Seventeen One Shots

J E O N G H A N | Withered

The light shines past the translucent curtains and reaches to your eyes. You attempt to hide your face in Jeonghan's chest to avoid the sunlight.

Jeonghan is a light-sleeper, and he wakes up upon hearing the rustling of crispy cloths against each other. A soft yawn makes it way past his lips while an arm stretches diagonally to grab the phone that has been laying isolated on the nightstand.

He groans a little when he sees the time. Jeonghan throws his phone back on the nightstand, an intentional action that wakes you up.

"What's the time?" you ask through a thick yawn.

Jeonghan sighs and pushes you away. You watch him slip out of the blankets as he tugs on his losened boxers.

"It's 7:40." he answers in frustration as a casual hand is thrown into his long hair.

Pluckering your lips for a few seconds or so, you finally say. "You're late." It is not easy to process your mind immediately after awaking.

"I know."

With that, he slams the bathroom door shut behind him. Sounds of water rushing can be heard when he turns on the shower.

At some point you will question yourself why you are still hanging onto this relationship. To you and anyone else, this relationship is better off dead than struggling. Just like any other day, not more than few words are being exchange. No more jokes that stirr your laughters, no more compliments that make you blush. It is just like a leaf that has withered.

You turn to your side, looking at the vase of flowers. There is barely but a few stalks that Jeonghan gave you months ago, but you remember that it was all that made your day. The petals has fallen, leaves withered and the stalk softened. Your hand reaches over to carress the remaining leaf that still held its colours.

"Just like us..."

.

Jeonghan steps out of the bathroom with a towel hanging losely around his hipbones. The rise of his hips can be seen from your position. His fair skin shines upon the filtered sunlight and his blond hair dripping wet. The water seeps into the mat, leaving trails of his steps.

"Aren't you getting ready?" he asks. Though it is not an unexpected question, you are still partly surprised that he has noticed.

"I'll pick an outfit for you." you say and walks over to him.

Jeonghan stares at you with puzzled eyes and a blank expression hanging on his face.

"What's the occasion?" You smile and shrug, brushing past him to reach to the wardrobe.

He takes a few steps backwards, a hand resting on his hip and his weight placed on one feet.

All of it seems so unfamiliar to him. Your body, face and voice. He continues to watch your little actions and gestures. The first time he met you, your body was not this slim, your hair was never dyed. Now that he really noticed, he feels so distant.

"Y/N."

You turn around to look at him, a hand clutching onto a hanger that held a white blouse.

"You know..." Jeonghan begins and your attention immediately falls on him. "We have been really distant."

Unfamiliarity lace in his voice. His eyes seem to be embracing you with the amount of attention he is finally showing you since a long time.

You nod with a half-hearted smile. Spinning back to face the clothes that hung in the wardrobe, you decide to add on a few more words. "I didn't know you'll notice."

He heaves a heavy sigh. His head becomes so heavy of a sudden when he thinks of the reasons why he wouldn't have noticed. Jeonghan lets his head drop as he sits down on the bed.

The sound of breathing is evident in the confined space and his scent still so alluring towards you. You turn around, seeing the tall figure becoming so small all of a sudden.

"What's wrong?" you ask.

"Come here."

You heed his words and put down the clothes that you have picked.

Jeonghan pats his thighs, giving you a hint to where you shall be. You sit down on his thighs and his arms immediately snaked around your waist.

"I was too busy," he whispers into your ear. "to even realise that you lost weight."

You smile sadly, placing your hands over his in which he quickly clasp his hands with yours.

"Please tell me you have been eating healthily."

You shake your head and muffle an apology.

"Where have we been?" he asks and buries his face into the crook of your neck.

Jeonghan inhales deeply. The familiar scent of your lavender shampoo fills him up.

You glance over at the vase of withered flowers. "It fell ill."

"What?"

"Our relationship...is struggling." you explain. "We didn't even prove that we still loved each other."

Kisses and hugs are replaced with silence and unfamiliar stares

Jeonghan nods guiltily. "I don't know what will happen...but why don't we give a try?"

"How sure do you think you can fix our relationship?" you ask, your eyes glancing at the last leaf that survived.

"It'll certainly get better. I promise."