“Urgh~”

Loud annoying grunts woke Taeyeon up. She rubbed her eyes and despite the darkness, she saw Leeteuk moving violently in his bed. He was profusely sweating and the dampness from the sweat caused him to glisten under the moonlight that had penetrated his room through the windows. His back was arched like he was in some kind of a deep pain, contrary to the serenity that his glistening porcelain skin exuded.

“Urgh~” the wincing and grunting continued.

Taeyeon knelt down beside the bed and shook Leeteuk, “Jungsoo-ssi! Are you okay?!” She bit on her fingernail helplessly.

Leeteuk’s movements subsided and was replaced by shivering. Taeyeon did not know what to do—seeing someone like this made her wanna lose her mind.

“Very c-cold,” she heard Leeteuk choke out those words. The man’s shoulders were moving up and down and Taeyeon quickly fixed the blanket over his body.

“There..” Panicking, Taeyeon took a step back as if waiting for Leeteuk’s body to respond.. to stop shivering. She impatiently bounced on her toes while uttering a silent prayer but Leeteuk’s body was still shaking.

Taeyeon could almost hear Leeteuk’s teeth gritting and chattering against each other as he tried to say, “C-Cold..” His arms were crossed over his chest.

“Still cold?!” Taeyeon yelled. There was one more thing left to do.

She quickly slid under Leeteuk’s blanket, easing herself beside Leeteuk on the bed. “This shall work for heaven’s sake,” she hissed before wrapping her arms around Leeteuk’s shoulders.

The gesture seemed to have caused Taeyeon’s whole body to develop a million more nerve endings as she can’t seem to shove away a strong fuzzy tingling sensation. It was a feeling that she can feel even at the back of her ears and down to the heels of her feet.

Leeteuk was still shuddering and it sent Taeyeon’s body moving along with it. He was bigger than her, anyway.

Taeyeon locked her hands behind him securely—not daring to let go. If something warm is what he needs to stop this seizure-like attack, then by all means, Taeyeon would break boundaries.

Taeyeon’s chest was against Leeteuk’s and she can feel the violent beating of the man’s heart against her.

Wait. Was it Leeteuk’s or was it hers? Or worse.. were the beating owned by both of them?

Slowly, Leeteuk’s body went into a state of stillness and Taeyeon loosened her arms around the man. She propped herself up with her elbow and prepared to get up.

Through something which seemed like telepathy, Leeteuk sensed Taeyeon’s swift movement and he instantly grabbed tightly on her wrist—stopping her from getting up.

Taeyeon’s eyes widened as she turned to look at Leeteuk whose eyes were still close. “Are you okay n-now?” she stuttered.

“You..” Leeteuk growled and with a strong force, pulled Taeyeon until her back was flat against the bed again.

“YAH!” Taeyeon tried to free her wrist and get up at the same time but Leeteuk’s yanking was way stronger than hers.

Slowly, Leeteuk’s angelic eyes opened as it pierced right through Taeyeon’s doll-like ones. At the same time, he was slowly closing the distance between them and Taeyeon shut her eyes tightly, antedating what’s gonna happen next.

Once again, that familiar scent overwhelmed her whole being as she felt Leeteuk’s breath gently blowing against her face. Even though with her eyes closed, she felt like the fragrance sent her to ecstasy. Oh, how much she was willing to give just to always wake up with that scent in her pillow. In her sheets.

Taeyeon felt like the world around her was spinning what with the addictive effect that the fragrance did to her.

She was clearly anticipating for the sick man to kiss her but a minute had already passed and nothing happened.

Taeyeon opened her eyes once more and she almost shrieked at the uncanny difference of everything around her. She was filled with different emotions when she saw Leeteuk looking down at her, still on the bed while she was still on the floor. Exactly the way everything was after she tended to this sick man and before she fell asleep.

“What the--?” Taeyeon stood up as she realized that everything was just a dream—Leeteuk didn’t have a seizure attack, she didn’t lie beside him on his bed, she didn’t hug him, and he definitely wasn’t going to kiss her.

She looked around and realized that it was already morning. She and Leeteuk went on a day without dinner.

Leeteuk watched as Taeyeon laid a palm on her forehead. “Just a dream, just a dream,” she murmured to herself, not caring about the pair of eyes that was watching her every move.

“Yes, it was just a dream,” Leeteuk told her.

“MWOH?!” Taeyeon stopped pacing and quickly turned to Leeteuk on the bed. “How did you know?!”

“You were pouting while sleeping. Frowning, even,” Leeteuk said. He continued, “Like you were really worried about something.. or someone..”

“Oh..” was all that Taeyeon could say.

Leeteuk sat up and said, “It was kinda amusing& entertaining, if you would ask me.” The corner of his lips curled up mischievously.

Taeyeon rolled her eyes.

Leeteuk disregarded the girl’s sarcastic reaction and asked Taeyeon instead, “Why were you sleeping here, anyway?”

“Why did you faint on your way to the kitchen, then?” she stubbornly raised an eyebrow, not bothering to answer the guy’s question.

“I fainted?! How did I get here?” Leeteuk tilted his head to the side.

“I carried you, babo! How else could you be here?!” Taeyeon smugly replied, “Well, actually I dragged you sounds more appropriate.” She laughed before asking, “Feeling better?”

“Better. But still not normal,” Leeteuk sighed.

Taeyeon approached the door while saying, “Stay in bed. I’m gonna go get something to eat since we haven’t had dinner yet.”

In the kitchen, Taeyeon made a call—a call to Mrs. Park Hansoo. You see, Taeyeon, as Leeteuk’s secretary, is knowledgeable of her boss’s family’s contact numbers.

Taeyeon slightly smiled devilishly to herself before hitting the ‘Call’ button.

Hansoo answered on the second ring. “Hello, Taeyeon-ssi?”

“Ah, neh. Good morning, Mrs. Park!” Taeyeon politely bowed on an imaginary elderly in front of her.

Unusual as it may seem, Taeyeon’s voice this time was not cheerful, high-pitched and enthusiastic at all and Hansoo quickly noticed this.

“You called me, dear?” Mrs. Park’s voice was, in contrary, high-pitched but very poised.

Taeyeon scratched her head and said, “Are you busy today, ma’am?”

“Uhmm,” Hansoo paused for a while before she continued, “No, dear. Not really. Why did you ask?”

“Well,” Taeyeon cupped a hand over so as to prevent Leeteuk from hearing the conversation. She warily looked around before answering, “Jungsoo-ssi is sick since yesterday and I was hoping if you could drop by today..?”

Hansoo gasped, “Eomo! Is he terribly sick? How is my son now, dear?”

“He’s better now than he was yesterday,” Taeyeon assured her boss’s mother.

“Arasseo, arasseo. I’ll be there in less than half an hour, I think. Have you eaten breakfast yet, Taeyeon-ssi? Both of you, I mean..” Hansoo asked.

Taeyeon laughed, “Ah, I will start preparing after this call, ma’am.”

With a tone of endearment in her voice, Mrs. Park said, “Then don’t bother. I’ll bring breakfast, neh? Wait for me, dear okay?”

“Kamsahamnida, Mrs. Park! I’ll see you in a short while!” Taeyeon did her funny habit of bowing on an imaginary figure once more.

“Neh~”

With that, Hansoo hung up.

Around 20 minutes later..

“That girl better hurry,” Leeteuk smirked after hearing his stomach grumble.

Just then, a knock interrupted his whining. Leeteuk sat up properly as he anticipated seeing Taeyeon enter with a tray of food in her hand.

But his jaw dropped as his eyes fell on someone he did not expect to see. “EOMMA?!”

“Jungsoo-ah, are you feeling better now?” his mom walked towards him and sat on his bed. Hansoo worriedly laid a hand on her son’s forehead.

Leeteuk gently shook it off and asked instead, “What are you doing here, eomma?!”

“Taeyeon-ssi called me,” Hansoo did circular motions on Leeteuk’s lap.

“Aish! Where’s that girl?!” Leeteuk whined, as he furiously ruffled his hair.

His mother jerked a thumb towards the door and answered, “Serving the breakfast that I brought..” She playfully slapped Leeteuk’s lap and melodramatically frowned, “My own son doesn’t look like he’s happy to see me.”

Leeteuk just sighed.

As if on cue, Taeyeon entered the room and indeed, breakfast was with her. “Here,” she placed the tray on the bedside table.

“Kim Taeyeon!” Leeteuk yelled, causing for Taeyeon to freeze where she stood and Hansoo to shake her head.

Hansoo authoritatively scolded, “Park Jungsoo!”

“MWORAGO?! WHAT? MWOH?!” Taeyeon raised her chin and put her hands on her waist.

Leeteuk tried to keep his composure by taking a few deep breaths before turning to his mother. “Eomma,” he calmly said, “You didn’t need to come here.”

“But--” Hansoo tried to explain the need of his son for her presence but Taeyeon was fuming. The young girl was so furious that even an elder’s presence can’t stop her.

Cutting Mrs. Park off, Taeyeon scoffed, “Didn’t need?!” She shook her head in disbelief and continued, “You even fainted yesterday?! And now you’re saying it’s not necessary?!” She can feel it as tears started to form in her eyes but walking out of Leeteuk’s room was the best way to conceal all these unexplainable emotions she was feeling now.

The Park mother and son heard a loud sound—Taeyeon’s door. She might have locked herself up.

When only Hansoo and her son was left in the room, the mother spoke up, “Jungsoo-ah.. you fainted?”

Leeteuk answered with a slow nod as he stared at his lap.

The mother raised a fist as if to hit Leeteuk and he reflexively lurched back. Of course, Hansoo didn’t really hit Leeteuk but she just can’t help but think that her son was totally foolish now. Such gesture was the only way to express it. She calmly said, “Babo, Jungsoo-ah. She’s been taking care of you since yesterday and she even cared enough to inform me about your condition. Is that how you show gratitude?”

Leeteuk looked helplessly at her mom and said, “Bring Taeyeon her breakfast, eomma. She has not eaten dinner yet.. both of us.”

“Even missing dinner to take care of you, huh?” Hansoo said, rubbing it in front of Leeteuk’s face—that he was so stupid for reacting the way he did.

“Eomma!” Leeteuk whined.

“Arasseo, arasseo..” Hansoo slowly stood up from her position in Leeteuk’s request.

SORRY! I CAN'T SAY ANYTHING MORE BUT 'SORRY.' I feel like I've let you guys down by not updating for months. I won't use school as an excuse because I know we all have school so here I am, willing to receive your bashing and hating. You even waited, and waited, and waited, and all I gave you now is a trashy update, so.. SORRY. I can't blame you for hating me. I'm really truly very SORRY :(

I WILL REPLY TO YOUR COMMENTS FOR THIS CHAPTER USING THE NOT-SO-NEW-NOW MODE OF REPLYING. AGAIN, SORRY.