Ship: Stray Kids (OT8)

Summary: One phone call and somehow everything is in shambles. Felix changes overnight into someone they don't know.

Student! Felix (Lee Yongbok)
Students! OT7

(Bang Chan, Lee Minho, Seo Changbin, Hwang Hyunjin, Han Jisung, Kim Seungmin, Yang Jeongin)

Song: Cake - Melanie Martinez

2068 Words

-

"Hello!"
A stranger's voice echoed on the other end of Chan's phone.

"Hello, Bang Chan here."
The blond boy replied without thinking too much. He hadn't even seen the number on who was dialing him.

"Please get to the hospital as quick as possible."
The voice panickedly replied. Paying close attention, Chan could hear the faint noises of rushed people moving, ambulance sirens.

"Why? And where is Felix? It's his phone right?"
Chan finally looked at his phone to come to the conclusion the dialled person was to be Felix's. But what shocked him was the stranger's voice.

"Just come to the hospital and you'll know."
And with that the call ended abruptly.

Without wasting a minute, Chan put on his jacket and shoes to get to the place. It didn't matter what happened, all that mattered was Felix must be safe. And from the gist of the conversation earlier, it didn't seem so.

"Minho! Get in the car right now."

The oldest called out the younger boy who was aimlessly looking at the fridge. Minho wished for the ice cream to magically appear infront of him, while he sat there prettily. He was too lazy at the moment to get up and get his dessert.

Startled by his hyung calling him frantically, Minho got out of his seat to grab a few things like keys, water bottle, phone and pepper spray. The last item was a necessity for everyone, regardless their gender.

"What happened hyung?"
Jeongin asked innocently to which Minho shrugged off, himself not knowing the reason for the oldest's frantic call.

"Nothing, you have to worry about."
Minho stated while patting the other's head. He didn't want to make the boy overthink anything while he was gone.

Getting into the car, the atmosphere was unsettling. A suffocating silence ensued for the purple haired boy. Chan was too worried for the younger. With rising chests, racing hearts and splitting headaches incoming, Chan took the wheel.

"Hyung!"
Minho asked while looking straight at the road ahead.

"Yes, Minho?"
Chris replied, too focussed in driving the car.

"Where are we goin'? And why are we speeding up so much? You'll get a ticket."
Minho asked as Chan surpassed a traffic light, risking a ticket.

"Someone called from Felix's phone and they're in the hospital."
Chan answered as the hospital came in sight of view.

Minho was beyond shocked as the worse scenarios played out in his head. Felix was hurt? Or did something else happen to him? What if he got into some crash and never came back? Or had a fatal injury?

But to all of the questions that were bombarded, only time could tell the answers. Chan soon parked the car in a hasty manner, got up and about to the reception area of the hospital.

"Hello, is there any Lee Felix here?"
Chan asked the nice lady at the front desk.

He almost wished it was a prank or someone guy had picked up Felix's phone. The said boy was a little careless at times. And maybe it was that. But, Chan couldn't shake off that feeling in his gut.

"Yes, in room no. 67, 2nd floor."
The lady replied as she went through the computer for in-patient.

"Okay. Thank you ma'am."
Minho answered as the oldest had already took off to the second floor.

Chan was frantic in his attempts of finding the sunshine boy in one piece. Minho tried catching up with the oldest who was simply in stress due to the situation posed in front of him. Minho felt the need to keep calm as to balance the oldest's staggered body movements.

"Hello, there must be a Felix here."
Chan asked the nurse standing outside the hospital room.

"Oh, you are the one I talked on the phone."
A stranger spoke up, as he stared at Chan with a phone in his hand.

"Yeah..."
Chan was unsure of his answer as he didn't particularly remember the man.

"Well, here's his phone. Your friend was in a bad condition when I met him on the street. But he's better now. You must check on him. I'll get going."
The man smiled while handing the slightly broken phone to Chris.

"Thank you sir. I can't express enough gratitude for your kindness."
Minho bowed his head on behalf of Chan, as the oldest was still processing the thoughts.

"No problem, kiddo."
The stranger waved off, to get going.

"Doctor, can we meet him?"
Minho asked softly as he caught sight of the white coat doctor who got out of the room.

"Yes, of course. He has a few stitches, a broken rib , minor concussion which will heal in 2 days max. No internal bleeding, so he's good to go in a day. But bed rest for a week is necessary. Observation purposes."

The doctor briefed the information on Felix's health. Minho silently thanked the person who treated his dongsaeng. The doctor just softly smiled before going down the corridor.

Chan taking cue of the doctor's exit, rushed inside the room to find the pale white hospital bed, greyish walls and dulled blue curtains over the closed windows. It was almost eerie with how silent the room was, except for the occasional beeping of the heart monitor.

"Felix?"
Minho's gentle voice snapped Chan back into reality, as he took into account the bandaged up boy on the bed.

"Mhm?"
Felix hummed still lost in thought.

Either he had not acknowledged the presence of his hyungs or he didn't care. The latter was unlikely at the most. As it was impossible for him to not recognise their voices after living for two years together.

"Are you okay? What happened, baby?"
Chan's inner protective dad mode switched on, as he slowly pulled the boy into a warm hug.

"I'm good. And nothing happened. Just got into a bit of fight, that's all."
Felix spoke monotonously. He hadn't hugged the older back and thus making Chan to take his hands off him reluctantly.

"Felix, what's wrong?"
Minho asked sternly, still a little worried.

It wasn't like Felix to not show emotions of sorts. Minho could tell something was wrong for the younger hadn't shed a tear, nor had expressed his happiness on seeing his hyungs. It was expected of him for that was something only Felix did. Not because it was forced upon him.

He didn't explain himself, nor made the situation clear. This wasn't the Felix they knew. It was like he was numb to the emotions and feelings that the two of them showered him with. But Minho wanted to put it off as Felix being sick, from whatever fight the younger got into.

It was hard not knowing what actually happened, yet they had to let it go. As of now Felix was all okay in front of their eyes. That's the only thing that mattered.

"What do you mean? And when am i leaving from here?"
Felix asked looking straight into minho's eyes.

"In a day. The doc said it was for observation purposes."
Bang Chan covered for Minho who wanted to snap for the attitude. But more than the anger it was being hurt that Felix felt this way.

"Hm...kay."
Felix hummed quietly before zoning out yet again.

"Lixxie, can you wait here? I'll be right back."
Chris asked softly for which the other blonde boy just shrugged. Taking the opportunity both of the boys got out of the hospital room.

"Hyung, what's wrong with Felix? He didn't even..."
Minho started off not knowing how to continue that sentence.

Chris was frustrated for he didn't know how to comfort the purple haired boy. Maybe Felix will get better when they get back home. Maybe he was just disturbed now. Maybe within a day or so, he'll become the sunshine that everyone loves.

And just like that, Minho's phone rang breaking both of their train of thoughts. It was Seungmin. Briefing the second youngest about Felix, his health, the vague accident and the peculiar behaviour of the blonde, the purple haired boy cut the call.

"Minho, you get back home. The boys wil need someone there. And just send Changbin here with my clothes and essentials. I'll manage."
Chan ordered the younger to the things he was asked to.

"But hyung-"
Minho tried protesting against the older. Keyword tried.

"Don't worry. I'll take care of it."
Chan smiled reassuringly before getting back inside.

Minho sighed as he got back in his car. Today was rushed and unexpected. Felix was okay physically. He was here with them. Yet, he was still far off. Far off from their strong grip to pull him back towards them.

"Hyung, is Felix okay?"
The maknae's worried voice was the first thing he heard when he came by home. Hyunjin, Seungmin and Jeongin looked at him with puppy eyes waiting for an answer. He didn't want to make the situation worse.

"Yeah I.N.-ah, he just needs a little cheering up. So when he gets back home I guess we can make some of his favourite foods and put up a movie."

The older took charge of the household they lived after replying to the youngest. Preparing some ready to eat gimbaps, sandwiches and noodles, Minho packed it up for Changbin to carry to the hospital. Luckily the hospital where the younger was admitted to allowed outside food. And especially since, Felix wasn't too seriously injured. The three other boys got to helping Changbin with other things.

"Minho, I'll be going to the hospital."
Changbin uttered as he stuffed his bag with some toothbrushes.

"Hyung, here's the food. You got Channie hyung's clothes right?"

Minho asked as his head was still reeling from everything that occurred today. It was supposed to a simple lazy day which was followed by some takeout and movies. Not this.

"Yeah yeah"
Changbin waved off, as he got into their car.

-

Meanwhile, back at the hospital, not a single word was spoken after Minho left. It was too silent for Chan's liking. But he had to respect his little Aussie brother's boundaries. There was unsaid tension, and the oldest wanted to so desperately remove it.

"Hyung?"

Changbin's rough voice made its way into the room. Except it didn't affect the wounded boy who just laid on the bed with open eyes.

"Is he okay?"
The dark haired boy asked the oldest.

"Yeah I guess so."
Chan dismissed the question feverishly. Though it wasn't his intent to do so, it came off in a similar manner.

"Why?"
Changbin questioned in a soft tone, as he rubbed the older's back in a form of comfort.

"He hasn't spoken much. And I don't know why I'm anxious for some reason."
Chan answered with a stuffed yawn at the end.

"Don't think too hard. Maybe Felix is just exhausted. After all, he had gotten into an accident of sorts, so maybe he is still reeling from the collapsing shock."
Changbin whispered, all while glancing at the blond who slept on the bed.

Treading carefully towards Felix, Changbin placed his warm hand at the back of the other's neck. When words fail you, touches can convey them easily. He knew not to push the younger who simply didn't want to talk with anyone, but he couldn't help his instincts of wanting to comfort the younger.

Soon, both Changbin and Chan fell asleep on the couch of the hospital room. But Felix was still awake. He couldn't catch a wink. Despite the pain in his body due to "accident", the doe eyed boy just couldn't rest. The night was dark with no moon in sight. Sensing that no one was awake, Felix walked to the broad window sill. The cool gusts of breeze brushed the soft strands of his hair.

The view was calmer than what was brewing up inside the freckled boy. And taking that in, Felix slept right there, on the chair beside the window.
Atleast things didn't haunt him in that dreamland of his. The only true safe space. Away from the hidden secret of his life.

SKZ supremacy!