Baekhyun woke up the next morning to a pounding headache, the blood rushing around his head sounding like repeated gunshots, booming in time with his heartbeat. He groaned as he rolled over to mute the sound of SNSD's gee, which this morning sounded like processional band, clanging into his eardrums. He looked down at his, now dry, clothes which were crusted and creased, he assumed due to a mix of his tossing and turning which had become a habit, and also due to dried in sweat as he had gained a monstrous temperature overnight. He sighed and lugged his aching limbs from the warm recesses of his duvet, knowing that he had to go in today for the results if the previous days competition. A blush crept up his already red and sweaty face as he remembered the events of the previous day, he sighed and cursed himself for being so foolish as to let himself fall ill at this crucial time. Forcing out all images of Chanyeol and conjuring the feeling of elation during his performance the day before Baekhyun managed to find the strength and will power to prepare himself for school. 

Washed, dry, dressed and fed, Baekhyun started his sluggish and walk to school, stopping every few minutes to catch his breath and swipe the dewy perspiration from his forehead. On arrival at the school gates, Kyungsoo saw Baekhyun and ran at his friend, tackling him and holding him in a headlock, grinning like a buffoon, eyes wide and orb like. "Wasn't yesterday just..." Kyungsoo tailed off and hastily released his friend as he noticed his face, covered in a sheen of sweat and an unsettling shade of puce. Baekhyun spluttered and coughed, hacking up phlegm into a tissue. Seeing Kyungsoo's look of concern and anguish, Baekhyun managed to utter, "It's only a cold.." This received him a harsh glare from his best friend.

"Ya, a cold? You're burning up dude!" exclaimed Kyungsoo in exasperation whilst pressing his palm to Baekhyun's forehead. "You need to be at home!" Baekhyun gave Kyungsoo a determined look and Kyungsoo realised why his friend needed to be there. Kyungsoo nodded but insisted that Baekhyun had to go home after the results had been announced, Baekhyun eagerly agreed and the two of them made their way slowly to their first period, the results would be announced second. 

Baekhyun made it ten minutes through the lesson before the teacher had had enough of his hacking and coughing, she ordered him to go and wait for second lesson in the nurse's office, and that he was to return home immediately after. Baekhyun did as he was told and began his slow shuffle to the nurse's office, for the second time in two days. Head pounding, sweat running down his back, face as hot as a furnace, Baekhyun told himself that he really needed to stop getting sick, there was nothing more pointless, time consuming and down right uncomfortable than having a high fever. Half way to the nurses office Baekhyun decided that he couldn't stand being hauled up in that small room for the next hour and a half, he needed fresh air to cool down. He glanced out of the closest window and noticed that the weather had brightened significantly from the day before. Using all of his remaining energy he hobbled outside and slumped down onto the nearest bench, sighing peacefully as the breeze cooled his overheated head and began to dry the sweat plastered over his face. He dragged up the memories of his last performance and reminisced for the rest of first lesson, not realising until he entered into the building as the bell rang out that his temperature had risen drastically, having been exposed to the harsh cold, which to Baekhyun's overheated self has seemed like a cool embrace. 

Suho on seeing his friend rushed over and grabbed him by the shoulders before fluttering his hands over his face, "Baekhyun-ah, what's wrong? Why are you like this?" Baekhyun, again brushing his illness off as a slight cold, managed to convince Suho and the just appearing Kyungsoo, to let it be whilst they found out the results. His friends were concerned and worried about him, but let it slide, knowing how stubborn the boy could be. 

The 100 contestants and most of the other students all crowded in the space in front of the stage in the school gym, a buzz of excitement and fear could practically be felt in the atmosphere of the room as the singers awaited their results. "Now as you know," began the head teacher in a booming and yet jolly voice, "There will be 25 singers going through to the next round, and 25 also from the rapping competition later today, though as I am sure you're all aware, you will be expected to show both talents later on along with dancing. Now, to get straight down to it, I will read the list of those going through. In no particular order..." he cleared his throat and began to read out the list of names before him. Both Kyungsoo and Suho's names were read out, as well as Kai's and a few others that he recognised. It had gotten to the 22nd name and Baekhyu's hadn't been called yet.

His breaths came in sharper and more jagged as his face dewed with a fresh layer of sweat and his face began to flame as he started hyperventilating. "23...Kim hyunshik, 24...Yang Dooseung..." Baekhyun's vision began to blur as dark patched rendered his sight imparted, he felt his heart stuttering and pumping hard at the same time as his body lost control and his breathing became even more laboured. "And finally, 25...Byun Baekhyun!" the uproar of claps and cheers for those who had gotten through sounded faded and distant to Baekhyun, like they were at the end of a very long tunnel, not crowding around him. As he heard his name, his feelings of relief were overpowered by his body, which swayed and began to fall backwards without his control. He felt his body seeing embraced and caught by something warm and soft. He caught a brief glimpse of a childish and angelic face, that usually sported a smile but now sported a worried look of angst. Baekhyun frowned, he didn't want the angel to be unhappy, he wanted it to smile as it should. The tall, fluffy haired angel drifted into the distance and out of sight as black engulfed his senses.