Work Text:
“You know, sometimes it feels like you love Hello Kitty Island Adventure more than me.”
Gunwook doesn’t mean to sound petulant.
He really doesn’t.
It’s just that Gunwook had thought his evening, alone with Matthew in a hotel room, in a different country, would end in something other than them laying in two separate beds while Matthew played some game on his Switch.
Gunwook crosses his arms over his chest, mouth twisted in mild annoyance, as he watches Matthew, still lounging comfortably on his bed, playing his game without a care in the world.
“That’s not true,” Matthew says casually, as his thumbs tap rapidly on his Switch.
“Tthew, come on,” Gunwook whines.
Though Matthew remains focused on the screen.
First it was one game, then another, lately it’s been Hello Kitty Island Adventure.
Rationally, Gunwook knows that it’s a bit silly to be so upset that Matthew is playing a video game, but Matthew has been playing on his Switch non-stop lately and Gunwook can’t help but wish that Matthew was paying as much attention to him as he was playing to his game.
Gunwook had hoped that being assigned the same hotel room for this stop of their tour would mean that they’d be taking advantage of the privacy of their hotel room and the queen sized bed in the room.
But no…
Instead, there Matthew was, playing his game on his own queen size bed, completely ignoring his boyfriend on the other bed.
Gunwook couldn’t help the pout that found its way onto his face, and the whine that accompanied it, “Hyung!”
Usually pulling out the honorific is enough to get Matthew’s attention, usually Matthew knows that means that Gunwook is upset with him and not feeling as friendly as usual, but for some reason, this time Matthew doesn’t seem to notice.
Or, doesn’t seem to care.
His eyes are still locked on the screen in front of him as he says, “Just give me a minute to finish this, Wookie, and then I’ll—”
“You clearly care about that game more than me,” Gunwook interrupts, his tone sharper than he intended.
That finally gets Matthew’s attention.
He looks up, blinking at Gunwook, like he hadn’t realized the growing tension until just now.
“You don't really believe that, do you?"
“I'm not sure anymore,” Gunwook replies, bitterness lacing his voice.
“Gunwook—”
“You never spend any time with me lately,” Gunwook cuts him off, his words tumbling out before he can stop them. Everything that he’s been feeling spilling over at once.
Matthew’s brow furrows, and his mouth twists into a frown, clearly disagreeing with Gunwook.
“I’m spending time with you right now,” he argues.
“No, you’re not. You’re spending time with Hello Kitty,” Gunwook snaps back, his frustration boiling over.
Matthew laughs softly, though there’s no real humor in it. “You’re not seriously jealous of a video game, are you?”
Gunwook doesn’t answer, his jaw tightening as he looks away.
He might just be a little jealous of a video game, not that he is going to say as much out loud to Matthew right now.
He knows Matthew can see right through him though, because Matthew’s expression softens.
He sets the console aside and reaches out. “Wookie—”
“I’m going to see if someone else will change rooms with me,” Gunwook announces abruptly, heading for the door. He doesn’t want Matthew to pay attention to him out of pity.
He wants Matthew to pay attention to him because Matthew wants to.
Because they’re boyfriends, and they care about each other.
But not when he’s clearly Matthew’s second choice of entertainment for the evening.
“Hey, wait!” Matthew calls, when Gunwook opens the door, but Gunwook doesn’t stop.
The sting of Matthew’s delayed reaction feels like proof of his point, and clearly Matthew doesn’t care enough to follow him and try to stop him.
Gunwook storms down the hall, scowling as he knocks on the door of the next room. It swings open to reveal Taerae and Gyuvin mid-conversation.
“Can one of you change rooms with me?” Gunwook blurts out.
Taerae and Gyuvin exchange a look, their surprise at his sudden arrival clear.
“Uhh… What?” Gyuvin asks.
While Taerae purses his lips together in contemplation, “I thought you and Matthew were going to be taking advantage of having the room to yourselves. That’s what I would have been doing.”
Gunwook groans and pushes past them, flopping face-first onto one of the beds. “That's what I thought too, but… clearly he doesn’t love me anymore.”
“So dramatic,” Taerae tuts at him, sitting down on the bed beside Gunwook. “Gyuvin, go room with Matthew. Gunwookie’s stealing your bed tonight.”
Gyuvin mutters something under his breath, but Gunwook can’t pick it up from where he’s laying on the bed, and in the end, it doesn’t really matter as Gyuvin grabs his stuff and heads out the door to swap their rooms without any further protests.
It’s once Gyuvin leaves that Taerae nudges Gunwook, forcing him to roll over on the bed as he asks, “Alright, spill, tell hyung what the problem is.”
Gunwook groans again.
Admitting it is a little embarrassing.
His cheeks flush as he runs a hand through his hair.
“I’m jealous of… a video game,” he admits. “And I know it’s dumb—”
“At least you’re aware,” Taerae teases.
Gunwook huffs. “But Matthew’s been glued to his Switch since we unpacked. I thought we’d… you know, actually use the time alone to do things .”
He really doesn’t want to unpack his sex life with Taerae, but Taerae had accidentally walked in on him and Matthew more than once and surely could put the dots together easily enough.
Taerae hums thoughtfully, his expression softening. “Matthew probably just wants a distraction because of the performance tomorrow. You know how he gets. It’s not about you.”
Gunwook isn’t convinced.
“I could’ve been a much better distraction than a game.”
Taerae chuckles and pats Gunwook’s shoulder. “Just sleep on it, Gunwook-ah. Talk to him after the concert tomorrow. You two will work it out.”
Gunwook sighs, his gaze drifting to the rain streaking down the window.
The rain somehow seems fitting, a match to his own dour mood.
“Maybe.”
*
Gunwook doesn’t plan to ignore Matthew the next morning.
It just… happens.
He tells himself it’s because Matthew should be the one to apologize.
After all, Matthew is the one who spent all night playing Hello Kitty Island Adventure instead of spending time with him. And Matthew is the one who didn’t follow him when he left their room last night.
So, if anyone should be apologizing and trying to make things right this morning, it should be Matthew.
At least, that’s what Gunwook repeats in his head as he sits in the dressing room, arms crossed tightly over his chest, making direct eye contact with his own slightly displeased reflection in the mirror while the makeup artist works on his face.
His expression turns a lot more sour when he hears the telltale ding of Matthew’s Switch booting up, and when he glances over, there’s Matthew again, with a smile on his face, completely unbothered, his eyes glued to the screen.
Matthew should be smiling at him like that, not some game.
That horrible jealous feeling starts creeping back in as he frowns at Matthew.
Determined to ignore him even longer now.
Maybe forever !
But if Matthew notices—or even cares—he doesn’t show it.
He’s completely lost in his game.
“Head up, Gunwook-ah,” the makeup artist says, tilting his chin gently back into place, and pulling his attention away from Matthew for a moment.
Taerae, sitting beside him and already fully styled, leans in close, murmuring in a teasing tone, “You’re really letting a video game beat you, huh?”
Gunwook shoots him a glare, but Taerae just chuckles and leans back in his own chair, looking far too amused for Gunwook’s liking about the situation that is quite literally ruining Gunwook’s life.
Thankfully, Gunwook is put out of any further misery when Hanbin comes into the room, fully in ‘leader mode,’ and catches sight of Matthew playing his game on one of the dressing room chairs. “Matt, game down. We need to get ready to go on stage.”
Matthew looks up in surprise, whining, “But Bin, we’ve got a little more time,” but his protests stop when Hanbin plucks the Switch out of his hands and sets it aside.
Gunwook mutters under his breath, “Oh, so he listens to Hanbin-hyung.”
Taerae rolls his eyes so hard that Gunwook’s suprised they don’t get stuck.
Gunwook shoots him another glare, but Taerae just pats his shoulder in a mockingly sympathetic way, before standing and pretending to blow him a kiss, as he wanders off to talk to Gyuvin.
That of all things, seems to finally catch Matthew’s attention. Their eyes meet briefly, a slightly confused expression on Matthew’s face, but Gunwook quickly looks away, his mouth twisting up in displeasure.
Matthew stands up, clearly moving to come over his way, and Gunwook does his best not to react to the movement, not wanting to seem too clearly unhappy, on the off chance that maybe Matthew is finally coming to apologize.
Though before Matthew can say anything, Hanbin claps his hands. “Alright, everyone, let’s focus. Stage time in fifteen.”
Gunwook breathes out slowly, forcing himself to push everything he’s feeling down.
He’ll talk to Matthew later.
After their stage.
*
It happens so fast.
One second, they’re all dancing in perfect sync, the music pounding through the light drizzle that slicks the stage.
The rain isn’t heavy, just enough to make him have to blink a little more under the stage lights and make the stage floor a little more slippery.
Hanbin had warned them before the performance to be careful, and Gunwook had nodded along like the rest of them, determined to stay focused.
And he is—he’s hitting his moves perfectly, hyper aware of every beat, every step, every motion, as he always is, so careful to make sure that he doesn’t make a mistake.
But then something shifts.
It’s subtle at first—just the light brush of someone bumping into him.
Gunwook doesn’t even see who it is, his attention locked forward.
But the disruption is enough to throw him slightly off balance.
Gunwook missteps.
And it ripples out from there.
The others recover quickly. They’ve trained for this, after all, rehearsed endlessly for moments like this. They move like a well oiled machine, like a group that has been practicing together for years, not just the year that they’ve got under their belt.
Except Matthew doesn’t recover as quickly as he usually does.
Gunwook doesn’t see the exact moment it happens, only hears the sound of a soft sort of thud over the music, and the collective gasp from the crowd. His eyes dart around the group as he moves into his next position, trying to see what has caught the crowd’s attention.
It’s only then that he notices Matthew’s fallen. Matthew tries to stand immediately, and bounce back into position like nothing has happened, his hands moving to push himself up. But as soon as he starts to rise, his leg buckles, and he goes down again, harder this time.
This time the thud is unmistakable.
The music is still playing.
The others are still moving, trying to cover for the mistake, their faces flickering with concern but clearly unsure whether to break off what they’re doing or to keep going.
But Gunwook doesn’t think.
He can’t.
Not when it’s Matthew that’s hurt.
He abandons the song without a second thought, crossing the stage in a hurry to where Matthew is. All his plans of ignoring Matthew forever disappear the second he sees that it’s Matthew that has been hurt. Everything from last night and this morning seem so petty in comparison.
“Tthew,” Gunwook says, his voice cutting through the music, panic rising as he crouches beside Matthew and takes in Matthew’s expression.
Matthew’s face is twisted in pain, his hands clutching at his ankle. He tries to wave Gunwook off, but the gesture is weak, unconvincing. “I’m fine,” he murmurs, his voice tight. “I just—”
“You’re not fine!” Gunwook snaps, louder and harsher than he means to, it carries over his microphone. Enough that finally everyone around them starts to give up on the song too. The instrumental carries on, while all of their group member’s voices fade away, turning now to where Matthew is clearly hurt.
The crowd is murmuring now, a low hum of concern that echoes over everything as the music is finally cut, Jiwoong having hurried off stage to grab staff and signal for a paramedic. Gunwook is aware of the cameras on them, fans in the audience recording what is now an incident that will likely end up all over social media by the end of the night.
Gunwook shifts, doing his best to block Matthew from the crowd’s view.
“Hyung,” he says again, softer this time, “Can you stand? Does it hurt?”
Matthew grits his teeth, trying to stand up again, but he winces as he shifts to put weight on his injured leg.
“It’s my ankle,” he admits finally, his voice tight with frustration and pain.
Gunwook slides an arm under Matthew’s, carefully pulling him upright.
“We’re getting you off stage,” he says firmly.
“Wookie, you don’t need to—”
“I do,” Gunwook interrupts, his voice leaving no room for argument. “Just let me help you.”
Backstage is a flurry of motion and noise, as Gunwook helps Matthew settle onto a chair away from the public eyes.
His movements are careful, almost overly so, careful not to make one wrong step, in case he ends up hurting Matthew by mistake.
The moment Matthew is seated, a paramedic rushes over, the one Jiwoong had fetched, with their manager trailing behind, concern clear on his face.
“Alright, let me take a look,” the paramedic says briskly, kneeling in front of Matthew.
Gunwook is nudged aside to make room for the paramedic to do their job. Though even as he steps back, his eyes stay locked on Matthew, brow furrowed with concern. A concern that only grows when Matthew winces as the paramedic gently lifts his leg, turning his foot slightly to inspect the swollen ankle.
“How bad is it?” their manager asks.
“It’s hard to say without an X-ray,” the paramedic replies, pressing carefully along Matthew’s ankle. Matthew lets out a hiss in response to the contact. “It could be a sprain, but a fracture is not out of the question.”
“Can it wait until we’re back in Korea?”
The paramedic’s face hardens slightly. “No. This needs to be checked out as soon as possible.”
The manager lets out a frustrated sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Well, shit.”
Gunwook clenches his fists, the tension in his chest growing unbearable.
The anger and annoyance he had felt earlier coming back now, but channeled into something different.
“We shouldn’t have had to perform in the rain,” he says suddenly, his voice sharp and cutting through the chaos. “This was dangerous, and they should’ve called it off. None of this would’ve happened if we just—”
“Gunwookie,” Hanbin’s calm voice cuts in, a steady hand resting on Gunwook’s shoulder. His voice drops so that only Gunwook can hear him, as he says, “I know you’re worried. But getting mad at the staff isn’t going to change anything, okay?”
Gunwook exhales, the fight leaving him in a rush, in response to their leader's humbling words.
His shoulders slump, as his eyes flicker back to Matthew.
Matthew, for his part, just waves them off with an awkward laugh, clearly trying to hide the amount of pain he was actually in.
“It’s fine,” he says, his voice strained but determined. “I probably would’ve slipped anyway. It wasn’t even really just the rain. I’ve been tired all day and my head wasn’t really in it… Sorry.”
Gunwook freezes, the words hitting him like a physical blow.
Tired.
The guilt settles heavily in Gunwook’s chest.
He swallows hard, his stomach twisting as he pieces it together. If Matthew had been too exhausted to focus... Could it be because of their fight last night? And if so, then that meant that this… this was his fault.
Matthew, unaware of the guilt crashing over Gunwook tries to lighten the mood, by joking, “Do you think they’ll let me get a fun color cast if it’s broken?”
The room is silent for a beat before Hanbin lets out a quiet laugh, shaking his head. “Only you, Matthew.”
Gunwook doesn’t laugh.
His chest feels too tight with guilt.
“Let’s get him to the hospital, before he gets any more delirious with pain,” their manager says. “I’ll get the van.”
“Hey! I’m not delirious ,” Matthew insists.
But their manager just ignores him, turning to look at Gunwook and Hanbin instead, “I assume you two want to come along to the hospital.”
Hanbin nods.
Though Gunwook hesitates.
His first instinct is to say yes, to be by Matthew’s side until he’s sure that he’s alright. But the thought of staying there with him, and finding out how bad the injured might be, knowing this is all because of their argument, feels all too much.
He looks away, shoving his hands into his pockets. “Uh, no. It’s okay, hyung. I’ll stay here with the others.”
Hanbin frowns slightly but doesn’t push. “I’ll keep you updated on how it goes, Gunwook-ah.”
Gunwook nods, turning to leave without looking back, desperate to escape the crushing guilt that he feels now that he knows that he was the cause of Matthew’s injury.
In his haste, he misses the way Matthew’s smile falters, hurt flashing across his face, as Gunwook turns to go.
*
Gunwook lies flat on his back in the hotel room he and Matthew were supposed to share. He’d given Gyuvin back his own room, wanting to be there when Matthew gets back from the hospital, if nothing else.
That way he can apologize for all of this.
His chest is still tight with guilt. And even though Taerae’s words from earlier echo in his head: “You can’t blame yourself for this, Gunwook. Accidents happen.” Gunwook can’t seem to escape the feeling of guilt.
Because it doesn’t feel like just an accident.
It feels like something he caused.
Not just by misstepping on stage.
But by being the reason Matthew was too tired to focus on stage today, too tired to find his correct position without injuring himself, and now… Matthew was likely to be out of commission when it came to dancing for who knows how long.
All because of him.
Gunwook’s phone buzzes on the nightstand, the screen lighting up with a message from Hanbin, who had been, as promised, updating Gunwook every step along the way. Now, Hanbin’s message reads, ‘ We’re back from the doctor’s. Can you help Matthew get up to your room?’
Gunwook sits up immediately. He doesn’t reply to the text, just pulls on his jacket and rushes down the hall to meet them.
By the time he reaches the elevator, the doors are already sliding open to reveal Matthew and Hanbin.
“They didn’t let me get a fun color,” Matthew says, mock-pouting. “I wanted something cool, like neon green.”
Matthew has a plain white cast on his foot, and crutches tucked awkwardly under his arms. He doesn’t look to be in pain anymore, Hanbin had mentioned something about the doctors giving Matthew plenty of painkillers while he was at the hospital, but there’s still a hint of a frown on Matthew’s face.
Gunwook’s chest aches at the sight.
“Oh,” he says softly.
“He already suggested getting wheels for the cast so he could skate around,” Hanbin says, sounding more exhausted than he had been hours ago, “I told him no.”
Matthew groans dramatically. “Boo, no fun.”
Gunwook can’t help the small smile tugging at his lips despite the lingering feeling of guilt. “That doesn’t seem safe.”
“It’s not,” Hanbin replies firmly.
“Fine, fine,” Matthew relents.
“Alright, well, he’s your problem,” Hanbin says, clapping Gunwook on the shoulder, “I’m going to get some rest.”
Gunwook steps forward to help Matthew, “Let’s get you up to the room, hyung.”
Matthew nods, leaning heavily on his crutches as they head towards their room. Gunwook hovers close, but Matthew mostly seems to have gotten the hang of the crutches.
It’s only once they’re in the room that he protests, the sight of the space between the door and his bed makes Matthew pause, turning to him, “Uh, Wookie? I might need a little help here.”
Gunwook doesn’t hesitate to move, scooping Matthew up at once.
“Wha—wait, you don’t have to carry me!”
“It’s easier this way,” Gunwook mumbles, carefully carrying Matthew the short distance to the bed. He sets Matthew down gently onto the bed, making sure his injured foot is propped up comfortably on a pillow.
Matthew sighs dramatically, stretching out on the bed. “What a day.”
“Yeah,” Gunwook agrees quietly, lingering awkwardly at the edge of the bed.
“Wookie,” Matthew says, his voice soft. “Come cuddle with hyung.”
But Gunwook hesitates, “I don’t want to hurt your foot.”
“You won’t,” Matthew says, wiggling his fingers in a ‘come here’ motion. “Come on. Don’t make me grab you.”
Gunwook sighs, unable to resist Matthew for long. He kicks off his shoes and climbs onto the bed, settling himself carefully beside Matthew.
Matthew pulls him close, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. “See? Perfect.”
It’s not the best fit. He’s much bigger than Matthew, if anyone should be snuggling up to the other it should be Matthew snuggling up to him, but since Matthew is injured, Gunwook lets himself be manhandled into whatever position Matthew wants him in.
For a moment, Gunwook tries to relax, resting his head against Matthew’s chest.
But the guilt comes back, harder to ignore than before, now that he’s laying in bed next to Matthew.
“Tthew,” he murmurs, his voice barely above a whisper.
“Hm?”
“About earlier… I’m sorry.”
Matthew’s hand moves to gently ruffle Gunwook’s hair, his touch light and comforting. “Wookie, you don’t have anything to be sorry for.”
“But—”
“No buts,” Matthew interrupts, “Being stuck at the hospital sucked, I get not wanting to go with us.”
Gunwook shakes his head, “No, not about that.”
“Then why?”
Gunwook turns, burying his face in Matthew’s shoulder, his words slightly muffled, “Because we had that whole fight last night and… and then you didn’t sleep, and then you got hurt. And you said it’s because you were tired, so—so…” He trails off, his voice cracking. “I’m sorry if our fight distracted you and that’s why you slipped, and now your foot is broken and—”
“First off,” Matthew interrupts again, his tone playful, shifting so that Gunwook has to look at him and can’t just hide away, “it’s fractured, not broken.”
“Still.”
“And secondly,” Matthew continues, his brow furrowed in mock thought. “What fight?”
Gunwook stares at him.
What does Matthew mean ‘ what fight ?’
“Hyung, I switched rooms with someone last night.”
“Yeah,” Matthew says slowly, like it’s obvious, “Because you were sleepy, and my video game was keeping you up?”
“No, that’s not…” Gunwook sighs, frustrated with himself. “I switched rooms because I was upset. Because you weren’t giving me attention, and I thought we were gonna take advantage of us rooming together. But then you didn’t, and…” Gunwook’s voice drops to almost a whisper, embarrassment creeping in as he admits, “And I was a little jealous of your game.”
“You were jealous of Hello Kitty?”
“Let me finish, hyung!” Gunwook groans, his cheeks turning red. “I was upset, and then I was ignoring you today, and—”
“You were?” Matthew cuts in again, genuinely surprised.
Gunwook pauses, staring at him. “Did you really not even notice?”
Matthew’s laugh softens into a warm chuckle. “Not really… Though to be honest, I might’ve been tired because I stayed up too late playing my game last night—but that wasn’t because of you.”
Gunwook blinks, processing. “Ahhh. Well. Huh.”
“But you should have told me why you were upset this morning,” Matthew insists.
And yeah, he’s not wrong.
He probably should have.
Maybe then at least some of this mess could have been avoided.
“Sorry,” Gunwook mumbles.
“No, no, don’t apologize. Let me apologize,” Matthew insists, before his voice drops into something a bit more playful, “Let hyung make it up to you.”
Before Gunwook can reply, Matthew presses a kiss to his lips, warm and unhurried. Gunwook freezes for half a second before melting into it, the feeling of guilt in his chest lessening a little as Matthew kisses him.
Though when Matthew pulls back, Gunwook can’t help but protest. “You’re supposed to be resting, hyung.”
“I thought you wanted to make use of our shared room,” Matthew teases, wrapping his arms around Gunwook’s shoulder to hold him in place.
Gunwook allows himself to be pulled down, his larger frame shifting awkwardly to make sure he doesn’t jostle Matthew’s injured leg, as he kisses him again.
Matthew, of course, notices and grins against his lips.
“Hyung,” Gunwook whines softly, his brow furrowed, “you’re hurt.”
“And you’re cute when you’re overthinking,” Matthew shoots back, his hands sliding up to cradle Gunwook’s face. “Now come here.”
Gunwook leans in hesitantly, this time their lips meeting in a gentle kiss.
It’s Matthew who deepens it, his hand threading through Gunwook’s hair and tugging him closer with a soft, needy sound.
Gunwook lets out a shaky breath, his hesitation finally fading as he kisses Matthew back.
This time, the kiss is hungrier, more assured. His hands find Matthew’s waist, careful but firm, as he presses closer, wanting as much of Mattthew as he can possibly have.
He feels Matthew smile against his lips before he bites gently at his bottom lip, making Gunwook gasp. Matthew takes the opportunity to slip his tongue past Gunwook’s parted lips.
Gunwook’s hands slide up, one settling at the small of Matthew’s back while the other cups the side of his face.
Matthew pulls back just enough to murmur, “That’s more like it,” his voice breathy and teasing.
“Hyung,” Gunwook breathes, his forehead resting against Matthew’s forehead, “We really can’t tonight, not now that you’re hurt.”
Matthew grins, his fingers tracing light patterns on the back of Gunwook’s neck. “You really plan on sticking to that? No sex until my foot’s better? Fractures take weeks to heal, Wookie.”
He’s not sure he will last weeks .
But he’d rather they not have to rush Mattthew back to the hospital again so soon.
So for now, he holds back.
He leans back in, capturing Matthew’s lips once more in a kiss that’s slower and softer.
And when they part again, Gunwook brushes a strand of hair from Matthew’s forehead, his touch lingering.
“Feeling better?” Matthew asks, his voice soft and just a little teasing.
Gunwook nods, his lips curving into a small smile. “A little.”
“You’re not still upset about the game, are you?”
Gunwook groans, hiding his face in Matthew’s neck once more, “Hyung, don’t bring it up.”
“I just think it’s funny,” Matthew teases, his voice warm with laughter. “You were jealous of Hello Kitty.”
Gunwook’s ears turn red, and he protests, “Not of Hello Kitty. Just… of how much attention you were giving it, when you could have been giving that attention to… me.”
“Aw, cute,” Matthew says, ruffling Gunwook’s hair again. “You know you’ll always have more of my attention than any game.”
“Promise?”
“Promise,” Matthew echoes, “And you promise, if I ever get too into a game again, just tell me, okay? You’re way more important to me.”
“Okay, I promise,” Gunwook replies.
His hand moves almost on instinct, gently tracing patterns on Matthew’s side, careful not to shift his weight too much and risk injuring Matthew’s foot any more than it already is.
Matthew hums contentedly. “This is nice.”
“Yeah,” Gunwook can’t help but agree.
“But, Wookie?”
“Mhmm?”
“You are helping me carry my stuff tomorrow. Crutches and all.”
Gunwook groans, but there’s a smile in his voice.
“Of course, hyung.”
“And, if I— Oh no!” Matthew exclaims, suddenly sitting up slightly.
Gunwook’s arms tighten instinctively around him to stop him from injuring himself any more. “What’s wrong? Is your foot okay?”
Matthew shakes his head. “No, it’s not that. I just realized—I left my Switch behind when I went to the hospital! What if it’s not there anymore? Do you think someone picked it up? Or maybe there’s a lost and found at the venue, we could—”
Before Matthew can spiral any further, Gunwook interrupts him. “It’s fine, hyung. I grabbed it. It’s in my backpack.”
Matthew freezes, blinking at him in surprise, “You… grabbed it?”
Gunwook nods, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. “Yeah. I figured you’d want it later, so I didn’t want to leave it behind.”
Matthew stares at him for a moment before breaking into a radiant smile.
“Wookie, my hero!” he declares dramatically, throwing his arms around Gunwook’s shoulders and peppering his face with little kisses.
Gunwook laughs, his cheeks turning pink as Matthew leans back just enough to meet his eyes.
“You saved Hello Kitty Island Adventure . Even though you hate her!”
“I don’t hate Hello Kitty, hyung—”
"I love you,” Matthew says, his tone half-teasing, half-serious, as he places another quick kiss on Gunwook’s lips.
“More than Hello Kitty Island Adventure ?”
Matthew lets out a light and happy laugh.
“Yes, Wookie. More than Hello Kitty Island Adventure .”