"Eric, wake up. We have to go to practice soon." Jacob says, lightly shaking Eric. 

Eric just groans in response, he does not feel like getting up right now. 

"Come on, babykins. We have to get going, breakfast is ready." Jacob adds, tapping Eric's cheeks. 

"Fine." Eric replies, slowly getting up. 

At practice, Eric feels completely drained. All he wants to do is rest. 

"Eric, you seem so tired today." Changmin mentions during a break. 

"Yeah. Where is our little squishy's usual high energy?" Juyeon asks. 

"I don't know. I have been so tired since this morning." 

Jacob goes over to Eric and feels his forehead. 

"Well, you are a little warm, but that might just be from dancing. Is anything else wrong?"

"No, just exhausted." 

"Well, practice is almost over. Just rest until it is time to go." Changmin advises. 

"And when we get home, go right to bed." Jacob adds. 

Eric nods and sits in the corner with his jacket laying over him like a blanket. He watches the boys practice while he rests. When they get back to the dorm, Eric sleeps until dinnertime. 

"Here munchkin, I made you some soup to help you feel better." Jacob says, setting a bowl of soup in front of Eric. 

"Thank you." Eric replies. 

Eric wants to eat, but it makes his stomach hurt, so he only eats half of his meal. 

Later that night, Eric throws up and his stomach feels upset. 

The next morning, Eric does not want to eat at all because of how bad his stomach feels. This causes him to pick at his breakfast and not really eat anything. Of course, the others notice this and ask what is going on. 

"Eric, you haven't touched your breakfast at all. Do you still feel sick?"

"Yeah, my stomach hurts and it gets worse when I eat. I threw up last night too."

"Here, just make sure you drink water from now on if it hurts to eat. We don't want you getting dehydrated. We'll take you to the doctor tomorrow and see what's wrong." Jaehyun says, handing Eric some water. 

Eric just drinks water, but even that he throws up. He throws up after breakfast, after lunch, and at practice. They decide to send him home and have Chanhee go with him to watch over him. 

"Eric, you need to make sure you keep drinking water. You've been throwing up so much." Chanhee says, giving Eric his glass of water. 

Eric takes a few sips, but abruptly stops. 

"What's wrong?"

"Hyung, I think I'm gonna be sick again." 

Chanhee immediately helps Eric sit up and places the bucket in front of him so he can vomit into it. As Eric is throwing up, Chanhee tries to soothe him by rubbing his back. 

"Better?" Chanhee asks, when Eric is finished.

Eric nods before drinking some water and laying back down. 

Back at the company, the boys are talking about Eric.

"I wonder what's wrong. He has been throwing up so much." 

"Whatever it is, I just hope he gets well soon."

"Well, I'm taking him to a doctor's appointment tomorrow morning, so hopefully we will know what is wrong by then." Sangyeon says. 

Later that day, Eric starts to feel better. At dinner, he actually takes a few bites of food and doesn't throw up for the rest of the day. However, things take a turn for the worst at night. 

Eric wakes up in the middle of the night due to a strong wave of nausea. He needs to throw up now, so he immediately runs to the bathroom and throws up. After throwing up for the third time, Eric hears a knock at the door. 

"Eric? Are you alright, munchkin?" Jacob asks, as he slowly opens the bathroom door. 

Jacob fully opens the door to see Eric clenching his stomach and groaning. 

"Hyung, it hurts." Eric cries. 

Jacob runs over to Eric and rubs his back while telling him it will be okay to calm him down. 

"What's going on?" Sangyeon asks, walking into the bathroom after hearing Eric's cries. 

Jacob explains that Eric is throwing up and has stomach pain. Suddenly, Eric leans back over the toilet to throw up. This time it sounds painful, like Eric is having trouble bringing it up. Jacob pats his back to help, and Eric lays on the floor when he is done. Jacob now sees what the problem is, Eric has thrown up blood. 

"Oh my gosh. Sangyeon, call an ambulance! Eric just threw up blood." 

Sangyeon rushes to the phone and dials emergency services. Jacob stays with Eric and tries to calm him down. He wraps his arms around Eric and his hair gently. 

"Hyung, it hurts so much. Please make it stop." Eric says, with tears streaming down his face. 

Seeing his maknae be in so much pain breaks Jacob's heart, but the most he can do for Eric right now is to calm him. 

"It's alright, Sangyeon hyung is calling for help. You'll feel better in no time." Jacob tells him, placing a kiss on his forehead. 

After Sangyeon calls, the three of them go downstairs to wait for the ambulance. The workers take Eric while Sangyeon and Jacob follow right behind them to the hospital. 

Sangyeon and Jacob sit in the waiting room while Eric is taken to the emergency room. Jacob held it together back at home, but it is a different story at the hospital. He is crying into Sangyeon's chest as he holds onto him. 

"Jacob, it's alright. Eric is going to be okay." 

"I hope so. It was so horrible seeing him be in such pain like that. He's a precious little angel, I don't want anything bad to happen to him." Jacob responds. 

"I know, he's our little maknae. He is also a very strong maknae, I know he will make it through this." 

Sometime later, a man comes to inform Sangyeon and Jacob about Eric's condition. They learn that he has a bleeding stomach ulcer that will need to be removed. Jacob is relieved to hear this information, and the two of them stay in the waiting room while Eric is treated. 

Back at the dorm, the rest of the boys are waking up since it is now early morning. Once everyone is at the table, they notice that three members are missing. 

"Where's Sangyeon and Jacob? They are usually up by now."

"Eric is missing too." Chanhee adds. 

They all start to worry at this point. 

"I'll call Jacob." Kevin says. 

At the hospital, Jacob has his face buried in Sangyeon's chest, when his phone rings. 

"Sangyeon, could you answer that? I don't feel like getting it right now."

"Sure."

Sangyeon takes the phone out of Jacob's pocket and answers it.

"Hello."

"Hyung? Are you with Jacob and Eric?"

"Where are you guys?" Sunwoo asks. 

"Is Eric okay?" Juyeon chimes in. 

"Is he still sick?" Younghoon questions. 

"Guys, calm down. Eric is alright, he has a stomach ulcer and they are removing it right now."

"So he will be okay?"

"Yes, we will call you guys when they are finished with him."

"Okay, bye." 

Sangyeon tells them bye and hangs up the phone before going back to comforting Jacob. 

Several minutes later, a doctor comes to tell them that the ulcer has been removed and that they can go see Eric. The two of them pretty much run to the room. They enter to see Eric laying in bed with his eyes closed, Jacob quietly rushes over to him. 

"Eric. Are you awake, squishy?"

Eric slowly opens his eyes to see Jacob and Sangyeon smiling on both sides of him. 

"Hyungs? Where am I?"

"You're at the hospital." Jacob answers. 

"Do you remember anything that happened last night?" Sangyeon asks. 

"I woke up with a really bad stomach ache last night and I threw up. Then you guys called the ambulance and I can't remember after that."

Sangyeon explains to Eric that he just had a bleeding ulcer removed from his stomach. 

"Do you feel better?" Jacob questions. 

"Yeah, my stomach finally stopped hurting and I don't feel like throwing up. I'm just a little tired now." Eric replies. 

"Well, they said the medicine might make you groggy and you were up last night."

"Just get your rest." Jacob adds. 

Sangyeon then calls the others and they show up about half an hour later. 

"Eric, look who is here." Jacob says, once the boys enter the room. 

"Hyungs." Eric greets them tiredly, eyes mostly closed. 

"He's still a little sleepy from the medicine." Jacob states. 

"Eric, we're so glad you are okay." Jaehyun says. 

"We got you a little get well gift." Haknyeon announces, handing Eric a teddy bear that is dressed like a doctor. 

Eric loves teddy bears, so he thanks them before taking the bear and hugging it closely. 

"You love that bear, don't you?" Jacob smiles, Eric's hair. 

"How long until he can come home?"

"Tomorrow. The doctors just want to keep him today to make sure everything is alright."

They talk for a little while longer before deciding to leave so Eric can get some rest.

"Eric, we're going now. Make sure you get lots of rest, okay kiddo? We'll be back tomorrow to take you home." Sangyeon says. 

As the ten of them are leaving, Eric calls out to Juyeon. 

"Is something wrong?" Juyeon asks.

"I'm scared."

"What do you mean?" Juyeon responds. 

"I'm afraid of staying here until tomorrow. I've never gone to sleep without you guys around." 

"Don't worry, Dr. Bear will keep you company. You'll be fine." 

"You sure?"

"I'm sure. If you feel scared, just hug your bear and it will be like you are hugging all of us."

"Alright." Eric smiles. 

"Good. See you tomorrow, squishy." Juyeon replies, ruffling Eric's hair before leaving the room. 

Thanks to Juyeon's encouragement, Eric is able to feel comfortable while sleeping in the hospital that night. He cuddles his bear for most of his time there.

The next morning Juyeon, Jacob, and Sangyeon show up to get Eric. When they open the door, they notice that Eric's demeanor is different from yesterday. He is wide awake and energetic. He is starting to get back to his old self again. 

"Hyungies!" Eric exclaims. 

"Well good morning to you too, chum chum. You seem to have your energy back." Jacob points out, pinching Eric's cheek.

"Yeah, I feel so much better. I feel like myself again."

"Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah. Thanks to Dr. Bear." 

"That's good. We can take you home now. Are you ready to go?" Sangyeon responds. 

"More than ready." 

During the ride home, Eric chatters on about his stay at the hospital. Talking about the food, the television shows, and anything else he can remember. Yup, their maknae is back.