lean on me › haechan

❀ TWO

MARCH 31, 2017

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"Guess who's this!" the teenage boy uttered out in a hardly distinguished voice.

Firm yet gentle, his hands slowly reached out to cover the girl's vision. "E-Eh!" the girl squirmed in her seat and grabbed onto the boy's hand.

Misun flinched, familiarizing with the touch, "Lee Donghyuck!" she yells out.

The young boy's eyes widened and immediately retreated his hand. "How did you know!?" he questions.

"The touch was familiar..." she responded.

"You beat me again, Misun!" Donghyuck huffs and slumps on his seat.

Misun chuckled and patted down the seat next to her, "How are you today?"

Donghyuck grinned and stretched out his arm, wrapping it solely around her shoulder, "I'm doing good! I just finished my daily checkups, they said... that I'm getting better and better!"

"That's good to know," she gazed up to him, only find the teenage boy already peering down at her. Cheeks tinting red, she instantly looked away.

During the past years stuck in the hospital with only Donghyuck as a friend, she may have developed a little sparking admiration for him. Misun had a crush for the boy although kept it a secret, not wanting to break their friendship.

"Say, sunflower?"

Misun's nose crinkled as a small laugh left her lips, "Still with the sunflower nickname?"

"It's either Sun or Sunflower," Donghyuck shrugged and gently combed her hair with his fingers.

"Hmm, I don't really suit the 'Sun' nickname. You're the actual sun here, Haechan."

Donghyuck bit his bottom lip, suppressing the urge to cry.

Haechan. That was the nickname Misun gave him when they first met.

He could still remember that day clearly. The day when he thought all of his hopes were washed away, but there he found her seated at the bench by the hospital garden.

• • •

2012

Donghyuck ran out from the nurse's grip, boisterous laughter of his melodious voice filled the hallways of the local hospital.

"Lee Donghyuck! Get back here!" his doctor yelled, a bit slow-paced, not fit enough for catching the young twelve-year-old.

Donghyuck stuck his tongue out childishly before making his way down the flight of stairs, finding himself in the lower ground of the hospital.

He pursed his lips, "Oh... I don't think I've been here before." he murmured and began familiarizing with his surroundings.

Venturing deeper into the halls, he catches a glimpse of someone by the hospital garden through the large doors.

Her eyes closed as she peacefully let the thin breeze blow past her. The sun was shining brightly, warming up everyone's skin. Birds were chirping clearly yet the sound of his doctor's voice was muffled.

"Finally! You stopped-"
"Donghyuck?"
"Yah, kiddo."

His doctor, Son Hyemin, furrowed her eyebrows together, confused as to why the young boy was ignoring her now. Hyemin followed his gaze, seeing him staring out the doors that lead to the hospital garden. Her eyes land on the girl seated on the bench.

"Donghyuck-" before he could even run off, Hyemin had already grasped his wrist, tightening her grip around it, making sure he doesn't run away again.

"Let me go, Hyemin! I want to go outside!" the young boy exclaimed stubbornly, trying to break away from his doctor's hold.

"You've already missed a couple of appointments, Donghyuck. We need to get you checked up now."

Donghyuck sighed, glancing back at the girl only to find her gazing at him. Flinching, he turned away quickly, his cheeks dusted pink.

Hyemin chuckled, "You can meet her after your checkup, Donghyuck."

"Really?" his eyes lightened up at the stake.

"Yes, just promise me you won't miss any more of your therapies! You're always running off." Hyemin said and tugged the boy down the hallway.

Donghyuck frowned, his head lowering as he thought about it. "Because it seems like I'm not getting any better."

• • •