AH-CHOOO!

“Ew, stop that.”

“Stop wha…CHOOO!” a sneeze interrupted my sentence.

“That… Stop sneezing in my personal space,” Heechul complained.

I moved my gaze across the room to stare at him. His personal space...? I’m almost 4 yards away from him, and he still calls it his personal space?

“So you’re saying that this whole living room is your personal space?”

“Why yes, I am,” he responded elegantly.

“Hmph… Whatever.” Too lazy to argue, I headed back into my boring room.

My head pounded as I walked down the hall. It was an unusual feeling. I’ve never felt this tired and my head has never ached this much. It’s almost as if I had just woken up from a one-hour nap after running from Korea to China. No, it’s more like… sleepwalking of some sort.

“Yah, watch out!”

I was startled by Heechul’s voice from the living room that sounded ten times louder than it was supposed to. Why’s he yelling?

“Watch where you’re going,” he said.

At the same time, I felt a hand gripping my shoulder. I turned slowly to see Heechul. Wait… I thought he was just in the living room.

“Aish, potato head. You’re so clumsy.”

I raised an eyebrow in confusion and turned back around to continue into my room. What’s going on? Is he like a ninja or something? Pffft, what am I thinking? Ninjas??

You know what, I think I just need to lay down… Lay down on my soft bed… And… Fall asleep.

*HEECHUL’S POV*

Hmmm… Something’s wrong with her.

She seems so distant today. Usually, she’d argue back with me. But she just let it go. Even when I called her a potato head.

And she’s pretty clumsy, but that was clumsier than usual… I mean, who walks straight into walls? She practically dragged herself down the hallway just now. Maybe I should check on her.

Knock, knock… No answer.

She couldn’t have fallen asleep already. She JUST got into her room.

I knocked again, patiently waiting for an answer before I decided to use my voice.

“Yah, potato head! Open up!”

Still no answer. I guess I’ll have to check myself, then.

Slowly creaking her door open, searched for her around the room, staring from her bed to the corner of her room. She’s not on her bed, she’s not under the table, she’s not-

WAIT.

I did a double-take at her bed. She wasn’t ON her bed, but rather… How do you say… Hanging off of her bed? Whatever she was doing, she ended in a very awkward position.

…

Geez, she’s gonna hurt herself sleeping like that.

“Hey…” I pushed on her arm. “Pabo…”

She seemed dead asleep. And her face looked pale, as if she really was dead.

“Wake up,” I shook her.

This time, I got an incoherent mumble out of her.

“What was that?” I asked her.

She mumbled again, this time attempting to slap my hand away. Missed by a mile.

Sigh, first things first… I rolled the hem of my sleeves up and picked her up, placing her correctly on her bed. Still light as a feather.

What do I do in a situation like this? She’s definitely gonna beat me if she sees me in her room when she’s conscious again. Now who is it that she’s most fond of? Zhou Mi? No, no, no it was Yesung…

The image of Mina and Yesung on the balcony that night flashed in the back of my mind. My stomach felt uneasy.

I’ll just get Zhou Mi…

“Zhou Mi!” I caught him in the hallways before he entered his room.

“Yeah?” he stopped.

“If you don’t mind, can you come into Mina’s room?”

“Of course. But what for?” he asked.

“Just come.”

I held the door open for him and shut it as soon as he came in.

…His reaction wasn’t what I had anticipated.

“Omo!” he exclaimed, running to her side. “Omo, Honey! What happened, Honey??”

“She-”

“OMOOOOO,” he cut me off. “Minaaaaa, are you okay??” he put a hand on her forhead. “You’re burning up, Honey!”

I wish he’d stop calling her “Honey”. And I wish he’d stop being all mushy with her… Why is it that he’s always so sweet to her? And she always smiles around him…

“I only left you home alone for one day, and this happens?” Zhou Mi panicked. “I won’t leave you home alone anymore!”

“Stop overreacting…”

“But she’s sick!”

Oh… Right. She’s sick. That’s what’s wrong.

It must’ve been from the rain yesterday. She came home dripping wet…

I shouldn’t have made her walk outside.

*MINA’S POV*

Nnnng… I hate this. Feeling sore and aching everywhere, as if I was broken into a million pieces, then glued back together. It .

Opening my eyes, the world was blurry. I blinked a few times, trying to get it into focus.

There was a voice. I couldn’t understand what the person was saying… My hearing was as blurry as my vision. I kept blinking, until I got tired of it. Then I just stared.

I stared at the person for a while before I realized that it was Heechul.

…

Dammit, it’s Heechul.

“What are you doing here?” I spoke with my strained throat. My voice sounded kinda weird.

“Why can’t I be here?”

“Because…” I paused. “You know what, I’m too tired to fight. Get out.”

"You're so weak, Mina,” he said. I blinked when I heard him call me by my name. “It was just a little rain.”

“Go awaaaayyyyy,” I moaned.

"But... If you're weak, then you're gonna need someone to take care of you, right?"

“Huh?” Did I hear him right? Did he say “take care”?

“Here, talk to Mr. Cuddles while I go get you some food,” he said, tossing a teddy bear into my lap.

I stared at him, confused. Why is he being like this? I could’ve sworn he called me a potato head a while ago. AND MR. CUDDLES??

I looked at the bear in my lap. He was a fluffy bear, with caramel-colored fur. He had a large red bow around his neck. Picking it up, I stared deep into his big soulless eyes.

“That stupid Heechul, must realize that it’s his fault that I’m sick, right?”

Mr. Cuddles remained still, the smile stayed firm on his face.

“I hope he feels guilty. I haven’t been sick this whole year… Until now! I feel terrible!”

AH-CHOOOO!!

“I don’t like this,” I sniffed. “I can’t even talk right.”

I pouted at the expressionless bear.

Sigh, where on earth did he get this teddy bear…? And why’d he name it Mr. Cuddles? I admit it’s a cute name, but it’s soooo not HIM.

“What’s he thinking…?” I asked. “Usually, he’s so mean… And what’s he doing now, getting me food? He must think that he has to take care of me, now that I’m sick. Pshh, no way!”

Crossing my arms, I looked up at the ceiling.

“Hmm, but then again… He might be… Useful,” I smirked. “Wouldn’t you agree, Mr. Cuddles?”

The lifeless bear nodded with the shaking of my hand.

“I think I like the nice Heechul a lot better,” I smiled.

“Puahaha, you’re really talking to him?”

I jumped at the sound of Heechul’s voice. “N-No,” I blushed.

“It’s funny, ‘cause I have a recorder in there.”

“WHAT?” I exclaimed. Is he serious? I squeezed the bear all over, from his big head to his fluffy feet. But I only felt fluffiness.

“I’m kidding,” he chuckled. “Here, eat your food. Then take some medicine.”

“Ew, I hate medicine…” I gagged at the sight of the bottle on the tray. Next to it was a bowl of hot soup and a glass of orange juice. “I want my fishie bread.”

“You mean your boong-uh-bbang?” he raised an eyebrow.

I nodded.

“Huh, I was wondering who bought all of that boong-uh-bbang…”

“So you’re gonna go get it for me?” I asked again.

“Nope, you’re sick. You need some vitamin C,” he shook his head.

“No, I’m perfectly fine. And I need some fishie bread,” I argued sarcastically.

He took the orange juice off of the tray and shoved it in my face. Pouting, I took it out of his hand. He placed the soup on my nightstand, along with the medicine.

“I rarely get sick,” I said. “But when I do, it’s like I’m dying.”

“Really? Me too,” he agreed. “It’s good that you have a strong immune system like me! Only the ugly viruses can get to you.”

I laughed, picking up the bowl of soup. Before taking in my first spoonful, I paused and remembered…

“My mom always fed me when I’m sick. No matter how old I am.”

“Even at seventeen?”

“Even at seventeen,” I admitted amusingly. “I kind of miss it.”

“Want me to feed you, then?”

“No!” I retorted.

“I wasn’t going to anyways,” he stuck his tongue out. “I’m not your mom.”

“Thank goodness,” I rolled my eyes.

“Whatever,” he turned towards the door. “Enjoy your soup… Alone.”

He exited my room to take the tray back into the kitchen. I slurped my soup in silence. It was quite delicious… I wonder if he made it himself. Pfft, there’s no way he made it. He’s too lazy to cook anything, even for himself.

I wonder where Mimi is… Does he know that I’m sick? I wish he’d visit me. I miss him. Especially since he was gone all day yesterday.

When I finished, the bowl was put back down on the nightstand with a clank. At the same time, my door opened.

“Honey, you’re finally awake!”

“MIMIII~!” I sang with my best voice possible. No, it wasn’t even singing. I sound like a dying parrot.

“Don’t hurt your throat,” he told me. “How are you feeling?”

“Don’t worry, I feel much better than I actually sound.”

“Good,” he came over to sit on my bed. “I see that you’re done with your food.”

“I am. It was delish,” I smiled.

“Heechul made it.”

“Huh?”

“Yeah, I found it weird too. He doesn’t cook for anyone. Not even himself.”

“Wow,” I stared at him, amazed. Was it really Heechul? Or was he messing with me.

“Looks like it’s time for medicine,” Zhou Mi pulled the bottle off of the nightstand.

“Noooo,” I whined.

“You have to!” he urged.

“But-“

“No buts, missy. See?” he pointed at his .

I busted out laughing the moment I got his joke. “I see what you did there!”

He grinned as he poured some of the syrup medicine onto a spoon. My smile disappeared, seeing the red liquid.

“Open wide,” he said in an aegyo voice.

“No,” I turned away.

He pointed the spoon at my mouth. I turned away again. He put it near my mouth, but I only pressed my lips together, acting like a little kid.

“Minaaaa~”

“Nope,” I faced a different direction.

 “At least take a sniff at it,” he pouted.

“Fineee,” I agreed.

I put my nose near the spoon, trusting that he won’t forcefully make me ingest it.

The medicine smells like… I took a few more sniffs just to make sure I was smelling the right thing. It smells like… CANDY. I blinked.

“It smells good,” I looked at Mimi with round eyes.

“It does, doesn’t it?” he smiled childishly, blinking back at me.

“Maybe it won’t be so bad,” I decided.

“It isn’t,” he continued to smile.

Taking his word, I opened my mouth and let him put the spoon in my mouth. Just then, Heechul came into my room, snickering.

Then I realized... The smell was a mere distraction. Heechul had made me forget that I was just taking in medicine, just for a second. But when I glanced back at Zhou Mi…

“EW, WHAT THE HELL!!!”

Heechul’s snickering turned into loud laughter.

Swirling my tongue around in my mouth, I tried to get as much of the bitter cherry taste out. I kept swallowing, my face still scrunched up from the disgusting taste.

“You lied to me!” I wailed at Mimi.

“I’m sorry!” he pulled my face into his shoulder. “I tried to make it less horrifying!”

“Haha, what did you think it was going to taste like?” Heechul asked amusingly.

“Candy!” I yelled.

“It’s okay, all of the guys fell for it the first time too. Everyone’s expression was priceless. So was yours,” he laughed.

“You mean…  You… YAH, PABO!”

“What’s going on?” Henry poked his head into the room.

“They tricked me! That medicine tastes like shi-“

“OMO, YOU’RE SICK?” Henry gasped.

“I ammmm!” I groaned. “Because of that fool over there,” I pointed at Heechul.

“Oh no, I have to tell the guys!” Henry ran off into the hallway.

“No, please don’t tell Sung-“

“MINAAAAAAAA!”

Sigh, too late…

Sungmin came dashing into my room, shoving Heechul and pushing Zhou Mi out of the way. He wrapped his arms around me and squeezed. TIGHT.

“Sungmin… You’re killing me,” I managed to wheeze.

“WHAT? Killing you? OMO, DON’T DIE!” he let go and began to shake me by my shoulders.

“Yah, stop that!” Mimi smacked Ming’s head. “You’re feeling better already, aren’t you?”

“Hmm,” I thought. My throat DID clear up a bit. And my sniffles just stopped. “I think I am…”

“That medicine works really well,” he said. “Now you just need some rest. Come on, let’s leave Mina alone,” Zhou Mi waved his hand for them to come with him.

“But I just got to see Mina,” Sungmin pouted.

“Let’s gooo,” Mimi dragged Sungmin out by his sleeve.

Heechul remained by the door for a moment before leaving.

“Get well soon, Potato Head.”

I frowned at what he just called me.

“You have to,” he smiled. “So you can see my amazingness on stage.”

Oh, that’s right… Super Show 4 is in two days…

How could I forget?

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Huhuhuhuh, I have a five-page paper to write and it’s due tomorrow. LIFE RIGHT NOW. IT A LOT. T_T

That medicine scene was based off of an experience, you guys. A REAL-LIFE EXPERIENCE. It was terrifying. I swear to Shisus that thing smelled like Jolly Ranchers. But NOOOO, it wanted to taste like cherry. It wasn’t even like a cherry Jolly Rancher. It was an UGLY cherry. I hate medicine that taste like cherry. I hate it with a passion.
Okay, I’m done with my I-Hate-Cherry-Medicine rant. Cherries taste pretty good. The real cherry fruit, of course.

Gee, I really wonder if you guys even read my author’s notes lol. Hehe, comment “marshmallow abs” down below if you do. :D

Thanks for reading~! Please don’t forget to vote, vote, vote, comment down below, fan, and vote!

There will be more updates to come during winter break! (December 21, 2012-January 1, 2013) WE’RE NOT DYING ON THE 21st. Cuz I know damn well, my cereal expires on the 15th of February in 2013.