cupid's mistake

#012

ACHOO!

ACHOO!

ACHOO!

"should i remind you what you told me last night?" i grunted, bringing a dampened cloth. i settled beside him on the bed and watched as yeonjun sneezed non stop to the point his nose looked like rudolph the red nosed reindeer. he had multiple layers of clothes on, bleating to me like a goat that he was too cold.

"i don't usually catch a cold that easily," he whined, his voice slightly muffled as he pulled his comforter over his body, attempting to ward off the chill that accompanied his unexpected bout of illness.

"seems like the rain actually bothers you."

yeonjun whined again, pulling all sorts of lame excuses and complains.

"shut up, you're burning hot," i remarked, concern furrowing my brow as i reached out to feel his forehead with my palm, registering the warmth that hinted at the fever he was battling. my hand extended to his bedside table, where i had carefully placed a steaming bowl of hot soup, its savory aroma permeating the room and offering a comforting contrast to the chill. "get up and have your soup," i urged, giving him a gentle nudge.

yeonjun obeyed as he pushed himself up. he opened his mouth expectantly and i confusedly stared back. he blinked, "what? aren't you going to feed me?"

"no."

yeonjun continued to pout, his head tilting to the side with an air of playful insistence. "yah, feed me," he insisted, poking me with a slight mischievous glint in his eyes. i sighed, stifling a smile at his antics, unable to resist the charm of his childlike demeanor even in his weakened state. relenting, I picked up a spoonful of soup and fed him, watching as yeonjun's face lit up with a smile that echoed the innocence of a child.

"your voice sounds like rocks scraping across sandpaper."

"i think you mean it sounds sexy, but i'll take it."

i snorted to which the boy cheekily grinned back. yeonjun leaned against the headboard and sniffled his nose. i could almost see the mucus threatening to drip out and yeonjun was trying his best to sniffle it back in. my stomach churned and i looked away, throwing a tissue onto his face. "wipe your nose, idiot."

i watched as he wiped it and i couldn't help but to chuckle. he looked like a kid. he took another tissue from the box that i placed beside him and sneezed loudly. i disgustingly shoved my face back.

"finish it," i mumbled, bringing the spoon up. "after this, you're taking your medicine."

"wait, is it that bitter syrup?"

i nodded, placing the now empty bowl down. yeonjun pouted, a hint of complaint in his voice, as he stared at the small bottle of the cold syrup in my hand. "do i really have to drink this? it's so gross," he whined, making a face that mirrored his displeasure.

i chuckled, playfully rolling my eyes. "come on, yeonjun, i already warned you that you will get sick yet you stayed in the rain and got sick. now, drink it. it's for your own good, you know."

"but it tastes like... ugh, i can't even describe it. can't we find a better way to make me feel better?" he protested, looking genuinely distressed at the prospect of consuming the medicinal liquid.

with a nonchalant grin, i decided to take matters into my own hands. i gently flipped him over on the bed, catching him off guard. "sorry, yeonjun, but there's no escaping this. a little bitterness now for a quicker recovery later," i teased, giving him a reassuring pat on the back before administering the dreaded remedy.

as he reluctantly swallowed the syrup, i couldn't help but admire his cute, whiny antics. "see? not so bad, right?" i teased. yeonjun stuck his tongue out, grabbing the bottle of water and drank half of it.

yeonjun sighed, still recovering from the taste of the bitter syrup. "you're way too good at convincing me to do things i don't like," he mumbled, shooting me a playful glare.

i chuckled, settling down beside him on the bed. "well, i am pretty persuasive. but hey, you'll thank me when you're back on your feet and dancing like usual," i reassured him, a warm smile on my face. i played with his hair as yeonjun rambled on to me with a whiny voice. the room then became quieter. i noticed yeonjun's eyes growing heavy.

"sleepy?" i asked gently.

he nodded, stifling a yawn, the weariness evident in the drooping of his eyelids. "yeah, i think this medicine is making me sleepy," yeonjun admitted with a small, sheepish smile. feeling the drowsiness settling in, he shifted closer, nuzzling into my warmth.

i hummed and grabbed a cool washcloth from a nearby table. i placed it on yeonjun's forehead. "there you go, this should help with the fever," i uttered, tucking him in and making sure he was comfortable.

yeonjun's eyes flickered open, and he gave me a lazy looking yet grateful smile. "thanks, y/n. you're taking really good care of me."

"well, someone has to. now close your eyes and get some rest. i'll be right here."

as yeonjun began to doze off, i continued playing with his hair. i hummed a random tune of a song that i managed to remember from the radio. yeonjun seemed comfortable as he slept like a baby. his chest heaved up and down and his heat radiated towards me. he sniffled his nose and that is when i caught notice of his lips and how chapped his lips looked. it made me frown and i went to search for a tube of chapstick on his desk. i applied it gently, making sure his lips won't start cracking and bleeding when he sleeps. yeonjun stirred slightly, mumbling a sleepy "thank you" before drifting off into a peaceful slumber.

i smiled, ruffling his hair. i closed the blinds of his room and switched the lights off. i made sure the aircon wasn't too cold and changed the settings appropriately. i also cleared up the numerous scrunched up tissues littering the floor and threw it into the bin so the environment was better for the sick boy. looking at him one more time, i closed the door partially.