fried chicken ; meanie

twenty-one

After a small episode of first meeting for the two boys, Mingyu's family members talked to him, leaving Wonwoo alone at a side. The doctor that was alerted arrived at the room with a few nurses at the back.

"Please leave the room. We need to conduct a check-up." The doctor, whom Wonwoo had read on the information sheet as Yoon Jimin, informed. Wonwoo was sure that was not how doctors ask a patient's family to leave the room, but he barely entered the hospital for 24 hours in his entire life.

"Doctor Yoon?" Wonwoo called out. He only received a stony glance from the doctor.

"Yoon Jimin-ssi...?" He waved his hand in front of the doctor. Realisation dawned onto her face and she nodded at Wonwoo.

"Please help him. Please."

The worried boy only got a subtle nod and glazed-over eyes from the doctor. Wonwoo looked skeptically at the doctor, before leaving the room for Mingyu to get his check-up.

When he left, he was shocked by the sheer number of fans that was situated outside the ward. He hadn't seen them here when he arrived, which means the crowd manifested when Wonwoo was inside with Mingyu. They were all held behind a human barricade made by the security personnel. Mostly girls made up the crowd with get well soon banners.

The loud screaming toned down when they realised Wonwoo, who walked out, wasn't Mingyu.

Worried out of his wits and exhausted, Wonwoo honestly couldn't be bothered with the idol's fans. He slumped down in the nearest chair available, silently waiting for the doctor to finish her check-up.

"You!" A shrill voice yelled, shocking Wonwoo right out of his trance. "The one with the brown hair! Look here! To your left!"

Wonwoo turned to the left. He saw a female, probably Kim Mingyu's fan, beckoning him over. She was being held back by a guard but she had her eyes focused on Wonwoo. Curious, he walked over.

"You're Mingyu Oppa's friend right?" She asked. Wonwoo wanted to cringe hard on the 'Oppa' part, but he nodded expressionlessly.

"You can enter Mingyu Oppa's ward, right?" Wonwoo nodded again.

"A friend of mine," She started, "She's crazy and I think she sneaked through security and went in. She brought in hydrogen peroxide and that shit is bleach. Please, please help me check the ward. She's a sasaeng, and she might harm him."

It took Wonwoo a few seconds to let that sink in.

"So, your friend. A sasaeng. Inside the ward?" He asked back to the female.

"Mother, help me," She muttered with a roll of her eyes. "Yes, she entered as a medical personnel. I saw her with a doctor's coat." Tears surfaced in her eyes for worry over her idol and embarrassment of her friend. Her urgency made her voice crack a little.

Wonwoo thought back to how unresponsive the doctor was when he called her supposed name, Yoon Jimin, and how her eyes were slightly in a daze.
And did he just hear her say bleach? A nameless bitch is going to make his boyfriend drink bleach?

Powered by a burst of anger and worry, Wonwoo rushed back into the ward, hoping to catch the doctor-dressed fan before she poisoned Mingyu.

But it was too late.

Just as Wonwoo entered the ward, Mingyu gulped down a mouthful of liquid, supposedly given to him by the doctor.

"Hey Wonwoo," Mingyu gave a little frown, "Whyㅡ" The sick idol's face contorted into a twist.

"Mingyu! Mingyu! What's wrong?" Wonwoo rushed forward to meet the groaning male, pushing away the unreactive doctor in the process. And he wasn't fucking sorry.

"Wonwoo. I-It hurts." Mingyu let out a groan as he lightly thrashed around his bed.

Wonwoo cursed under his breath as he frantically looked for the emergency button, which he quickly found and pressed. He looked worriedly at Mingyu and Wonwoo instinctively grabbed his hand, in hopes of calming him down.

Who was he kidding, Mingyu drank fucking bleach. Of course calming down wasn't Mingyu's top priority. But Wonwoo couldn't be more bothered.

"Come on, come on. What the fuck is wrong with the efficiency here?" Wonwoo grumbled under his breath, momentarily forgetting about the pretend-doctor. Who by now, had already fled.

Soon enough, some doctors (who was official, Wonwoo hoped.) burst into the ward and cordoned off the area, chasing Wonwoo out.

Wonwoo paced up and down the corridor outside the ward for hours. Or that was what he thought. After fifteen minutes, or what seemed like fifteen hours for Wonwoo, the doctor exited the ward.

"H-how is he?" Wonwoo asked, his voice slightly cracking out of worry for the sick boy inside.

"Mr. Kim is fine as of now," The nurse replied, "Thankfully, Doctor Yoon is notified early. The hydrogen peroxide was removed fast enough. The patient is now resting."

Wonwoo felt so relieved that he almost floated. "Thank you."

The medical personnel gave a curt nod before leaving. Without a second thought, Wonwoo pushed open the doors vigorously to see Mingyu lying on the bed, looking at him with tired eyes and a lazy smile on his face.

"What a grand entrance I see, Wonwoo."

Wonwoo slumped down in relief, "Thank the heavens. Mingyu, are you sure you're fine? No pain? No ache?"

Mingyu laughed. "Nope."

"I'm gonna kill that bitch, that fucker." Wonwoo hissed, his worried mind fired by anger now.

"Sorry, young man, that ain't gonna happen today. But I would love to know who might you be." A gruff voice sounded behind Wonwoo.

A hand gripped on Wonwoo's heart and ripped it out. He stilled, eyes looking at Mingyu.

Who was struggling not to laugh but still let out short fits of giggle.

"Hey Dad," Mingyu finally said. He intertwined his hands with Wonwoo's, which dissolved the death freeze that Wonwoo had.

"This is my boyfriend, Jeon Wonwoo." Mingyu raised their intertwined hands up. Wonwoo's cheeks burned with embarrassmentㅡfrom Mingyu's confession, and from swearing about killing in front of his boyfriend's parents.

Mingyu's father hummed, looking pointedly at Wonwoo while taking a seat beside him.

"Where's Mum?" Mingyu asked, breaking the ice.

"Out to buy some food." Mingyu's father said mindlessly, no doubt trying to stare the shit out of Wonwoo.

There was an awkward pause. "I need the toilet," was what Mingyu's father said before he stood up and left. Wonwoo let out a silent breathe.

"Jesus, Mingyu is your father always that scary? I think my heartbeat is non-existent now." Wonwoo rattled off, his hand still being held by Mingyu.

"Nah," Mingyu laughed, "He's cool, most of the times."

Pause.

"I'm really sorry, though." Mingyu started, "I was rushing off to meet you because I took too long at the florist. And then thㅡ"

"Hey, hey. It's fine." Wonwoo reassured the sick yet blabbering boyfriend of his. "At least I met you, didn't I?"

Hearing that, Mingyu flashed a smile that featured his signature canines. And Wonwoo fell in love with him all over again.