Chapter 39

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Author POV

“Jongie ah……..why didn’t you wash up yet?”

Sungjong turn his head to Hoya. Hoya already wear his casual cloth and combing his hair while looking at Sungjong who still in his pajama. Today they have a group’s vocal and dance practice so everyone prepare to go out.

“Hyung…….Yeol hyung didn’t wake up yet……..he looks weird……..”

Hoya frowns and walks to Sungyeol’s bed. Sungyeol was not a sleepyhead like Dongwoo or Myungsoo, so no wonder Sungjong look so worried. The dance machine of the group slowly climbs up Sungyeol’s bed and pull Sungyeol’s shoulder to turn his body around.

Hoya gasps when he looks at the choding’s face. Sungyeol’s face was flush and his expression was not good. Hoya put his palm gently on the choding’s forehead.

“Sungyeol ahh~~~ Sungyeolie~~~ wake up……”

Sungyeol whine a bit and shift his body toward Hoya. He slowly opens his eyes when Hoya his burned cheek.

“Yeol ah~~~ you’ve got a fever…….are you okay?”

Sungyeol get up and sit on his bed. He massages his temple to ease away the dizziness. Hoya was right, his temperature is quite high than normal. Yesterday he came home at 3.00am from the filming set. He filmed a scene where he needs to jump into the pool to save the heroine and the filming took several time until the director satisfied. And it took a toll on his body today.

“I’m okay, hyung……..just a bit dizzy…..”

Sungyeol move and climb down from his bed. He staggers a bit when he land his feet on the floor.

“No, you are not okay……I’ll tell Sungyu hyung so…….”

“No~~I’m okay…….really~…..”

Hoya just looks at Sungyeol when the choding cut him off. Something changes about Sungyeol. The choding was a whiner even for a little cut on his finger. He sometime was more childish and hard to control more than the maknae, Sungjong. Hoya feels like he missed something but he can’t point it out what that is.

Sungyeol pick up his toiletries and walk to the door where the maknae stand.

“Hyung~~~ want to take a bath with me? Much faster that way~”

Sungyeol just smile and pat the youngest’s head.

“No……..you go first…..Hyung will wait……..”

It’s not that Sungyeol doesn’t want to, they always took a bath together when they got no time. But Sungyeol can’t do that because of the stiches on his arm and some bruises and scratches on his back and shoulder. He can’t let the maknae or any of s saw that.

Sungjong just pout and make a move to the bathroom. He actually worried about his favorite hyung having a fever.

“Sungyeol ah…….I think you better take a rest today, your temperature is quite high…..Sungyu hyung will understand…..”

Sungyeol smile and shake his head at Hoya.

“No hyung…..we got a vocal practice for 3 songs today, right? You know my vocal strength is not like you guys…..so I can’t skip it……..help me on this hyung~~”

Hoya just sighs. He know that Sungyeol want him to cover his fever from being notice by other. Quite impossible but possible to do, especially when Myungsoo who always clinging around Sungyeol and Dongwoo who is quick to detect even a small things. Hoya needs to distract Dongwoo and he can ask Sungjong on Myungsoo.  

“Okay…….but takes some medicine after breakfast and tells me if you are at your limit…….”

Sungyeol smile and nod his head. He then sits on Hoya’s bed beside the owner of the bed and lean his head on Hoya’s shoulder. He feels dizzy and his throat is sore. Sungyeol quite worried about the vocal training.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

(Woollim recording room)

“Sungyeol ah~~~~ your turn”

“Hyung~~~~~~hyung~~~~”

Sungyeol open his eyes when the maknae nudging him. He takes a rest when waiting for s doing their vocal training. The choding then walk to the recording room with a water bottle in his hand. He’s been waiting for his turn to practice and record his part for the song.

“Okay, Sungyeol ah~~ like usual lower down your chin, control your vocal’s cord and breathe slowly…… I don’t want to repeat recording your part again and again, okay? Ready for your part…….”

Sungyeol just smile apologetically to the sound director who manages for all INFINITE’s vocal practice and songs recording. He always said the same things to Sungyeol because the choding never achieved his expectation and always wasting his time to record again and again for his short part in every song. He always records for Sungyeol part after all members done their part.

Meanwhile, Dongwoo and Hoya was in dance studio practicing their duo dance for INFINITE H after done their vocal practice and recording. Sungyu and Woohyun have a meeting with Mr. Choi about their song and dance progress. Only Myungsoo and Sungjong were in recording studio waiting for Sungyeol to finish.

Sungjong look worriedly at Sungyeol who nodding his head counting the beat and waiting for his short part in 2^nd verse of the song. He’s been watching his favorite hyung the whole morning. Luckily his other hyung is quite busy to pay attention to Sungyeol’s flush face and lack of attention. Also thanks to Hoya and Sungjong who help covering for Sungyeol. Maybe they just assumed he was tired because of his drama’s schedule.

Except Kim Myungsoo.

Sungyeol best friend have been in bad mood this whole morning. Since they were in the van on their way to the Woollim’s building, Myungsoo tried to get Sungyeol attention but ignored by him. And Sungjong keep clinging and stubbornly said that he wants to sit beside Sungyeol in the van, which normally was Myungsoo’s spot. He tried to fight with the maknae for his spot but the leader’s sharp glare made him surrender.

He tried to understand that maybe Sungyeol was tired and doesn’t want to be disturbed, but seeing the maknae easily clinging and touching Sungyeol without any resistant from the choding make him hurt and sulky.

Only Hoya knows why the maknae acted that way. Sungjong tried to help in covering that Sungyeol actually having a fever and if Myungsoo stay beside Sungyeol, the visual will notice and make a fuss about it. Sungyu might scold the choding and will not let him join them for morning schedule. It was Sungyeol’s rare personal wish he ever made to Hoya and Hoya doesn’t want to fail him. Hoya wants to be good to Sungyeol and take a good care of him because he doesn’t know how long Sungyeol will be in this group until his stage contract terminates by Woollim.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

“Okay Sungyeol ah…….nice~~~~ keep up the good work……your voice kind of hoarse but overall it stable and I saw some improvement……….”

Sungyeol nod and bow a bit to show his respect to their sound manager. It was the first time ever that guy said something like that to him. But Sungyeol can’t feel anything for the compliment as he used all his energy to fight the dizziness he suffered since he woke up this morning. Even the medicine that Hoya gave it to him this morning did not reduce the dizziness.

They got a dance practice after lunch and Sungyeol doesn’t know if he can withstand the practice. He thought that maybe he needs to take a nap before the practice.

“Sungjong ah……..go find Sungyu hyung….tell him Sungyeol already done with the recording…..”

Sungjong hastily link his arm with Sungyeol’s who sit beside him.

“Why me? Why don’t you go by yourself…..it’s your idea…….”

“Since when did you learn to talks to me like that? I’m your hyung!!!!”

“And since when did you order me around like that? I’m not your slave~~”

Myungsoo’s face change and he was ready to snarl at the maknae. This is the first time ever that the youngest talk rudely to him, but Sungyeol rise up his hand and clear his throat.

“Its okay guys………I’ll go………you guys rest a bit……”

When Sungyeol try to stand up, the maknae pull him back on his seat. Sungjong glare at Myungsoo and stand angrily.

“Hyung stay……I’ll go!!!”

Myungsoo just huff watching the maknae glare at him. He doesn’t know what’s wrong with the maknae today but he relieved that he got some time alone with Sungyeol without Sungjong clinging around his best friend.

“You should be good to Jongie, Soo ah~~~”

Myungsoo snap his head to his other half.

“Now what??? Even you sided with him??!!”

Sungyeol sigh when Myungsoo slightly raise his voice. He did not sided with anyone, but Sungjong is most likely to receive the same treatment or agreement like the one he got. Simply said he is the next target. So he tried to protect and give more attention to the youngest.

“I’m not Soo ah~~~ I’m sorry if I make you feel that way……”

“Yeah~~….because he is the maknae and we should protect him, right?? Maknae always get all the attention, right???”

Sungyeol try hard to focus on Myungsoo’s rambling. He feels the heat rush to his head and he feel nausea. He understands Myungsoo’s bad mood and he know he is at fault, but at the same time he can’t ignore the youngest that helped him since morning covering for him.

Sungyeol smile faintly and pat Myungsoo’s head.

“He is our group’s maknae, Soo ah~~………or do you want to be the maknae? For sure Sungjong will like that idea~~~”

Myungsoo huff for the second time and stand to walk away from his best friend. He knows he been acting childish and jealous toward the attention that Sungyeol gave to the youngest. But he admits that Sungyeol was right.

“I’ll go find that kid……..you go to the dance studio first”

Sungyeol just nod weakly at Myungsoo’s antics. After the visual left, Sungyeol slowly drag his foot to the studio. He needs to take a nap for a while before the practice to restore his energy.

When he reach the studio, Hoya and Dongwoo was already there talking to each other about their dance formation and schedule. Hoya attention shift to the door when he heard someone at the door.

But the dance machine of INFINITE suddenly makes a dash to the door.

“Yaaahh!!!!”

Dongwoo also stand up because he was surprised by Hoya’s loud voice and sudden move. But he also run to the door when he saw that Hoya using his whole body to hold Sungyeol who collapsed into Hoya’s arms.

“Sung…..Sungyeol ah~~~~ What’s wrong??? Oh my god~~ you are burning!!!!!!”

Hoya shushes the rapper and asks him to help drag the tall choding to sit at the corner of the room.

“You need to go home now……no excuse!!!!”

Sungyeol smile faintly at Hoya snarling at him.

“I just need some sleep and I’ll be okay, hyung……..we still got 2 hour before the dance practice, right?”

“Wait…….you knows about this, Lee Howon??? You know he was sick??”

Hoya slowly shift his eyes to the second oldest of the group. Dongwoo using his real name and his eyes was glaring at him. It makes Hoya cower a bit. Dongwoo is not someone that anyone can take on lightly when he was upset which is rare to happen. Even Sungyu will take a step backward when Dongwoo was upset.

“It’s not Howon hyung fault……I asked him…..I’m okay….really~~”

“Howon…..pack his things and called Hyoan hyung……now!!!!”

Hoya hastily run to get Sungyeol’s bag at the waiting room where the put their belonging every time they came to Woollim building for practice. It’s was rare for Dongwoo to give any order to his dongsaeng, but when he did, nobody will dare to object him.

Sungyeol slowly sit properly and smile at Dongwoo.

“I’m okay hyung…….just a bit rest and I’ll be okay…..I took a medicine already….just a bit dizzy”

“No……go back willingly or get scold by Sungyu hyung and me……choose either one……”

Sungyeol just sigh heavily and lean his body to the wall. He better go back. He will just be a burden to the group if he stays. They won’t focus with the training and will be keep worrying about him. Hoya was right. No excuse he can give anymore when he himself collapse into Hoya’s arm.

“Knock knock~~~”

Dongwoo raise his head when somebody knocking and slowly open the door. Junhyun, Mr. Choi’s assistant peek his head and look around until he spots Sungyeol and Dongwoo at the corner of the room.

“Owh….Sungyeol ahh~~~ Mr. Choi want to meet you~~~ let’s go”

Dongwoo stand and walk to the guy.

“I’m sorry hyung……Sung……”

“Okay….let’s go, hyung~”

Dongwoo snap his head when Sungyeol voice was clear to his ear. He doesn’t know since when did the boy stands and walk behind him.

“No~~~ you are not well!!!!”

“I’m okay hyung…….it’s Mr. Choi we talk about…….”

Dongwoo just sigh when he saw Sungyeol weakly dragging his foot following Mr. Choi’s right hand man.

Then something clicks in his mind.

“It is about that? Did Mr. Choi want to terminate his contract?”

Dongwoo widen his eyes with a lot of scary thought running in his mind.

A/N : Yeayyy~~~ another update for you guys~~~~

Why did Mr. Choi want to meet Sungyeol? Is it really what Dongwoo afraid of?

Will Myungsoo having a cat and dog fight again with Sungjong?

Because of Sungyeol?

Wait for my next update~~