𓍯36𓂃

Dove's

I slowly opened my eyes, the sterile hospital smell hitting me like a freight train. I was still a little dizzy, but something was clear as day: I was starving.

My stomach let out a loud, almost embarrassing growl, like it was a cry for help. And just like that, I decided I was done lying here-food was the priority.

I pushed myself up into a sitting position, not bothering to think about how dizzy I was. Dae was sitting at the side of the bed, his head in his hands, probably lost in his thoughts. But when I sat up, his head snapped up so fast, I thought he was going to give himself whiplash.

"Dove?!" He shot up out of his chair so fast, I thought he might fall over. His face was a mix of shock and concern. "Are you okay?!"

I blinked at him, not really processing the panic in his voice. "I'm hungry," I said, deadpan. "Get me food."

He froze, staring at me for a solid beat like I'd just told him I wanted to fly to the moon. "W-What?" he stammered. "You- you want food? You just woke up from being unconscious, and you want food?"

I nodded slowly, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Yes. Food. Now."

His eyes grew wider. I swear, he looked like he'd just witnessed a ghost. He took a step back, then looked at me like I was the craziest person on earth. "Dove, you're unbelievable," he said, half-laughing, half-stunned.

I crossed my arms. "You better start moving before I get even hungrier."

That snapped him into action. He fumbled for a second, looking around the room like he could find food in the air. "Okay, okay, I'm getting you something!" He practically bolted for the door, but not before muttering, "You're seriously the only person I know who wakes up starving after almost dying."

I leaned back against the pillows, feeling victorious. Hunger was clearly my superpower, and I was going to make sure Dae understood that.

A few minutes later, Dae returned, looking both hopeful and uncertain as he carried a tray to my bedside. He placed it carefully in my lap, and I glanced down at it, expecting something decent.

And what do I get? An egg sandwich and a cup of green tea.

I stared at it, my stomach growling louder in protest. "Are you serious?" I asked, feeling a wave of disbelief wash over me. "I said I was hungry, Dae! And this... this is what you bring me? The Great Depression??!"

He blinked, clearly trying to justify it. "What? It's a nice sandwich! And green tea-it's healthy!"

I slowly shook my head as if what I was seeing couldn't possibly be real. "An egg sandwich? Green tea? That's not food! That's a... a snack! A sad snack!"

I felt the anger rise, but this time, I had a plan. I grabbed the nearest pillow and hurled it straight at him, hitting him square in the chest.

"Hey!" He jumped back, startled. "What was that for?!"

I pointed at the sandwich, glaring at him. "Bring me rice. I want rice!"

Dae blinked in confusion. "Rice?"

"Yes!" I said, firm. "I want some rice! You can't expect me to survive on an egg sandwich and green tea!"

He stood there for a moment, stunned. "Dove, it's an egg sandwich! It's perfectly fine-"

I picked up another pillow and threw it at him with dramatic force. "Rice, Dae! Rice! Now!"

He stepped back, looking like he didn't know whether to laugh or run. "Alright, alright!" he said, his hands raised in surrender. "I'll go get you some rice! You're impossible!"

I leaned back into the pillows, finally satisfied. "Good. And make it a lot of rice."

Dae shot me a look of mock exasperation, but I could see the edges of his mouth twitching, like he was trying to hold back laughter. "You're a piece of work, you know that?"

"Rice," I repeated, my arms crossed, as if that settled everything.

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A while later, the door swung open again, and Dae walked in, looking both exhausted and victorious. In his hands was a tray, and this time, finally, I smelled something real.

He set the tray down in front of me, and I looked at it like it was a treasure chest. Rice. Glorious, steaming, perfect rice. And not just that-there was kimchi, some stir-fried beef, a bowl of warm soup, and a side of pickled radish.

Now, this was a proper meal.

Dae crossed his arms, watching me expectantly. "Happy now?"

I grabbed the chopsticks without hesitation. "You are forgiven."

He let out a dramatic sigh and plopped into the chair beside me. "Do you have any idea how hard it was to get this? I had to practically beg the hospital staff to let me bring food from outside."

I barely heard him as I stuffed a spoonful of rice into my mouth, my eyes closing in pure bliss. "This," I mumbled between bites, "is what I needed."

Dae shook his head, watching me in disbelief. "You literally woke up from unconsciousness just to demand rice. Unbelievable."

I waved my chopsticks at him. "A girl's gotta have priorities."

He laughed under his breath, shaking his head. "You're impossible."

I grinned, happily chewing. "And yet, here you are, making sure I'm fed. Guess you're stuck with me."

Dae just sighed, but there was a small, fond smile on his face as he leaned back in his chair, watching me eat like I hadn't seen food in years.

As I continued eating, happily stuffing my face with rice, I suddenly felt a gaze on me. I turned, still chewing, and saw Dae staring at me, his usual exasperation gone. His eyes had softened, a quiet fondness settling in them.

I paused, chopsticks halfway to my mouth. "Mmf?" I mumbled, still chewing. I swallowed quickly and tried again. "What? What's wrong?"

Dae shook his head slightly, a small, almost relieved smile forming on his lips. "Nothing," he said softly. Then, after a moment, he sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "It's just... you scared me, Dove."

I blinked. "Scared you?"

He nodded, his eyes flickering over my face like he was making sure I was really here. "You don't even know what it was like. Seeing you like that-unconscious, barely breathing. You were so pale, and no one knew what was going on." He exhaled, shaking his head again. "I thought-" He cut himself off, swallowing hard before meeting my gaze again. "I was really, really worried about you."

For a second, I just stared at him. My chest felt warm, a mix of surprise and something softer settling inside me.

I put my chopsticks down and tilted my head. "Well," I said, trying to lighten the mood, "you should be worried. Who else would throw pillows at you when you make terrible food choices?"

Dae let out a small, breathy laugh, but the softness in his eyes didn't fade. "Yeah," he murmured, shaking his head. "Only you."

I grinned, picking up my chopsticks again. "Exactly." Then, pointing them at him, I added, "But seriously, thanks for worrying about me. And for the rice. You did okay."

Dae rolled his eyes but smiled anyway. "Glad to know I passed your impossible standards."

I smirked and took another bite, feeling lighter than I had in days.

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Oml cuteeee

Honestly, Dove, same. I was hospitalised once, and when I woke up, all I wanted was food.

So, how do we feel about the Dae arc so far?