Any student would know that the worst time to be sick was not before an exam, but after, when you finally get to rest or hang out with your friends but there you are, battling a fever and writhing in pain in your dormitory bed. I watched Hyeyoung rush in and out of the room fetching cold water for me to wipe the perspiration off my forehead, and staying in for the day to take care of me. I knew she would have wanted to go to her favourite cafe today to finally start on the book she borrowed while sipping on a nice cup of tea. Yet here she was, confined to this four walls taking care of a huge burden. At one point, Minghao and Mingyu came in after class to pass me the class notes and homework, along with a get-well-soon post-it message from Vernon. 

The last thing I needed in between slipping in and out of dreamland was to see Mingyu, simply because the memory of asking him out worsened the pounding in my head. The mere recollection of that fateful scene was sending butterfly to my already unwell tummy. Minghao scooted over to the side of my bed when Mingyu and Hyeyoung finally left the room to get me some medication and other stuff. 

"See, this is why we said you shouldn't be so harsh on yourself." It wasn't meant to be a scolding, just a matter-of-fact statement pointed out by a friend. I nodded without actually processing his words much. He shook his head and pulled my closer to me. When I wanted to speak, he poured me a glass of water, noting how dry my lips were. 

"It's because of all the nerves over the date isn't it?"

I nodded guiltily. Sure I did overwork myself over errands and the stupid midterms, but a large part of this burnout state was probably from this Mingyu incident. 

"You're making Vernon and I feel guilty. Now we think we made you sick. Like we said, only do it if you agree too. We don't want to see either of you hurt, or