"left eye?"

taeyong winks his left eye and stares straight ahead as a light is shone on it.

"well, no nerve damage and it seems that his strength is regained. as for the wrists, it won't take long for the marks to go away, just keep applying the ointment," taeil wrote everything on the clipboard. "and now that's done, you're free to go."

sicheng took off the iv from the doctor and helped him stand back up. once on his feet, taeyong took a couple of wobbly steps before walking normally again.

"do you feel anything weird?" doyoung asks his friend, worried.

"no, and don't be so worried dodo, i'm fine," he shoots a reassuring look to the other. "and no one else knows about this right except you 3 right?"

"yeah, we snook off by telling the others we had to pick up some deliveries and restock. haechan almost came but we held him off by having mark take him on a walk."

"mark and haechan are together already?!"

taeyong was astonished at what had happened during the time he was gone. it wasn't even for a week but it seemed like everyone had something new happen.

"not yet, but i suspect mark will take the step soon," taeil teased. "and haechan would either scream yes or faint and then say yes."

"is kun's unit still here? i saw a couple of them during the mission," taeyong asks sicheng, who he knew was close to a couple of them as he was the most fluent in chinese out of all the people in the base.

"yeah, and also reunited with their boyfriends," the nurse nods his head.

taeyong could see doyoung had something troubling him. he had his eyebrows furrowed and was chewing on his bottom lip from time to time, clear points he only showed if he was stressed with something.

"doyoung, is there something you need to let out?"

the anesthesiologist breaks out of his daze and is met with 3 concerned faces, with taeyong also giving a small smile towards him.

"i think you two should privately," taeil states with sicheng nodding. the two head out and back to the dining hall, where the rest were surely gathered while the two friends stay back.

"did you have something you wanted to talk to me about?" taeyong asks as soon as they leave.

"taeyong, i know you just woke up so i don't want to throw unexpected news at you nor anything that's gonna make you stressed out," the other rambles, making the doctor smile at how cute his friend was acting.

"dodo, you out of all people know how resilient i can be, just lay it on me."

nodding, it's quiet for a few moments until doyoung decides to speak up.

"what do you remember?"

"what do you mean...?"

"what do you remember from the mission, whether about when you were threatened or when jaehyun was there to rescue you, do you remember anything?"

a small throb of pain runs in taeyong's head as he tries to recall the memories, the ones suppressed while he was unconscious.

"i-i remember seeing jaehyun and arnold fight," he starts, his voice a little shaky. "and then arnold was so close to hurting jaehyun but..."

"taeyong, breathe."

the doctor takes a deep breathe and with a reassuring look from his best friend, he continues.

"i couldn't so i just yelled out to jaehyun, telling him not to listen to anything arnold was saying. and he did, he won the fight."

"but not in a way you expected."

taeyong nods, with tears welling up.

"i've always seen the fun and goofy side of jaehyun, i just can't believe that he has that side to him. he looked so merciless, soulless when doing it, as if he had no second thought."

"but are you scared of him? what happened with your view on him afterwards?"

this makes the other stop and think. was he scared of him? or was it just shock? did he feel relieved or worked up with this.

"i... nothing changed. he's still the jaehyun i know."

"yong, this is part of the job. jaehyun, he can't change the nature of his job, it's going to require him saving lives while taking some away. i wish i can say it in a nicer way but it's the truth."

the other stays quiet and so doyoung continues.

"you like jaehyun, don't you?"

seeing the eyes widen and cheeks flush was more than an answer for doyoung.

"i-i don't know," taeyong looks down in despair. "you already know, this is my first time experiencing anything like this and... i don't know. i do have something for him but i can't even describe what that is."

"you know, you don't always have to be analytical about everything," doyoung knew about his friend's habit of thinking about everything. "feelings are feelings, not thoughts. let your heart make the decision, not your mind."

.

.

.

"ugh, why are we stuck here?" yuta groans while looking at the clock. "they tell us to wait and yet, here we are, waiting for 2 hours."

"maybe the delivery was bigger this time," jaehyun suggests. "and they had a lot more to organize."

"jeez, just be patient," taeil says as he opens the door and enters. "we weren't gone for that long."

"2 hours isn't long, sure," yuta sarcastically deadpans. sicheng just giggles at how the soldier is acting, clearing his throat afterwards.

"are mark and haechan still out?" taeil asks.

"yeah, i think they're playing badminton or something. the rest are in the barracks," jaehyun answers. "by the way, why are we still here? can we leave?"

"in 10 minutes," taeil is crossing his fingers, hoping they would be finished then.

"you're not doing anything stupid with your arm, are you?" sicheng asks yuta, referring to his arm that's still bandaged.

"no cause you scare me too much for me to try," the japanese answers, making the nurse laugh a bit at his reply.

"ugh, lovebirds," taeil whispers to jaehyun.

"doyoung didn't make a move yet?"

"what, no?!"

the captain laughs at the reaction taeil gives, with the smaller slapping his arm and trying to put him in a chokehold.

"so this is what i come to."

they all turn and jaws drop when seeing taeyong stand in full glory. wearing a sweatshirt with sweatpants and with a bright smile, he waves.

"omg, you're alive!"

yuta gets up from his seat and bolts to the doctor, putting him into a gentle yet tight hug all while celebrating.

"oh thank god, jaehyun was sulking all the time!"

"no i wasn't!!"

taeyong laughs at the captain's reaction and draws back from the hug.

"i'm glad to know you all missed me. by the way, how's your arm?"

"fine, although sicheng isn't letting me do anything at the moment," the japanese sticks his tongue out at the nurse, who just rolls his eyes at the comment.

"i only said i would get angry if you did, that's all," the chinese replied.

letting go of the doctor, yuta then turns to sicheng.

"i can at least run, right?" he asks with a bit of mischief in his eyes.

"well, depends on how fast," sicheng starts but is caught off guard when yuta bolts outside, but not without grabbing his cap. "hey!!"

the nurse runs off and the four friends all laugh at yuta's prank.

"oh yeah, doyoung. a new shipment of needles and gloves are coming in now," taeil "realized" and the other male immediately following what he meant.

"well, it should be dropped by now so we gotta go. by you two!"

the two doctors run out like the pair before them and this leaves jaehyun and taeyong by themselves in the empty space.

"so, is your arm also better?" the doctor remembered how the other had been shot in the arm before he passed out.

"yeah, it's healing and the bandages come off in 3 days max," jaehyun answers while looking at the wound. "how are you feeling? do you want something to eat?"

"yeah, i'm hungry now that i think about it," taeyong answers honestly. "do we have any ramen or something?"

"there's leftover rice and sausage stir fry. i can heat that up, just sit and wait," and the captain heads to the kitchen.

and taeyong finally realized at that moment, just why the moment seemed so magical.