doyeon isn’t blind; she notices the first signs of it during the dance practices. while she can’t detect minimal changes in people’s voices unless it’s too discrepant, she is able spot small details here and there when it comes to dance and, from watching the senior dancing for four months, she knows that lack of stamina is not sohee’s usual state. but she doesn’t say anything, because everyone is tired physically and emotionally after these months of hard work and uncertainty, maybe it’s just not a good day and it’s okay too— they are still human.
then it repeats in the following days, even more obvious than before, until it looks like the girl is carrying the whole world on her shoulders as she sports a face mask through the hallways of trc. unfortunately, it wasn’t just another bad day; sohee was certainly sick and doyeon can’t help but worry. with the low temperature outside, what is surprising is that the older girl is the only one.
sohee shouldn’t even be there, but doyeon would probably do the same if it was her given the amount of things they had to prepare for this month. like it or not, they didn’t have the luxury to go home and rest until fully recovered, because the staff wouldn’t look kindly at them at the end of the month if they didn’t perform well, no matter if it was due to health issues or pure laziness.
so instead of nagging, she leaves to buy some basic meds from a pharmacy nearby and other healthy stuff at the convenience store across the street, returning with two small plastic bags to give to the older. quietly, she looks for the girl around the building and knocks on the door when she spots her sunbae in one of the rooms.
“sohee unnie~ how are you feeling?” she asks as she walks in, a warm smile contrasting with the furrowed brows, concerned about the other’s condition. “i-uh… i brought these for you. not sure what you have but there’s stuff for cold, migraine and honey and ginger drops for the throat. ah, and red ginseng drinks to make you stronger,” she hands out the bags once she’s done listing the items. hopefully, she’s not being too much and nosy here, she just wants the other to feel better. “please, take them.”
if anyone has noticed sohee had fallen ill the beginning of this month, no one has said a word. she knows they eye her warily, probably wondering if she’d transmit whatever sickness brought her under to them. she doesn’t blame them. she’d probably feel the same way. getting sick late enough into the month would put them out of commission for the evaluation and no one would want that. that’s why she took to the face masks and scarves whenever possible.
she’s not expecting doyeon to come into her practise room. until then she had been catching her breath and slowly unwrapping herself from her outer wear. her body ached. every layer removed felt like it took ages to be taken off. but she so desperately needed her body to feel cool air. it was overheating at this point.
the knock at the door has her lifting her head sharply. too sharply as her temples throb in reminder that suddenly movements will cause her migraine to worsen and for her body to go on strike until she throws up. she watches doyeon as she enters. she looks....worried. expected for someone approaching someone sick.
sohee puts back on the face mask to shield the other from any contamination although she’s sure her shallow breathing has put more than enough germs in the air. paranoid that she’d get the other sick, she searched her own bag for hand sanitizer before she even puts her hand out towards the other. “thank you,” sohee says huskily behind the mask. “i’m not sure what i have either but i don’t want to make a doctor’s visit out of it.”
if the doctor puts it on official writing that sohee has to sit out then she’s down for the count for however long the note says. that’s not something she would want when it still the beginning of the month and she still has chance to recover somewhat before the end of the month approaches. she takes the bag with a small smile that definitely reaches her eyes. she’s thankful.
“thank you so much for thinking of me. i’m sorry if i worried you or was subpar during practise.” she knows her sickness will hold back the group during practises until she gets better. “i will work better not to be a weak link this month. i’ll try and get better quickly!” though some medicine would do her good. she’s still working on an empty stomach. “want to help me get breakfast?” she asks, looking back up at her slowly. “i know i walk slow but i can’t take any medicine until i eat.”