He didn’t expect such a hearty welcome. He staggers when the boy runs into his arms and he has to grab him around his waist to keep from falling. He presses him to his own body, laughing silently. Wookie just blinks in surprise.

“Yesung?” he whispers confusedly. He didn’t have an idea Yesung is already home. He didn’t hear him at all. Yesung usually yells his “hello” at the moment he comes to the door... Maybe he really yelled it, but Ryeowook was too lost in thoughts to notice it.

“Is there something wrong?” Yesung asks, catching a sight of Wookie’s confused face. He does not know the reason...has something happen during the day?

“Nothing,” Wookie replies, lowering his eyes and feeling his face is turning red. He does not grasp what is happening to him. Yesung’s embrace has suddenly a really strange effect on him. After the evening on the beach... He does not understand his feelings. His body is shivering, the heart is pounding. His head is spinning. He has to lean against Yesung’s chest to maintain a balance. No, this is not caused by Yesung’s presence. Something is...wrong. He hides his face in Yesung’s shirt, breathing deeply.

Although he presses his face in Yesung’s chest, the older man notices the redness, getting scared. He softly grips boy’s chin, making him glance up. He meets Wookie’s eyes covered with a haze. His burning skin heats Yesung’s palm.

“Wookie?” he whispers with dread. The boy focuses his eyes on the older man, looking at his face. He has a strange feeling Yesung is rippling. The man in front of him becomes smudgy before he returns to normal and over and over. What is happening...?

“I feel...sick...” he says quietly, his head is still spinning. He is burning, having a queasy stomach. Yesung does not hesitate, picking up his body in his arms, heading back to the bed. He forces him to lie, covering him with a blanket. 

He knew what has happened. Wookie obviously caught the flu, which broke out last month. He Wookie’s cheek and he leaves the room. He moves quickly, heading to the bathroom. He prepared cold compress and finds suitable pills in the medicine chest. Finally he takes a glass of cold water from kitchen and he heads back to Ryeowook’s bedroom. The boy lies as he lay when Yesung left. He hasn’t moved at all. His eyes are closed; his face is redder then before. He helps him to sit up; Wookie whines, making a face.

“You have to swallow it, Wookie,” he whispers urgently to his ear. Ryeowook whines once again, but he obeys him. He feels as he would throw it up at the moment he wash it down. Instead of this a fit of coughing overcomes his body and he almost suffocates. He gasps for air quickly with widen eyes.

“Try to sleep,” he can hear Yesung’s caring voice. The older man places a soft kiss on his forehead; he does not care about the danger of infection. Then, he put there the cold compress. But at the instant, Wookie is already asleep.

+++

“How is he?” he asks the blond boy at the moment he opens the door. The young man is holding a tray with two empty cups.

“He is better. He felt asleep just a while ago,” he gives Yesung a wide smile, carrying the tray to the kitchen.

Yesung takes off his shoes, following the youngster. The man washes the cups and returns them to a shelf.

“Thank you for staying with him, Heechul,” Yesung repeats for the hundredth time and Heechul just rolls his eyes.

“Don’t say it again and again. I’m glad I could help. Besides, I have nothing to do at home. Trust me, watching TV whole day and waiting for Siwon coming home is really bothering,” he shakes his head. Yesung just smiles, coming to the kitchen units.

“Would you like some coffee or something?” he offers, choosing a cup for himself. Heechul just shakes his head one more time.

“I have just finished up my tea. I got through it as well last week so I still take pills and drink gallons of tea to chase it completely away. I am curious when Siwon catch it too,” he laughs. “Moreover, I have to leave now. I have a job interview in an hour,” he refuses the offer politely. It captures Yesung’s attention. Job interview?

“So you found a job?” he asks – he knows how difficult it is for somebody with Heechul’s nature.

“I don’t know, maybe. But I know myself... And I know people. I don’t think I will stay there for a long time,” he sighs.

“Is it really that serious?” Yesung raises his eyebrows. He fills a kettle with water, letting it boil. Then he pours two spoons of coffee and one spoon of sugar into the cup.

“It is. I am quite scared what is waiting for me at work... It is really irritating when they treat me like a girl. Do I look like a girl?” he pouts. Yesung just looks at him with the only thought in his mind – right now, Heechul really does NOT look like a hulk, but he rather bites his tongue, saying nothing. He does not want to make him mad.

“Don’t answer,” Heechul sighs after a few seconds, looking at the floor. He knows how he looks like. And he knows he really gives the impression of being a girl. But he is handsome. Or... Maybe pretty. And it is the most important thing. He is satisfied with it. He just sighs one more time. How could he want them not to treat him like a girl when he is already thinking like a girl? He cares only about his appearance. But he has to do it – he wants Siwon to like him. Siwonnie...

“Damn it, I’ll be late!” he curses, when Yesung puts the empty cup to a sink. He forgot the time. He breaks into run, heading to the lobby, almost crashing into doorframe. He tries to put his shoes on quickly, but his hurrying hands are clumsy. Yesung follows him, amused by Heechul’s maniacal expression.

“Calm down, I’ll take you there. I’ve to thank you for taking care of Wookie.”

Heechul looks at him gratefully but after that he frowns.

“But what about Wookie? He’ll be here alone.”

Yesung’s eyes find the stairs and Heechul cannot overlook the tenderness which appears in them. Heechul knows it. He knows this expression. Siwon looks at him with the same eyes. He just grins. This will be interesting.

Yesung hesitates for a while but in the end he just smiles.

“I’m sure he won’t wake up before I’ll come back. It’ll be okay if it’s not far away.”

“It’s not,” Heechul nods. Yesung takes his keys, fighting back laughter.

“Okay, let’s go. But first of all... Give me back my shoes.”

+++

He is woken up by a distant slamming of the door. He whines quietly, realizing he still feels nauseous. He tries hard to opens his eyes. It seems everything around him is swinging. At the moment the door opens. The sound is so quiet that he is not sure if it was real or if it was just his imagination. He forces himself to turn his head, looking at the door. His eyes find Yesung. The older man just smiles, coming to the bed.

“How long are you awake?” he asks, Wookie’s sweaty hair.

“Just a while,” Wookie whispers. His throat is totally dry and he can hardly say something. Yesung immediately helps him to sit down. Wookie wishes he could stay lying but he knows it would be difficult to drink in such a position. Yesung puts the glass of water to his lips and Wookie just gives him a grateful look. He drinks slowly, cold water flows to his dry throat. It is really refreshing because his whole body is still in fire.

“I’ll make you a tea and come back, okay?” Yesung says gently, placing his lips on Wookie’s forehead. Ryeowook closes his eyes, the kiss is so pleasant. He just purrs contentedly when he can lie down again and Yesung covers his body with warm blanket. He places another kiss on his forehead and another one on his nose, his burning cheek. Ryeowook just smiles, eyes still closed. And Yesung has to smile back; he cannot resist this cute face.

“I’ll be back in the minute,” he whispers before leaving the room. Wookie just mumbles something before falling asleep again.