You Are (Not) a Cursed Boy // 2ho/yunjong

It's Back to Do Double

"About three hours ago, your mother got into a big car crash that involved two buses and a private car at the mouth of a tunnel. The surgery was successful, so she is no longer in an immediate life-threatening situation. We placed her in ICU for now, but if she doesn't wake up from her coma in twenty-four hours, there is a chance she will remain in vegetative state indefinitely."

The doctor looked up from his clipboard. "The visiting times of the ICU starts tomorrow morning at ten and ends at twelve." He glanced at Seonghwa. "Only family members are allowed in."

When the doctor was gone, Seonghwa had to wrap his arms around Jongho fully to stop him from slamming into the doors that led to the ICU. When Jongho finally used up the last of his energy from shouting and crying and resisting, he fell to the ground.

Seonghwa dragged him onto a nearby row of chairs, keeping a supportive hand on his back. He thought for a while before saying, "do you... should I help you contact the rest of your family?"

Jongho shook his head weakly, but said nothing. My curse... it hasn't done any damage for so long, and now it's back to do double. Back to back.

Seonghwa gently moved his hand up and down in a soothing gesture. "If you need any help with the fees, don't be afraid to ask us... I know we haven't known each other for long, but we treat you as a brother now."

The hallway remained eerily quiet, the only sound the beeping of distant monitors and machines. It was so late that there was barely a nurse around.

Suddenly, a soft growling sound broke the silence. Jongho put his hand - which was inspected and bandaged the moment they arrived the hospital - on his stomach and dipped his head, embarrassed.

"Shall we get some food? There's a convenience store nearby." Seonghwa jumped at the opportunity to get out of the hospital. Staying here wouldn't do Jongho any good.

The two of them waited for an elevator down. When the doors opened, Seonghwa was surprised it wasn't empty. He was more surprised to see who was in it.

A haggard-looking Yunho. His puffy red eyes widened when he saw Jongho behind Seonghwa, and glanced around as if to find a place to run. But he was trapped.

Seonghwa, oblivious to their argument at the rooftop, stepped in. "Yunho! Why are you--" A gasp of recognition. "San? Is San here?"

Yunho was forced to back up into a corner as the doors closed. "Ah, Seonghwa..." He peeked at Jongho, who faced away and stood at the opposite corner. He noticed the bandaged hand, but didn't dare ask. "Yea- yes, San's here... along with everyone else. I'm just going down to get some snacks and water." Then, as an afterthought, "why were you on that floor? San's room is upstairs."

Now it was Seonghwa's turn to look at Jongho. He hid himself in the shadows, wishing to disappear. Lowering his voice, Seonghwa said to Yunho, "I think it's better if you ask him yourself."

The elevator reached the ground floor, and the doors opened, releasing the tense air that had formed inside. They stepped out into the chilly night.

Under the bright and blinding lights of the convenience store, Seonghwa watched Jongho settle on a stool with two cups of instant noodle and an iced coffee. The door made a loud ring whenever someone got close, so he wasn't worried about Jongho escaping.

He found Yunho, grabbing packs of chips off the shelves with blank eyes, and pulled him aside.

"What--"

"Tell me--"

The two of them spoke at once, whispering in an urgent tone. When Seonghwa faltered, Yunho didn't wait and started again. "Tell me why you and Jongho were there. Where did you guys go from the rooftop? Why is his hand bleeding--"

Seonghwa shut him up with a hand covered over his mouth. "I can't answer so many questions at once." He tip-toed and strained his neck to look over the shelves at Jongho. To his relief, he heard nothing. "Tell me what happened to you guys first."

"What do you mean?" Yunho broke eye contact, suddenly very interested at the price of sanitary pads.

"Don't act like you don't know. Why did Jongho run away in the first place? And why were you crying when I found you?"

Yunho bit his lip. "I'll tell you if you promise you'll answer my questions right away."

"Deal."

Yunho sucked in a deep breath. He continued to avoid eye contact. "We... had an argument, that's all." Seonghwa folded his arms, unsatisfied. Yunho licked his dry lips and tried again. "He said none of this would've happened if I didn't try to befriend him in the first place. He also said that we will never see each other again. When he saw you coming, he ran away."

Seonghwa was quiet for a while, but Yunho was getting impatient. "You promised."

"Ok, ok." Seonghwa sighed. "I trust that you will know how to handle the information properly." He paused, but Yunho only looked at him expectantly. "Jongho's mother got into a car crash, and the doctor said there's a chance she'll be in vegetative state if she doesn't wake up soon."

Yunho covered his mouth. He was more than shocked, but there was no time to talk any further, because Jongho had finished eating.

"Come on," Seonghwa helped Yunho with his things, paid for them, and followed Jongho back outside.

"Jongho, do you want to see San?" Seonghwa caught up, leaving Yunho with his groceries behind. Jongho didn't stop walking, but showed no sign of agreement nor disagreement. "Remember, no one thinks it's your fault... I think they would want to see you, too. After you ran away, they are no doubt going to be worried."

Jongho wavered. He stopped in front of the hospital doors, and, after moments of reluctance, turned to go in. He should at least check on them. One last time. And then he would leave. And never come back.

"Seonghwa, take these," Yunho said as they approached the room that San stayed in, passing the snacks and drinks to Seonghwa. "You guys go ahead, I need the washroom."

He didn't even give Seonghwa a chance to protest before dashing down the hallway - in the opposite direction of the washroom. He didn't tell anyone, but he had to go to the ICU to see for himself.

He took the staircase, as impatient as he was, and went down a floor. The entrance to the ICU was right in front of him, but a nurse who passed by stopped him from entering.

"I'm sorry, sir... the visiting times start tomorrow."

Yunho threw his back against the wall and slid down to the floor, ignoring the nurse's worried looks and sympathetic words. He hugged his head around his arms and knees, sobbing quietly.

This is my punishment.

No one knew this - he didn't even tell Seonghwa, the most trustworthy of the group - but Yunho remembered. The first day he met Jongho wasn't in the corridor of their high school, but in the playground outside their kindergarten. And since that day, all he wanted was to become friends with him, to enjoy a childhood with him.

He wanted all of them to be happy. But how could Jongho be happy when his mother was in a hospital, being kept alive by machines?

So that night, even though Yunho never considered himself to be religious, he bowed his head and prayed, and plead.

—

Author's Note:

So Yunho has been hiding from his group of friends, too. What other secrets might he have? And why does he think it was his punishment?

- Nerdy Giraffe