Slowly opening your eyes, and peeking around the room it was still pretty dark, you glance at the clock on the night stand.  It said 3:30am, whining at your interrupted sleep, you’re greeted with an unpleasant sensation in your throat. It was dry and sore and felt like it was being grated; you quickly reach over to grab the bottle of water on the night stand. Taking a sip, it doesn’t make much difference, in fact it felt like it made it worst.  Slowly rolling out of bed, you slip your feet into your slippers and shuffle into your apartment’s kitchen rummaging through the cabinet to find the cold medicine  deciding  to take it, in hopes your condition doesn’t get any worse than it is. You search through the cutlery drawer for a medicine cup and take the allotted amount as stated on the label.

Swallowing the cold liquid as fast as you can, you try not to let the unpleasant taste linger on your tongue.  You stand there for a little bit in a groggy daze, before tossing  your medicine cup into the sink and shuffle back to bed, crawling under the covers to get away from the early morning chill. Having hopes that when the sun rises, you’ll be well enough to make it to work; turning over you drift off to sleep as best you can.

4 hours pass……

The sound of a few winter birds chirping, and the chill of the morning grazing your bare feet, greets you as you rouse from slumber.   Again checking the clock out of habit, you see it’s seven in the morning, immediately you remember your throat, and as you expected, it’s gotten worse. You try to speak, but you can’t get anything out above a hoarse pitchy screech, you decide you’re not going into today. Your position working as an assistant editor at a fashion magazine requires you to be able to talk, placing phone calls, coordinating meetings; you can’t do that sounding like a broken record player.

Rolling to the edge of your bed, you reach for your phone, texting your boss to say you won’t be coming in today, you wait for the usual swift reply while in the mean time scheduling an appointment for your doctor as well. The earliest you can get an appointment is tomorrow at noon, you figured you’d probably miss work again, so you take it. Rolling out of bed your feet adjust to the coldness of the wooden floor before you shuffle half asleep to the bathroom, hoping that a hot shower will help ease your condition. Once in there, you strip your clothes and ready the shower, testing the water to make sure it’s not too hot but just enough to help open up your nose before stepping in. The rising steam helps to sooth your throat, the stuffiness in your nose, and the aches you feel from the cold, on top of helping you transition out of your lethargic state.

Meanwhile your thoughts wonder to your boyfriend Youngjae, today would have been one of the few times you’d get to see each other while you were at work, that is, if you had made it in today.  Your magazine had an interview booked with his group B.A.P scheduled for today, as well as a small lunch since food and chatting often went well together. Even though your relationship isn’t public yet, it would have been nice to see him outside of the few allotted visit you two would get in private. It hurts not being able to be open with the relationship, because of course some of the fans may not take it well. Youngjae would probably wonder where you are, and how come you missed today, he would have been excited to see you after two weeks with only short texts and a few phone calls as communication. You figured you’d explain it to him later, if you feel better by Sunday that is, when you two would usually visit each other.  After what seems like an hour maybe even two, you finally bring yourself to turn off the water. Once you step out of the shower through, the frigid morning air greets your skin with a sensation akin to that of needles, your body responding with goose bumps and your teeth chattering, you quickly reach for the towel to dry off before putting on your lounge wear, an extra-long sleeve tissue tee, layered over a tank and some yoga pants, something to keep you warm but not constricted.

Making your way to the kitchen you put on the kettle for some tea, you decide you’ll watch a movie to pass the time today. Five or so minutes pass and the kettle is whistling you grab the mint tea out of the cabinet and your favorite mug and prepare the cup just how you like it; you make a bowl of ramen to complete the meal before head to the living room.  After finally finding a comfortable position on the couch, you surf through the guide, nothing is on that’s worthwhile watching. After a small debate you settle on a romantic comedy, ordering it through pay-per-view. Twenty minutes in to the movie though, you start to feel drowsy, and eventually dose off to sleep, the movie’s sounds drowning out in the background as the lull of slumber washes over you.

6 hours pass

In a dazed state you slowly open your eyes, as your hearing comes back to you the loud pounding on the front door prompts you to take a look around the room just remember where you are. The sun is setting outside and the light is casting a blue-purplish hue on your surroundings. Once again you hear another pounding on the door, though you try to yell for them to wait, you find that your voice has completely gone now.  Getting up as fast you can you run to the door and press you cheek to the  cold hard surface to look through the peephole; once you vision adjusts, you see it’s Youngjae, probably worried about you since you didn’t show up to work, and you haven’t answered any of his text messages in the past couple of hours or sent one like you usually do, to tell him you’re okay.

Once he hears you undoing the locks he stops knocking, opening the door you peek around it, now feeling pretty self-conscious about your hair and how you must look a mess. Cocking his head and smirking slightly Youngjae leans against the open doorway, before speaking. “You weren’t at work today, I missed you, it’s not often I get to see my love outside of our arranged visits.” Walking into the foyer he takes a look around, trying to note any changes to the place, before turning to look at you. Trying to speak to him, you still can’t make much noise above a hoarse raspy sound, in the meantime trying to communicate to him through a mix of hand signals, which you’re sure just looks like a poor game of charades.  Worriedly, Youngjae stops you in the middle of you frenzied movements, swiftly guiding you to the living room he tells you to sit down on the couch, covering you up with the blanket he stands over you, giving you a concerned lecture.

“Jagiya, you should have texted me, I would have been over sooner to take care of you. Now, from what I can tell your throat is hurting, but is anything else wrong aegi?”  Youngjae’s brow furrows as he reaches to feel your forehead for fever, Youngjae gives you a worried look, you nod you head as you point to your nose letting him know it’s stuffy. “Awww, Jagiya, okay just wait a little bit, I’ll try and be quick but I’m going to bring you something that might make you feel better.”  Your eyes follow Youngjae as he grabs your house keys off the side table and heads out the door, once you hear him lock the door behind himself you keel over on the couch, feeling a bit bad for not alerting him but he understands you were sick and sleeping. Watching him fuss over you was entertaining though, it showed he cared, and whenever something was wrong with you, if he could tell, Youngjae was always there trying to make you feel better.

After waiting patiently for what seemed like 30 minutes, though it could have been longer since you kept dosing off; you finally heard Youngjae at the door fidgeting with the keys, at least you hoped it was Youngjae. When the door opened and his handsome face peered out from around the door you smirked; seeing he was carrying a large brown paper shopping bag, you figured he went out to get you something to eat to combat this cold. Looking at you with a smile he gives that trademark nod of his while striding into the room, you giggle a little bit at him for it, it’s one of the little quirks that made you  fall for him, that nod he gives when he’s accomplished something and the look that accompanies it. Walking over to you he places the bag down on the table and feels your temperature again, “I went out and got samgyetang for you and some yukgaejang just in case we need to sweat the cold out of you, though you don’t seem to really have a fever.” Unpacking the food, you see he got himself some meat and side dishes to eat as well; he quickly goes to the kitchen for cutlery. Sitting there, you watch him search around the kitchen looking for the spoons and chopsticks, your try to get his attention but he’s over there mumbling to himself, opening and closing drawers and doors. You can’t help but smile, watching him fuss over you was endearing, Himchan was right, Youngjae is very attentive.  

Making some sounds to get his attention, he finally turns to look at you, you point to the drawer nearest the sink to tell him that’s where he’ll find the chopsticks and spoons. When he turns to look at you again asking where the bowls are, you nod to the cabinet in front of him, trying not to giggle at the faces Youngjae makes, since it would still mess with your throat. Once Youngjae has gathered all the dishes needed, he quickly walks back over to you, a satisfied grin on his plastered on his face, “See, jagiya? I’m good at taking care of you, aren’t I?” You just smile and nod your head; thinking how this boyfriend of yours is a trip. You watch him as he makes you a bowl of yukgaejang, and hands it to you, nodding to express your gratitude, you give a slight smile. Continuing to watch him as he prepares his plate, getting the side dishes out and sneaking pieces of meat here and there, you can’t help but feel a warm feeling rise in yourself for him.

Silently the two of you eat, watching whatever movie is on the TV at the moment, although your eyes keep wondering over to Youngjae. His features outlined by the TV’s light, it just accentuates his eyelashes, and his handsome features, as much as you would like to reach over and just kiss him, you’re more afraid of infecting him with your cold than anything.  Watching him, your mind wonders, he usually doesn’t come to your apartment, and if he does he tries not to linger around in case any fans might notice, for him to even be here is a big risk, you’re worried about him getting calls from his company or worse his group, though you’re sure at least one or two of them know about you two. Finishing his food Youngjae turns his head, arching his neck to see if your bowl is empty; it is, so he automatically takes your dish and his and stacks it in your dish washer before returning to you on the couch.

“ Alright Jagiya, it’s a good half hour to midnight and if you don’t get proper rest there is no way you can recuperate quickly in enough time for our date on Sunday.” Watching Youngjae as he lectures you, trying not to laugh; you sit there staring up at him pleadingly as he stands there with his hands on his hips, you think back to the times you’ve seen him do that same stance on stage while speaking. Never minding the fact that you’re two years older than him, he’s behaving as the mature one here. Youngjae takes hold of your hands and gently pulls you up off the couch, you let out moans of protest as he ushers you towards your bedroom, his hands on your hips the whole time. Youngjae just chuckling along the way, answering a swift “anni” for every moan you manage to utter. Once you’re in the bedroom he sits you on the bed, helping you situate yourself into a comfortable position to fall asleep he tucks you in under the cover. Watching him with a drowsy smile on your face, your eyes follow him as he goes to the other side of the bed; he strips himself of his sweater and crawls in next you, wrapping his arms around you. At that moment your mind overthinks, worried about him catching your cold, you reach for your phone on the night stand, and type in your message for him.

“Jaejae, we shouldn’t cuddle, you’ll catch my cold.” Showing him the message on the screen from over your shoulder, you hear his soft chuckles against your ear.  “Don’t worry about that Jagiya, I’ve taken plenty of vitamin C, so I’m sure I can fight off the cold.” A faint smile dresses your face at his response, you write another message to rebut his though, “I’m serious Jaejae, I don’t want you sick because of me.” One again you show him the message, he lets out a low moan of agreement, sounding more preoccupied though with his own thoughts, the vibration from which gives away just how close he is to you. You feel the heat of his breath near your ear as he speaks to you in a low tone “You’re right Jagiya, though you having a cold isn’t going to repel me from holding you, if it’ll make you feel better though, I’ll do this;” feeling his arms unwrap themselves from around you, you realize just the amount of warmth he was providing besides the covers.  You slightly turn to see where he went, you watch as he heads to your bathroom, and opens up the medicine cabinet, taking out one of the flu masks you usually have a pack of.  Wondering just how he knows where to find it, you give him a quizzical look as he swiftly puts it on and returns to the bed.  Returning to his position beside you in bed, he envelopes you in his arms again before speaking, his voice now somewhat muffled by the flu mask, “I know it seems reckless that I want to cuddle you while you’re sick but I just want to be close to you, we haven’t seen each other in a week, or held a real conversation in days. I’ve been very busy, and this is one of the few times I get to be with you, let alone take care of you, without my schedule in the way. I know I won’t be able to stay the whole night, but just to be here till you fall asleep means a lot to me.”

Listening to him talk into your ear, his voice is warm and soothing, it just makes that warm feeling you have for him grow more. Tapping your reply into your phone swiftly your show him the screen again… “You’re too nice to me Jaejae?” Letting out a low chuckle mixed with a moan Youngjae re-adjusts his grip around you, moving his other arm to act as a second pillow for himself slipping it under his head before he speaks again. “No, I’m not just being nice, it’s because…… well, it’s because I love you.” Hearing him reiterate those words sends a rush warmth through you, an smile crosses your face almost immediately as he says this making you forget all about your cold and the sore ache in your throat, which by now was being nursed by the yukgaejang.  Getting a bit drowsy from the meal and the warmth, you must up the last bit energy to tap in your reply to Youngjae, holding it over your shoulder once more “If I wasn’t sick I’d kiss you right now.”  Youngjae lets out a laugh, a little too loud into your ear though before catching himself “well, if you weren’t sick I think we’d be doing something else in this bed right now, but that’s not case, so while I’m hear I want you to go to sleep with good memories. It’s not every day I get to give noona some tender loving care. Though enough talk, I want to see your condition improve so I can see you this Sunday, okay Jagiya?”  Taking your phone out of your hand he places it back on the night stand and adjusts his hold around you, snuggling you up close to him, enjoying the contact you give a small moan of approval from feeling the warmth of his body against you. Youngjae just nuzzles you hair and plants a light kiss just behind your ear, “Shh, go to sleep little spoon.”