“Hyungs are going to get home and flip if they see you guys playing in the house.”
That did nothing to stop them.
“You’re going to break something.”
Still, nothing.
“Everybody else that’s home is sleeping right now. They really need the rest and you’re going to wake somebody.”
But it seemed there was nothing that Yeosang could say to get Wooyoung and San to settle down. They had the day off and were full of energy but the cold rain pattering against the windows had them cooped up in the dorm, leaving them restless.
It was Wooyoung that had pulled out the rugby ball in the first place. San immediately ran down the hallway, indicating for Wooyoung to throw it. Their game of catch quickly grew more physical as the pushing and tackling started. Out of respect they had heeded Yeosang’s warnings to an extent, moving the game from the common area to San and Yunho’s room.
Yunho, who was now curled up on the couch asleep next to Yeosang while Yeosang allowed himself to be consumed by his video game, had warned San that if anything in their room was damaged that he’d be held responsible, but San brushed him off, promising that they’d be careful. And they were, until San whipped the ball a little too hard into the wall. Wooyoung burst out in laughter until the sound of a crash emanated from the next room over, followed by a startled cry and a groan.
“What the hell just happened?” Yeosang called out. There was no response which Yeosang found more concerning than comforting. Just as he paused his game and stood up, Jongho appeared in his bedroom doorway. He held a hand up to his head and leaned heavily in the doorway.
“The shelf above my bed fell off the wall. I think it hit me in the head…” Jongho said, his voice sounding off. Yeosang wasted no time getting to his side, carefully moving Jongho’s hand from his temple. He was relieved that it wasn’t bleeding but a large red welt was forming.
As Yeosang assessed the situation carefully, San and Wooyoung sheepishly emerged from San’s room, realizing the severity of what they had done. Yeosang’s eyes darkened considerably as he looked at them.
“Put the ball away” he said, his tone sending shivers up and down San and Wooyoung’s spines. Yeosang then turned his attention back to Jongho. “Let’s get you back to bed.”
Jongho nodded, but was unsteady on his feet. Yeosang slung his arm around Jongho’s waist, helping him lie down again. Gently taking Jongho’s wrist into his hand he felt for a pulse, unsurprised that it was elevated. Jongho was always one to keep a cool exterior in difficult situations but it was clear that the shock of being woken by a blow to the head had his anxiety up.
“Hyung, I feel…weird” Jongho muttered. Yeosang quickly instructed San and Wooyoung, who were now hovering in the doorway, to get an ice pack and some water. “What feels weird, Jongho?” Yeosang pressed, grappling to take control of the situation.
There wasn’t even time for Jongho to respond. His stomach did a somersault and sent its contents down Jongho’s front. Under any other circumstance Jongho would have been mortified, but right now the only thing he felt was confusion and fear.
San and Wooyoung quickly returned, carrying a bucket with them, much to Yeosang’s relief. Yeosang, running on pure adrenaline and instinct at this point, put the bucket on Jongho’s lap as he dug through Jongho’s drawers to find him a clean shirt to change into.
“Listen to me carefully” Yeosang said, glancing over his shoulder to make sure he had San and Wooyoung’s attention. “Please nicely wake Yunho and tell him that Jongho needs a ride to the hospital and nicely ask if he could drive.” They scurried off, leaving Yeosang to attend to Jongho.
“Hyung, what’s going on?” Jongho’s tone reminded Yeosang that, for all of his bravado, Jongho was the maknae.
“Just a little bump to the head” Yeosang replied, lifting the ice pack to have a look at Jongho’s injury. Calling it a little bump may have been a stretch but there was no reason to worry Jongho more than he already was.
Yeosang could hear Yunho stirring in the living room and could pinpoint the exact moment that he was told that he needed to get Jongho to the hospital, his slow, sleepy movements suddenly becoming rushed. The jingle of keys and sound of the front door opening and closing signaled to Yeosang that Yunho would have his car pulled around within minutes. He carefully pulled Jongho’s soiled shirt over his head, replacing it with a clean one and helped Jongho out of bed and downstairs.
*~*~*~*~*~
“They’re dead. I will kill them myself” Yunho muttered, anxiously waiting for the light to turn green. A shiver went down Yeosang’s spine, thinking of the consequences that San and Wooyoung would deservedly face.
“Relax, Yunho-ah,” Yeosang reminded him quietly, “focus on the road.” Yunho nodded silently before glancing in the rear view mirror at Jongho, who was holding the ice pack to his temple still. “Are you doing okay back there, Jongho?” Jongho responded with a weak “yeah,” which could not have been less convincing.
*~*~*~*~*~
The ride left Jongho nauseous and dizzy. Yeosang and Yunho helped him out of the car once they arrived at the hospital. Yeosang assured Yunho that he would be calling Seonghwa and Hongjoong once Jongho was settled in, encouraging Yunho to go back home. Yunho hesitantly agreed before Yeosang spoke up again.
“Yunho, don’t do something you’ll regret” he reminded gently but firmly. “Hyungs will deal with them when they get home. Go back to bed or go hang out with Mingi in his studio. But don’t…just leave it be.” Yunho sighed and nodded tiredly. “I think bed seems do be a good option for you. You’re almost dead on your feet” Yeosang added with a smile as Yunho got back in his car and pulled off.
*~*~*~*~*~
Yeosang held his breath as he sent the text:
“There was a little accident at home. I’m with Jongho at the hospital. I think he has a concussion.”
He waited under a minute to receive the phone call he had been dreading. Yeosang picked up the phone and wasn’t even able to get a quick greeting out before Hongjoong began frantically speaking.
“Sangie, what happened? How did maknae end up with a concussion? Are you okay? Who else was home? Did anybody else get hurt?”
Yeosang couldn’t respond to any of the questions being lobbed at him through the phone, which didn’t escape Seonghwa’s notice. He muttered something unintelligible to Hongjoong which immediately silenced Hongjoong. Seonghwa then spoke up calmly asking Yeosang to explain what was going on.
“Something fell on Jongho’s head and he isn’t feeling too well so I brought him here…” Yeosang stopped there, deliberately trying to keep things vague, knowing that, when the full extent of the situation was known, heads would roll.
“You did the right thing, Yeo. I know this must be scary. We’re 20 minutes away. Just stay calm” Seonghwa’s assurance brought Yeosang a little comfort but the questions continued after that. “Who else was there? Did anybody else get hurt?”
“It was me, Yunho, San, Woo and Jongho” Yeosang said, his voice shaking with anxiety. “Nobody else got hurt. I was playing a game and Yunho was napping.”
There was a momentary pause that seemed to have lasted an eternity. The tension was palpable, leading Yeosang to suspect that the hyungs were putting the pieces together.
“And San and Wooyoung? What were they doing?” Hongjoong asked, suspicion heavy in his voice. But luckily the conversation was interrupted and effectively ended by a nurse letting him know that Jongho was settled in and that he could come back now.
*~*~*~*~*~
“So let me get this straight. Dumb and Dumber were playing rugby in the dorm despite being told not to? And hit the wall so hard it knocked the shelf off the fucking wall?”
Jongho had dozed off shortly after Seonghwa and Hongjoong’s arrival, prompting Hongjoong to pull Yeosang out in the hallway as he demanded an explanation.
“You aren’t in trouble Yeosang,” Hongjoong said quietly. He was visibly shaken upon hearing what had transpired. “You did everything right.”
Yeosang nodded awkwardly, biting his lower lip. It was clear that Hongjoong wasn’t finished with him.
“And Yunho drove you here?” Hongjoong repeated back to Yeosang, making sure he had the story correct. Yeosang nodded again, feeling more like a bobblehead doll than a human at the moment. “And Yunho is where now?”
Yeosang immediately knew where Hongjoong was going with this. “Yunho went home. I told him to go to bed, but he was pissed when he left.”
After taking a few minutes to process, Hongjoong told Seonghwa that he was going home to “make sure everyone was still alive.” Yeosang was glad that he wasn’t going to be home to see it play out, but he texted a quick heads up to Yunho:
“Hongjoong-hyung is on his way home. If you aren’t asleep, it’s probably best to pretend you are.”
Summary: Jongho is not doing well on ISAC day but he doesn’t want to burden his hyungs. Luckily Stray Kids' Seungmin notices and gets his Lee Know-hyung who helps the ATEEZ maknae. (Stray Kids - Crossover)
CW: emeto, kind of public emeto
Sickie: Jongho
Caretakers: Seungmin + Lee Know (+ Hongjoong)
On a normal day, Jongho loved ISAC.
He enjoyed sports after all, he liked living on the high of adrenaline with exhaustion deep in his muscles. Though seeing his idol friends from other groups was definitely the highlight. Often enough their schedules wouldn’t match up for months and they would not see each other besides a short hi backstage at a stressful award show. So he had looked forward to it.
But today was not a normal day.
Jongho had woken up feeling off. At first he had blamed his exhaustion on lack of sleep due to stressful schedules but when he barely managed to choke down breakfast he had to admit to himself something was wrong. His stomach felt unwell; full and rolling. The slight ache had turned to annoying nausea over the day – which … not good. Still, he didn’t dare tell his managers or his hyungs. He didn’t want to cause problems. He wanted his hyungs to have the good time he apparently couldn’t have today. After all he might be the maknae but the moment he had joined the final KQ fellaz lineup he had promised himself he wouldn’t be a burden, he could take care of himself. He wanted to be responsible, in his family he was the hyung. So, he didn’t need to and didn’t know how to ask for help. Yet … his hyungs had broken through his defences a long time ago.
They made sure to help him balance himself out. Jongho was the maknae but that didn’t mean he couldn’t be strong. They all agreed, and he had to admit that getting taken care of by somebody else was nice sometimes.
But he couldn’t afford being sick and especially being taken care of today. He couldn’t make his hyungs miss the event they all had looked forward to. None of his hyungs were really into sports but meeting their friends was special. Also, exposure to Korean media was always good for a small company group.
Still, sitting alone on the racing track while everybody around him seemed to have an amazing time, he couldn’t help but envy his hyungs who were talking carefree with their friends. Jongho had seen Seonghwa and Hongjoong in deep talk with Bang Chan and Felix from Stray Kids and Eric from The Boyz. Yunho was catching up with Juyeon, Q and Sangyeon. Mingi was hanging out with ONEUS and Wooyoung was off somewhere with Changbin. Jongho had lost sight of San and Yeosang some time ago.
And then there he was, sitting alone and feeling more and more sick with every minute. Self-pity was normally not his way but right now it fit his situation.
An unexpected hand on his shoulder had him jumping in surprise. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you”, Seungmin apologized, looking down at him. The older idol was a good friend of his since they had both found common ground in being terrified to work with Eunkwang from BtoB in the vocal unit on Kingdom: Legendary War.
“Ah, it’s fine”, he said quietly. Seungmin seemed to not mind his following silence and plopped down next to him so that their shoulders were touching. Jongho didn’t mind the company of the older man at all, he just hadn’t expected him to approach him when he had so many other options. Surely Seungmin wanted to catch up with him but Jongho didn’t feel up to small talk at all. He swallowed down a wave of nausea again.
After a few seconds, his hyung couldn’t seem to keep quiet. “Are you okay, Jongho-yah?”, he asked carefully, apparently noticing how out of character Jongho was acting. Jongho couldn’t blame him, he would have asked the same question if the roles were reversed. That didn’t mean he wanted to tell Seungmin that he felt like he was about to puke in front of thousands of people.
“Yeah, I’m fine, hyung”, he lied and pulled his knees to his chest. He had vowed to himself he would not disturb his members’ good times with his problems and that had to count for other idols too. Even though he desperately wanted to tell somebody.
Sitting surrounded by other idols, cameras and fans under the heat of the sun beating down at them made everything so much worse. He wished he had a fan but Wooyoung had snatched it from him some time ago. For a moment he felt close to crying, despairing over his situation. He couldn’t just leave without raising suspicion, he couldn’t tell his hyungs and ask for their help and he most certainly didn’t want to be sick in full view.
No. He was strong.
“It’s just normally you are more … lively?”, Seungmin added quietly. “I don’t mean to press but I didn’t want you to be alone.” Seungmin was so kind. Jongho hated him for it but flushed at the same time.
“I’m okay, hyung”, he answered shortly.
Out of a sudden, with no warning his stomach rolled badly, worse than it had all day. Instantly the nausea got worse and he needed to keep swallowing heavily. This couldn’t be happening. It couldn’t. He was not about to throw up.
But the possibility that it was going to happen grew with each second.
Seungmin mustered him with something akin to worry in his eyes and Jongho’s resolves crumbled. Trusting his friend with his fear seemed to be better than trying to handle himself alone.
“I’m sorry, I lied, hyung”, he whispered, “I feel so bad. I’m so nauseous.”
Seungmin’s eyes widened in shock and he frantically looked around.
“Are you going to be sick?”, he asked, trying to calm down his own panic. Surely Seungmin had not expected these words and, while responsible, he was part of the maknae-line of Stray Kids. He was not used to helping out in this kind of way.
“Not quite yet”, Jongho said miserably. “I don’t want to.”
“Let me get one of your hyungs”, Seungmin said nervously.
“No, please”, Jongho pleaded. He didn’t want to inconvenience Seungmin but he really didn’t want his hyungs to drop everything for him. Still, he couldn’t deny the thought of a hyung helping and taking over the situation was nice. The bathrooms were far away after all and probably crowded. There was no way he could get sick there alone, in peace.
So when Seungmin offered the next solution he reluctantly agreed.
His Stray Kids’ hyung left and Jongho did all he could to act like everything was okay. He loved ATINY but he knew they would take apart every small video or photo they would get their hands on. The word “embarrassment” would not be enough to describe a situation where they caught on that he was feeling closer to puking everywhere with every passing minute.
⏳
His vision darkened as somebody knelt down in front of him, blocking him from the unrelenting sun. He blinked and looked up at the rather unfamiliar face.
“Hello, Jongho-yah”, Lee Know said gently, “Min-ah said you’re not feeling so good?”
Jongho nodded, looking up with wide eyes at the older idol. He hadn’t interacted much with him before. They had been in different units on Kingdom and while he had heard from Wooyoung, San, Yunho and Yeosang how kind of a hyung he was and the fact that he and Seonghwa were best friends, Jongho himself was very unfamiliar with him. For a second he wished he hadn’t insisted on protecting his hyungs’ fun, terrified by being left alone with a sunbae he didn’t really know while sick.
But he had dealt these cards himself, so trying to be brave, he just nodded. He was too tired and sick to converse. Besides, he trusted his hyungs’ judgement of character. Lee Know seemed awfully nice and he was the one Seungmin chose. He decided to trust him, having no real other option.
“How about we get you out of here, hm?”, Lee Know asked, “no use in sitting here feeling unwell.”
“Yes, sunbaenim”, Jongho said, “thank you.” He was glad Lee Know didn’t ask why he didn’t want his members’ help. And getting to sit in a cool dressing room out of sight seemed heavenly.
“Just act normal, like we are just walking around”, Lee Know advised and helped him to his feet. Without a word he wrapped an arm around Jongho’s waist to steady him. Staytiny would love this interaction. Jongho didn’t love it at all. His legs awfully felt like jelly now that he was upright and the sickness was hitting him hard.
“Where are your managers? Do you know which entrance you took to get out into the arena?”
Jongho shook his head. He had not taken notice of much beside how awful he was feeling all day.
“No matter, I’ll take you to our dressing room, the managers will figure something out.”
Lee Know led him past Seungmin who just smiled at them, probably knowing that Jongho didn’t want a fuss, especially not in public.
“How long have you been feeling sick? Did you throw up before?”, his sunbaenim asked as they walked towards the inside of the stadium where the changing rooms and the bathrooms were located. Some idols looked at them but they weren’t stopped. Apparently they noticed that they were not just strolling around but heading somewhere with a destination. Hopefully, they didn’t guess the right one.
“Since I woke up I felt off. Haven’t thrown up. Yet”, Jongho admitted quietly.
“You know that coming here was very irresponsible, I don’t need to tell you that. But why didn’t you tell your hyungs?”, Lee Know scolded lightly.
In his sick mental state Jongho couldn’t help but shrink into himself. He didn’t want to deal with an angry sunbae while he was sick.
“I’m sorry, Lee Know-ssi”, Jongho said, pulling away slightly and stopping to look at the older man. “I didn’t want to inconvenience my hyungs or you. I’m very sorry.”
But he had never needed to worry.
“Oh, Jongho-yah”, Lee Know replied, his voice calm and soothing, “I should be the one who is sorry, I know I can come off as too harsh. I didn’t mean to make you feel bad. I was just curious as to why. Your team seems so close, so I was worried.”
“My hyungs are the best”, Jongho agreed, “but I guess, I wanted them to have fun. They’ve been talking for days about how much they were looking forward to seeing so many of their friends again. If I had said I was sick Seonghwa-hyung or Hongjoong-hyung would have stayed with me and I didn’t want them to miss this.”
“I get it, though I don’t agree”, Lee Know offered, “but speaking as a hyung to six dongsaengs: If any of them were sick I would want them to know to come to me if they are unwell and that missing one event in the grand scheme of things is not a tragedy.”
“Thank you, sunbaenim”, Jongho said quietly. He truly was thankful for the reassurance but still the longer he stood, the more his stomach was starting to feel really unsettled. A queasy burp surprised both him and Lee Know. A bitter taste remained in his mouth and Jongho stared at the older idol in shock.
“Call me Minho-hyung”, Lee Know said hurriedly, “let’s get you inside.”
⏳
Rushing with a sour stomach was not a recommendable activity, Jongho mused, though puking in front of fans, cameras and other idols was definitely worse. Quickly they reached one of the doors to get inside and as soon as the door closed behind them, Jongho sunk down into a crouch, hands pressed to his mouth. Immediately Minho knelt down next to him, pushing his sweat-soaked hair from his face.
“I’m sorry for the speed”, he mumbled. If Jongho had the ability to answer at the moment he would have protested, knowing the speed was the only thing that had saved (some parts of) his dignity. But he had to focus on taking deep breaths through his nose to keep his stomach where it belonged. He gagged dryly once, but the second time a small amount of water came rushing up his throat and he helplessly spat it on the ground beside him. Tears welled up in his eyes. This was so bad.
Luckily, that seemed to be all that was coming up for now.
“I’m sorry”, he whispered, staring helplessly at the clear puddle.
“Don’t worry about it. Can you get to the bathroom?”, Minho asked quietly, rubbing his back. Taking stock of his body Jongho found the nausea still very present but not as overwhelming and threatening as it was a few minutes ago. He nodded and let himself be pulled to his feet for the second time that day.
Standing upright again was a whole different task. He swayed for a second until Minho adjusted the grip on his arm. The bathrooms were further inside the stadium and by the time they found the entrance sign Jongho was sure he would be sick the moment he was in front of a toilet. He just hoped the bathroom was empty.
Luck was not on his side. The bathroom were not only not empty, there was even a line. “Hyung”, Jongho involuntarily whimpered, panicked. Lee Know just squeezed his arm and turned to address the other idols who were watching them.
Jongho’s stomach lurched. There was no time for what Lee Know was planning, no time to wait. Left with the only option beside throwing up on the floor, Jongho lurched towards the sinks where The Boyz’ Jacob was washing his hands.
He had barely made it over a sink beside the one the older idol was using before his stomach send its contents up his throat. He retched and gagged helplessly, staring down in shock at last night’s dinner as he continued to bring up mouthfuls of sick. Jongho was vaguely aware of people exclaiming in shock but his aching stomach and the unpleasantness of the situation made him block out most sounds. He thought he heard Hongjoong’s name but he wasn’t sure. He would give a lot for his hyung’s comforting presence right now.
As the heaves died down and he managed to catch his breath, he felt a steady hand on his back again. This were the worst few moments of his life, throwing up in front of so many sunbaes.
“Hyung”, he gasped and immediately Minho answered: “I’m here, baby, deep breaths.” The older idol wet a tissue under the water, simultaneously washing away most of his shame, and wiped Jongho’s mouth. If he wasn’t so unwell and able to be more embarrassed he would be. But his mental state and the sickness didn’t care about normal Jongho. Right now he wanted comfort.
Minho seemed to sense this and gently wrapped him in his arms. “It’s okay”, he whispered. “I made the others leave, they didn’t mind. Keeho and Leedo are making sure nobody is coming in and Jacob and some others are looking for one of your hyungs.”
Jongho just nodded against his shoulder, pressing his eyes shut, as Minho kept rubbing his back.
He didn’t know how long they stayed like that, only pulling apart when the door was opened abruptly. They both turned around to find Hongjoong looking at them with worry and fondness in his eyes.
“Hey, baby”, his captain greeted with a tiny smile and walked over to them, brushing Jongho’s hair out of his face. “Jacob said you are sick? How are you feeling?”
“Sick, hyung, ashamed”, Jongho whispered, unable to meet his eyes. Surely Hongjoong was angry at him beneath his calm smile. After all, be had been pulled from having fun with the news of his maknae’s sickness. Even if he wasn’t he sure was not happy about the fact that Jongho had made such an uproar, inconveniencing so many of their sunbaenims.
“I’m sorry”, Hongjoong said sadly, opening his arms in a rarely initiated hug. “Hyung will help you.”
But Jongho couldn’t make himself take the step closer to his hyung. His hardworking, loving hyung who normally had so few opportunities to enjoy himself freely. His hyung who now had to take care of him on the one day he could have relaxed.
“I’m sorry, hyung. You were having fun”, Jongho said, subconsciously clutching Minho’s sleeve, needing to hold onto some stability. His stomach still ached with nausea and now with shame. He really just wanted to go home but he didn’t want Hongjoong to suffer under his illness too.
“Nothing of this, maknae. You’re sick, you have nothing to be sorry for”, Hongjoong replied, frowning.
Jongho chewed on his lip, not sure if he should give in. But a warm embrace from his hyung seemed like a dream come true, a lifeline during this awful day. Hesitatingly he took a step forward and immediately he was held in strong arms. He laid his head on Hongjoong’s shoulder and just breathed.
“I’ll go find one of your managers to take over”, Lee Know said and squeezed Jongho’s hand, “feel better soon, Jongho-yah.”
“Thank you for taking care of him, hyung”, Hongjoong said gratefully. “Let’s get you home, Jongho-yah.”
⏳
Bonus scene:
Hongjoong gently stroked the maknae’s back as he slept. He had managed to put the younger idol to bed only a few minutes ago, hours after they had left the stadium. Jongho’s nausea had gotten much worse during the ride and never before had Hongjoong been so happy that Seonghwa insisted on keeping plastic bags in the company cars. The younger man had thrown up two times on the way and even after they had escaped the moving vehicle, Jongho had stayed glued to the floor in front of the dorm’s toilet until he was empty. There had been nothing but providing water, cold clothes and cuddles that Hongjoong could do to help.
The others were due to arrive in half an hour and Hongjoong was glad for the - albeit short – time alone to reflect on the day.
Hongjoong had just been chatting with Bang Chan and Felix, Seonghwa having abandoned them to keep Yunho and Wooyoung in line, when they were approached by Jacob from ‘The Boyz’. They had all turned their attention to their sunbaenim and Hongjoong couldn’t hide the surprise when Jacob, who had seemed a bit out of breath, had addressed him: “Hongjoong-ssi, do you have a moment?”
Confused, Hongjoong had nodded. He had never really had interacted with the older idol before so the whole situation had seemed weird. They had stepped aside for some privacy and when Jacob had said “I’m really sorry to interrupt you, but I’ve been looking for you. It’s Jongho-ssi” Hongjoong hadn’t been able to stop the pang of fear in his chest.
First he had jumped to conclusions: Had the maknae managed to injure himself? What could have happened in the last ten minutes since he last saw him? Of course Hongjoong had noticed that Jongho had seemed a bit distant all morning but he had just assumed it was nervousness over attending ISAC. The maknae always shut himself off when he was nervous, so he hadn’t thought much of it. But apparently something else was wrong.
“Jongho threw up. He managed to get to the bathroom and Lee Know is with him”, Jacob had explained, grimacing a bit, “but he probably wants his leader right now.”
“Oh, yeah, probably”, Hongjoong had answered, a bit dumbfounded. He definitely had not expected this. Yet he had quickly gathered himself, seeing no use in analysing Jongho’s previous behaviour if he needed his leader now. “Thank you for finding me. Can you show me the way?”
“Come with me.”
Hongjoong sighed as he pulled himself out of his thoughts. He was very glad that other idols looked out for the younger ones, protecting them when they couldn’t do it themselves. In his mind he was already planning on what small but heartfelt gifts he could buy Jacob and Lee Know but that was a problem for a different day.
At last Jongho was safe and sound in his bed. There was no doubt that Jongho would very likely get sick again when he woke, but his youngest was at home. That was enough for Hongjoong.
When Hongjoong woke up he felt as if he was coming to from a coma. He hadn’t slept so soundly in a long time, but within seconds he wished that the coma would pull him back under. This flu was wreaking havoc on his body.
He sat up, confirming that Yunho was still asleep before stepping out of his room. All that hydration had left him in need of the washroom but, to his surprise, he found the door closed. Knocking quietly, Hongjoong listened for a response but did not receive one. After another knock met with silence he entered and nearly jumped out of his skin when he found Jongho lying on the washroom floor with a long-dried face cloth draped over his eyes and forehead.
“Jongho” Hongjoong whispered, nudging the maknae’s shoulder as he sank to the ground next to him, too exhausted and poorly to keep standing. Jongho stirred slowly and reached up to toss his compress aside but made no effort to respond to Hongjoong. “What are you doing on the floor, Jongho-ah?”
“I could ask you the same thing,” Jongho responded in the most Jongho way possible, which is not at all what Hongjoong wanted to deal with in the middle of the night while his head was swimming with fever.
“I’m sick, Jongho” Hongjoong responded flatly. “I’m sick and had to use the washroom but here you are, laying in the damn floor. Your turn.”
Jongho sighed before responding. “I woke up with a headache so I got up to take my temperature.”
That was enough to send Hongjoong into hyung mode immediately. “Why didn’t you wake Seonghwa?”
“I can take my own temperature, hyung” Jongho quipped back before continuing. “I’m running a fever” he added nonchalantly. “And the floor was cold, so I just laid down with a cool compress. It’s fine. I’m fine.”
Hongjoong rolled his eyes. This situation was so very Jongho. He was about to inquire about any other symptoms when the door flung open again, this time by Yeosang who nearly face planted, tripping over Jongho’s outstretched legs, as he barreled toward the toilet to be sick again. Jongho reached out an arm to pat Yeosang’s back in silent support but was too weak to do anything beyond that.
It took Yunho less than a minute to appear in the doorway, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand. Hongjoong sighed before speaking up, realizing that everybody would be looking toward him to take control despite him being as sick as the rest of them and it being 3:30 AM.
“Yunho-ah, what are you doing out of bed?” He asked, willing his voice not to break as he spoke.
“I heard somebody getting sick. Now I feel queasy again” Yunho replied weakly, sounding half asleep. Hongjoong’s eyes darted to Yeosang, who was still draped over the toilet. He was out of ideas until Jongho acted quickly, reaching over his head and tossing the waste paper bin toward Yunho’s feet. Yunho muttered a weak “thank you” before taking the bin into the hallway and sitting down outside the washroom door. A wave of guilt and pity washed over Hongjoong as he heard his dongsaeng getting sick in the bin but there wasn’t enough room for a fourth member on the washroom floor and he sure as hell wasn’t about to get up from his cozy spot next to Jongho.
“It’s alright. You’re going to be just fine” Hongjoong slurred, unsure if the sentiment was directed more strongly to the others or to himself.
*~*~*~*~*~
Seonghwa woke up to muffled sounds coming from the washroom followed by the sound of retching. For a split second he contemplated rolling over and going back to sleep before he heard another set of feet pattering toward the washroom. Knowing that eldest-hyung duty called, he sat up in bed quickly - perhaps too quickly - his head quickly hitting his pillow again before he even realized that he needed to lie back down. He suddenly felt a shift of pressure in his sinuses.
Dammit.
He was sick.
Unfortunately, so was somebody else based on the cacophony of sounds emanating from outside his closed door. With a deep breath he sat up again, much slower this time, and headed toward the door, bracing himself for what he may find when he opened it.
Seonghwa almost stepped on Yunho as he closed the bedroom door behind him. He knelt down in front of him, giving a light tug on the waste paper basket that Yunho was nearly falling asleep in. Seonghwa placed a hand on Yunho’s cheek, quickly realizing that he was no longer able to very accurately feel for a fever now that he too was running one of his own. Despite his own body being feverishly warm now, he could still tell that Yunho was feeling even warmer.
“Yunho, love, you’re feeling very warm again” Seonghwa said quietly, noticing now how sore his throat was. “Did you forget to take your medication? You haven’t been running this high since it was prescribed…”
Yunho shook his head in response. “I didn’t forget. I didn’t want to take it. It makes me feel funny…”
Seonghwa cut him off, trying to mask the frustration he felt rising in his chest. “You know what else makes you feel funny? A high fever. You seem to be feeling really funny now, hmm? The medicine isn’t optional, Yunho. It’s…” Seonghwa stopped abruptly when a wave of dizziness struck. In the moment it took for him to center himself he took in how absolutely pathetic Yunho looked sitting on the hallway floor. There would be a time to discuss this, but that time was clearly not now. He took a deep breath to calm his nerves before speaking up again.
“Sweetheart, why are you out here in the hallway anyhow?” He asked, his tone much calmer than a moment ago.
“Because they are in there” Yunho said with some effort, indicating vaguely toward the washroom.
“Who? Who’s in there?” Seonghwa asked but Yunho was already beginning to doze off again. There was nothing Seonghwa could do about that at the moment. He couldn’t lift Yunho on a good day, and his running nose suddenly reminded him that this definitely wasn’t a good day. Making a mental note to wake Jongho to have him help Yunho off the floor and back to bed, he slowly opened the washroom door.
So much for that mental note.
Seonghwa felt close to tears. He was in over his head. This flu had done the impossible, taking out eight grown men in the span of a couple of days. Admitting defeat, he unlocked his phone, texting a manager:
“Sorry to wake you hyung. But we need you.”
*~*~*~*~*~
When the manager arrived, not even an hour later, his jaw dropped as he surveyed the scene.
Seonghwa had miraculously gotten everybody off the floor and into the living room. Jongho sat at one end of the sofa, his head resting in his hand as he shivered too violently to make sleep possible. Hongjoong, on the other hand, was curled up into the maknae’s side, having had no trouble at all finding sleep again. Yeosang was stretched out across the middle of the couch with blanket haphazardly draped over his legs that threatened to fall to the floor at any slight movement. Yeosang had left almost no space for Yunho, though Yunho didn’t seem to mind curling up in a tight ball in the small amount of space he did have, in a way that seemed physically impossible for a person of his stature.
The manager almost instantly jumped into action. He had years of experience wrangling his own sick kids in addition to sick ATEEZ members, but he struggled to recall a time when seven of the eight were sick at once.
“San, Mingi, and Wooyoung?” He asked quietly, turning to Seonghwa. Seonghwa finished his thought on his behalf.
“Sleeping. Hopefully” Seonghwa supplied helpfully as he stood with his arms crossed across his chest.
“I’ll be honest,” the manager said after a few moments of thought. “I’d like to take anybody with a fever to the hospital. This flu clearly is nothing to mess around with.”
Yeosang piped up at that. “I don’t have a fever, so I don’t need to go” he announced, his tone laced with pride despite not even opening his eyes as he spoke.
The manager turned to Seonghwa, wordlessly looking to fact check Yeosang’s statement. Seonghwa nodded slowly. “He’s telling the truth. I checked his temperature a few times yesterday afternoon and before you got here. Normal temp, somehow.”
Yeosang pulled up the blanket as he snuggled deeper into the couch, content that he’d be able to stay home, but Seonghwa wasn’t finished.
“No fever, but he’s vomited several times. I think he should go.” Seonghwa’s words cut Yeosang like a knife.
“You can’t just change the rules like that, hyung” Yeosang responded with a huff. Seonghwa couldn’t help but smirk at Yeosang’s petulance.
“Well I can. You’re going to have to come with me, kid. I’m sorry” the manager said in response, slowly pulling Yeosang’s blanket off and folding it before stuffing it under his arm. While he was clearly not happy about it, Yeosang sat up, resigned to his fate. “Fine, but it’s still not fair” Yeosang said with a pout.
Yunho was the next to speak up, although his voice was muffled, barely audible as he spoke into the couch cushion.
“What was that, Yunho?” The manager asked as he knelt down in front of him, his voice gentle, knowing that Yunho always needed a little extra care and comfort when he was sick.
“I don’t need to go. I don’t have a fever” he repeated, a little louder this time. The manager sighed, laying a cool hand over the nape of Yunho’s neck. “I don’t think that’s quite true, is it? Hmm?”
Yunho ignored him, relishing in the comfort of his touch before his hand warmed from the contact with Yunho’s fevered skin.
“And your hyung said you were throwing up again? Is that true?” The manager questioned, brushing Yunho’s hair back from his face. Yunho only shrugged. “Let’s get you up, nice and slow” he said, taking his time untangling Yunho’s limbs one by one.
“I don’t see the point in playing games,” Jongho said as the manager helped Yunho sit up. “I have a fever. It’s not high, but it’s a fever. But I also don’t want to end up like that” Jongho said bluntly, gesturing toward Yeosang and Yunho’s end of the couch. He didn’t have to elaborate further. Everybody knew what he meant by that. “So if I have to go, I’ll go.”
The manager signed internally, relieved that at least one member wasn’t putting up a fight.
“Oh, and I mean I’m sure it goes without saying,” Jongho added, level headed as always. “He’s going to have to go.” Jongho looked down at Hongjoong, who had remained fast asleep through the entire conversation.
The manager nodded as he pulled Seonghwa aside. “I’m going to go ahead and take these four.” I’m sure it’s going to take some time to get them checked in and settled.” Seonghwa nodded as the manager continued, pinching the bridge of his nose, a clear indication of his current stress levels. “Call me once the other three are awake. If they wake up still feverish, which they will be, I’m sure, I’ll come back and get them.”
*~*~*~*~*~
Getting Hongjoong, Yunho, Yeosang, and Jongho packed up and into the van with the manager went about as well as Seonghwa had assumed it would. Four overnight bags, four sick men who struggled to take more than a few steps without needing a break, a frazzled manager who was growing more and more concerned by the minute that their van would get towed before they had everybody loaded up, and Seonghwa, who was putting on the show of a lifetime, not wanting to tip anybody off to how sick he was.
Seonghwa drew in a sigh of relief as he put the last of the members’ bags in the trunk, feeling out of breath and weak. Just as he was about to slide the door closed Yunho broke down in tears.
“Hyung, my pillow” he said between sobs. “I forgot my dog pillow.” Seonghwa felt about ready to go upstairs and throw the damned pillow out an open window and hope for the best, but he smiled instead, ruffling Yunho’s hair and assuring him he’d be right back down with it.
*~*~*~*~*~
Seonghwa all but collapsed against the stone pillar at the dorm building’s entryway as the van pulled out of sight. The sun was beginning to peak out, a reminder that San, Mingi, and Wooyoung would be waking soon and he’d be repeating this entire process again.
The energy to go back upstairs was alluding him until a woman emerged from the building. A nurse decked out in scrubs, clearly on her way to work for the day. She looked down at Seonghwa, sitting miserably on the cold concrete in his pajamas.
“Are you okay, honey?” She asked kindly. Seonghwa could feel his cheeks heating up even more than they already were from sheer embarrassment. “Did you lock yourself out?”
Seonghwa shook his head, hopping up regrettably fast to his feet and pulling his key out of the pocket of his sweat pants. “I’m just fine, thank you” he said with a tired smile. “Eventful morning is all.”
The woman smiled as she continued to the parking garage. “Hope the day turns around for you” she added over her shoulder. Seonghwa flashed a friendly wave, knowing that it would only get worse from there.
*~*~*~*~*~
Seonghwa had managed to get another hour or two of sleep on the couch before Mingi woke up.
“It’s so quiet…” Mingi grumbled, running a hand through his hair as Mingi collapsed heavily at the other end of the couch.
“Well, it’s just you, me, San, and Wooyoungie here right now. And San and Woo are still asleep” Seonghwa replied, tip toeing around the matter at hand.
Mingi simply raised his eyebrow, sensing that his hyung had more to say.
“Listen Mingi,” Seonghwa resumed, uncharacteristically frazzled. “Don’t shoot the messenger but manager-hyung was here this morning. He put his foot down, anybody running a fever this morning has to go to the hospital.”
The silence hung heavy for what felt to Seonghwa like an eternity before Mingi replied.
“Well, I’m not going” Mingi said with a shrug. Seonghwa closed his eyes, his head pounding uncontrollably.
“Mingi, I’m sorry but it’s not up to you. Fuck, it’s not even up to me” Seonghwa said but Mingi remained unmoved.
“I’m not Yunho and I’m not Wooyoung. I’m more than capable of taking care of myself…” Mingi was cut off by Seonghwa.
“Mingi that’s mean and uncalled for” he said firmly.
Mingi sighed, relenting. “I didn’t mean it that way. It came out wrong. But I really don’t need to go. My fever is hasn’t gone up.”
“But it hasn’t broken?” Seonghwa asked, locking eyes work Mingi in a way that made it clear that the debate was over.
“No, it hasn’t broken” Mingi replied, rolling his eyes like a spoiled teenager.
“Pack your bag with anything you’ll want at the hospital. You might be there overnight so pack accordingly.” Seonghwa was too tired to scold Mingi when he threw the pillow at the end of the couch to the floor and stormed off to his room, slamming the door behind him, causing the pain behind Seonghwa’s eyes to pulsate.
*~*~*~*~*~
If San and Wooyoung hadn’t been awake before, they certainly were now. San emerged from his room, promptly laying down on the couch and using Seonghwa’s lap as a pillow. They were both silent until San spoke up.
“Wooyoung was talking in his sleep. Asking for his mom” San said with a sigh, covering his eyes with his forearm. “I’m tired, hyung.”
Seonghwa’s heart broke at the fatigue in his voice.
“I heard you tell Mingi we have to go to the hospital. I packed my bag and started Wooyoung’s but…” San’s statement was cut off by a spell of harsh coughs. “I’m sorry, hyung. I felt too weak to finish.”
Seonghwa stroked San’s forehead, trying to comfort him before helping San sit up and laying him back against a pillow. “When did you get so big, my little Sannie-ah?” Seonghwa asked lightly as he draped a blanket over his dongsaeng. “I’ll take care of Wooyoung and get him packed up and ready to go.”
*~*~*~*~*~
Wooyoung was still burrowed into Yunho’s bed when Seonghwa entered. Tears stained his cheeks, confirming to Seonghwa that he, beyond a doubt, was still running a fever. Seonghwa silently took the bag that San had started packing for Wooyoung, to Wooyoung’s own room, adding a cozy sweatshirt that would keep him comfortable in the hospital, as well as his headphones and a few hair clips, knowing that Wooyoung would get restless if his hair was in his face.
He pulled his phone out and sent a text to the manager as promised:
“The kids are up. Ready to get them to the hospital when you are.”
*~*~*~*~*~
The process passed in a blur this time. Seonghwa could tell his fever was up, leaving him feeling like his head was floating as he went through the motions. He left the bickering with Mingi to the manager, confident that he had done his part earlier that morning. San, always feeling like he had something to prove, slung his own bag over his shoulder as well as Wooyoung’s, and headed down to the van, that, once again, the manager was convinced would get towed if they took much longer.
Seonghwa pulled the front door closed, the last one out, carrying Wooyoung on his back after it had become clear that Wooyoung was too dizzy to walk. With the last of his dongsaengs safely buckled into the van, Seonghwa turned to go back inside. It was becoming more apparent that he had a finite window of time to get himself back upstairs and into bed before his body gave up.
The manager was about to pull away when he rolled the window down. “Hwa” he called out, putting the van back in park. “Hongjoong texted me. He’s sharing a room with Yunho. He said Yunho is asking for you.”
Seonghwa tensed at that. He meant it with all the love in the world. He adored each and every one of his dongsaengs with his whole heart and he’d do anything for every single one of them without so much as a moment of delay.
But, in the most loving, caring, concerned way -
Not a fucking chance, Yunho.
And with that, that finite window of time closed on Seonghwa.
“I know you’re exhausted. Being a dad is a lot of work, isn’t it?” the manager said with a good-natured chuckle. “If you want to come for a bit I can bring you back in a few hours.”
Seonghwa felt his breath coming faster.
“I can’t breathe” he mumbled, losing his balance and tripping into the side of the van with a thump.
He was now coughing, gasping for breath. It all happened in slow motion. He looked into the window of the van, seeing Wooyoung sleeping with his head in San’s lap.
Sleep.
That sounded so fucking good right now.
“Hwa!” He heard a voice call out. Strangely it sounded somehow far too loud but also so far away, simultaneously.
“M’ tired, hyung” Seonghwa said with a final sigh, giving in to the immediate need to sleep.
*~*~*~*~*~
It took no time at all for Seonghwa to realize where he was when he came to. The stark white walls and ceiling, the ambient sound of beeping equipment and the overwhelming smell of sanitizer that, even completely congested, was still evident.
Yep. He hand landed himself in the hospital with the rest of the members.
Eight makes one team and all that, I guess.
Seonghwa couldn’t help but feel bitter for a moment. He had made sure everybody else had a soft blanket packed in their bag but here he was, covered in one that felt like paper.
He closed his eyes again, the pain behind his eyes no match for the bright fluorescent lights overhead. That’s when he heard the voice of his manager talking to somebody outside his door. The voices were muffled, which was further compounded by the fact he couldn’t seem to hear very well out of his right ear, but he was able to make out a few words.
“Private room.”
He turned his head, cracking his eyes slightly. He did have a private room. He sighed in relief at that. No members bothering him when all he wanted, no, needed, to do was sleep.
“Bruised shoulder.”
Yeah, that checked out too. His shoulder felt tender where he had made contact with the side of the van before he…before he fell asleep? Passed out? What exactly had happened?
And the last thing he heard before the door opened:
“Sedative.”
Before he could process that a nurse appeased his bedside. He opened his eyes for a moment as she laid a hand over his forehead. It felt far more heavenly than a simple touch had the right to feel. She looked familiar.
“Sorry that the day didn’t turn around.” She stated as she slipped a thermometer probe under his tongue. So that’s where he recognized her from. The parking lot earlier that morning. It beeped in a matter of seconds.
Seonghwa tried to sit up to get a glance at the reading on the box-like device in her hand but was gently pushed back.
“What’s my temp?” He asked, his voice surprisingly gravelly. She sighed with a sad smile, as she injected something into his IV line. She was silent for a moment, concentrating on dosing Seonghwa with the right amount of medication.
“You’ve got a fever, honey” the nurse replied as she released the IV bag and stepped across the room, grabbing an ice pack and wrapping it in a cloth before draping it over Seonghwa’s brow. He could see her lips moving but couldn’t make out what she was saying. She even picked up the thermometer again and showed him the reading but his eyes couldn’t seem to actually make it out. Couldn’t be too bad he supposed. Or maybe, more so, hoped.
Sedative.
That’s right.
“You’re going to feel sleepy. Don’t fight it” he heard the nurse’s voice.
Fight it? After sleepless nights, dealing with endless crying, puking, fainting, sweating, sneezing, coughing, and arguing? No, fighting it didn’t even cross his mind.
The staff had the best of intentions when they offered to rent a cabin for the members for a couple of nights. They were all exhausted after their most recent comeback and tour stops and desperately needed some R&R.
With the weather forecast looking just about perfect they all agreed, excited to get out of the city and take a few days away from any obligations. Their responsibilities would be waiting for them when they came back, but for a few days they’d be able to enjoy time away from staff, cameras, schedules, and studios.
Their excitement, however, was dulled about an hour into the four hour drive when Jongho, who had been napping on Seonghwa’s shoulder, suddenly woke up, asking the driver to pull off to the side of the road before immediately jumping out to be sick.
Yunho followed him out as he was closest to the door and rubbed Jongho’s back from an arms length. He felt absolutely miserable, his stomach completely unrelenting no matter how many times he bent over to be sick. After a few minutes Jongho sat down on the guardrail, completely drained from the exertion of getting so sick. Having a seat next to him, Yunho handed Jongho a bottle of water, softly coaxing him to take a few slow sips.
“I’m so sorry, I think I must be motion sick” Jongho said with a sigh, handing the water bottle back to Yunho. “This has never happened to me.”
“Why would you apologize for something like this? It’s not your fault” Yunho said with a sad smile. Jongho only nodded in response, silently heading back to his seat so they could continue their drive. Despite the fact that the thought of getting back into the moving vehicle made him want to throw up again he knew the sooner they continued on their way the sooner they’d get to their destination.
“Are you okay, Jongho-ah?” Seonghwa asked as his dongsaeng collapsed into the seat at his side, once again resting his head on his Seonghwa’s shoulder.
Jongho only hummed in response, not feeling confident that his stomach wouldn’t somersault again if he opened his mouth to speak. Seonghwa pulled him in closer to his side, lightly rubbing a hand over his stomach in hopes that it would help settle it but he knew that they were in for a difficult ride.
*~*~*~*~*~
Much to Jongho’s dismay, he didn’t fare much better for the remaining hours of their drive. He lost track of how many times they had to pull off for him to be sick and each time it was just as bad if not worse than the last. Hongjoong had taken it upon himself to empty all of their snacks from the plastic bags they had packed them in just in case, which ended up coming in handy a time or two when they couldn’t get off the road fast enough.
By the time they arrived to the cabin Jongho was on the verge of collapse, both mentally and physically.
“You’ll feel better once you lie down for a little while” Yunho piped in, grabbing his overnight bag from the trunk as well as Jongho’s.
Jongho nodded, leaning heavily into San’s side, waiting for the staff member who drove them to unlock the cabin door. Once they were able to enter San led him to the closest bedroom, sitting him down on the bottom bunk before pulling his shoes off and helping him get comfortable.
“I’m sorry, hyung” Jongho muttered as his eyes fluttered closed.
“Hey, stop apologizing. Get some sleep. We’re grilling tonight” San said as he pulled the blankets up over his dongsaeng. Jongho smiled but truthfully the thought of eating anything, let alone a heavy dinner, made him queasy.
“Thanks, hyung” Jongho whispered, mustering as much false enthusiasm as he could in the moment.
San closed the door behind him, feeling confident that Jongho would be up and about in no time.
“Well, this is definitely one way to start the weekend…” Wooyoung said tentatively, carrying the last of the bags inside.
“He’ll feel better when he wakes up” Yunho replied, doing his best to bring up the mood. “I used to get motion sickness all the time. It’s miserable but I always felt better after a quick lie down.”
The rest of the members nodded, knowing that Yunho was right. They had seen him painfully sick plenty of times on long flights and drives but it took no time for him to bounce back once he was finally on solid ground, so they continued unpacking and deciding who would stay in each of the three bedrooms, waiting for Jongho to wake up so they could start getting ready for dinner.
*~*~*~*~*~
When he woke up an hour later, Jongho was not feeling better like Yunho had assured. Quite the contrary, actually. He was shivering uncontrollably, his head ached, and his nausea was beginning to return. He tried to make sense of what his body was feeling, but his mind couldn’t get past the gnawing discomfort in his stomach.
As he stood up the Earth seemed to tilt even further on its axis, leaving Jongho feeling dizzy and unsteady on his feet. But he needed to get to the washroom immediately. Without another moment of hesitation he stumbled to the door, whipping it open and making a bee line for the washroom.
There were seven sets of eyes on him the moment he opened the bedroom door but he didn’t have time to explain himself, instead simply rushing across the small common area where his hyungs were sitting and into the washroom where he promptly collapsed to his knees to be sick for the umpteenth time that day.
This can’t be happening. I think I’m dying.
And to die in the middle of nowhere? How embarrassing.
Jongho’s thoughts were racing. He had never had motion sickness before and could only hope it would pass soon.
Yunho was the first to his feet, stepping into the washroom and closing the door behind him, signaling that he’d like for everybody else to stay put and give them some privacy.
The tension amongst the members was palpable, nobody quite sure what to say next.
Mingi finally spoke up, saying what was on everybody’s mind. “I can’t say for sure, but I can’t think of a time that Yunho got motion sick and didn’t feel better after being put to bed. Especially after an hour…”
Nobody responded but they all shared a concerned expression, knowing that there was nothing they could say or do until they figured out what was going on behind the closed washroom door.
*~*~*~*~*~
“Go away” Jongho pouted as Yunho sat down cross-legged on the floor next to him. Yunho chose to ignore him, knowing that there was no way he could be left alone in his current condition.
Once he was finally done he sat back, leaning against the wall to face Yunho who’s face was fraught with concern.
“I can’t believe I still feel so sick” Jongho said, taking a handful of toilet paper from the wall behind his back and wiping his mouth. “And I’m freezing.”
Yunho’s brow raised in concern. It wasn’t cold outside nor in the cabin so there was no reason for Jongho to be so uncomfortably chilled. Yunho instantly rose up to his knees, resting a hand against Jongho’s brow and confirming his suspicion. He was warm. Much too warm.
“I don’t think this is motion sickness Jongho” Yunho muttered. “I think you’ve got a fever.”
Jongho groaned, resting his aching head in his hands. They had been working so hard for months and finally had an opportunity to recharge and enjoy themselves. Why did he have to be sick?
“I know, it’s okay, just try to relax. You’ll be okay” Yunho replied, standing up and opening the washroom door. “Slight problem…” he called out to the rest of the group. He didn’t have to say anything else for them to understand what was going on.
“Should we call manager-hyung to come back to get us?” Wooyoung asked tentatively, breaking the tense silence.
“And do what, drive us four hours back home with him like this?” Hongjoong replied, feeling his stress levels increasing by the second. “It is what it is” he concluded with a level of finality as he stood up to help Yunho get Jongho back to bed.
“Easy, let’s take it slow” Hongjoong directed Jongho, who was less than steady on his feet. Once he was situated Yunho tried to coax him to drink some water but he refused, pushing the bottle in Wooyoung’s hand away weakly.
“Please try” Hongjoong pleaded with him. “You’re going to wind up dehydrated at this rate. Honestly you probably already are.” Jongho sighed, not wanting to further upset his hyung, taking a few small sips with Yunho’s help.
“Good boy” Hongjoong said, his tone unintentionally patronizing, patting his head as he laid down. “Now get some sleep. We’ll be right here when you wake up.”
Jongho didn’t have to be told twice. He was absolutely exhausted and took no time at all to doze off.
*~*~*~*~*~
The mood was markedly low for the remainder of the evening, nobody able to fully relax knowing that their maknae was so poorly. Wooyoung, San, and Seonghwa put their focus on getting dinner on the table while Mingi and Yeosang finished unpacking Mingi’s bags. Mingi was initially going to be sharing a room with Jongho but was diverted to the room being shared by Yeosang, Wooyoung, and San as they were hesitant to allow Mingi to share a room with Jongho in the event he was contagious.
Once dinner was ready San knocked quietly on the door to Jongho’s room before opening it a crack finding Jongho asleep with Yunho sitting at the edge of his bed rewetting a compress and placing it back on Jongho’s forehead. Hongjoong was sitting on the top bunk furiously typing on his phone with his brow knit.
“Dinner’s ready. Table is set outside when you’re ready to come out” San said quietly, not wanting to wake Jongho.
“The closest pharmacy is an hour away. And that’s by car” Hongjoong said out loud, tossing his phone onto the mattress next to him. “And I didn’t bring any medication. San-ah, ask around to see if anybody brought anything.”
San nodded, excusing himself from the doorway. Wooyoung was the only one he brought any medication at all, a bottle of pain killers in anticipation for a possible hangover from a night of alcohol-fueled fun that didn’t appear to be coming to fruition.
“It’s better than nothing I guess,” Seonghwa said as he poured a couple tablets into his hand. “I can’t believe I didn’t bring my med bag” he muttered under his breath as he disappeared back into their cabin, leaving the rest of the members outside picking at their food completely helplessly.
“When did it get so windy?” Mingi asked after a few minutes of silence, drawing Yeosang, San, and Wooyoung’s attention to the change in the weather that they had all failed to notice, too engrossed in their own thoughts.
“Shit, look behind you” Yeosang said, looking up from his plate for the first time since Seonghwa had gone back inside. There were dark clouds rolling in as the wind continued picking up.
“Awesome,” Wooyoung mumbled, standing up and grabbing his plate in one hand and Yeosang’s in the other. “It’s going to storm. Bring everything inside.”
They were only a few hours into their vacation and it was already shaping up to be a memorable one. Just not memorable in the way they had hoped.
*~*~*~*~*~
Nobody slept well that night.
Between the rain pelting the roof and the windows, the thunder, and Jongho getting up repeatedly to be sick, everybody spent the night lying awake before dozing off, just to be startled awake again by another boom of thunder.
“I’m so fucking tired” Mingi grumbled into his breakfast plate. “I was tired when we left the city and now I’m even more tired.”
“Hyung said it wasn’t supposed to rain but it hasn’t stopped raining since last night. And why is it thundering so much?” Wooyoung whined, piling on to the negativity.
Everybody else was silent until Yunho emerged from Jongho’s room where he had spent the night trying to keep their maknae comfortable. Hongjoong had spent part of the night up with them as well until Yunho sent him away, assuring him that all was under control.
“How’s he doing?” Seonghwa asked, feeling guilty for how exhausted he sounded, knowing that Yunho had to be exponentially more tired after his long night with Jongho.
“I don’t know. He’s sick. I don’t think he’s any different than yesterday” Yunho responded as he flopped down at the kitchen table. He looked and sounded miserable.
“I’ll give him some more of the medication today. We can deal with what we have, but I don’t want him getting worse” Hongjoong chimed in, doing his best to keep his head from drifting down to the table. “And you, Yunho, need to take a rest. I’d like for you to head to bed after you’re finished eating, understood?”
Yunho was looking down at the food on his plate, seeming oblivious to everything going on around him, including Hongjoong’s instruction.
“Yunho” Seonghwa interjected softly, resting a hand on his dongsaeng’s forearm but he was cut off by the sound of Jongho’s door opening.
“Yunho-hyung” Jongho called weakly from the doorway, his eyes red from crying.
Leaving the rest of his breakfast on his plate, Yunho quickly put an arm around Jongho’s shoulders and guided him back to his bed.
*~*~*~*~*~
Jongho had woken up from a nightmare to find that Yunho had moved from his spot next to him on the bed where he had sat all night, easing Jongho back to sleep when he was startled awake by the thunder or yet another bought of nausea.
“Yunho-hyung” Jongho tried to call out but his voice was hardly above a whisper, his throat raw from vomiting repeatedly.
He couldn’t help but feel guilty. He knew for a fact that Yunho hadn’t gotten any sleep the night prior but he was craving his comforting presence.
Maybe it was selfish of him but he was cold, emotional, and felt sick and in a great deal of pain. And he wanted his hyung.
He managed to get himself to the bedroom door with some effort, using the wall to steady himself before opening it and calling for his hyung. Yunho was at his side almost instantly, helping him back to bed and under his blankets.
“Hyung…” Jongho said, wiping tears from his eyes and off of his cheeks. “I had a nightmare. There was an accident. None of you were okay…”
Yunho quickly hushed Jongho, not wanting him to have to recount what had happened. “We’re all just fine. You just saw everybody at the table, right?”
Jongho nodded, fighting to keep his eyes open. Yunho smiled tiredly and encouraged him to get some sleep.
“I’ll be right here when you wake up.” he assured, pushing Jongho’s hair from his warm forehead. “I promise.”
*~*~*~*~*~
With nobody in a very talkative mood they all got up one by one from the table. Wooyoung mumbled something about trying to take a nap and was followed quickly by Mingi and Hongjoong who decided to do the same.
“Want to watch a movie?” San asked the rest of the members, garnering an unenthusiastic response.
“I don’t know, we could have done that at home” Yeosang said with a sigh. “But yeah, sure, I guess that’s fine.”
“It’s not like there’s much else to do” Seonghwa added, glancing at the continuing downpour outside.
This trip was turning out to be a major bummer.
*~*~*~*~*~
The storm didn’t let up at all for the rest of the morning and into the afternoon. Everybody had managed to get a little sleep, their bodies simply too exhausted to allow the rain and thunder to keep them up any longer. Even Jongho managed to get a few hours of rest without waking up to be sick.
Their rest, however, was cut short when a deafening crack of thunder sounded nearby the cabin, followed by a bolt of lightening that illuminated the dark, cloudy sky.
And then silence and darkness.
The TV that Seonghwa, Yeosang, and San had on for background noise went black, the constant whirring of the overhead fans in the bedrooms suddenly ceased, and every light, even the tiny displays on the stove and microwave, had gone dark.
“What the fuck just happened?” Wooyoung’s voice called out from the bedroom where he had been napping.
“Is everybody okay?” Seonghwa asked, his voice sleepy from his nap.
In a matter of moments everybody emerged from their respective rooms, trying to figure out what was going on.
“No power? Seriously?” San said with a frown. He had been trying to remain positive but was rapidly approaching the end of his rope.
“Hyung, I want to go home” Jongho whined, emerging from his bedroom for the first time since they arrived, not including his nauseated dashes to the washroom. Everybody’s frustration was quickly replaced by intense sympathy for their maknae, who was looking unnaturally pale, save for the red spots on his cheeks from the temperature he was still running.
“Jongho, come back to bed bed” Yunho said, appearing in the doorway behind Jongho and grabbing him around the shoulders for support before he could collapse.
“I’m tired of being in bed. I want to stay out here” Jongho responded with a pout. Yunho’s eyes flitted to Seonghwa who nodded slightly, giving Yunho permission to bring Jongho to the couch where he promptly laid down, pulling the blanket off the back of the couch in an attempt to subdue his chills. “Somebody start talking. Tell a funny story. Anything to take my mind off of being sick.”
The members quickly obliged, as Yunho took a seat next to Mingi, resting his head heavily on his shoulder.
“Have you gotten any sleep since we’ve gotten here?” Mingi asked quietly. Yunho responded with a shake of his head before Mingi ran a hand through his hair, trying to get him to relax.
Hongjoong turned to Mingi with a look of concern.
“Did he sleep?” Hongjoong mouthed to him from across the room. Mingi shook his head. Yunho sighed at the movement before closing his eyes again.
“That’s it, just shut your eyes and get some sleep” Mingi whispered and within minutes he was out like a light.
*~*~*~*~*~
By the time Yunho woke up a few hours later he found himself unexpectedly alone on the couch. He sat up slowly glancing around for the rest of his team before he heard muffled voices.
“He can’t take any more tablets for another few hours, hyung.”
“I don’t know what else to do, he’s burning up.”
“Sang-ah is drawing him a cool bath.”
Yunho felt disoriented, unable to identify who’s voices he was hearing and where they were coming from. Logically he knew that the cabin was small yet the voices sounded kilometers away.
“Do you really think that will be enough?”
“I don’t know but it’s worth a try…”
“Keep your voice down. Yunho’s asleep. He needs the rest.”
Yunho couldn’t think clearly. He collapsed back into the couch pillows wondering if he had actually woken up or if he was still asleep and currently. But his train of thought was cut off as sleep pulled him back under.
*~*~*~*~*~
Yunho had no concept of time when he woke up again. He could have been asleep for minutes or hours but the cabin was quiet again.
Despite getting a bit of rest Yunho still felt exhausted and out of sorts.
And then his stomach turned violently.
It took him a moment to realize what was happening and even once he realized that he was feeling sick he still felt confused. He suddenly realized that he didn’t quite remember where they were or why it was so dark. The silence in the cabin made him feel uncomfortable as he tugged at the collar of his sweatshirt.
Why is it so stuffy in here?
Am I the only one here? Did everybody else leave?
What if they forgot me here?
Maybe they left me here on purpose?
His thoughts continued to race until the silence was broken by soft voices coming from one of the bedrooms. He let out a sigh of relief, glad to know that he wasn’t alone and cautiously made his way to the door which had been left open a few inches. He peered inside, still unable to place the voices he was hearing.
“This was a mistake. A huge fucking mistake.”
Hongjoong was currently pacing across the floor as Seonghwa sat watching, knowing better than to try to interject when Hongjoong was worked up into such a state. He’d settle down shortly and Seonghwa would be there to reassure him once he did, but for now Hongjoong just needed to let it out.
“Renting a cabin? In the middle of nowhere? Why did any of us think this would be a good idea?” Hongjoong added, throwing his hands in the air. His voice was hushed and hardly audible over the sound of rain drops pounding on the roof overhead.
“And all we have is fucking ibuprofen? How stupid are we, Hwa? We can’t even take care of the maknae…”
Yunho’s heart began to race. He felt like he was suffocating. There was something about the conversation that made him feel like he shouldn’t be listening in.
“Don’t even get me started in this storm. How many times did we look at the forecast? It came out of nowhere. And the power…” Hongjoong’s frustration had reached a fever pitch before he took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. “Hwa, I just can’t handle anything else going wrong. Seeing Jongho that out of it and Yeosang crying while trying to get him into the bath…”
Seonghwa finally intervened. “None of this is within your control, Joong. It’s not in anybody’s control. But we’re going home tomorrow morning. What else could go wrong at this point?”
Yunho’s head started to spin.
What else could go wrong?
The last thing he wanted to do was cause his hyungs further stress. But something was going wrong. Very wrong.
Yunho raised his hand to knock on the door but suddenly he felt too weak, instead tripping into the bedroom deliriously, startling both Seonghwa and Hongjoong. And then there were words coming out of his mouth. He wasn’t even sure what he was saying but he could hear his own voice ringing in his ears. He looked up to see Hongjoong approaching him. His mouth was moving but he couldn’t hear a word he was saying. He was able to take one more step forward before his body gave up, doubling over and vomiting all over the floor.
“Sorry, let me clean that up” Yunho said before stumbling into somebody’s arms. And that was the last thing he remembered clearly.
*~*~*~*~*~
Seonghwa had spoken too soon. Apparently there was more that could go wrong, and it happened to burst through the door almost immediately after the words had left his lips.
Yunho was babbling nonsensically - an attempted apology that seemed to go off the rails almost immediately. Seonghwa wasn’t even sure if the words coming out of Yunho’s mouth were actual words at all or if he was simply stringing together a handful of syllables incoherently.
Hongjoong’s pacing immediately stopped as he rushed to Yunho’s side.
“What’s going on, Yunho-ah? Are you okay?” Hongjoong asked. A stupid question, he realized immediately. Clearly Yunho was not okay.
And then with no warning he was sick. Seonghwa sprung up from his seat on his bed, doing his best to ignore the vomit pooling at Yunho’s feet grabbing Yunho just in time for him to crumble into his arms.
*~*~*~*~*~
The only reason he knew that he hadn’t passed out completely was because he could feel Seongwha shouldering the majority of his weight and helping him to a bed. It suddenly dawned that this bed had been intended for him. He was supposed to share that room with Seonghwa and Hongjoong but he hadn’t gotten around to using it having stayed up all night with Jongho.
Jongho.
Jongho was still sick.
“No” Yunho whined, turning his head as Seonghwa laid the back of his hand on his cheek to check his temperature.
“Please relax, Yunho-ah” Seonghwa said quietly but his voice full of desperation. “You need to taken a few deep breaths.”
Yunho felt a hand lightly rubbing his chest, trying to get him to slow his breathing.
“No. No please. Jongho…” he managed to get out between shallow, panicked breaths.
“Jongho is fine, he’s asleep. Let’s focus on you.” Yunho heard Hongjoong’s voice assuring him.
Then there was another voice.
“What happened?”
“Wooyoung, please get him a bottle of water. And some towels so we can clean this up.”
“Yunho”
He could hear his voice being called by yet another voice but he couldn’t seem to remember how to speak.
“Jagi”
The voices seemed to be getting farther away.
“Don’t leave me. I’m scared” he muttered, feeling a hand wrap around his own.
“I’m not going anywhere. You’re alright. No need to be scared. I’ve got you.”
Mingi.
That was Mingi’s voice. And Mingi’s voice was the last thing he heard before being pulled into unconsciousness.
*~*~*~*~*~
Jongho was inconsolable.
“First I ruined our trip, now Yunho-hyung is sick because of me!”
It wasn’t often that they saw their maknae let his mask down. Yeosang was sure that he could count on one hand the number of times the number of times he had seen him cry like this, which made it even harder for him to handle.
“Calm down, Jongho. This isn’t your fault. None of it is your fault. Yunho doesn’t blame you for anything. These things happen.” Yeosang said as he ran a hand across his dongsaeng’s forehead and through his hair, catching tears as they slid from his eyes.
Yeosang’s ministrations we’re interrupted by the sound of Yunho getting sick in the bathroom again, derailing any progress he had made in calming Jongho down.
Hongjoong heard his latest sob, thinking quickly and grabbing his noise canceling headphones that he usually reserved for long work sessions in which any interruption would be detrimental, as well as Seonghwa’s black sleep mask.
“Alright maknae, no more of this” Hongjoong said lightly as he entered, seeing a look of relief cross Yeosang’s eyes. They took a moment to connect the headphones to Jongho’s phone and slipped them on along with the mask. The tension in Jongho’s body almost immediately dissipated and within a few minutes his breathing evened out indicating that he had fallen asleep.
“How’s Yunho doing?” Yeosang asked quietly just before a pained groan sounded from the washroom.
“Just about like that” Hongjoong said with a sigh, not wasting another moment before leaving Jongho in Yeosang’s care to check on Yunho.
*~*~*~*~*~
Yunho was sitting on the washroom floor, leaning heavily into Seonghwa’s side as Mingi dabbed the nape of his neck with a cool cloth. Wooyoung stood in the doorway, caught between wanting to help and not wanting to get in the way.
“You’re so warm, love” Seonghwa cooed quietly in Yunho’s ear. “Can we try a little food and medicine?”
Yunho shook his head against Seonghwa’s shoulder, eliciting an audible sigh from Mingi.
“Yunho, please try. We’ve got to get your temp down” Mingi’s tone was pleading. Hongjoong overheard and knew that it was time to step in.
“I know you’re not feeling well Yunho. We can do a little food and meds, or we can do a cool shower. The choice is yours” Hongjoong said kindly but in a tone that indicated that there was no third choice. “And no, Hwa-hyung isn’t going to save you from your mean old captain” he added.
“No shower” Yunho mumbled, getting a quick nod from Seonghwa.
“Alright, let’s get you off the floor then” Seonghwa said, giving Yunho a comforting squeeze around his shoulder before helping Mingi get him to his feet.
*~*~*~*~*~
The following morning came early but, as far as everybody was concerned, it couldn’t come early enough.
San and Wooyoung packed everybody’s bags the night prior, leaving out a set of clothes for everybody and a set of pajamas for Yunho and Jongho to travel home in. By the time their manager pulled up to get them all everything was already outside the door and ready to be loaded into the van.
And, as luck would have it, the sun was shining outside and the power had kicked back on that morning.
“Did everyone have fun? The weather at home was stunning, was it nice here too?” Wooyoung and San didn’t respond, simply grabbing bags to pack into the van.
Once everything was packed and they were ready to leave Hongjoong emerged with an armful of pillows and blankets, followed by Seonghwa with an armful of Yunho and Yeosang with an arm full of Jongho. They silently got the two sick members situated for the ride home as best as they could and stashed a collection of plastic bags for emergency purposes before setting off.
“Hyung,” San said quietly to the manager, who still wasn’t entirely sure what had happened. He had dropped off seven excited boys and one who had to sleep off some motion sickness and had picked up five exhausted and miserable boys and two who looked extremely feverish and fluish. “We appreciate the thought from you and the other staff for booking our trip. But please, never send us to a cabin again.”
Jongho is the strong maknae. He can split apples apart with his bare hands. He can lift his teammates with ease. So when he woke up to his alarm clock feeling less than ideal with an ache in his stomach Jongho knew he was in for a long day.
There wasn’t one member among them who wouldn’t drop everything to make sure that their teammates had everything that they needed if they were under the weather or hurt. They didn’t consider Seonghwa their “mom” for no reason. And some of the members liked being taken care of, but not Jongho. Being the youngest comes with a certain amount of special attention from everybody in their inner circle that he’s never been very comfortable with. Wooyoung would have been better suited as the group’s maknae whereas Jongho would have preferred to be a member of the hyung line.
Nonetheless, Jongho didn’t have time to dwell on the discomfort, knowing that he’d be late for his vocal lesson if he didn’t get moving. After locking himself in the bathroom he took a good look at his face in the mirror. He didn’t look too unwell besides the dark circles under his eyes, nothing a touch of sheer concealer couldn’t remedy. After applying a touch of makeup and swallowing a pain tablet, Jongho felt relatively confident that he’d make it though the day.
His thoughts were quickly interrupted by San knocking on the door, his voice sounding stressed.
“Jongho, you’re not the only one with schedules this morning, hurry up” San called as Jongho looked down at his watch. He’d been occupying the bathroom longer than he had realized but wasn’t sure where the time had gone. As he opened the door, exiting with a quiet apology, San ran in with his towel, rushing to get a shower in before he had to leave.
“Yeah, good morning to you too, hyung” Jongho muttered under his breath as his eyes rolled involuntarily.
“What do you want for breakfast?”
Jongho jumped at the voice behind him, not realizing that he wasn’t alone. Of course it was Seonghwa, the mother hen making sure that the baby chick had eaten before he left for the day.
“I’m not hungry, thanks though” Jongho replied as he slipped his shoes on. His ride would be there any minute to take him to work and he didn’t want to keep anyone waiting. But even more than that, he wasn’t sure that he’d be able to stomach any food with the pain he was feeling in his stomach still.
“Hey, please have at least a little something before you go” Seonghwa countered. Seonghwa was used to the members neglecting themselves in favor of fulfilling their numerous obligations, and he took a firm stance on making sure that his dongsaengs were taken care of, even when they needed a second or third reminder. This was especially true for the youngest.
“I said I wasn’t hungry” Jongho said coldly as he grabbed his coat of the rack. He hadn’t intended on sounding so aggressive and internally cringed when he saw how dejected his hyung looked at his response.
“Okay how about a protein bar for later? Or I can make you a smoothie? Or even…” Seonghwa tried again, desperate to ensure that his maknae had something before leaving for his solo schedule.
Rationally, Jongho knew that Seonghwa’s intentions were never anything less than good, but he was simply not in the mood for it today and the words rolled off his tongue before his brain could stop them.
“Is this how you treat Hongjoong? Or Yunho? Contrary to belief I am an adult too. If I say I’m not hungry, I’m not hungry. Stop treating me like some sort of kid.”
Jongho instantly knew that he messed up. Seonghwa had never done anything to deserve that treatment from him and Jongho would have never treated him that way under normal circumstances. His pain and irritability were no excuse but, unsure what to say or do next, he quickly turned around and opened the door, slipping out without another word.
*~*~*~*~*~
The sky was overcast and there was a damp chill in the air as the season changed from winter to spring. Jongho stared blankly out the window at nothing in particular on the ride to the company, gently rubbing his stomach as he waited for the pain medicine to kick in.
“What time do you think you’ll be done” his manager asked from the driver’s seat, glancing briefly in the rear-view mirror when he didn’t get an answer. “Jongho?”
Jongho was pulled from his thoughts at the mention of his name. “I’m sorry what?” he asked, not having heard the initial question.
“I was just asking what time you’d be done, so I can make sure you have a ride home” his manager repeated.
“Oh, I’m not sure…” Jongho started before his manager cut in.
“It’s okay, do you want me to check with the the vocal coach when we get there?”
“No, it’s fine, I’ll figure it out later” Jongho replied, his head feeling a little too foggy to think much about logistics right now.
“I just don’t want you walking back today. It’s still pretty cold out and I don’t like the idea of you walking back alone” his manager said firmly.
“Really?” Jongho said dryly. First Seonghwa, now his own manager?
His manager was about to respond before Jongho continued. “I am more than capable of figuring out when my lesson will be over. And I’m also more than capable of getting myself a ride. And, you know what, if I want to walk home, I’ll walk home. You all act like I’m helpless” Jongho said in a slightly raised voice.
His manager only sighed as they pulled into the parking garage. It was clear that Jongho wasn’t himself today but it was even more clear that he didn’t want to talk about it. After putting the car in park, he turned back to Jongho.
“I know you’re not helpless, Jongho” he said cautiously. “But I’d say the same thing to my own kids. There’s no reason to freeze and walking alone isn’t safe when…”
“Luckily I’m not a kid. Thank you for the ride” Jongho responded curtly, opening the door to the car to exit before his manager could finish.
*~*~*~*~*~
Jongho had been practicing for an hour and the pain medication still hadn’t kicked in. In fact, the uncomfortable pain he had felt when he woke up that morning had turned into a stabbing pain, complete with a mounting sensation of nausea.
“Your upper register sounds strained today” his vocal coach said softly as she handed him a bottle of water. “Have you been overusing your voice this week?”
Jongho shook his head as he sipped the water she had given him. He couldn’t help but notice that it wasn’t sitting well in his stomach and took a couple quick deep breaths with the hope of calming it down before speaking.
“No, I haven’t been overusing it” he responded before adding “well, no more than usual. You know, just for performance and rehearsal.”
She nodded thoughtfully, considering the best course of action before speaking up.
“It’s okay, we all have off days” she said kindly, “let’s call it a day so you can try and rest your voice for the rest of the day. No more singing today, and, if the schedule allows, no singing tomorrow.”
Jongho had been working with the same vocal coach since before debut. She had never been anything but absolutely kind and gracious with him and today was no exception. Yet he couldn’t help but feel that he had disappointed her today.
“Please, can I try just one more time?” Jongho managed to squeak out, his voice shaky from the increasing nausea. “I know in can do better.”
She smiled in response, shaking her head as she stood up from the piano. “I know you can do better too!” She replied, collecting her sheet music. “Your voice is your instrument, sometimes it requires some maintenance. It happens to all of us. Nothing to worry about.”
Jongho nodded lightly making sure to confirm the date and time of their next practice before leaving the room and closing the door behind him. For a moment he felt defeated, but that feeling was quickly replaced with a wave of nausea that he could no longer ignore. Quickly clasping his hand over his mouth, Jongho ran to the nearest washroom as fast as his body would allow.
*~*~*~*~*~
By the time Jongho was done vomiting what felt like everything he had eaten in his entire life, he knew that he was far sicker than he had originally anticipated. And, to add insult to injury, he didn’t have a ride back home because he had been so impertinent with his manager that morning.
Not only was Jongho strong, but he was also proud. A combination that made him confident and capable. But sometimes it was also to his detriment, like now, leaving him unable to call his manager back to admit that he was wrong and that he needed a ride. So with that, he decided to set off on the thirty minute walk from the company back home.
*~*~*~*~*~
Half way through his walk, Jongho knew he had made a massive mistake. The cold breeze had fully penetrated through his coat, leaving him shivering uncontrollably. As luck would have it, it had also started raining lightly. No more than a mist really, but enough to contribute to the unbearable chill Jongho was experiencing. And the nausea, coming in unrelenting waves, made it all but impossible to continue walking. Pulling his hat down a bit farther over his brow, Jongho admitted defeat and flopped down onto a bench situated near the sidewalk.
He took out his phone, dialing his manager’s number with trembling hands. Luckily, the call was answered almost immediately.
“Hyung, c-c-can you give me a ride home?” Jongho felt ashamed asking.
“Of course Jongho, I can be to the company in five minutes” he replied, sensing something off in Jongho’s tone.
“No” Jongho blurted out quickly. “I’m not at the company. I tried to walk…”
His manager only sighed, silent for a few moments before speaking again. “Drop a pin on your location and send it over. I’ll be there as soon as I get it.”
Luckily for Jongho, his manager had been nearby completing some personal business and was there within a few minutes. His heart dropped when he saw Jongho sitting on the bench with his knees drawn into his chest in an attempt to stay warm.
“Aish kid,” his manager muttered under his breath and he put the car in park and jumped out. “What did I tell you about walking today?” His voice sounded more concerned than angry. “This is how you get sick, Jongho” he said, grabbing Jongho’s hands and pulling him to his feet.
And that was all it took. With absolutely no notice Jongho’s stomach did a somersault sending the remaining contents of his stomach onto his manager’s shoes. Absolutely mortified Jonho looked up, his tearful eyes meeting the shocked eyes of his manager.
“Hyung, I think I’m already sick.”
*~*~*~*~*~
“I swear to you, Joong, it was the weirdest thing” Seonghwa said, recounting his run in with the maknae that morning. Seonghwa, Mingi, and Hongjoong had been working on some music at the kitchen table together before Hongjoong finally closed his laptop and asked Seonghwa what was bothering him. They all knew each other well enough to know when something wasn’t right.
“He seemed really offended, and it was totally out of the blue” Seonghwa added. He had been replaying the events of that morning over and over in his head, trying to figure out what had actually transpired and why.
“It’s not you, hyung” Mingi said confidently, resting a comforting hand on Seonghwa’s wrist. “He’s probably just tired.” Hongjoong nodded in response.
“Let’s call it a day as far as work is concerned” Hongjoong said as he stood up and put his laptop away. “We could watch a movie…” he began before turning to the living room and seeing Yunho fast asleep on the couch. “Okay maybe not a movie, but we can, I don’t know” Hongjoong sputtered, making eye contact with Mingi in a way that looked like he was pleading for help, desperate to come up with something to get Seonghwa’s mind off of what had happened that morning.
“We could go for coffee?” Mingi added tentatively, throwing a lifeline to Hongjoong who gladly accepted.
“Yeah, we could go for coffee, what do you think about that?” Hongjoong parroted back, but before Seonghwa had the opportunity to respond, all three heard the click of the lock following by the doorknob turning and the manager entering with Jongho. After pulling his jacket off, he managed to get Jongho to the couch at Yunho’s feet.
Yunho’s eyes quickly shot open as he kicked the heavy blanket off to the floor, startled by Jongho’s sudden arrival.
“I’m up, I’m up. I’m ready to leave” Yunho said, clearly confused after waking so unexpectedly.
“Wait, what? Never mind…” the manager muttered, turning back to Jongho and removing his soaking wet shoes. Jonho sat in silence, his eyes cast down.
Seonghwa, Hongjoong, and Mingi shared awkward glances, their eyes shifting between Jonho who was now turning his head away and wiping tears from his eyes, to Yunho who was still trying to find his bearings, to the manager who’s runners did not seem to match the slacks and blazer he was wearing.
“Are you feeling a bit better, Jongho?” The manager’s attention remained fully on the maknae, who was now hiding his face in his hands but nodding.
“What’s…going on?” Mingi was the first to speak up, trying to make sense of the situation.
The manager’s eyes shifted from Jongho to Mingi then quickly back to Jongho. He was clearly trying to decide how to handle all of it.
“Jongho, do you want to take a shower or head right to bed?” His voice was calm as he spoke.
“Just bed” Jongho replied. Mingi instantly moved to Jongho’s side, ready to help get him up and ready for bed despite still being clueless about what was actually going on.
The manager sighed, relieved that the situation was under control. He reached down and grabbed Yunho’s blanket. “Sorry to wake you Yunho, go back to sleep, okay?” he added as he draped the blanket over him.
Finally he turned back to Seonghwa and Hongjoong, indicating toward the kitchen. They followed him quietly, neither of them sure what to say.
“Maknae is sick” the manager said quietly to Seonghwa and Hongjoong. Seonghwa sighed, now better understanding why Jongho had been so temperamental. “Was he okay with you guys this morning?”
Seonghwa instantly shook his head. “I didn’t realize he was sick. But he was really irritable. He got mad at me for trying to get him to have some breakfast.”
The manager nodded. “He got upset with on the drive in this morning as well. He tried to walk home out of spite it would seem. When I picked him up he vomited…on my loafers.”
Hongjoong grimaced. At least that explained the runners. “Thank you for getting him back” he replied.
*~*~*~*~*~
Over the next few hours the rest of the members began to return home from their schedules and Yunho had woken from his nap. They were all gathered in the living room, quietly eavesdropping on the conversation between Seonghwa and Jongho.
“I’m not a baby” Jongho said for the umpteenth time, this time in response to Seonghwa bringing him a cup of ginger tea in bed.
“I know you’re not” Seonghwa replied softly, running his hand through Jongho’s hair. “But you are sick. So drink your tea.”
Jongho rolled his eyes but listened to his hyung and took a sip.
Satisfied with that, Seonghwa turned his back to leave Jongho to rest.
“Hyung,” Jongho called out softly. “I’m sorry for this morning.”
Seonghwa shook his head. “It’s okay” he responded before pausing for a moment. “Listen, Jongho, you’re our youngest. We care about you. But we also respect your boundaries. If we ever make you feel uncomfortable you have to let us know. But understand that we’ll never stop loving you, maknae. So get used to it.”
Jongho smiled and nodded, taking another sip of his tea before putting it down on his bedside table.
“I love you too, hyung” he said as he laid back down, pulling his blankets up to his chin.
“Oh, one last thing” Seonghwa said from the doorway. “I put a bucket by your bed in case you need to get sick again. No more puking on anybody’s shoes today.”
Jongho groaned at the embarrassing reminder, knowing he’d never live that down. But that came as part of the package as the maknae. He’d figure out another way to get his hyungs back for it, once he was feeling better.
