The shrill ring of the phone made me jump again. I sat on the edge of my bed, still looking at the phone. I had been doing this since fifteen minutes already. I decided to pick up after a few rings.

A groggy voice came in from the other line. "Hello?"

"Hi..." I breathed back.

"Why did you answer just now?"

I couldn't speak.

"Eunji?" Kibum's voice sprang from the phone once again. Something was wrong. "How are you?" He coughed, the sound coming over the line like a burst of static. He didn't exactly sound healthy...

"I'm okay."

"That's good..."

"Yes." It was all I could manage. He seemed to be having the same problem with speechlessness, so I filled the silence. "You?"

"I'm not okay."

"W-why?"

"I want to see you. Can you... come over?"

"Come over? Now?"

"Yeah."

"I have something to do... I can't." I said, anxiously looking at the clock.

"Please?"

"I can't."

"Please?”

"... why?"

"I don't feel well..."

And yes, Kibum sounded awfully bad.

"Okay. I'll come over... wait for me." I hung up the phone. I started walking in the direction of his house just a few blocks away from ours.

It took me about ten minutes to walk to his house, but the whole way there, I kept planning what would I say to him. When I finally reached his house, I lightly tripped up the stairs as I reached for the door and knocked.

"It must be Eunji. Come in!" Someone shouted from inside.

I opened the door and went inside. I found Kibum's younger brother inside, Taemin, with his girlfriend, Naeun, sitting together at the sofa.

"Eunji!"

“Hi, unnie!” His girlfriend greeted.

I returned a smile. "Taemin... what happened to your brother?"

"Sick." He simply said. "Scold him for me, please? He doesn't want any one of us to take care of him."

"He's so stubborn unnie." Naeun added.

“Where are your brothers?”

“Onew hyung is out on a date with Namjoo, Minho hyung is out playing football and Jonghyun hyung is with his friends at the noraebang.”

“I see. I’ll go up now…”

“Hit him for us, okay?”

I lightly laughed and nodded. I slowly made my way towards the second floor, to where Kibum's room was.  "Kibum..." I peeked my head in his door.

He looked worn down and pale, definitely sick with something. Bags of tissues were scattered around him as he lied in bed in his sweater. He was covered with three blankets yet he still seemed cold. Hearing a soft groan, I walked in and knelt down next to him. I placed my palm on his sweaty forehead and was surprised at how high his temperature was. "Are you okay? Don't you need to go to the hospital?" 

"You're here." He mumbled, trying to sit up straight.

"Hey... what did you do? Why did you got this sick? You're burning!"

"I... I waited for you outside, after the school musical... and it was raining a bit. I was hoping I could send you home. I was worried that you didn't have an umbrella, because knowing you... you never bring one. I waited for an hour but I saw you and B-Baekhyun... so there..." He said weakly, having a hard time to keep his eyes open. 

I furrowed my brows as Kibum started to cough. "You should've gone home... you didn't have to wait for me..."

"I wanted to... we always go home together."

My heart sank hearing those words. I felt guilty. "Have you eaten?"

Kibum shook his head, meaning 'no'.

"I brought soup for you."

He smiled. "It would be nice."

"I don't know if it's still warm---" 

"Will you be able to stay?" He asked, suddenly serious. 

I was taken aback. "I don't know. Because... uhmm... I-I..." I stumbled my words out as I moved my position an inch away from him. "Have a da---"

Kibum dulled his look and sighed. He looked down for a moment, then back up at me. "Can you? For me?" He whispered urgently, as if it were the only importance in this world.

I looked at him and contemplated for a while. "Okay. I'm staying until you get better... like what you always do for me."

"Don't go…"

"I-I won't. Now, take your meds and sleep."

After feeding him soup and giving him his medicine, he settled himself back under the sheets.

I watched as Kibum's eyes slowly close as he fell asleep. I slowly crept away from the bed and went towards his room's balcony. I reached for my phone in my pocket and dialled a number. 

"Hello?"

The other person picked up after the first ring. 

"Hi..."

"Eunji! Are you ready?" Baekhyun replied at the other end. "I cannot wait for our date later! Tell me, do you  wish for me to bring anything? What shirt color are you wearing? Coup---"

"Hey, it's not a date! And... uhmm... about that." I know it wasn't a big deal, but why are my tears threatening to fall? "I'm gonna have to... uhh... cancel."

"What? Why?"

"E-emergency." I choked out.

"What kind of emergency? Are you okay? Do you want me to come over? What happened?!" He replied swiftly.

"Well... I'm here at a friends' house... he's-- she's sick." I peeked over at Kibum sleeping soundly with shoulders slowly rising and falling as he breathed steadily.

"...okay. I understand... We can just reschedule the date, right?"

"I told you it's not---"

"I'm hanging up! Bye!"

"Baekhyun, wait!"

"Why?"

"I'll make it up to you... promise." I said before hearing the beep tone indicating that Baekhyun has hung up. I couldn't help but notice how disappointed he sounded. It made me feel uneasy and restless, to which I can't understand why and I don’t know if I should be feeling this way or not. Damn, I regret my decision already...

I slowly walked back to the room and sat on the couch beside Kibum's bed.

For how long I observed his sleeping form, I couldn't tell. But some time later, he stirred from his sleep and opened his eyes lazily.

"You're still here." He mumbled with his voice still hoarse from sleep. 

"Do you feel better?"

"I do. Thanks, Eunji..." His voice was weak and husky, signifying how sick he still was.

I was relieved. "How are you feeling?"

"A bit of a headache. Just that."

"Good."

Awkward silence filled the room after. Suddenly Kibum broke the quiet. "Uhm... what I said at the backstage..."

"... can we just don't talk about it for now?"

"No."

"You're sick--"

"I want to know your answer."  He reached over to grab my hand out of my lap and gave it a squeeze. "Looks like your fingers could use a break." He nodded down to my hands.

I looked down and saw that I have been picking at my cuticles. "Uh... old habit."

"So?" He asked again.

Trying to distract him and myself, I tried changing the topic. "Uhmm... will you  be able to come to school tomorrow? If not I can tell your teacher---"

"Eunji... please."

"Honestly…" I started, looking at the ground. "I don't know. I don't really know. I'm sorry."

"I miss you." Kibum said, softly. "I'm sorry for taking so long to figure it out. Now, I'm not sure if your feelings for me are still the same; and that kills me each day. I love you, Eunji. I have always loved you, really. I just didn't know it... I thought it was just adoration and you being my friend-- bestfriend, I was scared. That's why I asked you to set me up with Arisa... I thought that with her I could get over my feelings for you. And I thought I did. I really thought I did and because of that I happened to hurt you. I understand that your feelings might have changed... but if that's the case, let me. Let me remind you why you loved me in the first place." 

His tears spilled over and I felt so guilty for doing this to him. He took my hand and held it tightly. Kibum looked down and more tears fell from his eyes.

God my head felt so clouded.

"Kibum." I breathed.

"If I need to court you I'll do it. I don't need your permission... I'll do it."

I couldn't even look at him, let alone answer him. "You’re okay now. I have to go..." I grabbed my things and ran towards the door.

Making my way out, I can't stop thinking. I love him… right? I have always been in love with him, that's what my head is telling me.

But why does my heart tell me otherwise? Can feelings change that fast? It was then that I realize, when I saw him after the musical, it wasn't him that was different. My feelings were the ones that changed--- or not. It can't be. I have loved him for years. But, can feelings change that really fast?

My head is lost in thought. I ran nonstop for minutes until I reached a small convenience store. I went inside. The store ahjussi greeted me and I returned a smile. Someone bumped into me as I was passing by the food shelf and I would have fallen over if not for a hand reaching out to steady me, hands wrapping around my arms.

"Clumsy."

I froze, recognizing the voice instantly as I looked up to see Baekhyun staring back at me.

"Why are you here?" I replied back instantly.

“To buy… food?”

"Are you stalking me?"

"No!"

"You always pop around. You're always everywhere I go! It looks like you're stalking me..."

"I was surprised that you're here too! Wait--- don't you think it's fate?" He widely smiled. "But you sure are so full of yourself, miss. I came here for a cup of ramen. I'm hungry since our date---"

"That's not a date, how many times will I tell you?"

"Whatever. Ah, I'm so hungry... how can that girl do that to me... she's really mean…" He mumbled.

"Why is that boy making me feel even more guilty..." I mumbled back, purposely making Baekhyun hear. "Ah, I'm hungry too."

"You haven't eaten?!"

I rolled my eyes before quickly grabbing a huge cup of instant ramen. I went towards the counter to pay. I searched the store for a good spot and finding one, I sat while waiting for my ramen to be ready.

I felt someone sit beside me but I didn't bother to check. I know for sure who it was.

"Why are you eating just now? Do you know that it's bad to skip meals? You'll get sick with with what you're doing. It's really bad for your health and I heard cases where---"

"Baekhyun, you're so noisy."

"I'm just caring for you!"

"I didn't have the time to eat, okay? I was nursing my sick friend and... and... besides... I didn't have the appetite."

“Is your friend okay now?”

“I guess so.”

"What happened to him?"

"He just-- wait, him?"

"It was Kibum, right?"

"Huh?"

"Your sick friend, it's him."

"H-how did you know?"

"How did you know... Ha, confirmed." He said, cutting me off.

"Sorry." I mentally slapped myself, why am I saying sorry? It's not like I lied to him.

"I thought I already won...”

"What do you mean? Win where?"

He just shook his head for an answer and bitterly laughed. "Let's eat!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Our ramen's done. Let's eat!" Baekhyun looked like he was trying his best to control his expression. His hands roamed around his neck.

"Aish, you're always saying nonsense things..."

"You still don't get it, do you?"

"I don't get it so tell me!" I snapped.

"Do you really want me to?"

I gently hit the back of his head. "Why would I ask if I don't want to?" 

I noticed how his face changed really fast into a serious expression.

"I like you." Baekhyun suddenly said while looking at me straight with his soulful eyes making me look away to avoid it.

I laughed nervously. "Do you have something funnier?"

"You think that's a joke?"

"Of course. D-don't tease me like t-that again!"

"I really like you."

I sat there in shock, trying to process what Baekhyun had just said. "Yeah right, confession over a cup of ramen."

"Really."

I chuckled. "Stop the jokes now."   

Startled, his eyes quickly rose to meet mine. I saw sadness in his dark brown eyes. After what felt like minutes, he soflty mumbled. "I really like you and I'm serious." He kept his eyes lowered on his hands which were now fidgeting slightly. He was nervous. "I have never been this serious in my whole life."

"Like, really serious?" I gulped a small lump in my throat. I stared at him still stunned.

"Eunji! You... why can't you believe me?" Baekhyun asked, sounding a little hurt.

"Yah! How can you expect me to? You always joke on me, you always play stupid pranks... you can't blame me!"

"But it's true."

His tone of voice was enough to let me know that he wasn't fooling around. 

I'm not sure how long I stared at him. My head started spinning. My heart started beating fasttagainst my chest, like a hammer against wet cloth. Wait, why is my heart beating really fast? "Oh gosh." I said faintly, as the realization set in. "So.. I'm that girl? The one...you liked... for four years?"

He nodded as he gave my hands a small squeeze. "I'll court you, Eunji. And I'm not asking for your permission. I'll do it."

I might just go crazy because of my heart beating like this. Why is my heart beating like this? What's going on? 

I had nothing to say. I couldn't, even if I tried.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A/N: I ship Keyji, but I ship Baekji too. lol. Any thoughts?