ᴡʀᴏɴɢ ꜱᴇɴᴅ ┆|| ┆ni-ki

~fifty~

Niki parked his car outside the school gates, checking the time as he waited. When the final bell rang, students poured out of the building, and soon he spotted Eunha walking with Eunji and Hana.

She had a scarf wrapped around her neck, but he could tell from her pale face that she wasn't feeling well.

As she got closer, Eunha mustered a small smile. "Hey, thanks for picking me up," she said, her voice sounding a bit hoarse.

Niki frowned slightly. "You don't look so good. Are you feeling okay?"

Eunji and Hana exchanged glances before Eunji spoke up. "She suddenly started feeling sick today. We were worried, but she kept saying she's fine."

Eunha waved a dismissive hand. "I told you, it's just the change of seasons. It happens every time. Nothing to worry about."

Eunji looked unconvinced. "Just make sure you rest, okay? Niki, please make sure she actually listens this time."

Niki nodded, flashing a reassuring smile at them. "Don't worry, I'll take care of her."

Eunji and Hana stepped back, offering one last wave before heading off. Once they were out of sight, Eunha finally slipped into the passenger seat with a tired sigh, closing the door behind her.

"Are you sure that you're okay?" He asked.

She brushed it off with a wave of her hand. "I'm fine... um, by the way, can we go shopping? I need some clothes, I kind of left home without... anything." She tried to keep her tone light, but Niki could hear the vulnerability behind her words.

Niki nodded immediately, starting the engine. "Yeah, of course. We'll get you whatever you need."

When they arrived at the mall, it was crowded, and the noise buzzed around them, but Eunha kept close to Niki as they navigated the stores.

She picked out a few things, sticking to simple, affordable clothes, but Niki had other plans. He pulled a high-end sweater off a rack, adding it to the pile in her arms.

"Niki, I don't need anything this fancy." she protested, looking at the price tag with wide eyes. "Seriously, this is way too much."

But Niki just shook his head, a stubborn look in his eyes. "It's fine, Eunha. You deserve nice things, okay? Just let me do this."

Eunha opened her mouth to argue, but she was cut off by a sudden wave of dizziness, her vision blurring for a moment.

She swayed on her feet, grabbing Niki's arm for support. He turned quickly, his face going from firm to alarmed in an instant.

"Hey, you sure you're okay?" He held her up, steadying her. "You really don't look so good."

Eunha forced a small laugh, though it sounded strained. "Just... a little dizzy. I'll be okay, I promise."

Niki frowned but nodded, keeping a close eye on her as they moved through the store. He paid for everything despite her protests, and they headed to a nearby restaurant to get some food.

Once there, Niki guided Eunha to a table in the corner, where the noise was a bit quieter.

She sat down heavily, leaning back in her chair, her breathing a little uneven.

Niki noticed the way she shivered despite the warm indoor temperature and pressed his lips together in concern.

As they ordered their meals, Eunha excused herself to the bathroom. She felt hot and cold at the same time, her legs unsteady beneath her as she walked down the hallway.

Inside the restroom, she splashed cold water on her face, hoping it would clear the fog in her head.

But when she checked her phone, her heart sank at the sight of a new message from her mother.

"Eunha, don't think you can avoid me forever. Come back home now."

She stared at the message for a few seconds, her chest tightening with a familiar fear. But she quickly locked her phone, forcing the thoughts away.

She couldn't let this ruin her night. Not when Niki was trying so hard to make her feel better. She took a deep breath and returned to the table, her face carefully neutral.

Niki looked up when she sat back down, studying her face. "You okay? You were gone for a while."

She forced a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just needed a moment."

They continued eating, and Niki kept the conversation light, talking about his classes and making jokes, but he couldn't ignore the way Eunha's hands trembled slightly as she held her fork.

He noticed how she barely touched her food, pushing it around on her plate instead. By the time they finished, she looked even paler than before.

After dinner, they stepped outside, and the cool evening air hit them like a wave. Eunha pulled Niki's jacket closer around her, but it didn't seem to help much.

She shivered hard, her teeth chattering despite herself. A coughing fit racked her body, leaving her doubled over and struggling to catch her breath.

Niki's expression turned from concerned to outright worried. He reached out, rubbing her back gently. "Eunha, I think we need to get you home. This isn't just a little cold."

She tried to straighten up, forcing a smile even as her legs shook. "I'll be okay, Niki, really. It's like I told you before, just change of seasons." But her voice came out thin, and she had to hold onto his arm to steady herself.

Niki wasn't convinced. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, practically supporting her weight as they made their way back to the car. "You need to rest, Eunha. We're getting you some medicine on the way back, and then you're going straight to bed."

Eunha didn't have the energy to argue. She let him guide her into the passenger seat, her head leaning back against the headrest as a wave of exhaustion washed over her. She closed her eyes, trying to ignore the ache settling deep in her bones.

They drove in silence, the city lights flashing by outside the window. Eunha could barely keep her eyes open, her head heavy with fatigue.

Niki kept glancing over at her, his worry growing with every cough that escaped her.

When they reached the pharmacy, Niki ran inside to grab some cold medicine, returning quickly with a small bag in hand.

He handed her a bottle of water and made sure she took the medicine before they continued home.

As they pulled into the driveway, Niki turned off the engine and looked over at Eunha.

She was curled up in the passenger seat, wrapped in his jacket and shivering despite the warmth of the car. He got out and hurried around to her side, opening the door.

"You're lucky that it's the weekend" He said as he helped her out.

Eunha leaned heavily on him, barely able to keep her balance as they made their way up the steps to his front door as she nodded.

"You really didn't have to do all this Niki." she mumbled, her words slurring slightly as exhaustion pulled at her.

Niki shook his head, unlocking the door and guiding her inside. "Just let me take care of you, okay?"

She nodded weakly, her eyes fluttering shut as he led her to her room. He helped her lie down, covering her with a blanket before sitting down beside her, watching over her with a frown.

Her breathing was uneven, and every so often, another cough would shake her small frame.

Niki reached out, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. He whispered softly, "Just rest, Eunha. I'm right here."

Eunha gave a faint nod, her fingers clutching the edge of the blanket. She let herself sink into the warmth of the couch, her body giving in to the overwhelming exhaustion.

And even though she felt like she was drifting in and out of consciousness, she found a small sense of comfort in the fact that Niki was there, watching over her.

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