Donghae’s POV

The next days that followed we worked hard day in and day out. Our music video had been shot, the promotion pictures had been taken and the several fan meetings, press conferences and the rehearsals for the Japanese concerts had all been dealt with. It was with tired, aching bodies that me and the guys went onto the plane going back to Korea. I was seated next to Eunhyuk this time. I was dying to get home and the first thing I would do was taking a car home to Kayla and hug her. There was only one problem…

“Donghae, you’re sick! Get away!” Eunhyuk yelled out when I had tried to lean my head on his shoulder. He jerked back as much as he could until his body was pressed against the window. I looked at him with my puppy eyes. “No,” he said. “I don’t want to get sick too!” he barked, still keeping his distance from me.

“Okay fine.” I leant my head back against the headrest and closed my eyes. “Does this mean I can’t go to Kayla?” I coughed out, blocking my mouth slightly. Eunhyuk wrinkled his nose.

“I wouldn’t mind if you stayed with her until you’re alright again,” he said, moving if possible further back into the wall. I turned my head away from him to cough some more into a handkerchief. I snorted out most of my intestines and put on my hood as I started freezing too.

“Or at least stay there till you stop that annoying coughing,” Kyuhyun who suddenly popped up behind us suggested. He leant forward over the seats and stared at me with a disgusted glare. “Hey Donghae can’t you changed places with me?” Kyuhyun asked, with that silky voice he only used when he wanted something, the same voice that Leeteuk thought sounded like he was about to stab you in the back. I coughed again before I answered.

“Why?”

“Because Yesung von Turtle-lover won’t stop talking about his turtles!” Kyuhyun burst out and Eunhyuk exploded into laughter. I would have too if my throat didn’t hurt every time I opened my mouth.

“I’m too fragile to move,” I mumbled. “Sorry Kyu,” I said then I tried to relax my body so it wouldn't hurt as much. Sleep was the only thing I needed right now. Too bad Kyuhyun and Eunhyuk weren’t the most caring friends always. They talked loudly the entire trip and when we landed my eyes were bloodshot from the lack of rest. I heaved myself up and we walked out of the airplane. I wore my sunglasses to not feel the flashlights of cameras as much and to hide my horrifying appearance. The cars waited outside the airport and drove us home. Once home again, Leeteuk told me to go rest while he and the rest of the guys fixed our luggage, dinner and other necessaries. I thanked him and close to crawled inside my room. I fell down on the bed with my head pressed to the soft pillow, the familiar scent filling my nose with what was left of my sense of smell. Just when I closed my eyes to sleep my phone started vibrating in my front pocket. I took it up and answered without checking the caller’s ID. But I was too tired to actually say something.

“Hello? Donghae?” Kayla carefully said on the other end. I let a murmur leave my mouth. “Are you sleeping?” Kayla asked.

“Mm… I’m sick,” I replied with my very dull voice. Honestly the first time Kayla had heard this voice, last time I was sick she at first refused to believe it was me. She insisted that it was Kyuhyun or Eunhyuk pranking her. This time I heard a small gasp from her.

“I’ll be right there,” she said and hung up. I put the phone on the night stand and let my hand fall down along the side of the bed. My body felt like screaming from the pain. My nose was swollen and red, my eyes as well and my throat hurt more than ever. Eventually I fell asleep out of pure exhaustion. I barely heard the door open or felt how the bed sunk a little when Kayla sat down on it. But her fingers running through my hair was a sensation of its own. I gathered my last strength to roll over. I opened my eyes, meeting those brown gentle eyes I had missed so much. Kayla smiled, even though she looked concerned too. “How are you?” she asked, my cheek. Her hands were so cold to my burning cheeks. I definitely had a fever. I took a deep breath.

“Not too well,” I huskily responded her. “I’m cold and warm,” I muttered and chuckled weakly. Kayla pouted and lay down next to me.

“Rest your head on my chest,” she ordered and I did as told. I hugged her waist tightly to me, resting my head on her chest. I adapted my own breathing to hers, I snuggled my face into her shirt and hugged her as tight as I could. She hugged me back just as tight. “Do you feel better now?” Kayla asked while playing with my hair. I nodded. I wanted to save my voice so that it would heal faster. “Did everything go well with the shootings and the music video?” I nodded again. “Good, did-” Kayla stopped midsentence and I felt her body tense up underneath me, it could only mean one thing.

“Easy, we’re here with some soup for you,” Kyuhyun said.

“Aha,” Kayla only answered and sat up, forcing me to roll off of her which made me groan in frustration. I wanted to hug her and let her beautiful heart beats cure me. I heard KyuHyuk chuckle and sit down on the bed. I opened my eyes and sat up, leaning to the wall. Kayla pulled my legs over hers and put the bowl of soup in my hands. “You have to eat Hae.” I groaned again but took a sip of the soup. Kayla did the same.

“So… Did Donghae tell you about the struggle when we shot the music video to Hero?” Eunhyuk grinned to me. I glared back at him.

“No, he didn’t,” Kayla replied casually. “What happened? Donghae don’t talk, you need to rest your voice,” she added when she saw how my mouth had opened for explanation. I closed it again in defeat and concentrated on eating the soup. Meanwhile, Kyuhyun and Eunhyuk each took turns in retelling the exciting events that had taken place in Japan. How I barely had gotten up on the huge metal scaffolding because of height fright. Well up I had gotten so scared that I had forgotten lyrics and even to move around a little and not stand stiff in the same awkward position. Kayla now and then made aw or naw sounds, probably thinking that it was adorable. Though for me hearing this, reliving it, was a disaster. The worst part being that Kayla stopped me from speaking a single word to help clear anything up or defend my pride. Kyuhyun and Eunhyuk were experts at retelling all those nasty details that you just hoped could be forgotten and suppressed forever, never ever being mentioned again. This cannot simply be the case when you’re friends with KyuHyuk. Then again, there was never a moment of boredom either.

“So anyway, after that shoot Donghae got sick,” Eunhyuk explained to Kayla who frowned. I took the opportunity to pout. Kayla turned her head to me and in an instant changed her expression to angry.

“Don’t pout when I can’t kiss you!” she shouted. I got wide eyes and my pout grew as I felt bad now. Kayla face palmed and kissed my cheek. “Better?” she asked, I smiled and nodded.

“You’re honestly like a kid.” A voice that didn’t belong to Kyuhyun or Eunhyuk who were the ones to most of the time say that, but that came from our leader that had entered the room. I glared at him while the others laughed. “I just came in to inform about bedtime,” Leeteuk told KyuHyuk. Kayla giggled as the respond was death glares from both.

“Just because Donghae is five does not mean we are!” Kyuhyun yelled to the leader. Leeteuk raised a brow.

“You’re shouting like a kid though,” he said and Kyuhyun clenched his fists. “Watch it game boy,” Leeteuk now warned him, holding an accusing finger towards the younger. The two troublemakers left without a single more word. They would be a pain in the morning after that if I was correct. “Are you staying Kayla?” Leeteuk asked when the door had closed. I turned to my princess with pleading eyes, begging her to stay. She chuckled and nodded.

“Yeah, I’ll stay.” Leeteuk smiled and bid the two of us goodnight before he left us alone, taking both the bowls of soup with him. Exhausted as I was I lay down on the bed without a second thought of brushing my teeth or even taking off my clothes. Kayla raised an amusing brow at me but then stood up and helped me off with my clothes. Then she took off her own. Out of decency I closed my eyes when she took off her shirt. When she was done she lay down next to me, her back was against my chest. I could feel her bra straps to my chest, not that it bothered me but I wondered if it bothered her to have the bra on all night. However, since Kayla had prohibited me to talk I couldn’t say anything in the matter, meaning I left it on. I hugged her tightly to me and buried my face into her neck. I truly did hate being away from my princess for so long. Kayla hugged my arm, pulling me closer to her. I slipped one of my legs between hers and soon the weariness came over me. “Good night, my prince, I love you,” I heard Kayla say. Then I think we both were fast to fall into deep slumber. I could already, just by having her near me, feel how Kayla’s warmth and love were beginning its healing process inside my body. I love you too princess…

-

Author’s POV

“Donghae stop talking!” Kayla complained when Donghae for the third time in only a minute’s time had opened his mouth to say something. She watched as her boyfriend crossed his arms and pouted angrily like a five year old kid. This behaviour did not only bother his girlfriend but also the rest of the Super Junior members who were trying to enjoy a movie. The couple were seated on the couch together with Sungmin and Heechul. Sungmin who was the only one that didn’t fear being infected by Donghae’s illness and Heechul who basically had thrown the previous sitter off the couch and that had been Kyuhyun… Kyuhyun was now seated on the floor, highly annoyed and not in the mood to talk to anyone. The rest of the members were feeling somewhat peaceful, despise the fighting between the two lovers. Donghae would insist on commentating on the movie all the time, thankfully Kayla wouldn’t let him. Finally, Donghae gave up and rested his head on Kayla’s shoulder. The movie was none other than the famous Titanic. For some reason these boys loved this movie and would watch either that or Harry Potter when they had time. The movie had come to its peak. The two main characters tried to flee their fate of ending up in the freezing water. Out of nowhere there was sobbing heard around her and Kayla looked around to see three of the members crying their eyes out! The leader, the aegyo king and the maknae (no, not Kyuhyun) all burst out in tears as the boat went down under the deep blue sea. Sungmin who sat next to her cried on her shoulder and she hugged him to comfort him. This displeased Donghae a great amount! She was his! Therefore, he pulled her back into his arms again. Kayla turned to him and glared at him. He reluctantly let go so that she could go back to hugging the sobbing Sungmin. Leeteuk and Ryeowook hugged each other.

“You guys are such-” Heechul started by saying but the leader’s gaze stopped him from saying the last word. Heechul went back to muttering things to himself. Kangin and Shindong were bored, Yesung was playing with his turtle, Siwon prayed for those who died in the movie and KyuHyuk were betting on who would cease the crying first and whether or not Donghae would start crying, now that his princess had abandoned him. This was without question a normal day in the Super Junior dorms. And it was to become even more normal as soon as the ending song played and Yesung insisted on singing along. Secondly, the fight over who would do the cooking broke out. It ended up becoming Ryeowook and Kayla who did the cooking. Each of the members went to do their own things for a moment. Donghae was left alone in the living room. He stood up and slowly made his way to the kitchen.

“Hi,” he greeted with a small smile. He sat down on the chair and watched the two cooks perform their magic. His hopelessness must’ve shown because Kayla smiled back at him, not angry for the fact that he had talked.

“Hey,” she said and placed a kiss on his forehead. He pulled her into his embrace. Then he let go to let her help Ryeowook again. Half an hour later dinner was done. The members gathered in the kitchen and ate the meal together. During the time that Donghae had been sick, the members had had been able to rest. Kayla came by after work every day and stayed until late at night when she would go home because she didn’t want to wake Donghae up in the morning when she left for work. In the days Donghae had spent most of his hours awake with his two best friends. They had shared plenty of conversations about the matters they had talked about before leaving for Japan. Now that Donghae was sick there wasn’t much he could do but he had promised both himself and his friends that as soon as he got back up on his feet he’d talk to the CEO and their manager to give Kayla the lessons that would make her ready to reveal their relationship to the public. Donghae looked at Kayla with a soothing smile on his face. For him, there shouldn’t be any problem at all for the crowd to love Kayla and accept her. But beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. Donghae knew that there would be haters. He thought that Kayla did too but perhaps not what it meant to have haters. He hoped she’d never found out though. She was too precious to him. Her tears were the worst thing he’d ever seen in his entire life. Her pretty smile that she wore just then was the thing he wanted to protect. And he’d do everything in his power to keep her smiling!