it was lovely, how things had turned out for jisung.
he woke up with a start, staring at a white ceiling with some even brighter lights above him.
how cliche.
jisung scrunched his nose as he sat himself up. how did he end up in a hospital?
it was then that jisung noticed the burning pain he felt on his right leg, and the stinging one he felt on his head.
he whimpered as he laid back down, rubbing his head and wishing the pain would stop or that he would fall back asleep.
neither happened, and instead, a doctor came into his room to explain his predicament and check up on him. they left soon after, and there jisung sat, staring blankly ahead of him and longing to talk to someone.
a nurse entered quietly, "your boyfriend. he's here to see you."
jisung shook his head at the words, knowing that he hadn't been in a relationship in almost a year, "miss, i don't have a-"
his breath caught; his heart stopped; his eyes blurred.
"sung," chenle choked out, letting the word hang in the air as he entered the room.
chenle was exhausted. his shoulders sagged, and his eyes held dark bags— evidence of the sleep deprived hours he spent driving here and the worry that tormented his mind.
he was sure he would collapse the second he arrived at the hospital, but upon hearing that jisung was awake and okay, he suddenly didn't feel all that bad.
jisung stared at him. they hadn't spoken in two years, hadn't been friends in four.
before he could stop it, chenle was full on sobbing. "i fucking hate you, you pea brained dimwit. how could you be so unsafe? how could you do that to yourself, sung?"
the younger coaxed him closer, tucking chenle's head under his chin and brushing his fingers through the older's hair softly.
"sungie, i was so worried. i thought the last thing i would- would ever say to you was to never speak of- of it again. i don't... i—"
"i'm—" jisung's voice was just as shaky, shocking him into realizing he was crying too, "i'm so sorry, le."
"no, you can't be." chenle interrupted, pulling away from the taller, "everything up to this point has been my fault. i'm sorry for all the stupid shit i've done. i'm sorry for ignoring you for so long, and i'm sorry i wasn't there to tell you to not get in that damn car."
jisung shook his head, "no—"
"yes. now please, for the love of god, be safe," the older begged, pulling jisung into a hug so tight he almost couldn't breathe.
they were silent for a moment, basking in the knowledge that they were both okay.
"you know... no matter how long it had been since i last spoke to you... i never stopped worrying about you." chenle chuckled as he finally let jisung out of his death grip.
"and- and the second i got the call that you were- you were in an accident. fuck, my heart hurt. i- i cried the whole way here, sungie. i still care about you so much. i hate myself for ignoring you."
"it's okay, le."
"no. no it's not," chenle shook his head determinedly, "i'm gonna take care of you and show you i can still be a good friend. i have to- i-"
i love you.
yet he just couldn't get it out.
jisung still nodded his head, though, and brought chenle in for another hug.
