night at the hospital in order to have surgery to remove the damn stone in the morning.
He needed surgery.
The boy was only able to hold in his cry because his mind was too tired to react at this point. He had slept sitting in the waiting room at some point during the afternoon and that said a lot about his exhaustion because Minghao has insomnia so sleeping while sitting is usually not a possibility for him at all.
At least the painkillers were working like magic and he managed to actually eat something at the end of the day once his nausea finally decided to go away.
By the beginning of the night he was inside the hospital room, rushed nurses coming in and out every other second to ask him questions that apparently concerned his surgery - ”I see that you’re allergic to something, please tell me what it is”; “Oh you have ear piercings, you must take them off before going to the surgery room”; “I don’t know what to say about your nose piercing but it’s most probably that yes you’ll have to take it off as well”.
By the time they finally left him alone - or almost because his mom was still there trying to calm him - to freak out in peace, Minghao was on the verge of tears.
First because he would die before anyone so much as touched his nose piercing, he didn’t go through weeks of pain to recover from getting it done to just having to take it out with no knowledge of how he was supposed to put it back on, given the fact the dude who did it told him he needed to go over to change it if he ever wanted to.
And second because he was about to have a fucking surgery. He never came close to such a thing all his life, and he was terrified of it. Hell, he could barely handle a strong headache very well, imagine having a surgery.
So of course he texted Mingyu to freak out over it to his best friend, who simply told him he and his boyfriend would be over in less than ten minutes because apparently Wonwoo had been through such a thing at least once a year.
It took them twenty minutes to arrive but at least they did once Minghao’s mother had just walked away to go over their house to grab some essential things like pajamas and Minghao’s phone charger.
“Dude relax it will be okay, worst case scenario you’ll end up with a catheter because your insides got inflamed. But you’ll take it out in a maximum of fifteen days.” Wonwoo explained, making Minghao whine in pure and raw desperation.
“This is it,” He cried out dramatically. “This is how I die. Mingyu you were the best sorry excuse of a best friend I could ever have.”
The tallest one just rolled his eyes. “Even when you’re genuinely scared you don’t fail to insult me. I gotta say this is impressive Hao.”
“I’m serious here. I can’t believe I didn’t get to convince Soonyoung into adding a dab into our end of the year performance before I died.” He also couldn’t believe he never got a chance at confessing his undying love for this one cute guy he had a crush on for nearly two years, but he wasn’t going to say that out loud.
Mingyu was aware of his crush, but not only Wonwoo was oblivious to it but he also was the best friend of said crush and Minghao may not live to see tomorrow’s sunset but he is not going to admit liking the boy in front of his best friend.
Mingyu walked closer to the hospital bed, placed a hand on Minghao’s shoulder and said in a dramatic sad tone. “If you indeed die tomorrow, I’ll be sure to tell Soonyoung to add a dab to the dance as a tribute to you.”
“Thank you Gyu, I knew I could count on you.” He replied just as dramatically.
“You guys are ridiculous.” Wonwoo commented by the door while he typed something on his phone.
“Seriously now Hao, you’ll be just fine.” Mingyu said as he took a seat on the hospital bed. “Wonwoo has gone through this just in the beginning of the year, surgery, catheter and all, the whole deal, and he is doing just fine.”
Wonwoo merely nodded in agreement, still typing out on his phone with a weird smile now.
But no matter what they said, something inside Minghao was still screaming in terror. He knew he was probably overreacting, probably, but he really didn’t want to die now, no matter how much he joked about it on a daily basis.
He had a lot to live for; he was just twenty two for Christ’s sake. He never even kissed someone.
Oh god. He never even kissed someone, he couldn’t just die now.
He might be asexual but he is not about to die without kissing someone.
Tomorrow after the surgery was over and done with and he was back at his house he would definitely regret this, and without a doubt he would blame his next words into being high on so much painkillers, but right in that moment he couldn’t stop the words from coming out of his mouth.
“I might not survive this and I may be asexual but I refuse to die without having kissed anyone!” He all but shouted to his best friend, kicking him out of the bed. “Bring in anyone cute you see, it doesn’t matter the gender I’m panromantic after all, I just need someone to kiss.”
Mingyu was left standing near the bed with a confused and slightly amused expression and before he could argue with his best friend at how ridiculous he was being right now, Wonwoo was smirking and pulling Mingyu out of the room.
“Age difference is four years tops okay! Either under or above I am not kissing an infant or an ancient for fucks sake!” He managed to shout before the door closed behind them.
He didn’t expect them to actually leave the room, maybe they were tired of his dramatic rambling and were going back to their houses, or perhaps they were going to search out for some vending machine to get some snacks, or they were just standing outside to pretend to go along Minghao’s “dying wish”.
Minghao never expected them to actually come back around with someone else, that’s why he didn’t even glanced at the door when he heard it opening and said: “I’ll kiss anyone at this rate, according to my age limit, just don’t let them be too ugly or creepy.”
“Nobody said anything about a kiss, but I like to believe I’m neither ugly nor creepy.” A voice that didn’t belong to Mingyu neither Wonwoo said and Minghao felt his stomach dropping and his heartbeat increasing impressively once he recognized the voice.
He didn’t want to look, he knew very well that if he did he would just anticipate his death and die out of embarrassment right in that instant, because he was very aware that said angel sounding voice belonged to no one other than his crush.
He didn’t want to look but his body betrayed him, this traitorous thing, and before he could stop himself he was staring at Wen Junhui.
Wen Junhui with all his glorious face, beautiful smile, glistening eyes, and perfect styled somewhat brown hair - was this the right color to describe it, Minghao didn’t know, he doesn’t know much about colors names.
Minghao wasn’t even close to the guy, they were acquaintances at best. The younger just knew the other because he was Wonwoo’s best friend and only ever talked to him every other week because he just happened to be there when Mingyu would go cling to his boyfriend.
Of course that none of that stopped Minghao from developing some heart clenching crush on the older, but honestly could you blame him? Junhui was not only a treat for the eyes, but he was also incredibly talented, oddly funny, easy to have small talk with while you ended up third wheeling along with him, ridiculously adorable, breathtaking, stupidly cute, just generally nice and Minghao could go on for hours but he should probably stop now before it gets too much.
He must’ve just stood there, frozen on the hospital bed - thankfully still in his clothes and not wearing those terrible gown things that you can’t even dare to call clothes that the hospital gives the patients - for at least five minutes. He just didn’t know what to say.
He wanted to rush out of bed to go find Mingyu and Wonwoo, who obviously had sent Junhui over, and strangle them both with no mercy. But he couldn’t because 1) he was at a hospital so the probability he would succeed in such a thing was close to zero, 2) his arm had a fucking tube connect to it and he had medicine still pumping into his veins and it would be difficult to run around dragging the sack of painkillers hanging on that metal thingy along with him, and 3) Junhui was standing in front of the now closed door and Minghao couldn’t even think much less move out of there.
Luckily for him, before he either blabbed something absurdly stupid or just passed out, Junhui spoke.
“Believe it or not but I was over here due to my younger brother incapacity to swing on a hammock without breaking his arm and Wonwoo texted me and told me where he was and I came to meet him, after finding him in this corridor he simply pushed me to your door and told me to keep you company while him and Mingyu find something somewhat edible around.”
Minghao cursed inside his head, it was just his luck that Junhui’s brother had to break his arm just at the same time that Minghao was at the same hospital.
He means, poor kid, that was unfortunate... but c’mon of all the times he could break his arm it just had to be now right?
“They didn’t say anything about a kiss though...” Junhui commented with a smirk, making Minghao’s cheeks burn.
“I-I was just- Don’t mind me- I was kidding.” He stuttered out, eloquent as ever.
Junhui fucking giggled and Minghao was suddenly very thankful for the fact no one had connected him to that machine that beeps along with your heartbeat, otherwise it would show how his heart was going crazy inside of his chest now.
“Why did you even say that on the first place? And why are you here now?” The older asked, taking a seat at this uncomfortable looking armchair next to the bed.
“I’m here because I’ll have to get through surgery first thing in the morning,” He explained and Junhui gave him a concerned look. “Kidney stone.” He added before the other could ask.
Junhui nodded. “That sucks. I had it once but didn’t need surgery. It hurts like a bitch though.”
“Fuck it really does, I thought I was dying.” Minghao admitted, making Junhui crack a smile.
“You didn’t answer my other question.” He reminded the younger and Minghao almost punched himself for even saying that, why was he so melodramatic sometimes? He could’ve avoided this whole thing if he just kept his big mouth shut.
Deciding to just be honest with Junhui, Minghao sighed before telling the older what happened.
“I swear I’m not that desperate though,” He was quick to add once his explanation ended. “I am just fine without kissing for as long as it takes, I was simply trying to think of something that wasn’t the surgery cause honestly I’m scared shitless of that.”
“You’ll be fine,” Junhui beamed at him, and maybe, just maybe, Minghao believed in him just a bit more than he had believed in Mingyu and Wonwoo. “You must know that Wonwoo went through that a couple of times by now and he does just fine every time, no need to worry.”
Before either of them could say something else, the door opened and Mingyu ungracefully stumbled inside, holding two packages of potato chips.
“It’s a good thing we’re already at a hospital because I’m pretty sure Gyu will end up hurting himself,” Wonwoo said as he entered the room after his boyfriend, can of Coke in one hand and a package of Doritos in the other. “This is the third time he trips on his own foot ever since we left this room.”
Mingyu glared at his boyfriend. “It’s just the second okay.”
Minghao and Junhui laughed loudly at that and it was ridiculous and definitely annoying how the youngest heart warmed at the sound of Junhui’s laugh. He felt like he could endure all surgeries in the world if he got to hear that every time before going through them.
Mingyu then handed one package of potato chips to his best friend. “Got this for you, it’s not the best brand but it was definitely the better option considering Wonwoo got the last bag of Doritos from the vending machine.”
Minghao grabbed the package and sadly looked at its brand before opening it and taking one out to eat. He had eaten worse; this was okay given the occasion, even if he would rather have a nicer last meal before his impending doom in the morning.
“We’re not fighting over the Doritos again, so you better drop your accusing tone right now Gyu.” Wonwoo commented, after taking a sip of his coke. “Otherwise I’ll just leave with the car and you’ll be doomed to sleep at the hospital with Hao.”
The tallest glared at his boyfriend, again. “It’s my car babe; you don’t even have a license.”
“I know how to drive, just watch me leave with your car, license be dammed.” The other replied and as much as this appeared to be an actual argument, none of them held any real heat to their words while they argued.
“You’d need the keys for that.” Mingyu took the keys out of his jeans pocket and waved them in front of his face.
Wonwoo didn’t even look at the table by the side of the door when he placed his coke and bag of Doritos on top of it, before he walked close to his boyfriend, smirk gracing his features. “I have my ways around with you.” He whispered right in front of Mingyu’s face.
Minghao knew what was about to happen, had witnessed that far too many times to not know, but he still groaned loudly once his friends lips touched and they started to kiss not caring at all that they had an audience.
Keys long forgotten - on the floor because Mingyu dropped them along with his thankfully now empty bag of chips - the couple just kept kissing in the corner of the room.
Minghao refused to watch that and turned to face the other side, he was suddenly hit in the face at the fact that Junhui was still there and what the hell brain how could you forget about Junhui’s presence? The younger wondered to himself.
“Want some chips?” He asked the older, that had a disgusted look on his face as he watched the couple kissing.
Junhui quickly faced Minghao and nodded happily as he grabbed some chips out of the bag. “This is the worst brand,” He complained. “I know that hospital food is rubbish but why can’t they at least have decent snacks?”
“I know right.” Minghao replied, stuffing his face with chips despite what he said. “I expected my last meal to be at least nicer than… this.”
Junhui laughed. “Why last meal? Do you actually think you’re not going to survive this basic ass surgery?”
“Umm, yeah.” Minghao said. “And as I’m not allowed to eat past midnight because I need to be on fasting for the surgery and now it’s already late, this will be my last meal.”
“Are you always this dramatic or the fear is getting to you?”
“Maybe both... I think the fear just increased it.”
“Understandable,” Junhui was then interrupted by his phone ringing loudly inside his pocket and he was quick to shove the last chips on his mouth before answering it.
After ending the call he looked almost sad as he told Minghao he had to leave because his brother’s arm was all plastered up now.
It was stupid for Minghao to be disappointed by this, but he couldn’t help it.
“Well it was nice knowing you Jun, this will be the last you’ll be seeing from me.” Minghao said, unable to control his dramatic babbling, but it was either this or accidentally confessing as his mind was a mess of exhaustion and painkillers right now and the first option was definitely the better one.
Junhui simply crackled at him. “I sure hope not Minghao, you’re too nice and far too cute to be gone over a kidney surgery but I’ll be sure to appear at your funeral and cry over you if anything happens.”
The younger was almost tricking himself into believing the first sentence the other said was merely a product from his imagination, but he was proved wrong once the older got up from the armchair and leaned absurdly close to him, lips almost brushing Minghao’s ear as he said:
“Please try to keep yourself alive through the surgery, if you do I’ll be sure to help you with your previous concern, that if you think I’m not too ugly or creepy to fill in the role, of course.”
Minghao didn’t even had the chance to reply because when he so much as blinked, Junhui was already out of the door, leaving after sending a breathtaking smile towards Minghao before he closed the door.
The younger felt the bag of chips leave his hands but he paid no mind to it, not caring at all that his last meal was now covering the floor instead of gracing his stomach.
He shook his head out of its previous stunned state and turned to his friends, who were still kissing at the corner of the room.
Minghao grabbed one of the pillows behind him and tossed right into their faces, making both groan loudly and glare at him. The younger was unfazed upon that, he ignored their glares and screamed:
“Did Wen Junhui just flirted with me or am I so high on painkillers that I’m fucking hallucinating now?”
“He has been flirting with you since the beginning of last year but it’s nice of you to finally notice it.” Wonwoo replied, making Minghao feel dizzy.
What the hell did he just say?
None of them were able to say anything else though, the younger didn’t even have time to properly lose his shit over that sentence, because right on that instant the door opened and Minghao’s mother entered the room with a bag on her hand and Minghao’s father right behind her, a look of worry covering his features.
The man quickly walked over to his son, dropping thousands of hushed questions on him.
While they were at that, his mother complained about the mess of chips on the ground and left to call someone to clean the mess up, Mingyu and Wonwoo followed her out of the door taking the keys that were on the floor and unfortunately the can of coke and the Doritos bag along with them, screaming at Minghao that they would be back tomorrow around lunch time and would probably bring Junhui along with them if they could.
Minghao felt his cheek reddening but thankfully his father’s endless questions distracted him enough to not think too much about that.
Once his mother was back claiming that someone would be over to clean the mess he had done on the floor, she started to take Minghao’s pajamas, underwear and bathroom supplies out of the bag and place it all on the bathroom.
Along with the person who came over to clean the chips a nurse got inside and disconnected the medicine tube out of Minghao’s arm, telling him the dose he had should be enough to allow him to sleep comfortably and if not he just needed to press the red button and she would come over to give him some more.
After that his mother rushed him into the bathroom to take a bath so he could finally sleep.
Once Minghao’s head hit the pillow, he was out of it in a matter of seconds. The only good outcome of not sleeping at night and barely napping through the day was that he was too exhausted to suffer from insomnia that night.
Morning came and along with it, Minghao’s certain death.
His surgery was scheduled to happen around nine in the morning, but he was so anxious he woke up at six and couldn’t find in him the will to force himself to sleep again.
This turned out to be a nice choice because around seven the nurse appeared, waking his mother in the sofa bed by his right and his father in the armchair by his left, and told him that unfortunately he needed to put on the hospital gown now and no he wasn’t allowed to wear underwear underneath it.
Minghao actually pouted at those news and forced himself out of bed, he dragged himself to the bathroom and sadly looked at his reflection in the mirror. He looked ridiculous and miserable, but it suited him just right because that’s exactly how he was feeling.
He refused to allow his ass to be out for the world to see though, and as he is as skinny as someone can be, he wrapped the awful gown around him body, making sure to not leave any exposed skin.
He was forced into bed again and soon a doctor appeared to go over some questions with him.
“Do I really need to take my nose piercing out? I never did it and I’m not entirely sure how to put it back.” Minghao whined at the doctor, he had his priorities straight and wasn’t about to lose his piercing over some dumbass surgery.
The doctor frowned. “I’m not entirely sure myself. It depends if the surgeon will use the machine that can send a shock through your body, if that’s the case you could end up getting a mark on your nose because the shock will be conducted towards your piercing, that is why piercings, rings and earrings are not allowed, but you can go over with it and just ask the surgeon yourself.”
The boy got worried at that explanation but was glad that he saved his piercing for at least a few moments more.
After that the doctor told him to open up his gown slightly just so he could mark with an “X” where the surgery should happen. Minghao widened his eyes at that.
What the actual fuck? Aren’t them supposed to know where the surgery should happen?
The doctor tried to ease his worries away telling him this was simply classic procedure, but that didn’t calmed him at all.
Once his mother shared a “lovely” story about how once she went to get surgery on her feet they had to mark it and even so once the surgeon entered the surgery room he asked her if the surgery was happening at her hand, Minghao felt the severe need to just runaway as fast as he could from there.
The time passed by too quickly for his liking after the doctor left the room and sooner than he wanted the nurse was back, bringing along with her a stretcher and at the sight of it Minghao felt dizzy with fear.
Every moment that passed he was closer to his end, if he could at least survive this to gain that kiss that Junhui had basically promised him then perhaps life wasn’t so bad and cruel, but he thought his chances of coming out alive weren’t the greatest.
He bid goodbye and farewell to his parents, and was at least ten percent relieved that they weren’t crying in despair once he was dragged away on the stretcher, maybe he really wasn’t going to die after all.
The way to the surgery room was an adventure by itself though.
He passed through tons and tons of corridors, got inside two different elevators, passed through two waiting rooms, at least five checking in counters, one bridge, three scary looking rooms where people no doubt dragged patients to face a horrible death - they were probably just standard smaller surgery rooms - and several curious patients that couldn’t stop looking at him once he was dragged in and out of places.
And at least fifteen different nurses, attendants, doctors and surgeons along the way asked the nurse that was dragging him if he was indeed about to go to the surgery room with his nose piercing.
This seemed to be a huge concern to all of them, what made him feel even dizzier with fear and worry.
His nurse simply kept screaming at everyone that yes he is going to surgery with his nose piercing, the doctor said it was fine, he just needs to check with the surgeon to be sure this is okay.
It would be comical if it wasn’t making Minghao so unsettled, and if he wasn’t about to go into surgery.
Once the nurse entered his surgery room, the boy almost jumped off the stretcher and curled himself into a ball of misery on the ground.
The room was wide, white walls covering all around, one uncomfortable looking hospital silver trolley in the middle of it, surrounded by all kinds of big ass scary machines.
Minghao gulped as the stretcher he was in was placed near the trolley and the nurse and doctors around simply just grabbed him and placed his shaking body on top of it.
The surgeon came into vision as soon as the nurse left him there, and the first thing he did was ask:
“Why are you still with your nose piercing?”
Minghao wanted to cry. “The doctor said it might be fine for me to keep if you don’t use some shock machine or something, he told me to come with it and see with you if it was okay to keep it.”
He omitted the part that he had no clue of how to get it off and much less of how to put it back on, along with the fact he feared the hole would close too quick leaving him with no other option than to having it pierced again.
The surgeon kept quiet for a few torturous seconds, before he told him he could keep it, there was no need to use said machine for this kind of surgery.
Minghao sighed in relief. A relief that lasted close to two seconds at most, because reality hit him once the surgeon asked him to untangle the gown from his body and take his arms free of it.
He was going to be left naked on top of this ridiculous trolley; this is what nightmares are made of.
The surgeon connected some tube to his arm and told him he would be dashing off soon enough now. Minghao wanted to argue, tell him how whenever he went to the dentist the anesthesia took forever to take effect, he wanted to confess how scared he was of ending up being awake through the whole thing or to wake up in the middle of it or just before it ended.
But the surgeon didn’t allow him to speak, he simply asked him to count from ten to one and honestly the boy doesn’t know how far he got because soon enough everything around him seemed so impossibly far away and suddenly his eyes were closed and everything was pitch black.
Next thing he knows he woke up in a different bed, cream curtains on both sides of it and about four other beds with unknown people in front of him. He could only imagine there were more to his sides, but he wasn’t able to see them.
He was hit with a sudden fear once his mind slowly started to make some sense of his current situation, making him a bit more aware of his surroundings and slightly more aware of why he was even there in the first place.
Minghao quickly pressed the red button by his bed, dizzily looking around, trying to find the nurse he came to know since the night before.
It was a different one that approached him and he stumbled over his words as he asked if things had worked out, if the stone was out of his body.
The reply seemed to fly around his head, and he barely managed to catch the words spinning around him. But he was almost certain they consisted of something along the lines of the surgery was a success, the nursery was a huge mess or perhaps the archery was a distress.
Either was the right one Minghao didn’t have time to dwell on it because everything felt dizzy and distant again and he was completely out of it, forced back into the world around him being nothing but pitch black.
He just came back to himself once he was back at the hospital room he slept on, he vaguely reminded corridors and elevators, maybe his parents faces looking relieved and the whiteness of the room he was in surrounding him once again.
But his memories were vague and messy, and he frowned to himself as he sat up again, still confused to what had happened and what was his destiny now.
At least he had survived all of this mess, maybe Junhui was outside the door ready to give him a kiss to celebrate his capacity of staying alive.
Wait, mess his mind echoed to him. Was the surgery a mess? Was the nursery a distress? What had that nurse told him again?
The room’s door opened and his parents walked in, making his next few minutes a mess of confusing babbles.
What kind of impossible strong as shit anesthesia had them given him for him to still be so dizzy? This was annoying him.
At least he managed to gather some things out of the conversation he attempted to have with his parents. 1) the surgery was a success, that’s what the nurse had told him, 2) even though that was true, unfortunately his insides were indeed inflamed and he needed to stay with the catheter for a whole week, 3) he had to take a shit-ton of medicines and his parents would be going out to grab that now, 4) he would most probably be able to leave after six in the afternoon, and 5) his friends were in the waiting room ready to see him.
He refused to meet them right away though, saying he needed at least to wash his face before they so much thought about looking at him.
His parents helped him stand and walk to the bathroom because he was still dizzy, they helped him wash his face, tie the awful gown around his body, brush his hair to make it look considerably less disheveled, and get back to the bed before they left claiming they would allow his friends to walk in.
Mingyu, Wonwoo and to Minghao’s surprise and delight, Junhui, walked into the room.
The tallest settling himself at the foot of Minghao’s bed, the oldest back at the armchair he was the day before and Wonwoo simply standing nearby.
“So how’s it going champ?” Mingyu asked, causing his boyfriend to roll his eyes with such eager Minghao wondered if it was possible for someone’s iris to end up locked at the back of their eyes for good.
“I may be dizzy out of my mind now but if you call me champ again I won’t hesitate to murder you,” Minghao threatened. “And don’t even think I won’t be quick enough, no doctor will be able to save you even if we are inside a hospital.”
His best friend had the audacity to laugh right in front of him. “I see the anesthesia made you even more dramatic, didn’t thought it was possible.”
Minghao simply flipped his friend off, causing Junhui to snort at his side.
The youngest turned in the direction of the sound in pure reflex. Junhui was somehow even more beautiful that day. Bangs flat on his forehead, making him look younger and cuter.
“Glad to know you’re alive Minghao,” He said with a smile. “I knew you could make it.”
Before his fogged mind could do something stupid, like asking about that kiss Junhui had basically offered him the night before, Wonwoo said:
“Soonyoung refused to add a dab to the performance as a tribute to you so it’s a good thing you survived it.”
Minghao gasped. “He what? That bitch, I’m not only dabbing at our performance now, regardless of his opinion about it, but I’m also doing the backpack kid dance. Let’s see how he feels about that.”
All the three of them shook their heads at Minghao’s overdramatic and anesthesia filled self, Mingyu then gave him a serious look and this alone made Minghao’s mind focus a bit better because such a sight was rather difficult to witness.
“Seriously now Hao, how was the surgery? Your parents told us you were okay but they rushed off after that. We haven’t heard a thing besides that.”
The younger pressed his back further in the pillows and sighed. “Stone is out, catheter is in. I’m not sure of what that means for me though,” He turned to face Wonwoo with a scared expression. “Is the pain finally gone? I’m scared to even move right now.”
Wonwoo walked closer to him, leaning his body on Mingyu’s shoulder. “The pain is unfortunately not done yet,” Minghao whined in despair. “The catheter is uncomfortable and it will make you feel odd, you’ll still feel some pain but the painkillers should ease them out for you. Peeing will honestly be a pain the ass for at least three days and if it comes out red don’t freak out, it’s just a bit of blood.”
The youngest was obligated to wide his eyes at that. “Don’t freak out? Just a bit of blood? Hyung do you want me to have a heart failure in the middle of a hospital?”
Wonwoo laughed. “Sometimes I forget just how dramatic you can be. Listen Hao, you’ll be okay don’t worry. The pain will creep out from time to time for as long as you have the catheter and for an average maximum of five more days after you take it out. But after that you’ll be just fine, like it never happened.”
Minghao was still freaking out inside and of course he wanted to leave the hospital as soon as possible but at the same time he kind of wanted to just stay there until they took the catheter out, just so he would get the painkillers right into his veins and he would be sure to not feel any pain throughout this.
He pouted and gave the couple in front of him the saddest of looks, what caused them to beam at him.
“You’ll be fine Hao.” Mingyu told him, pushing his boyfriend off him and standing up. “Want some more chips? Wonwoo and I can go get them for you.”
He hadn’t had anything to eat all day, and although he was aware that the nurse would be bringing him lunch at any minute now, he still nodded because his stomach was pretty much eating itself by now.
His best friend shot him a mischievous smile and left dragging Wonwoo with him, and just then it hit Minghao.
Mingyu probably just offered that as an excuse to leave the room and let Minghao and Junhui to stay alone at the room. That bastard, he better come back with those chips though otherwise he will face all the rage Minghao can manage to let out in his after surgery state.
He heard Junhui moving from the armchair and this simple action already caused his heart to miss a beat. His mind kept rewinding Wonwoo’s words from last night and the younger cursed himself for not having confronted his friend about that.
Before he could curse all his future generations - if he would even have any, he isn’t fond of children after all - Junhui appeared in his vision, making his dizzy mind imagine some sort of blinding light shining behind the older boy as he took a seat where Mingyu had previously been.
The younger wasn’t sure if Junhui was about to flirt with him again and his mind was dizzy enough as it is, he didn’t need a kiss to make his situation even worse, so he rushed himself to speak first.
“How’s your brother’s arm?” Was the first thing that came to his mind, other than you look ethereal even in this hospital room, but he just couldn’t say that.
“Plastered up, but with some drawings on it that he made. I wrote my name on it but he claimed he hated my ugly handwriting and that I destroyed his work of art, so he kicked me in the belly.” Junhui shrugged, making Minghao smile at him. “I’m okay though. How about you? Without the dramatics, how are you feeling?”
The younger sighed. “Now, just dizzy. I think I was seeing two of you once you entered the room, but now there’s only one so I guess the dizziness is fading out.”
“Shame, two of me would be a sight to appreciate.” Junhui joked.
Minghao laughed and was unable to hold on his next words. “It really was, but just one is already enough.”
He didn’t realize he had said that, until he saw Junhui smirking at him and then he felt the blood rushing to his cheeks.
He was about to stutter something out, anything that could save him from this embarrassment, but Junhui beat him on it.
“You look impossibly adorable for someone who just came out of surgery, do you know that?”
Was someone even allowed to flirt at a hospital bed? That seemed oddly inappropriate to Minghao.
Still, his cheeks heated up once again and he simply looked down at his fingers. “I look like a mess, don’t lie to me.”
He felt a hand on his chin and the touch burned him like a light of a thousand suns. Junhui raised his head and locked eyes with him, Minghao was breathless at noticing how close the older was now, he could see the mole Junhui had on top of his lips perfectly now and for some odd reason he felt his heart going wild after noticing this. He did always loved Junhui’s moles but this was too much, his heart needs to calm the fuck down.
He felt dizzy again, but he could tell this wasn’t the anesthesia fault anymore.
“I’m not lying,” Junhui told him, his breath hitting Minghao straight in the face and making his stomach be filled with butterflies. “You look adorable. You always look adorable. It drives me insane.”
Minghao gulped audibly at that statement. What was one supposed to say after hearing no one other than Wen Junhui himself saying such things?
The younger’s mind short circuited and he couldn’t even think of replying, so he just faced the other in front of him. Taking in how infuriating handsome he is, how he smells like a mix of strong perfume and cherry shampoo, the one that Minghao’s little cousins use.
The smell burned Minghao’s throat and he felt the sudden urge to press his face to Junhui’s hair in order to smell it better.
“I believe I kinda promised you something last night and you do look very much alive now, to my heart’s content.” Junhui told him and fuck how do you even breathe again?
In and out, that’s right.
“So... do I fit the role? Am I too ugly or creepy?” Junhui asked.
Minghao managed to calm down the slightest bit and forced his mind to say something. “Not at all, you’re impossibly beautiful.”
Shit, he really just said that?
The older smirked. “So I fit the role, glad to know.”
Minghao wanted to scream at him that he was probably the only one who fitted the role, because he wanted no one else, just him. But that was a bit too much, so he opted to saying a different thing, even after he nodded at what Junhui had said.
“I know I said I wanted a kiss yesterday, but I’m not exactly fond of having my first kiss on a hospital room.” And even if he had just said that, he felt himself moving closer to the other.
“I think you can manage to deal with it, it’ll be a great story to tell the kids.” Junhui teased him, moving closer as well.
“I don’t plan on having children.” Minghao whispered, his face just mere centimeters from Junhui’s now.
The older just beamed. “That works for me too.”
“You know I’m asexual right?” Minghao asked, just trying to make sure the other wouldn’t expect any of this to lead somewhere he couldn’t go.
Of course he knew, or at least hoped, the older wouldn’t try reaching that point right in the middle of the hospital, but he still needed to say that.
“Yeah I’ve been told.” He replied, moving just a little bit closer.
Minghao knew he was trying his best to delay what was about to happen out of nervousness, but he couldn’t stop himself. “Are you still sure you wanna go through this then?”
“Stop babbling HaoHao.” Junhui blurted out before making the almost inexistent distance between them vanish completely.
Minghao couldn’t tell if the explosion of warmth he felt on his chest was due to the use of the ridiculous nickname or due to the kiss, something at the back of his mind was saying it was because of the nickname though, but how could he be sure once he felt Junhui’s lips on his and his mind short circuited yet again.
The older was hesitant to kiss him at the beginning; probably worried that Minghao meant what he said about not really wanting to kiss on the hospital. Junhui kept his hands to himself and simply pecked the younger’s lips, making sure Minghao could push him away if he wanted.
But Minghao did the exact opposite, glad to see his body enjoyed kissing as much as he thought he would. It’s not because he’s asexual that he can’t enjoy some good kisses.
He placed his hands on the back of Junhui’s neck and pulled the older closer to him, experimenting how it was to kiss someone back and apparently succeeding at least a bit given the fact the older sighed and placed his hands on Minghao’s back, bringing the younger closer to him.
Their kiss was chaste, much to Minghao’s relief, and thankfully Junhui kept his hands still on the younger’s back, otherwise Minghao is almost sure his body would jerk away at the touch like it did once he was having the ultrasound exam the day before.
It was a bit messy but good nonetheless and yeah Minghao thought he could handle having his first kiss in the hospital, even if he was sure there would be no kids to tell, the memory could still be treasured between the both of them.
The door suddenly opened, causing the boys to split apart and look at it with widened eyes and reddened cheeks.
“Ops, I apologize, should’ve knocked.” A nurse holding a tray with food said, stepping out and closing the door, tray still on her hand.
Minghao and Junhui faced each other with matching lovesick grins and as much as Minghao wanted to just kiss the older again, he was still hungry as shit and as his best friend probably just ditched him in order to let him be alone with Junhui, he needed that tray of food.
“You should probably go after her for me cause I need that food before I pass out.” His voice sounded a little breathless but he was too content to worry about it.
Junhui laughed adorably and Minghao’s heart doubled the side. “On my way, do you think if I ask her, she’ll bring food for me too?”
“Don’t be greedy Jun, you’re not a patient.”
“I guess I’ll just have to steal yours then HaoHao.” And after saying that Junhui kissed the younger’s nose, jumped out of the bed and got out of the room.
Minghao was left alone smiling like a idiot to the closed door. He ran a hand through his blonde hair and sighed. He couldn’t believe he had his first kiss with his crush of nearly two years, in a hospital bed wearing this awful hospital gown.
Perhaps things weren’t that bad, even if he had just came out of surgery. And maybe later that week when he squirmed in pain in his bed because fucking hell Wonwoo was right once he said he would still suffer from pain from time to time, things still weren’t all that bad because Junhui would always appear at his room to feed him some mandatory awful soup and it didn’t matter if he would rather rip his eyes out than having soup again, because once Junhui smiled at him and pecked his nose, everything felt right and beautiful.