Chapter Text
Hearing that your best friend was in a coma after getting into an accident whilst on vacation in Japan had messed you up a lot. In the hour plus you had spent crying at work after the phone call with your best friend's mum, you tried calling Chan twice but said boy would simply not pick up or call back. He had warned you that he'd be busy recording for their next comeback and usually during times like these, you'd keep your distance until he was available. Today, however, you were antsy and panicky and if nothing else, you just needed a hug from your boyfriend.
Eventually, when you managed to calm yourself down, you booked the next available flight to Japan but that was eight hours away. Your supervisor had advised you take the rest of the day off and go and pack for the trip. It didn't take you long to get a suitcase ready and you still had more than six hours of waiting time. You unsuccessfully tried calling Chan again and the texts you had sent were still unopened. You decided to get yourself busy and bake some cupcakes to drop off for the boys on your way to the airport. You just needed something to get you preoccupied and whilst the cupcakes were still hot, you called a taxi and asked to be dropped off at JYP.
You had left your suitcase at the reception and just carried the box with the baked goods but as you were in the elevator riding up to Chan's floor, you couldn't fight off the heaviness in your chest the closer to his room you got. When you got to the door, you saw the bright red 'BUSY' sign on it and for a moment had the mind to turn away and go back. However, after several minutes of contemplation, you just decided you'd interrupt him very briefly so long as you got a chance to say goodbye.
The nervousness you felt doubled after you rang his intercom and it took a couple of minutes before you heard Jisung's voice asking who was on the door. He quickly opened the door for you right after you said your name and he was understandably surprised to see you.
"Mira? You came?" He asked once you stepped in. Changbin was sitting on the sofa with headphones on but he turned to greet you with a cute smile.
"Yes, I brought you guys some cupcakes just to cheerlead you on." You said as you handed Jisung the box. Jisung gasped pleasantly as he inhaled the sweet aroma of freshly baked cupcakes whilst Changbin let out a happy squeak.
"You're the best," Changbin said, "Thank you."
"Are you kidding me?" You heard Chan exclaim and you turned your gaze to him and saw him standing by the entrance of the recording booth with Hyunjin standing behind him. Hyunjin waved at you with a bright but tired smile and you waved back at him.
"Babe." You said, feeling overwhelmed and wanting to just run and hug him. "I tried calling, you wouldn't pick up." You were walking towards him but his response had you pause in your track.
"Yeah because I am busy, in case you didn't get the memo. Is the sign not there outside?" Chan not only sounded exasperated but he looked annoyed and you felt your heart break a second time that day.
You willed the tears that you could feel forming away and took a deep breath before replying him. "It is, I thought I could just pop in for a few minutes and…"
"Mira, a few minutes is not time we have right now. And the boys can't be eating cupcakes whilst recording, you know better." It took you a little while to process that not only had Chan cut you off whilst you were still speaking but he had also called you by name and not by the usual pet names you called each other.
"Right!" You said a little too lowly, "My bad. I'll just see if the staff will have them instead. I'll leave you guys to it." You took your box of cupcakes from Jisung with a sad smile. "I'll bake you some when you're not recording okay?"
Jisung nodded with a panicked expression. You saw him mouth a 'sorry' that almost had you dropping the tears you were fighting so hard to keep away.
"Bye." You waved at the boys as you made your exit into the passage and the moment the door closed, you felt your knees give in and you sat on the floor for a while. After regaining your composure, you left the box on the floor as you couldn't find the strength to take it back with you.
After getting your suitcase at the reception, you met with the remaining four Stray Kids members you hadn't seen in Chan's room as they were getting into the building.
"Mira!" Seungmin greeted you with a warm smile and their excited greetings made you smile back at them.
"Hie my babies." You greeted them back to which Minho expectedly scoffed in response at.
"Are you going somewhere?" Minho asked, pointing at your suitcase.
"Mmm," you affirmed, "My best friend had an accident in Japan so I took some days off so I can go and see her." You explained. Talking about it had your voice wobble a bit.
"Oh no, I'm so sorry Mira." Felix said as he came to hug you.
"I hope she recovers soon," Jeongin added whilst patting you on your back fondly.
"Thank you." You responded shakily at them and it was evident you were about to cry.
"I'm sure you need no telling that it's okay to cry if you feel like it." Minho said as he noticed your struggle.
"I don't want to hold you back, I know you guys are busy." You argued.
"No, we've got all the time. We are done recording our parts and waiting for the others to finish before going for dance practice." Seungmin said.
"Yeah, so we're on our way to the practice room so we start dance practice whilst waiting for them." Jeongin added.
"Otherwise your boyfriend wouldn't have had us loitering around before we're done." Felix said with a fake annoyed face.
You couldn't help but smile at him, "Still, I've got a flight to catch so I'll be on my way. Thank you so much. I feel much better after seeing you guys."
They all gave you goodbye hugs that lasted long enough for you to feel like you got the farewell you sought when you came here in the first place. You were so happy you met them as you left JYP feeling slightly better than when you had entered, though that feeling couldn't be credited to your boyfriend at all.
You were grateful that the flight to Japan was short and hassle free. You headed first for the hospital before going to the hotel you had managed to reserve before leaving South Korea. You were immensely relieved when the doctor explained to you that your best friend was in an medically induced coma and they'd bring her back to consciousness once they felt her body had recovered sufficiently from the accident which would take about a day or two. You immediately called her parents to also let them know and you could tell how relieved they were, especially now that you were there with her and she wasn't alone anymore.
For a quick moment you almost hit the call button to Chan before remembering the treatment you'd gotten from him earlier and how he hadn't reached out to you yet. You decided to read a novel for your bestie as you awaited for her parents to board their own flight to Japan. You were going to be here for the entire time until they arrived and you were determined to be strong by yourself as if there was no Chan meant to support you during your rough times.