The passing streetlights shone upon them and Joohyun wondered why Seulgi was mad.

She turned to her left (Yerim would always scold her from the back about her driving habits especially when Seulgi is riding shotgun, to keep her eyes on the road) when she saw Seulgi shudder from her peripheral vision.

“Are you cold?” Joohyun then touched her arm (thank gods for automatic cars) as Seulgi shifted on her seat and shook her head. She felt her a bit warmer than usual. “You feel hot Seul.”

“I’m fine, Hyun.” Seulgi weakly mumbled as she leaned back, turning her head towards the window as she felt her eyes heavy to the invite of sleep.

Joohyun only sighed at her reply.

A few minutes later, Joohyun checked again and it was bothering her how hot Seulgi felt. She clicked the hazard button then slowed down, pulling up to the side of the rural road. Then she confirmed that Seulgi was indeed having a fever. “Oh my god, Seul.”

They were on their way home from a client’s resort. It was an advertisement photoshoot request for the area that’s about to open in a few weeks. They were with Yerim, a new intern who they are training for the job.

Seulgi drove on their way there but Joohyun drives now. Yerim was with them a while ago, but not now.

The bad mood started, perhaps, once they started their activity. The mood worsened when the owner, Choi Minho, offered for them to stay the night.

“Joohyun-shi, your team can stay the night and it’d be on the house. It’s my appreciation to your great works.” Choi Minho kindly offered.

But Seulgi was already frowning, giving the tiniest fake smile she can offer. “No, thank you, Minho-shi. We’re going home.”

Yerim and Joohyun wanted to take that offer though. The former thought it’d be fun; the latter thought it’s going to be a five-hour drive back home and the road is already dark and they’re all tired so she wanted to stay overnight to travel in the morning.

But Seulgi was adamant. “We’re going home.”

Joohyun smiled at Minho. “We’ll talk about it first, if you don’t mind.” Minho nodded at this then left the team to their own accord.

“I’m not.” Yerim declared, already on her shoulders and hands are her things from the car’s trunk. “I’ll stay.”

“Yerim,” Joohyun warned after she saw Seulgi rolling her eyes and scoffing.

“What? I want to take on the offer the client generously offered. I’m not going to pass off just because I’m in a bad mood.” Yerim scoffed back with a mischievous smile.

“Do what you want, Yerim.” Seulgi said annoyingly.

“Stop, stop.” Joohyun said as she caressed her temple. These two always gets beefy with each other.

“Oh, I will.” Yerim cheekily said then ran off towards the owner and explained on her team’s behalf.

Joohyun sighed as Seulgi walked past her to go to the driver’s seat. She grabbed her arm. “No, No, Seul. I’m the one driving this time.”

“I can drive fine, Hyun.”

“No, you already drove to here.” Joohyun huffed and crossed her arms. “We stay here or I drive. Choose, Seul.”

Seulgi groaned then stomped back to the other side of the car.

Joohyun sighed then entered the car too after saying formal goodbyes to Minho who went back to greet farewell and warning Yerim to behave.

Joohyun pulled up to the nearest gas station she can find on that already late evening, hoping to find some store to buy some medicine for Seulgi—the latter was burning up.

“Full tank please.” Joohyun said as she climbed down the car and a tall female gas attendant went to her. “Do you have medicines in there?” She asked next, nodding towards the gas station’s shop.

“Nope.”

“Oh.” Joohyun sighed disappointingly.

The gas attendant craned her neck inside the car as she filled it up. “Is she sick?” She asked, noticing another woman covered with blanket on the shotgun seat.

“Yeah, she’s having a fever and she usually gets high fever when she does.” Joohyun sighed again.

The tall woman hummed. “There’s a motel about ten minutes away from here.”

“Sorry?”

The woman shrugged. “Just help your girlfriend release heat there.”

Joohyun’s eyes widened at the implication and blushed. “Excuse me, w-what??”

“It’s effective.” The attendant shrugged then finished her duty.

Joohyun just looked at her, flabbergasted, as she handed her card to pay.

“Thanks.” The woman said.

Joohyun just accepted her card then went back inside the car.

“Oh, and there’s a drugstore near that motel too.” The woman added.

Joohyun just smiled at her awkwardly then drove away.

There was indeed a drugstore and a motel ten minutes away from the gas station. She bought medicines and made Seulgi take it. She waited for about thirty minutes parking in there to make sure that the medicine kicks in but as how she predicted, Seulgi’s temperature only went higher. She took a deep, defeated sigh as she watched Seulgi shudder, pulling that mini blanket closer and shifted uncomfortably on that bent seat, face frowning and breath heavy.

“Seul,” Joohyun called softly from Seulgi’s side of the door, caressing her arm. “I need you to wake up so you can properly sleep.”

Seulgi weakly nodded and sat up, Joohyun assisted her up until they were able to book a room in that motel and she had tucked Seulgi on the bed.

Joohyun huffed after the task and then wandered her eyes at the place. The room was full of mirrors; even the ceiling. It was her first time to be in this kind of place and it was admittedly embarrassing knowing the intention of such decorations in the room and the knowing looks of the workers there; she had to say that Seulgi was having a bad fever even though no one asked.

She looked at Seulgi and touched her, feeling her still hot so she had to check her temperature again. “38.9, oh my god, Seul…” She mumbled worriedly.

Seulgi rarely gets sick, but when she does, she always ends up getting a high fever.

She remembers Seulgi’s mother’s stories about this; that Seulgi gets sick for the most, random reasons.

One time, she was jealous of her brother when she found out that they ate outside without her. She was so jealous that the next day, she went down with a high fever.

Or when she went to that arcade every afternoon after school, even dragging Joohyun with her, adamant to get that bunny plushie from a claw machine. She had been saving her money—to the point that Joohyun had to give her some of her own food—because she refused to buy food, reasoning that she really, really wanted that stuffed toy. She got sick when she spent all her saved-up money and still didn’t get that bunny plushie.

Or that time when she was so excited because her family and Joohyun’s decided to take all their kids to the amusement park. Seulgi ended up with a fever, thus, having her stay at home with her mother.

So Joohyun couldn’t help but think that either of those cases (or many more, really) was one of the reasons why she was sick right now. She honestly finds it cute—Seulgi is still child-at-heart—but then her worry overwhelms the fondness more.

She fished out her phone as she sat there on the edge of the bed, hoping that someone is still online in her friends’ group chat.

Joohyun: Guys…

Seungwan: Hey, unnie! What’s up??

Joohyun: …what do you do if someone’s fever isn’t going down??

Joohyun: Even after taking meds

Seungwan: You should probably take her to the hospital?

Joohyun: Nearest hospital is three-hours drive from where we are…

Seungwan: Where the hell are you unnie???

Joohyun: We had a client in a rural resort.

Seungwan: Oh, well, then, you got to release her heat unnie

Joohyun: What????

Seungwan: Release her heat unnie. My girlfriend does this and it’s effective.

Joohyun: ….

Joohyun: Um… release how??

Seungwan: . Duh.

Sengwan: You’re with your girlfriend, right?

Joohyun: I DON’T HAVE A GIRLFRIEND SEUNGWAN!

Seungwan: Oh, I thought you already confessed to your best friend or something… thought you were official already

Seungwan: Well, maybe it’s about time to confess and get it on before her condition worsen

Joohyun: YOU’RE INSANE SEUNGWAN! WHY ARE YOU THE ONLY ONE AWAKE RIGHT NOW?!

Seungwan: YAH! Unnie! I’m not insane! That technique is really effective!

Yongsun: (2)

Jennie: (3)