Jihoon's pov:
The next morning I woke up to my a call from my mom, "hello!" I said with my raspy morning voice.
"You didn't come home last night so, I guess you had fun." She teased.
"Eww mom, it's to early for this." I groaned.
"Okay fine, I called you to let you know that Hyeon didn't wake up well so I'm taking him to the hospital. So we might not be home when you get her, Miss. Min will have lunch prepared for you." She stated.
"Wait, what do you mean you're going to the hospital! Is Hyeon okay?" I asked a slight of panic wash over me. "What hospital are you going too?!"
"Come down, it's not that big of a deal. He might just have a slight fever. Your twin is not going to die."
I sat up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes, the panic still bubbling beneath the surface. "Mom, a fever doesn't sound like nothing. You know how he gets sometimes."
"I know, Jihoon," she replied calmly. "That's why I'm taking him in, just to be sure. Don't worry too much."
Easier said than done. Hyeon had always been the more fragile one between us. Even a mild sickness made me anxious. "Text me the moment you hear something, okay?"
"I will," she reassured me. "Now relax and enjoy your day off for once. And stop worrying."
I sighed, glancing over at Minji, who was still asleep beside me. "Yeah, alright. Just… keep me posted, okay?"
After I hung up, I sat there for a moment, staring at the phone in my hand. The anxiety wouldn't leave, even though I knew Mom was right. Hyeon would probably be fine. Still, the thought of anything happening to him made my chest tighten.
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I tossed the phone onto the nightstand and ran a hand through my hair, trying to push the thoughts away. The condo was quiet, except for Minji's soft breathing next to me. I glanced over at him, his face relaxed in sleep, looking so peaceful.
For a moment, I felt guilty for worrying about Hyeon when Minji was right here, still waiting for me to really see him. Last night had been... confusing. I wasn't sure what to think about it. But seeing him so vulnerable, so unsure, made me feel something I didn't fully understand.
I got up quietly, not wanting to wake him, and headed to the kitchen. Maybe some Tea would help clear my mind. As I stood by the counter, waiting for the coffee to brew, I stared out the window, my thoughts still racing.
It was hard to relax when my twin was in the hospital, even for something as small as a fever. Hyeon had always been a bit more fragile, both physically and emotionally, and I'd spent most of my life looking out for him. Being apart now made me feel like I wasn't doing enough, even though I couldn't exactly control everything anymore.
The coffee machine beeped, pulling me from my thoughts. I poured myself a cup and leaned against the counter, trying to calm my nerves.
I heard footsteps behind me, and Minji appeared in the doorway, rubbing his eyes. "You okay?" he asked, his voice groggy.
"Yeah, I'm fine." I muttered, taking a sip of my Tea.
Minji walked over and leaned against the counter next to me, his shoulder brushing mine. "Did you sleep well?"
"Yeah I slept well, you?" I replied.
"Yeah, I slept pretty good," Minji said, though his eyes still looked half-closed with sleep. He leaned into the counter, his shoulder lightly pressing against mine. "You don't look okay, what happened?"
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Yeah I'm fine." I said as I placed the cup down and walked out the kitchen.
Minji followed me, his footsteps soft but persistent as I moved into the living room. "You don't seem fine, Jihoon. Come on, talk to me."
I sank into the couch, leaning back and closing my eyes for a moment, trying to clear my thoughts. "Just leave me alone okay, you can leave for today." I told him.
Minji stood there for a moment, clearly taken aback by my sudden dismissal. "What? Jihoon, I'm just trying to help," he said, his voice quiet but firm.
I kept my eyes shut, feeling the weight of everything closing in on me. "I know, but I just... I need space right now."
The silence between us grew, and I could feel him hesitate. Part of me wanted him to stay, to push back and make me talk, but another part of me just wanted to be alone with my thoughts.
Minji finally sighed. But instead of leaving, he suddenly got on my laps and hugged me.
I froze as Minji wrapped his arms around me, his weight settling on my lap. My instinct was to push him off, to keep that emotional distance I always maintained. But something in the way he clung to me—his quiet vulnerability, the way his voice cracked slightly—made me hesitate.
"You said you wouldn't push me away again," Minji whispered, his voice shaky but determined. "You know how I feel, Jihoon."
I felt a pang of guilt, my chest tightening at his words. I had promised him, hadn't I? That I wouldn't keep shutting him out, that I'd try to be better. But here I was, doing the same thing.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean too." I said softly returning the hug.
Minji relaxed a little in my arms, his grip loosening but still firm enough to let me know he wasn't going to let go that easily. "You don't have to say sorry, let's just stay like this" he said.
"Just for a little while, because I have to go check on Hyeon."
Minji nodded against my shoulder, his breath warm against my neck. "Just for a little while, then," he whispered.
We sat there in silence, the weight of everything momentarily lifting as we held onto each other. It was a strange kind of comfort, something I wasn't used to, but I couldn't deny that it felt good to let someone in, even if only for a few minutes.
After a while, I gently pulled back, glancing at the clock. "I really have to go check on Hyeon," I said quietly. "I'll feel better once I know he's okay."
Minji sighed but didn't protest. He stood up, giving me one last look. "I understand. Just… don't forget I'm here, okay?"
Minji nodded against my shoulder, his breath warm against my neck. "Just for a little while, then," he whispered.
We sat there in silence, the weight of everything momentarily lifting as we held onto each other. It was a strange kind of comfort, something I wasn't used to, but I couldn't deny that it felt good to let someone in, even if only for a few minutes.
After a while, I gently pulled back, glancing at the clock. "I really have to go check on Hyeon," I said quietly. "I'll feel better once I know he's okay."
Minji sighed but didn't protest. He stood up, giving me one last look. "I understand. Just… don't forget I'm here, okay?"
I grabbed my jacket and slipped on my shoes, glancing back at Minji one last time before stepping out of the condo. The air outside felt cooler than I expected, a brisk contrast to the warmth that had settled between us inside.
As I drove toward the house, my mind raced with thoughts of Hyeon. I tried to reassure myself that it was just a fever, something small, but the nagging feeling in my chest wouldn't go away. He'd always been the fragile one, and I couldn't help but worry that something more serious might be going on.
When I pulled up to the house, I noticed Mom's car was still in the driveway, which meant she hadn't left for the hospital yet. That was a good sign—maybe Hyeon's fever wasn't as bad as I'd feared.
I stepped inside, the familiar warmth of the house greeting me as I took off my shoes. The smell of lunch lingered in the air, and I could hear faint murmurs coming from the living room.
As I approached, I saw Mom sitting on the couch, talking softly with Hyeon, who was wrapped in a blanket, his face a bit flushed but otherwise looking okay.
"Hey," I called out gently, walking over to them.
Hyeon looked up, a small smile playing on his lips despite the tiredness in his eyes. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. "Well, you freaked me out, okay? Mom said you were going to the hospital, and I thought…" I trailed off, shaking my head.
"Doesn't matter. How are you feeling now?"
"Better, I think," Hyeon replied, shifting under the blanket. "Just a fever. Doctor said it's nothing serious. I'll be back to annoying you in no time."
Mom chuckled softly, patting Hyeon's arm. "I told you it wasn't anything too bad. He just needs rest."
I sat down beside him, feeling the weight of the worry start to lift. "Good. But don't scare me like that again, alright?"
Hyeon grinned. "I'll try my best."
Hyeon leaned back into the couch, his expression softening as he adjusted the blanket. I stayed beside him for a moment, letting the relief settle in, even though the anxiety still buzzed in the back of my mind.
Seeing him like this reminded me how fragile things could feel sometimes, and how much I still hated that feeling.
Mom stood up and glanced at me with a knowing look. "I'll give you two a moment," she said quietly before stepping into the kitchen.
Once she was gone, Hyeon shifted slightly, looking over at me. "You don't have to stay, you know. I'm fine."
I gave him a look. "You sure? You seem kind of out of it."
"I'm just tired, that's all." He shrugged.
"I can rest on my own. Go do your thing. Go back to… I'm sure someone misses you by now."
I rolled my eyes, but there was no hiding the way my cheeks heated up a little. "You've got jokes for someone who's supposed to be sick."
"Not a joke," he muttered, smirking. "You know what the Joke is here?" He asked.
I looked at him confused, "You Jihoon, because this whole Minji thing is funny to me. One moment you're treating the guy like his some trash, then the other you're all over him cuddling him like his some lover of yours." He stated.
TBC