Hyesung pressed the numbers he remembered by heart on Eric’s door one morning. He stormed inside calling out his neighbor’s name. “Eric?” But no one answered him back. “Junghyuk!” He impatiently called again.

Five minutes ago his bandmates, Minwoo, called him if he knew where Eric was. He couldn’t reach him because Eric’s phone was turned off. They supposed to have a meeting this morning and Minwoo was afraid Eric forgot about it and overslept. Since Hyesung was Eric’s neighbor (and his boyfriend, a term Hyesung agreed to use when he was in very good mood), Minwoo asked him to check his apartment.

Once he stepped in, Hyesung held back his urges to nag about how messy Eric’s house was. He hurried his pace to master bedroom instead to find the man rolled up under the thick blanket. Hyesung frowned to see the bundle didn’t move.

“Eric? Are you sleeping?” Hyesung sat on the edge of the bed and shook Eric gently on his shoulder.

Eric moved a little but said nothing. Hyesung pulled his blanket down impatiently and said, “Wake up already. Minwoo said you didn’t pick up your phone. Don’t you remember you have meeting this morning?”

“My head hurts, Pilkyo-ah..” Eric said weakly. His face was pale and his eyes were red. His lips a bit chapped. His sweater was wet from his sweat.

By reflex, Hyesung touched Eric’s forehead. “Oh, my God. You have fever!”

“And my stomach feels funny..” he whined now. “I feel like dying..” Eric tried to embrace Hyesung but the slender man slapped his hands approaching him. Hyesung got up and fished out his phone before walked out the room. He stood just outside the door and called Minwoo’s number.

“Minbong? Yeah, it’s me. I think he can’t make it for the meeting today. He’s sick.” Hyesung listened to the other end a few seconds before sighed, “I mean he’s very very sick. Yeah, I think this time he finally got it. He hasn’t sleep for three days, I guess. I’m sorry, but can you reschedule the meeting? He needs some rest.”

Hyesung listened again before smiled, “Thank you, Minbong. No, its okay, I’ll take care of him. You don’t need to worry about that.” He hung up after said his goodbye. He then called his manager to cancel all his schedule for the day. Nothing much to do anyway, just some appointment with his dentist and then practicing on the afternoon.

He slapped his forehead when Taehak reminded him about his appointment to drink with his company CEO and also his close friend. He turned his head and eyed Eric before said firmly, “Cancel them all, Taehak.”  He said his thank you again before hung up and threw his phone carelessly on the table. He turned around and entered Eric’s bedroom just to find him hid under the blanket again.

Hyesung sat on the edge again but now his gesture was different from before. He touched Eric’s shoulder and shook it lightly. Eric, still felt offended by Hyesung’s rejection just now, didn’t budge by his attempt. Instead, he stubbornly held his blanket firmer and mumbled, “Just leave me alone.” He thought he would make Hyesung feel guilty and pamper him more by that, so he was shocked when he felt Hyesung got up on his feet and walked out without saying anything.

Eric waited for seconds under his blanket, but for his disappointment, he heard his front door was opened and closed soon after. Hyesung really left him!

He was about to sat up but he stopped right away when his head felt the worst headache. He felt miserable now, was having fever in his apartment alone and his boyfriend just left him like that. Jung Pilkyo, are you asking for a break up?

But when he was busy pitying his fate suddenly he heard his front door opened again. He sensed Hyesung’s footsteps that he could easily differentiate from others. “Hyesung?” he called in relieved. The skinny man’s face was slightly flushed and he was a bit out of breath. Did he just run from his own apartment? Eric thought and noticed a small box in his hand.

“You don’t have a thermometer, right?” Hyesung asked. He sat again, opened the box and was looking for the thermometer. “That’s why I always say that you’re useless.” He scoffed but couldn’t hide his worry though. He finally found it and turned to Eric. “Open your mouth.” He ordered and when Eric obeyed, he shoved the thermometer inside. “Wait for a minute.”

Eric tried to say something, but Hyesung shushed him immediately. So they stayed silent, Eric lied on his pillow watched Hyesung and Hyesung sat on the edge looking intently at the digital thermometer. After a minute, Hyesung took the thermometer and sighed to see 37,6 ^oC flashed. “You are burning hot, Eric.”

“Thank you.” Eric joked but he himself noticed how his voice sounded raspier than before. And he saw Hyesung’s face whirling, his headache was going worse. He immediately closed his eyes, in hope it could help decrease his dizziness.

“Shut up.” Eric could hear Hyesung scolded him. He continued to scold him, but Eric couldn’t make out the words. Few words he could actually hear were ‘not funny’, ‘useless’, and ‘idiot’. Hyesung kept nag and nag until Eric felt his hand on his neck, making him to sit up. He opened his eyes and saw Hyesung tried to make him take the medicine.

“What is it?” Eric asked dumbly.

“Ibuprofen.” Hyesung answered shortly before put one pill inside Eric’s mouth and brought a glass of water for Eric to drink. “The medicine shall takes some times, but we need to lower you temperature. Come on.” He stood up again and walked to the bathroom. Eric just sat motionless, wasn’t catching Hyesung’s sign to follow him.

A minute later, the frowning Hyesung walked back to his bedroom. “Why are you still here?” He approached Eric and without warning began undresses him.

“Hyesung-ah, what are you doing?”

“Get you showered.” Hyesung mumbled and even though his face was now all red, he didn’t stop his work taking off Eric’s clothes. Now Eric left with only his boxer and Hyesung helped him to get up his feet. But soon he realized that Eric was too weak to even support himself, so he put Eric’s arm on his shoulder while he was holding Eric’s waist. “Walk slowly.” He said to Eric and led him to the bathroom. Eric leaned his weight to Hyesung because he couldn’t stand steadily.

“I’m sorry.” He held his shoulder tighter while Hyesung bravely supported his muscular body weight.

“Shut up! Next time you have a brilliant idea to stay up three days and listen to our songs material inside the cold studio without eating or rest properly, I’ll kick your !” Hyesung snapped but he gripped Eric’s waist tighter. Eric smiled to him but said nothing. Inside the bathroom, Eric saw the shower was running. Hyesung made him stepped inside, while he stood on the door still holding his arms for support.

“It’s not cold water.” Eric commented when he felt lukewarm water runs his skin. He thought one needs to bath in cold water when having a fever.

“My mom says bathing in cold water lowers your temperature too much. Better this way.” Eric closed his eyes and silently enjoyed shower. The warm water made the chills he felt a moment ago disappear and he wasn’t shivering anymore.

He didn’t know how much they stood there, but then he felt Hyesung pulled his hands to step out the shower. He swiftly covered Eric’s body with a towel and dried him. He helped him changes his clothes to T-shirt and sweatpants. All the while, never gave up his nagging.

“You’re the most useless person I ever know! How old are you, huh? Don’t you think you’re too old to be this careless? Use your common sense when you work, you’re CEO for God’s sake. If you can’t even remember to stay healthy, how you’ll take care for your employee? And how dare you turned off your phone! How I supposed to know if you’re okay? I know you’re an idiot, but I never thought you’re this idiot!”

Hyesung made Eric lied on his bed again. He kicked his blanket aside and when he saw Eric frowned at that, he said “You aren’t shivering anymore, so you don’t need this. Use this instead.” He handed a light sheets and covered Eric with that. Hyesung wasn’t rest, he then walked to the kitchen and brought a huge water bottle. “Drink this. I’ll cook you something.” He said before paced back to the kitchen.

Half an hour later, Hyesung brought with himself a tray and walked inside the bedroom. He eyed the almost empty bottle on his bedside and smiled. At least he listened well, he thought. He put the tray carefully on the floor when he bent down to sit on the bed edge. He touched Eric’s cheek and satisfied to feel the temperature wasn’t as hot as before. He caressed his cheek and woke him up from his deep slumber. He helped him to sit, put the tray on his lap and began to feed him the warm soup.

“I don’t think I have chicken on my fridge.” Eric said puzzled. “Or these vegetables. Or the oranges.” He observed the soup and juice in front of him.

“I took it from my fridge, now shut up.” Eric looked at Hyesung’s eyes before grinned happily. Because despite his harsh words, his eyes were really sincere and concerned.

Eric held Hyesung’s hand before said softly, “Thank you, Pilkyo-ah.”

“Don’t say that, just eat.” His voice was softer this time. He brought another spoon of warm soup to his mouth before said, “I need to feed Gomdori too after this.”

***

Eric woke up on the midnight and smiled. He recalled the whole day Hyesung took care of him. He would make sure Eric drank water every half hour, feed him, and gave him medicine. He would stay beside him all the time and waited until he fell asleep. He wiped his sweat and checked his temperature every now and then. And even took care of poor Gomdori which was lacked his attention these days. He could feel Hyesung’s hand was placed on his chest, holding his hands. He turned his head and found his boyfriend slept beside him. Still wearing his clothes from this morning, he snuggled peacefully. Eric moved closer but it only made the light sleeper Hyesung woke up. He blinked once before put his hand to Eric’s forehead.

“You don’t have your fever anymore.” Hyesung rubbed his eyes with his free hand and sat up. “What time is it?”

“I don’t know.”

“Almost 1 AM.” Hyesung muttered after glanced at his watch. “I should go home now. You’re better, anyway.” He tried to get down the bed but Eric was faster, he hugged Hyesung from behind and forced him to lie down in his embrace.

“Don’t go.” He whispered.

“Seems like you get your power back.” Hyesung chuckled. After contemplated for a few seconds, he said “Yeah, I think I will stay. I’m too sleepy to walk to my apartment.” He held Eric’s hands on his stomach and moved a bit to find a more comfortable position.

“Thank you, Pilkyo-ah.” Now Eric covered Hyesung with his sheets close to him. And then kisses his cheek lovingly while tightening his embrace.

“Don’t make me worry like that again, Junghyuk-ah.” Hyesung yawned sleepily and closed his eyes, ready to go back to sleep.

“What? No good night kiss?” Eric pouted.

“No. What if your fever is contagious?” Hyesung definitely opposed that saliva-transferred activity.

“Then I will take care of you diligently tomorrow.” Eric snuggled his head to Hyesung’s neck. A way he knew too well would make Hyesung waver. “Please?”

“Fine, but just one kisses.”