"A"

                                    
CHAPTER TITLE "Hyung, are you okay?" Jr.'s hesitant voice piped in, breaking the silence. That single question caught the red-head's attention. He raised his head, his eyebrows slightly furrowed, and looked at the person who's question was directed to. Jaebum. Jaebum had been acting ... strange. Normally, he's all chirpy, weird, and hyper. But today, he's just quiet. It's unnatural.

"Eh?" Jaebum said, raising his head. He blinked once before putting a sincere smile on his face. "Me? Oh, I'm fine. I'm just a bit tired. Don't worry!" The others seemed to nod, but Mark seemed un-phased. He continued to watch Jaebum closely for several minutes, watching his actions. Jaebum would constantly lean his head against something - anything - as if he had a loss of energy. Jaebum would close his eyes for several minutes and would only open them if someone began talking to him. He wasn't trying to sleep, Mark could tell. Something else was going on, and he could see right through him.

"Jaebum--" Mark started, but Jackson interrupted him.

"--Jaebum-hyung!" Jackson chirped, making Jaebum raise his head and open his eyes. "Yugyeom was wondering if we could get ice-cream on our way back from Afterschool Club."

"Ah, that's not entirely up to me." Jaebum said, chuckling softly.

"Ask manager-nim. But I'm okay with it." Yugyeom grinned and leaned, peering down the van until he saw their manager in the passenger seat.

"Manager-nim!" He called out. Mark let out a deep sigh and turned his head, glancing out of the window. He was about to put his headphones in when BamBam tapped his shoulder.

"Hyung," BamBam whispered. "do you sense that something else is wrong with JB?" Mark took a small glance at Jaebum before he looked back at BamBam before nodding. BamBam exhaled a little. "It's good to know I'm not the only one. I wonder what's wrong..."

"Who knows? But I hope it's nothing serious." Mark replied.

- - -

"You're sweating, hyung." Yugyeom pointed out. Jaebum blinked and touched his temple before wiping off the sweat with his sleeve.

"It's hot in here." Jaebum replied with a small laugh. "It's just sweat, after all." Yugyeom nodded before he chatted away with the leader happily. Mark watched from the back of the van, keeping a close eye on Jaebum. He let out a deep sigh and looked out of the window, noticing that they were almost home from another busy day.

"Manager-hyung, what is our schedule for tomorrow again?" Jackson asked, leaning against the passenger seat.

"Tomorrow, we have ASC - Afterschool Club - but that will be only for Mark and Jackson. Next, we're finishing up the photo-shoot for 'A.' Then the day after tomorrow, we have a small concert in which we'll be performing 'Girls Girls Girls' and 'I Like You' before spending the rest of the time having a fan-sign event." Their manager responded in full detail. Jackson nodded and looked at Jaebum.

"Did you hear that, hyung?" He said. Jaebum nodded and looked at the others. "How about the rest of you?" Everyone else nodded with a simple, but lazy, "nae~" in response. The van pulled into the driveway of the JYP agency. They all climbed out of the van and began heading towards a separate dorm building. Jaebum his lips and walked behind the others, watching them, while Mark stayed behind him with their manager.

"Manager-hyung, he doesn't seem well." Mark said, only so the manager could hear. Their manager nodded in response, silent as he watched Jaebum closely.

"Good thing he's all done with the photo-shoot. He's the only one done besides you." He said.

"If he does become ill, I volunteer to stay back at the dorm with him after ASC." Mark replied sternly. The manager looked at him, a bit shock. "I'll stay at his bedside until he gets better. I know the others will be worried but not worried enough to watch over him." The manager chuckled softly and looked ahead.

"You're probably right. I sense no reason to argue with you. You can stay back with Jaebum. But I'll be calling every other hour, you hear me?" He said. Mark laughed softly and nodded.

"Nae, manager-nim." Mark replied. They headed into their dorms, the maknae line letting out groans of anxiety as they plopped down on their beds. Jaebum chuckled softly as he went into the kitchen to grab a glass of water. Mark followed but stayed at a distant. He stood in the doorway of the kitchen, wanting to know what was really wrong with Jaebum.

"Jaebum." Mark said, noticing the other lean up against the counter. Jaebum exhaled and closed his eyes. "You better tell me the truth this time. I'm not up for any games..." Mark took a few steps closer. "I'm worried..." Jaebum smiled softly and turned around to face him. He reached up and touched his forehead, noticing he was hotter than he was earlier.

"Forgive me, Mark." He replied. Mark blinked. "I don't mean to make any of you worry. Though, it seems that only you noticed."

"BamBam did, along with manager-nim." Mark said, folding his arms across his chest. "We saw through it all." Jaebum sighed softly and leaned off the counter, hand still on his forehead.

"Well, I'm sorry. I think...I think I just need some rest." Jaebum began walking past him when everything blurred. A wave of dizziness ran through him, causing him to suddenly loose balance. Mark reacted quickly and caught Jaebum.

"Jaebum!" Mark cried out, cupping Jaebum's cheek. The leader's eyes were barely open. He was so weak. Mark's eyebrows furrowed and the others rushed in. "Youngjae, go get some medicine. Pronto. Someone, go open Jaebum' door now and get his pajamas ready. BamBam, get a thermometer." Mark demanded. They all nodded and got to work. With Jackson's help, Mark eased Jaebum on to his own bed. Jaebum let out a heavy breathe as he let his eyes close, letting himself get pulled into the blackness. Mark furrowed his eyebrows in worry and took the thermometer from BamBam, pressing it against Jaebum's forehead. The others surrounded the bed, waiting for the thermometer to stop beeping for the results. Mark pulled it back once it stopped and let out a deep sigh.

"104.1." He said. "See? I told you guys