since our eyes first met - Minsung

챕터poor maknea

As we all sat around the table, laughing about the chaos in the kitchen, I couldn't help but notice that Jeongin was still missing. Minho was just about to grab a second serving of pancakes when Seungmin suddenly perked up.

»It's weird that Jeongin hasn't shown up yet,« Seungmin said, frowning as he put his fork down. »He usually doesn't sleep in this long.«

Felix, sipping his juice, glanced up as well. »Yeah... and he didn't say much yesterday either. I figured he just wanted some space.«

Minho shrugged. »Maybe he's just tired.«

But Seungmin didn't look convinced. »I share a room with him, and he was coughing pretty loudly all night. It sounded like he was coming down with something.«

Concern flickered through me, and I exchanged a glance with Minho, who suddenly looked more thoughtful. »We should check on him,« he suggested, standing up and nodding toward the hallway. »I'll go.«

»I'm coming with you,« Seungmin immediately volunteered, as Hyunjin and Felix turned their heads, curiosity written on their faces.

Minho and Seungmin left the kitchen, and the rest of us stayed behind. The lighthearted mood from earlier had shifted into something more serious. I tried not to worry too much, but the thought of Jeongin being sick gnawed at me.

A few minutes later, Minho and Seungmin returned, and the looks on their faces confirmed that something wasn't right. Minho was the first to speak. »Jeongin's still in bed, and he's definitely sick. He's running a fever and feels pretty awful.«

»Why didn't he say anything?« Felix asked, his concern evident.

Seungmin sighed, running a hand through his hair. »He probably didn't want to worry us. He thought it wasn't a big deal.«

I felt a knot of worry forming in my stomach. »We should tell Chan. He'll know what to do.«

Minho nodded in agreement. »Yeah, but he's at the gym with Changbin, and they probably won't be back for a couple of hours.«

»Then let's handle it ourselves for now,« Hyunjin said, standing up, his usual playful tone replaced with determination. »We can make him some tea and check his temperature to see how bad it is.«

Felix was already on his feet, nodding. »I'll handle the tea.«

Seungmin looked thoughtful for a second, then added, »I'll go to the pharmacy and grab some stuff—fever medicine, maybe some cough syrup. We might need it.«

»Good idea,« Minho said, placing a hand on Seungmin's shoulder. »Let's make sure he's comfortable until Chan gets back.«

As Seungmin hurried to grab his coat and head out the door, I felt a growing sense of responsibility. Jeongin was the youngest in our group, and even though he often acted like he didn't need looking after, right now, all I wanted was to make sure he was okay.

I followed Minho and Hyunjin down the hallway into the room where Jeongin lay under a pile of blankets, his face flushed and his breathing shallow. He looked exhausted, and it was clear he was struggling to stay awake.

»Hey, buddy, how are you feeling?« Minho asked softly, sitting on the edge of the bed and looking at him with concern.

Jeongin blinked sleepily, his voice barely above a whisper. »Not great... I'm hot and cold at the same time... Sorry I'm being such a burden.«

»Don't be ridiculous,« Hyunjin immediately cut in, pulling up a chair beside the bed. »You don't need to apologize for being sick. We're here to take care of you, okay?«

I could see Jeongin give a faint nod, his eyes barely open. Felix entered the room with a steaming cup of tea, placing it on the nightstand with a reassuring smile. »Here, drink this. It'll help.«

Jeongin reached weakly for the cup, and Minho helped steady his hand as he took a sip. The air in the room was thick with concern, but it was also comforting to see how naturally everyone had sprung into action.

Minho stood up, glancing back at the rest of us. »We'll stay with you until Chan and Changbin get back. They'll know what else to do.«

Jeongin nodded again, sinking deeper into his pillow as he let his eyes close. We stayed around his bed, making sure he was comfortable. Even though the situation was serious, it was heartwarming to see how quickly everyone had come together.

Looking at Minho, I could tell he was thinking the same thing I was: no matter what happened, as long as we were here for each other, we'd get through it.

Not as long as the others, and it's not really necessary for the story, but I needed to fill the space. ❄️🌺
I know I've been saying I'll post the plot twist soon, but I decided to release it on Christmas because it will be a Christmas chapter. 😅
786 words in this chapter (❤️'艸｀❤️)