The Boyfriend Project | Sulay (1)

Ten

On Wednesday, Junmyeon had to work almost all day. When Yixing got to the house nobody was home, he wondered how he remembered the key code.

Yixing picked up the note on the counter and read it aloud, "To whom it may concern (Junmyeon), Sehun and I are out with Soo and Luhan! By the way, this is Jongin!"

Yixing stifled a laugh, it was strange for it to be so quiet there. He played Jongin's video game until Junmyeon came home.

"Welcome home."

"You remembered the code?" Junmyeon picked up the note then dropped it back on the table.

"I did!" Yixing noticed Junmyeon's voiced seemed a little sad, "Is something wrong?" He paused the game to wrap his arms around Junmyeon, lean his head on his shoulder, and inhale his mocha scent.

"I had a long day. My boss says he's gotta lay some people off because we're not making enough money to pay everyone. I'm scared because I'm just a barista, there's a high chance that I could be getting laid off," Junmyeon turned himself around to cry into Yixing's chest, "I'm scared Yixing, I'm basically taking care of Sehun. Jongin only works on some weekends. I can't get laid off!"

Yixing glanced around the room, noticing how tiny it truly was, "It'll be okay, I'm sure."

"I don't know what I'm supposed to do if I lose my job."

"Write a book. I know a guy who could give in a good word."

"Me? Write a book? You're kidding."

"I'm not, I'm sure you could. You could write about so many things, you're so interesting."

"Yifan used to write. The thing about dandelions, he wrote that. It was in one of his books."

"Maybe that's why I remember it because it was in a book. I don't read though."

"It's called "Dandelions."

"Do you have it. Can I look at the cover?"

"I think it's still on the shelf somewhere."

Yixing examined every row of the shelf until the title caught his eye. The book was covered in dust, clearly hadn't been touched in years. It was familiar to Yixing but he couldn't put his finger on it, he was saying words out loud, trying to piece it together, "Nurse. Um, reading. Ah," He snapped, "A few years back I got really hurt. I was helping Minseok move in and something sharp cut my leg open. The nurse in the hospital read this book to me because I had to stay a couple nights for extra examining and whatever."

"Zitao is a nurse," Junmyeon opened up the book, it fell open to a page with a sticky note on it and one of the lines circled, "Oh my god."

"What is it?"

"That's the line that's circled, that's why you remember it and the note, it says "Sorry about the writing in the book! One of my patients must have liked Yifan's writing! From Tao.""

Yixing looked at Junmyeon in disbelief, he expected to see the shock on his face as well, but instead, he saw anger, "Why are you mad?"

"Do you know Tao? Did he set this up so he could just take you away from me too, just like he did with Yifan?!"

"I don't remember him, he was only my nurse, Junmyeon, I swear I'd never-"

"How could you?!"

"You're not listening to me! I don't know him!"

"I don't want to hear it. Get out!"

"I'm not leaving, ever, especially not for somebody else." Junmyeon pushed him, too hard. He could catch his balance and hit his head on the coffee table.

"Fuck, Yixing."

"Why did you do that?" It was Yixing's turn to cry, "I'm bleeding."

"Fuck," Junmyeon used Sehun's Gudetama blanket to apply pressure to Yixing's forehead. He brought Yixing to the car and called the hospital, "Hi, yes, I'm bringing my, uh, his name is Zhang Yixing he has hemophilia and he split his head."

Yixing felt himself getting dizzy and his hands felt too weak to keep the blanket pressed against his head.

"Yixing, don't fall asleep, we're almost there," when they got there, there was already a gurney ready for him. Leaving Junmyeon alone with his guilt outside of the room's door.

"Sir, please don't sit here, you could trip somebody. You can visit your friend in an hour or so," a nurse carrying blood bags said.

"So, he's okay?"

"As far as we can tell, yes."

"Thank you," Junmyeon stood up and moved to the waiting room. He couldn't stop hating himself in this moment. Questions ran back and forth through his mind. Why did he accuse Yixing of something like that? Why didn't he let Yixing say what he wanted to say? What would've happened if Yixing got pushed only a little harder?

Junmyeon wandered from floor to floor until he found a shitty hospital gift shop. He thought that the balloon and teddy bear would only make him look like a huge moron when he tried to apologize, he was a huge moron though. He stayed in the waiting for another hour or so until a nurse came to talk to him, "Are you with Zhang Yixing?"

"Yes," Junmyeon's heart was beating a thousand miles an hour.

"He's all stitched up," The nurse smiled, "You can go in and visit him, he might slip in and out of consciousness though," The nurse led Junmyeon into the room. Yixing wouldn't look at him, Junmyeon didn't blame him though.

"Yixing," Junmyeon put his hand on Yixing's arm, but Yixing brushed his hand away gently, "I'm sorry, I just forgot."

"You forgot?" Yixing furrowed his eyebrows, "I could've died."

"I know, I'm so sorry."

"How don't you trust me? I swear to god, Junmyeon, I don't know Zitao or Yifan. It's just a coincidence," Yixing let both of their tear-stained eyes meet.

"How are you not mad at me? Why are you still worried about that?"

"Isn't it obvious, Junmyeon?" Yixing let out a hasty breath, "I'm in love with you! I'm so in love with you! I don't even know why, you fucking asshole!" The nurse rushed out of the room, "I'd let you do this to me all day long if it meant I could be with you! You're stuck in your own little world of thinking everyone's playing tricks on you! I swear to god, I'm serious! I really do love you! Believe me!"

"I believe you," All the shouting made Yixing dizzy and he was unconscious again, "Yixing?!"

"He'll be fine."

"Why are you here?"

"I'm a nurse, I work here."