Thirty-Three | Something called Hope

466 39 20
                                    


Chapter Thirty-three

♡♡♡


Hope was a beautiful yet pitiful word. Sunghoon knew the day his sickness was labelled with a terminal illness that hope was a pathetic thing, but Sunoo taught him otherwise.

He proved his own thoughts wrong in every way yet proved them right with every new fever he accumulated. His mind and body were completely trapped in two different worlds that would never meet because one was in reality while the other was in the comfort of his fantasy.

And the biggest divider, one of them would die in a few weeks.

"Are you excited for tomorrow?" Ni-Ki was sitting across from Sunghoon in his hospital room. The boy was bouncing with excitement as he twiddled with what seemed like a bracelet.

"I couldn't go to sleep I was so excited," Sunghoon jokes, leaning back on his hands and making sure his crutches wouldn't fall off the side of his bed, "it was really nice of the hospital to use the extra fundraiser money for a fall formal – huh?" Ni-Ki nods eagerly.

"You're bringing Sunoo to the dance – right?" Sunghoon nods shyly, leaning his head on the edge of his palm, "You two are so cute," Ni-Ki cooes with a crescent eye that match his smile.

"I hope I'll be better before tomorrow," Sunghoon tightens the grip around his waist as if he were protecting it from whatever the source of his abdominal pain was.

"I'm sure you will," Ni-Ki grins brightly and sinks into the large sofa, "you're Sunghoon – you can beat anything!" He jokes and Sunghoon really wishes he could believe Ni-Ki.

"Who are you taking to the dance?" Sunghoon straightens his posture but can't handle the buzzing sensation beating mercilessly at his head. He presses his finger against his forehead and shakes his head softly before looking up again.

"Um... I dunno," Ni-Ki averts his gaze down to his fingernails, "maybe Jake..." he squeaks.

"I thought Sunoo was just teasing you about the whole Jake and Ni-Ki thing but that's actually really adorable," Sunghoon smiles wildly and the image of Jake and Ni-Ki being a couple which makes NI-Ki blush furiously. He shrugs his shoulders and looks behind him to cover his red cheeks.

"Why do headaches exist?" Sunghoon groaned and grabbed onto his crutches wryly and wobbled over towards his draws. He opened the drawer and pulls out a bottle of paracetamol, opening the cap and filling the lid with paracetamol. He takes one swig of it and places it back into his drawer.

Ni-Ki pulls his legs onto the sofa and draws them in closer to his chest, "I don't even know what I'm going to wear," He chuckles and leans his head on his knee. His smile felt heavy – he didn't even know that was possible, but it just felt like an effort.

"I'm just going to wear something presentable but comfortable," Sunghoon breathes out as he slings his head back. Ni-Ki is confused and simply nods finding his question rather rude.

"Why?" Ni-Ki stutters out and lifts up his head from his knees resting it instead on the pillows behind him.

"I really, really don't want to be sick," Sunghoon croaks as he slowly averts his gaze from any unwanted tension, "...for Sunoo." The answer makes him stiff when Ni-Ki just silently nods just because it was easy making morbid jokes doesn't mean it was easy to respond to them.

"Aw, Sunghoon such a gentleman." Ni-Ki teases with a playful grin that seems to have distracted Sunghoon just enough for him to give a cheerful laugh. The lightens and airiness of the whole atmosphere makes his cheeks puff up into a colourful smile that paints itself onto Sunghoon's face.

My Ddeonu | SunSunDove le storie prendono vita. Scoprilo ora