VERTIGO HEART | SOPE ✓

06 | VERTIGO HEART

"Oh, I brought you some tea," Hoseok said, "I don't know if you can have it, but I don't see why not."

"That actually sounds really good right now," Yoongi gushed.

Hoseok looked unsure when Yoongi made grabby-hands for it, as though he needed permission from someone in authority. Yoongi decided to play dirty, he pouted and gave the best puppy-eyes he could muster. He watched with satisfaction as Hoseok caved in with minimal effort. His eye-roll was negated by his hearty smile as he passed Yoongi the warm beverage and settled back in his chair.

They both sat in a comfortable silence and sipped at their tea, but the moment Yoongi winced when he tried to place his cup in the small rolling tray beside him, Hoseok's smile slipped and he swiped the cup from him.

"Miyeon said to let you know that she told you to rest and take care of yourself, not end up in hospital."

"No, she told me to stay in bed. I think I'm doing a pretty great job following her directions," Yoongi said with a smug grin in hopes to lift his spirits.

Although Yoongi was the one in the hospital gown, he abided by misfortune far easier than Hoseok and he knew that the other was worried. Perhaps his kindness was what made him so sensitive, or maybe his sensitivity was the origin of his kindness? Regardless, Yoongi wanted to hide all negativity and shield him from it, even though he knew his very presence was the greatest darkness.

"Definitely not what she meant," Hoseok chuckled, although pity still lurked behind his cheerful visage. Yoongi loathed it, but tried to chase away the pity with a smile.

"Is she your friend?" Yoongi's feline eyes observed him suggestively.

A rosy hue rose to bubble upon his prominent ochre cheeks. "She is now," he smiled.

With a quirked brow, Yoongi asked, "Do you like her?"

Hoseok's face contorted to disbelief and confusion, which caused Yoongi to burst out in laughter before a fit of coughing attacked him. Hoseok looked concerned, even though it ended fairly quickly.

"She's not really...my type. I thought that was pretty obvious," he rubbed his nape sheepishly. His gaze was fixated on Yoongi's exposed chest as though his heart would push through and explode, but his worry about his health did not stop the blush that deepened to an obvious pale rose.

Yoongi did not know what to make of him or his words. He knew there had been implied interest, yet he was unsure of his assumption. Hoseok had been subtle, but at the same time he was blatantly obvious. It should have been crystal clear, even to a socially deprived boy as Yoongi himself, but doubt was a powerful artefact he had buried within his imaginative shortcomings.

Part of Yoongi wanted to ask why he had been there with him when he could have done anything else in the world, but he also did not wish to dwell on it. Perhaps he did not want to admit it to himself, but he needed him—at least for a little while. He needed to forget the impending brick wall his life was about to crash into and enjoy the vista's beauty before it ended.

After he had come to an agreement with himself, he allowed himself this one last memory as something to refer back to when everything fell apart.

Yoongi switched off his fear, guilt and doubt and immersed himself in the radiant halo created by Hoseok's smile.

His smile.

Yoongi needed him to smile, at least once more, so he opted to change the topic.

"Shouldn't you be working or something?"

Hoseok chuckled subtly, clearly at a joke only he knew the punchline to, but his smile was there so Yoongi did not think twice about it. The simple question began a string of conversation that transitioned from one subject to the next without pause. Hoseok spoke about his job, ranted about business mumbo jumbo, mergers, conglomerates and a bunch of other things and words Yoongi did not understand.