The Ninth Chapter

Sehun woke up to the noise coming from his bathroom. At first he thought he was only dreaming so he didn’t mind it. There were running footsteps that came from his room and then the bathroom door slammed open. Soon, he heard the sound of someone groaning and throwing up.

He opened his eyes and he knew it wasn’t a dream. Getting up from the couch where he spent the rest of the night, he dragged himself to the direction of the bathroom. His head was still aching from drinking last night but he ignored it when he found Daesom bending over the toilet, probably throwing up her internal organs.

He stopped just by the doorframe. “Hey, are you alright?”

Daesom momentarily paused from throwing up and spared him a glance. “Y-yeah.. I’m –“ And she started vomiting again.

Sehun didn’t know whether he should help her or just leave her be so he just stood there, frozen. Though deep inside him, his worry for Jung Daesom was starting to grow. She flushed the toilet before standing up and washing her face over the sink. She was still panting and he noticed a little shaking from her body.

“Sorry if you had to witness that.” She apologized in a weak voice. “I think my stomach didn’t like what I ate last night. Did you eat the food in the fridge?”

“No.”

“Good. It might be spoiled, too.” She reached for a towel to dry her face. From her reflection on the mirror, Sehun saw how pale she was that morning. She looked sick.

She started to go outside the bathroom but her knees wobbled and she almost collapsed just as she passed Sehun. Good thing he was near her so he was able to grab her arm to keep her from falling.

“I’m fine.” She firmly said just as Sehun was about to support her to walk.

“You don’t look like that to me.”

“You.. shouldn’t care about me, right?” She said, yanking her arm back from him. “I can.. manage.” She grabbed the doorframe for support.

She failed to hide the shaking of her hands so even before she could protest, he scooped her up in his arms and brought her to the kitchen. Is it just him or did Jung Daesom instantly lost weight? He was sure she weighed a little more last night when he carried her to bed. Her skin also felt warmer against his and he reckoned that she was having a fever.

“You don’t have to do this, you know.” Daesom shot him a sharp look as he made her sit on the chair at the dining table.

“I don’t want someone to die inside my house. That’s bad luck.” Sehun got a glass and opened the fridge to get her some water. He placed the glass in front of her at the table. “Drink.”

She didn’t bother to utter a word of thanks as she gulped down the drink. He left to go back to the bathroom and came back with some medicine. She just eyed the tablets he handed to her.

“What’s this?” She asked.

“You’re burning up with fever. The other one’s for nausea.” He answered nonchalantly as he opened the cupboards to cook them some breakfast.

“I don’t need this. I told you I’m fine.” She said stubbornly and placed the tablets back at the table.

Sehun faced her again and gave her a stern gaze. “You’re going to drink that or you’re gonna have to pack your bags and leave. You choose.”

Daesom huffed in frustration and reluctantly threw the tablets inside before drinking it down. “Are you my mom or something?”

“I just don’t want anyone dying on my account.” Again. He quickly turned around and started fixing them some breakfast. He knew he shouldn’t be fussing over someone like her but his instincts were telling him to take care of her. It was stupid and strange; it was against everything he had set up around him all these years.

Maybe it was because he drunk so much last night. Yeah, it was probably the hangover.

They were still silent as they began eating. Some of the color already returned to Daesom’s cheeks but he knew she wasn’t feeling that well yet.

“I was surprised this morning when I woke up in your bed.” She was the one who broke the silence. “I thought I wasn’t allowed to go inside there? It would have been better if you slept beside me. Did you carry me to bed?” That familiar smirk was playing on her lips again.

“You probably walked in your sleep. You were already there when I got home. I was too tired when I arrived so I didn’t bother waking you up and just took the couch.” He lied. If she finds out that he was a little bit concerned for her, who knows what other things she’ll make him do?

“Is that so?” She eyed him skeptically. “I never sleepwalk though. And I was sure I was finishing my work at the living room before I fell asleep.”

“Well, you made quite a mess last night.”

Suddenly, Daesom’s face looked alarmed as if she remembered something. “My paintings.. where are they?”

“Behind the couch. Don’t worry, I don’t think I ruined anything.” He replied. He was actually waiting for her to ask something else. Like if he saw something he shouldn’t have.

“Did you look over my works?” Her tone was cautious.

“I just gathered them. I didn’t look in too much. Art doesn’t really interest me.”

“Really, huh?” Her shoulders relaxed but Sehun continued to watch her reactions closely. “So my talent didn’t impress you at all?” She wore her arrogant façade yet again.

He shrugged. “I’ve seen better.”

That caused her to throw him an insulted look. “Excuse you, Oh Sehun. But I’m the best artist our university has ever had.”

He ignored her retort and finally decided on popping one question for her. “I’ve noticed something though. Your works contain sceneries and non-human creatures. I’ve never seen any person in your drawings.”

Daesom looked tensed as she contemplated on his words. “I thought you didn’t look into my drawings.”

“I didn’t look too much. Anyone could easily notice that.”

She directed her eyes down at her plate. “I don’t really draw people. It gives out too much.”

His forehead creased. “Gives out too much?”

“Artists like me rely on feelings and memories when I make my works. I think that when I draw someone, what I think of or feel for that person would show in my painting. Well, I hate most people I know so I don’t want to start hundreds of wars with them. That would be a waste of my time.” She carefully explained.

 “So you’re saying.. you’ve never drew anyone in your entire life?”

Sehun saw how Daesom’s fingers gripped her chopsticks tightly before loosening up in an instant. “Yes. And I would never draw anyone in my work.”

Liar. He voiced inside his head

“Can I wash up first? I have to go to school.” She immediately added to divert the topic.

“You’re sick, Daesom. You should rest.”

She rolled her eyes. “This is my normal level of hotness, Oh Sehun. Stop fussing over me and get back to your usual self.” She stood up from her chair. “You’re changing, do you know that?”

 Yes, he knows that very well. The only problem is he hasn’t decided yet if he would let that change completely take over him or take a step back before it’s too late.

-

Sehun sat at the corner of the practice room and closed his eyes. It was already Monday and their dance recital was going to be held in four days’ time. He was exhausted from all their routines that day because he didn’t have enough stamina due to the lack of sleep. He really should have not drunk too much last night.

Another thing was that, the sketch of the man he found last night kept flashing inside his mind. He scanned it thoroughly and he saw that Daesom put on a date on when she drew it. It was dated three years ago. Daesom came to Korea with Kris two years ago which means she was still in Canada when she made that sketch.

Did she leave Canada because of that person or she came to Korea not because of Kris, but because of that man? Daesom’s strange disappearances before suddenly crossed his mind. Was she looking for him? What relation does he have with her anyway? Kris would be someone who could answer his curiosities other than Dae