𝗨𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘𝗟𝗬 𝗥𝗢𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘 ❣ 𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘩𝘺𝘶𝘤𝘬. | ON-HOLD

SEVEN

Donghyuck wakes up by someone tapping his shoulder gently. It's Eunkyung. "Good morning, Mr. Lee."

"Morning," he greets back, voice still raspy.

Eunkyung glances at the table and sees the bowl. "You consumed the soup? That's great! Good job." She then smiles. "Did Nurse Yunji bring it to you last night?"

"Yunji? No."

She looks at him confusedly, "Who brought it, then?"

"Renjun," he mumbles.

"Renjun?" she confirms and he nods. "Hm, okay, then. Do you want to eat breakfast?"

He shakes his head, "No."

"All right. But just in case, I'd still bring you a meal later, okay?" She reaches to the pocket of her uniform and pulls out a bottle of tablet. She opens the lid and grabs one piece. "Here, have your vitamin, Mr. Lee."

He immediately grabs it, as well as the glass of water from the table. He puts the vitamin in his mouth and drinks the water, forcing himself to swallow the tablet.

"Where's Mark?" he asks as he puts back the now empty glass on the table.

"Oh. I don't know, sorry," she replies and takes the tray with the bowl and glass on it. "Get well soon, Mr. Lee." She bows and finally leaves the room.

Donghyuck rolls his eyes. "I'm not sick."

He leans his back at the same time his phone vibrated on the bedside table. He looks at it and watches the notification pop up.

1 unread message from Markie♡

He grabs his phone and clicks on the message.

Markie♡:

Hi baby, sorry I didn't wake you up. You're sleeping so soundly. I had to go home because Mom called. I'll visit again tomorrow before your therapy. See you! And eat your meals, okay? I love you.

He smiles a bit and puts his phone back on the table.

"Hi."

He gets startled when someone suddenly speaks. He turns to his other side and there he sees Renjun.

"Can you please stop startling me everytime?"

Renjun giggles, "Sorry. I'm here to bring your breakfast-or brunch since it's almost lunch time." He walks to the other side and places the tray on the table. "They got you some corn soup again, and bacon and rice."

Donghyuck shakes his head, "Bacon? It'll make me fat."

"If you eat slowly, you won't get fat," Renjun informs calmly. "Oh, I just remembered. Good luck on your therapy tomorrow."

"Sit here." Donghyuck taps the bed and Renjun doesn't hesitate to sit on the spot next to the younger. "I'm so nervous for tomorrow. I don't know what am I gonna do."

"I'm sure your boyfriend will cheer you up tomorrow." Renjun smiles and glances at the tray. "Oh, you must eat now." The patient shakes his head. "Please?"

"Just a little?"

"No, you have to finish it."

Donghyuck looks down and crosses his arms against his chest. "I don't want to eat." Tears start to burst out of his eyes. "You don't understand. I need to stay thin. Being chubby makes me so unattractive and I hate myself for that."

Renjun looks at him worried. He sighs and scoots closer to the younger, his leg touching Donghyuck's feet. "Look at yourself, sweetie. Your thinness is unhealthy, and you're so pale-"

"You're pale, too."

"That's my natural complexion." Renjun scrunches his nose. "Your legs have wide gap, it's unusual. And your wrist," He holds both of Donghyuck's wrist using one hand, "I can almost hold them in one hand."

Donghyuck gulps and pulls out his wrists from the older's grip and looks down. "I... I feel like you're just insulting me. I thought you want me feel better? I feel worst about myself." He unconsciously licks his lower lip and looks up at the pretty nurse.

"Hyuckie, I'm sorry."

He looks at Renjun emotionlessly and traces his gaze across his face. He notices his sad-looking droopy eyes, pale cheeks, and his dry crusty lips. He wonders if he is like him? Living in the miserable part of his life?

"Renjun."

"Hm?"

"Everything's going to be fine," he says, but he doesn't know if it's for Renjun or for himself. Maybe both. But at least he sees the pretty nurse's pretty and mesmerizing smile again.

×××

Renjun watches as Donghyuck stares at the foot of the bed, scratching the skin of his arm where the IV tube is injected. He gets up from the couch and approaches him, then sits beside him.

"Something's bothering you?"

"I wanna take this tube out," Donghyuck mumbles but Renjun still manages to hear it.

"You can't, sweetie," the latter says softly, "It's what gives you nutrients because you don't eat much."

Donghyuck turns to him, eyebrows meeting each other. "And what if I gain weight because of this?"

"That's good, then."

"What if I became chubby again?"

"So what?" Renjun sighs, "Are you really that conscious about your body shape? No one's going to judge you even if you're going to be the fattest person in the world."

"Stop saying that!" Donghyuck raises his voice, "The voices in my head are always telling me that I should not get fat because people don't like it." His tears start falling again, "People don't like it when you have belly fats, when your cheeks are chubby, when your arms are bigger than theirs, and when your thighs don't have gaps."

"Donghyuck!" Renjun holds his hands, "No matter what people say, don't listen to them. You're beautiful just the way you are."

"Do you really think-"

"Yes! Yes, Donghyuck, you're beautiful."

Donghyuck stares at him and tears finally stopped falling. Renjun stares back, still holding his hands. He smiles when Donghyuck squeezes his hands, so gently he almost didn't feel it.

"You're cold, but warm at the same time."

"I need to go now, Donghyuck. I'll see you later or tomorrow." Renjun is about to pull his hands away but the younger squeezes them tightly. "Hyuck?"

"Stay."

"I... I can't."

"You still have other patients?" Renjun just nods. Donghyuck gently and slowly lets go of his hands and leans back. "See you."

"You take care. And eat your dinner later, all right? Good luck on your therapy, sweetie." Renjun pokes his nose gently before exiting his room.

Donghyuck is, once again, alone.
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