Painkiller|ws

Chapter 7

Wonwoo was currently trying to get Chan to talk, he knew it was a long shot, but somehow he wanted to help the younger. Jun was however in the same room laughing, saying he was doing way too much to help the patients here. But in Wonwoo's defence, the Joshua part could be justified with the never-going-to-happen crush he had, and he just had a soft spot for Chan.

"Chanie, how about you try to tell me your shoe size? Or tell me your favourite singer?" Soonyoung popped a gummy bear from the secret candy stash that he somehow stole from Jeonghan over the course of his time there into his mouth as he smiled at Wonwoo's futile attempt to get Chan to talk.

"How's it going there, babe?" Wonwoo waved his hand at Jun's sarcasm as he continued with what he was doing. "Whenever you're ready, Chan" with due time, Wonwoo had gotten closer to Chan. It wasn't as hard as with Joshua. Chan was friendly, childish and much easier to talk to than Joshua.

Wonwoo had talked to Joshua after that day, but all of the conversations ended in seconds. Joshua's responses mainly were always single-worded, with the occasional sentences he used when a word wouldn't sum up what he had to say.

They talked even the night before. It didn't last long, just like all their other conversations. But on the bright side, Joshua did try talking more, he even asked Wonwoo a question without stuttering, and that was rare.

~ 𝄞

"Why do you always come here even though you can't see me?" Wonwoo didn't know how to answer. What would he say anyway? Because I have a huge crush on you, and I can't sleep without talking to your beautiful voice anymore?

"I would love to see you, Shua Hyung. Fuck, there's nothing I'd love more..." Wonwoo lowered his voice for the last part, you can never be too careful. "Really?" That was all Joshua said in response.

"You have a pretty voice, but your face is prettier. I've only seen it for a second, that blissful second. If you had looked at me for a second more, I'd have freaked out, maybe thrown up. Hyung, my heart..." Wonwoo said, pointing towards it even though it was clear Joshua wouldn't see it. "Everyday boom boom, because of you boom boom." Joshua made a sound at that, only one that could be described as laughing.

It was quiet and subtle, but it was a laugh nonetheless. "Yo-You're so cringey" Wonwoo could sense the playfulness in Joshua's voice. "I stole that last part from a song. Now I realise you wouldn't have known unless I exposed myself, which I did" the laughter was a bit louder this time.

"But to answer your question, yes I would love to see you, but whenever you're ready" there was silence following what Wonwoo said. "If I'm not?" Wonwoo thought about it, he wanted to see him but he would settle for this, this cute friendship they had developed.

"Then it's okay, Hyung. The door always has two sides!" That's how their conversation ended. Wonwoo went back to his room, expecting Joshua to go to bed as well. He wasn't going to hide his disappointment, but he was going to start being more realistic. Joshua needed help right now, not a relationship.

~ 𓃠

Wonwoo's hopes would get high each time Chan almost said a word, but Jun was right. He wasn't a speech therapist. He would be doing more damage than help. "Can you say my name, say Wonwoo? Like Wonwoo Hyung? Okay, leave that. How about Won Hyung? Just Hyung!?" Chan stared at Wonwoo silently, crushing his expectations.

"Come on, let's try again" Wonwoo was about to attempt once again to make Chan speak, but he was distracted by Soonyoung. No, it wasn't Soonyoung but Hoshi. Wonwoo turned around with welcoming arms as Mingyu did, but all Hoshi did was stare at him, displeased.

Hoshi's expression wasn't just towards Wonwoo, though. An even more sinister one was directed at Jun. The sound he made could only be explained as a growl but an animalistic one, the kind you see on the discovery channel. Okay, Wonwoo didn't have the best knowledge of tigers, but he knew when any animal made that noise, it was run or die.

Jun was unbothered even though Hoshi was looking straight at him. "Get out of here, kitty" Hoshi wasn't moving even after Jun took the candy that Soonyoung had earlier and walked out with it. "Come get them" Wonwoo wanted to tell Jun to be careful, but it was apparent Jun knew what he was doing.

It wasn't until Jun successfully had Hoshi chasing after him that Wonwoo thought he should follow with Chan right behind him. The boy was trying to sign something to him with his fingers, but he didn't know what was going on, so the two decided to head back.

Jun came back a while later, he looked a little tired, and the sleeves of his shirt were now rolled up. He looked really hot, but Wonwoo was going to ignore that part after he literally played with a tiger (Hoshi was just as scary as a real tiger when the switch flipped).

"Why did you do that?" Jun shrugged before getting way up in Wonwoo's face. "Because annoying tiger boy is fun" Wonwoo rolled his eyes and got up to leave to his room for a bit before lunch. "I lost him somewhere in the halls" Wonwoo wanted to play on his game boy a bit before going to eat, so he didn't ask more about Hoshi's whereabouts.

Wonwoo said a quick 'see you in a bit' before rushing towards his room. He made his way through the usual familiar hall, except one thing wasn't. 204 was open. It was open and empty. Wonwoo was tempted to go in and look around. Joshua must've gone to see the doctor, but why did he leave the door open?

Wonwoo wanted to go and play his game, but this was probably never going to happen again. There would've never been another opportunity like this for him to know more about Joshua.

Honestly, he did feel a little like a stalker, but he swallowed the feeling and promised himself he wasn't going to look around too much. Just a peek, just to see what more there is to the name Joshua Hong. With that, Wonwoo walked inside and shut the door behind him.

⸻ 𝄞𓃠⸻