In the wake of a sudden illness that spreads through the TXT dorm, the members of Tomorrow X Together must navigate not just the physical challenges but also the emotional bonds that tie them together.
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It started with a simple cough. Yeonjun dismissed it at first, attributing it to the cold autumn air creeping through the cracks of their dorm. However, the following day, Soobin woke up with a scratchy throat and a fever that made him feel like he had been hit by a truck."Hyung!" He called out weakly, leaning against the wall for support as he stumbled down the hallway. "I don't feel so good..."Yeonjun looked up from his phone, concern etched across his forehead. "What do you mean?" He blinked, his playful demeanor instantly replaced by worry. Soobin was the last person to complain about feeling ill."Just... tired. And my throat hurts." Soobin swallowed hard, each movement feeling like an arduous task. Yeonjun immediately grabbed the thermometer from their first-aid kit. "Let's see how high your fever is. You should go lie down."After what felt like an eternity of waiting, the thermometer beeped, and Yeonjun's heart sank—101.3°F. "Okay, this is not good. Get back to bed. I'll get you some water."Soobin nodded, the fight draining from him as he returned to his room. Yeonjun watched him go, a deep-seated anxiety gnawing at him.
The next few days passed in a blur. Soobin's illness worsened, and soon others began to fall ill too. Beomgyu was the next to succumb, followed by Heuning Kai and Taehyun. Finally, it was just Yeonjun and Huening Kai left standing."Do you think we should call for help?" Yeonjun said one night as he sat on the floor, surrounded by blankets and various medications. Kai, his voice raspy and hoarse, simply shook his head. "No. We can take care of each other. Right?"Yeonjun couldn't help but smile at the sheer determination in Kai's eyes. They watched their members sleep, the room filled with a heavy air of sickness but also a comforting warmth of camaraderie. It was chaotic, but it was their chaos.
As each member recovered, they took turns playing nurse. Yeonjun had become the primary caretaker, his deep sense of responsibility taking over. He made soup that tasted more like water than anything, but his heart was in the right place. "Hyung, I appreciate it, but you really need to add more salt," Beomgyu remarked, his face crinkled with an expression that was a mix of playfulness and genuine concern. "Shut up. Eat it or starve," Yeonjun replied, feigning annoyance.Taehyun often took up the role of the background cheerleader. "You guys need to drink more water! Stay hydrated!" He would twirl a plastic bottle like a baton, motioning them towards the couch with exaggerated enthusiasm."Who knew Taehyun had this much energy left?" Soobin mused as he watched, propped up by pillows."It's the power of 'I-don't-want-to-be-sick-another-day'," Taehyun joked, crinkling his nose in determination.One night, as the complications of the sickness swirled around them, Soobin found himself staring out the window. The moonlight spilled through the glass, illuminating the dim room. It felt lonely in the way that only shared suffering could manage.Yeonjun quietly entered the room, carrying a glass of water. He settled down beside his leader, the silence comfortable yet heavy. "You okay?" he asked softly."Just thinking... about how we always talk about being a team, but I never realized just how much I relied on you guys until now," Soobin admitted, his voice barely above a whisper, frightened of the vulnerability his words might expose.Yeonjun nudged him with his shoulder. "It's okay to rely on each other. That's what being a group is about, right?" There was a hint of surprise in his own voice at the earnestness of his words. "I just wish this had never happened." Soobin sighed, staring at the skyline. "It feels like we should be out there doing concerts, not stuck here.""Let's just get through this. Once everyone's healthy again, we'll make the best memories," Yeonjun promised.The days passed, and finally, it was Beomgyu who turned the corner first. He bounced into the living room one morning, a grin on his face that illuminated the dim atmosphere. "I'm back, baby!" he declared, throwing his arms out wide.The others cheered, even amidst their fatigue. Taehyun rolled his eyes playfully. "You're so dramatic, but it's good to have you back."With Beomgyu's improvement came a wave of hope, and soon Soobin began to feel strength seeping back into his bones. It was as if they were slowly waking from a bad dream, a collective sigh of relief echoing around the dorm.While they still had to help the others, they finally felt a sense of unity kick in. They watched movies together, shared jokes, and made plans for when they would be fully recovered.
The night before they were scheduled to return to their activities, the members gathered for a small 'welcome back' party. They set up blankets in the living room, sharing snacks and a small cake Beomgyu had begged Yeonjun to make.As they sat in a circle, sharing stories of their time spent bedridden, laughter filled the room, weaving through the threads of their bond. "Remember when Soobin tried to sing and ended up sounding like a dying cat?" Kai teased, and everyone erupted in laughter, including Soobin, who blushed in embarrassment."Honestly, I thought I was going to hear some angelic voice. Guess not!" Yeonjun added dramatically, fanning himself as if he were completely taken aback."Okay! Okay! My throat hurt!" Soobin protested, his voice rising amongst the laughter.
Eventually, as their laughter waned and they lay sprawled over one another, fatigue enveloping them like a warm blanket, Soobin looked around at his members, a swell of gratitude filling his heart. "We're more than just a group," he said suddenly, his voice low but unwavering. "We're a family. I wouldn't want to go through anything like that with anyone else.""I feel the same way," Huening Kai added, echoing Soobin's sentiment.Yeonjun smiled, his heart swelling with love for the boys that filled his life with joy, hardship, and everything in between. "No matter what happens, we'll always stick together. That's what makes us Tomorrow X Together."As the moon shone down on the dorm, casting a soft glow on their exhausted but happy faces, they felt the pulse of their bond—a reminder that even when the days are dark, they will always rise together, hand in hand.---
