Inside the overheated building, even with his thick winter coat on, Jaejoong was still shivering. His dress shirt welded on his skin due to the cold sweat and his face was red from fever. Worried that his legs wouldn’t be able to carry his weight much longer, he leaned against the wall for a brief moment while waiting for the elevator.

He tried to count the number of days since the latest time he got sick, but he couldn’t remember. Was it before Yunhwa was hospitalized? There were too many things and random information filling in his unfocused mind to recall the exact date. He breathed out in relief when the metal doors dinged open. He used a little more effort to push himself away from the wall and stumbled in. With his blurred vision, he vaguely recognized the contour of two people standing in front of him, side by side. He was glad that one of them stabilized him when his clumsy feet caught the bottom frame of the elevator. Strong arms wrapped around his shoulders, catching him before he fell over on his unsteady legs.

“Sorry…” he mumbled and struggled free only to lose his balance again once the elevator resumed its movement.

“Hey, slowly. Jaejoong,” a familiar voice spoke meekly, holding his elbow with an iron grip and gently pushed him until his back touched the side of the box.

Jaejoong blinked his eyes, readjusting his blurred vision. His mind was at an idling speed, unable to recognize the person facing him, yet something deep inside didn’t panic at the unwanted touch. Rather, he welcomed the contact of the cool palm against his feverish forehead. A mild shiver washed over his body as he closed his eyes, savoring the coolness and trying to save the little remaining energy he had for later.

“What’s wrong with him, Yunho?” Tiffany asked worriedly. The paralegal looked like he would lose consciousness at any moment. “Want me to call an ambulance or something?”

Yunho gently cupped Jaejoong’s face, patting his cheek with one hand to make him open his eyes. “Jaejoong?” He called tenderly, urging the other man to focus his attention on him, like how he had done it numerous times before. “When was the last time you got sick?”

“I… I can’t remember. I’m freezing,” was all Jaejoong could say before shutting his eyes again. This time, his body slumbered and he passed out. Yunho caught him and easily hooked an arm behind his knees, carrying him off the ground. His brows slightly furrowed at the weight in his arms. It was much lighter than before. Under the layers of his suit, he hadn’t realized how slender Jaejoong had become over years and the fact that the weight was unhealthily friable.

When he turned around, he met his assistant’s worried eyes. “It’s alright, I got this.”

Tiffany let out the breath she was holding in and bent down to pick up Jaejoong's discarded bag from the ground. When they reached the underground parking lot, she silently followed Yunho to his car. Without being asked, she took the keys from Yunho’s coat pocket and held the passenger door open. Yunho carefully maneuvered Jaejoong on the seat and secured the seat belt. Then, he took the paralegal’s messenger bag from his assistant and swung it haphazardly in the back seat.

“Tell me you’re going to take him to a doctor,” she watched how the lawyer thoughtfully rearranged Jaejoong’s coat to keep the cold out, brushing his hair away from his face before touching the feverish forehead again. “He’s really not looking good.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of him,” he reassured her and closed the passenger door. He took back his keys from her hands and walked around the vehicle. Before settling behind the wheel, he bid her good a weekend. “I’ll keep you in touch, ok?”

Yunho didn’t waste any time to turn on the engine and heater. For a brief minute, he debated whether or not to dig inside Jaejoong’s wallet to look for an address or call someone. Knowing that all Jaejoong’s relatives and friends lived in Jeju-Do, he decided just to drive through the city toward the only place he could possibly let Jaejoong rest; his - no their - old apartment.

He never sold that place despite his mother’s constant nagging. The pretext he had always used was that he kept it so JiEun had somewhere convenient to stay when she didn’t wish to go home. After all, their parents bought a land way too far from the city. Some days, driving all the way back to their house was just too demanding.

He carried Jaejoong to their once shared bed. Nervously, he ran a hand through his hair before allowing himself to start pulling the layers of clothing off the paralegal’s shivering body. His hands halted when icy fingers wrapped loosely around his wrist.

“Don’t, I’m cold.”

“I know, Jaejoongie. I know,” he whispered, just like how he used to do as he continued stripping him. He held the limp body in his arms to take the clothes away from under Jaejoong, dropping them on the floor and then lowering him back on the bed.

His hands stopped and his face frowned when he caught the sight of an old thick scar across Jaejoong’s abdomen. Hesitantly, he traced a finger along the diagonal and curvy line slowly, feeling every little visible stitch. Many questions started shoving themselves inside his mind. The obvious question ‘how?’ resonated above all others in the back of his head like an echo. His face was painted with confusion as he dared his gaze back up to the dazed face. 

His gaze fell one last time on the scabbed stomach and he shook his head slightly, resuming his actions. His hands faltered when they reached lower for the plastic band of the other’s boxer, but he removed them anyway. Once Jaejoong was free from the damp clothes, Yunho draped the heavy quilt over the trembling frame and hurried to the bathroom. He the faucets, adjusting the temperature of the water and watching it filling the tub so slowly.

Right now, he was glad that he hired someone to come by and clean the place every fortnight. His parents might think it was a waste of resources, but it actually turned out pretty handy when he needed it. While waiting for the tub, he unhooked his silk tie and removed his coat and blazer, dropping them carelessly on the top of the counter. He rolled his sleeves up to his elbows to avoid getting them wet later.

Once the tub was filled, he carried the half-conscious and disoriented Jaejoong to the bathroom. He gently settled him in the hot water and sat down on the edge of the bathtub. Carefully, he ran his hands over Jaejoong’s body, washing away the sweat and hopefully the fever too.

He watched how Jaejoong relaxed visibly in the water, the tension in his shoulder lessened and the shivering stopped almost instantly. Usually, Yunho would sit behind him and let him rest against his shoulders, but now, he wasn’t sure if he was still allowed to do so. Instead, he reached for a pile of towels. He grabbed a few and arranged them behind the paralegal's head, to let him rest on something softer than the ceramic edge.

“How are you feeling, love?” His old habit slide right through his lips. For a minute, he didn't realize what he just said until the word finally sunk in. He was about to apologize for the slip of tongue until he saw how unaffected Jaejoong was.

“Better. Thanks, Yun-ah,” he heard Jaejoong’s soft murmur, just like back then. He understood that Jaejoong wasn't unaffected at all, he was - just like himself - somewhat lose between the past and the present. Hearing his diminutive, he felt as if ten years had never passed. As if his mistakes simply vanished. There were only Jaejoong and him.

“Stay here, love. I’ll go look for your meds. If you need something, anything, just call me, ok?” He squeezed Jaejoong’s shoulders and stood up, drying his wet hands on his pants. He was about to step out of the bathroom when the other man’s voice stopped him.

“Give me a kiss…” Jaejoong looked up with clouded eyes, his rationality was clearly fazed by the fever. Surely just like how Yunho felt, he probably thought he was back to their college relationship, the time when Yunho was the one who so thoughtfully took care of him whenever he got sick.

However, Yunho simply gaped at him, clueless about what he should do. After a long moment of consideration, his head lowered, lips tentatively touched Jaejoong’s feverish forehead. He chuckled as Jaejoong huffed unhappily; unsatisfied with the kiss he received. “I’ll be back, love.”

He cast one last gaze at Jaejoong’s prone body and went to the kitchen. He opened one of kitchen cabins and took out the water boiler. Waiting for the water to warm up, he ran down to the parking lot to retract the forgotten bag from the back seat. He was glad that at least some of Jaejoong’s old habits hadn’t changed as his fingers tightened around the little medicine bottle in one of the inner pockets.

On his way upstairs, he questioned about what he should do from now on. He wished they could stay like this from now on. However, once Jaejoong’s rationality returned, they would certainly go back at being strangers. He hoped that maybe this could be the starting point to patch up their shattered relationship.

He dropped the bag next to the door and soundlessly closed the front door behind him. He waited briefly by the entrance, ears pricked as he thought he heard his name being called. Only silence greeted him. Then, gagging sounds and heavy coughs alarmed his senses. He rushed to the bathroom, seeing Jaejoong’s head rolled heavily on the side of the tub, gasping for breath. There was a mess on the floor mixed with bathwater.

“I’m sorry, I made a mess again. I tried to get out…” the beautiful man whispered miserably, hand on his mouth, trying to lessen his gagging reflex between more coughs, “I called you, but you weren’t coming.”

“It’s alright, don’t worry love. I’m here now.” Yunho approached him, sitting on the edge of the tub. Large and warm hand soothed the wet back, bringing an instant restfulness. He took a dry hand towel from the side of the sink and dip it in the tub. He twisted out the extra water and wiped Jaejoong’s mouth and hands. “I’ll get you some water to rinse your mouth.”

The lawyer threw the dirty towel in the sink and went to pour a cup of warm water and a bowl after he slipped the medicines in his pockets. When he came back, Jaejoong still had his head over the edge of the tub. He let him rinse his mouth and spit in the bowl.

Jaejoong drank deeply and swallowed the pills the lawyer had popped in his hands. Once he emptied the mug, he handed it back to Yunho and collapsed back in the tub, but Yunho didn’t let go his hand as he put the mug on the countertop.

“Are you still cold?” To his question, Jaejoong idly shook his head. “Then come, I’ll get you back in bed first before I clean this.”

“I’ll get your clothes drenched.” Jaejoong circled his wet and limp arms around Yunho’s body when he was pulled up. Large and heavy linen was dropped on his shoulders, shielding his still warm skin from the cold.

“Don’t you always?” The lawyer joked, carrying Jaejoong toward the bed. He settled him back in the king bed, sponging the water drops away with the linen before draping the heavy quilt over him.

“Not when you bath with me,” Jaejoong mumbled incoherently and drifted back into unconsciousness. 

‘And it wouldn’t be really appropriate considering the circumstances, Jaejoongie,’ he thought bitterly. He lingered by the bed, picking up the discarded clothes from the ground and folded them neatly. He took a mental note to bring them to the dry cleaner next Monday on his way to work. He didn’t bother to empty Jaejoong’s pockets because he knew the other absolutely hated it when people touch things they weren’t supposed to. Even with their history, Yunho wasn’t that close to him anymore to go through his pockets if not necessary. He piled them on the top of the drawers and went to clean the mess on the bathroom floor.

When everything was spotless, he changed out of his work clothes into something more casual and homey from the drawers. It was slightly weird to jump back in his college apparel, considering the fact that he had been wearing suits for years.

In his old joggings and hoodie, he went over to Jaejoong’s prone form. He lowered his weight carefully on his side of the bed. He leaned his back against the headboard and fished out his phone.

“Hi Fany,” he spoke softly as soon as the line was connected.

“How is he?” Tiffany’s bewilderment brought a smile on his lips. She definitely liked Jaejoong more than Ara. “What happened?”

“The fever’s almost gone,” he answered as he trailed his hand on Jaejoong’s forehead and neck again just to make sure. “It happens at least once every two months, but it’s mostly irregular. He has a rare hormonal disorder, but he’s fine now.”

“It’s good to know. I nearly freaked out when I saw him. Do you need anything?”

“Actually that’s why I'm calling. The fridge of my apartment is empty; can you get some stuff for me? Just food for about two or three days at the most, please?” he requested. At this moment, he really didn’t wish to leave Jaejoong’s side. In the past, Jaejoong always drifted in and out of consciousness and sometimes, his fever resurfaced. So, Yunho really wanted to stay around, just in case. He looked down at the state of his clothes before adding, “Maybe a set of suits for Monday, if it’s not too much to ask.”

“Not at all, I’ll drop by later in the evening.” 

Yunho thanked her and hung up. He sat on his side of the bed, watching Jaejoong sleep. He looked so peaceful; his features seemed to soften a little bit. From time to time, incoherent mumble