“My body doesn’t feel well.”
It was the first thing Yoon Jooho said after waking close to noon.
Song Hyunsoo, sitting on the edge of the bed and picking up the clothes he had thrown on the floor last night, turned around in surprise.
“Where does it hurt? What’s wrong?”
“I think I have the flu.”
Hyunsoo, hurriedly slipping his legs into his pants, wobbled.
“Crank-in is just around the corner! Should we go to the hospital, the hospital first?”
“No need to go that far. I think I just need to rest at home.”
Leaning against the headboard of the bed, Yoon Jooho rubbed his bare upper body with his arm as he spoke. Looking closely, his face seemed a bit paler than usual.
Hyunsoo circled the large bed and picked up Jooho’s gown lying on the carpeted floor.
“You’re always stripping off like that, no wonder you caught a cold. Exhibitionist.”
He draped the gown over Jooho’s bare shoulders, then immediately reached out to his face, running his hands over his forehead and cheeks to gauge his temperature.
“Hmm, doesn’t seem like you have a fever.”
“I have a headache, my throat stings, and I feel chills.”
“Those are classic early cold symptoms! Are you sure we don’t need to see a doctor? Should I call Director Bang?”
“It’s nothing that serious. I just need to rest for a day.”
“Do you have a thermometer at home?”
“In the bathroom drawer, there’s a first aid kit.”
No sooner had Jooho finished speaking than Hyunsoo headed toward the bathroom.
Yesterday, they had spent nearly the whole afternoon on the bed together. More than just sex, during the lulls in between, Jooho had been unusually clingy.
Sometimes lying with his chest pressed against Hyunsoo’s waist, other times wrapping his limbs tightly from behind while Hyunsoo sat drinking water, planting kisses.
He was like a slippery, flopping slime. If Jooho were slime, he would be enormous, sleek, and irresistibly sexy slime.
Eventually, they had fallen asleep together in Jooho’s bedroom.
Hyunsoo’s hands rummaged frantically through the bathroom drawer, searching for the first aid kit.
Had Jooho’s body deteriorated from lying in bed all day yesterday?
The thought that he might have harmed the lead actor made Hyunsoo uneasy.
Though Jooho hadn’t let him just leave him alone, at the very least, Hyunsoo felt a guilty sense of complicity.
Jooho’s temperature read 36.7°C, normal.
“No fever, then…”
“Check again.”
Beep.
Even after two or three tries, the results were the same.
“Is the thermometer broken?”
“It’s good news that there’s no fever. Anyway, stay in bed all day and rest, okay? And button your gown up properly.”
Hyunsoo tightened the front of Jooho’s loosely hanging gown.
“And you should eat something.”
“No appetite.”
Hearing the weak denial, Hyunsoo’s heart sank. Better if he was cranky, honestly. Sitting beside him, he looked at Jooho’s unusually quiet face with pity.
Leaning his head against the headboard, Jooho met Hyunsoo’s gaze with a tired look.
“We should visit Grandma’s house today.”
“Next time.”
“But she’ll be waiting, won’t she?”
“How can I leave you sick?”
Holding Jooho’s fingers that draped over his thigh, Hyunsoo fiddled with them and continued.
“I’m just planning to stay home and sort through stuff today.”
“She’ll be waiting. Sorry about that.”
“Sick people don’t have to apologize.”
“Should we visit her together next time?”
“…Really?”
“It’s not a big deal.”
“Will you really do that? If the Prince comes, Grandma will be happier than seeing me, I’m sure. Ah, but I have to tell her later. Otherwise, she’ll start waiting from today and get her neck all stiff.”
Hyunsoo, who had been chatting excitedly, suddenly lowered his voice at the amused look in Jooho’s eyes.
“Also, force yourself to eat something. If you have no appetite, should I order you some abalone porridge with salted squid? I’m not good at cooking…”
“…Bibap.”
“Huh? What?”
“Kimchi pot rice. That’s what I want if I’m going to eat.”
Sliding his index finger gently against Hyunsoo’s, Jooho said that quietly. What was that? Was he acting spoiled because he was sick?
Hyunsoo’s lips twitched at how cute the big guy looked, acting like a child.
“Sexy dynamite is no match for you.”
“For what?”
Hyunsoo fearlessly reached out and lightly pinched Jooho’s slender cheek, shaking it.
“Our Senior Yoon, you’re so cute when you’re sick. You should always be sick… Ah!”
The other hand, holding Hyunsoo’s finger, suddenly gripped it tightly. The crushing force made Hyunsoo drop his shoulders and twist his waist.
“You’re such a brat.”
“Why does a sick person have so much strength!”
“Do I look like I’m dying? Can’t I even use this much strength?”
“Even when I compliment you for being cute, you throw a tantrum?”
Ignoring the sulking Jooho behind him, Hyunsoo got up from the bed and rubbed the hand that had been caught.
“I’ll check Monroe’s room alone, so just lie down.”
“I can do that too.”
“That’s how little by little you push yourself too hard and get worse. Just listen nicely at times like this.”
Hyunsoo forced him back down onto the bed, pulled the blanket over him, and opened the blackout curtain about a third to let in some warm light.
Under the Poster of Days of Being Wild, he made sure Jooho was lying quietly before leaving the bedroom.
With a heavy heart, he first called Grandma.
When Hyunsoo told her that his senior, whom she was taking care of, was suddenly unwell and needed to stay home today, Grandma’s reply was simply that it was only natural he should do so, easing Hyunsoo’s worry.
“If you’d been alone when you were feeling like this, it would’ve been miserable, but it’s a relief you’re there,” she said, asking him to take good care of him.
Was it really a relief that I’m here?
Until now, Jooho probably hadn’t had the chance to rest properly even when he was sick. This season waiting for the crank-in was the longest break of Jooho’s acting career.
Of course, Director Bang would have taken care of him when his condition was poor, but he probably had never stopped all work and lain in bed being tenderly cared for by his parents.
At least today, Hyunsoo resolved, he would put up with all his fussiness and care for him with utmost devotion.
He went to Monroe’s room.
The little cat was perched atop the cat tower by the window, surveying the world.
“Monroe, our peerless beauty Marilyn Monroe. Did you sleep well?”
Meow.
Spotting Hyunsoo, Monroe immediately jumped down and ran over. Although she rarely left the room, she now followed him quite well.
“You really like this rabbit, don’t you, Monroe? Even more than me?”
The cat bit at the rabbit slippers and then flopped down on the floor. Hyunsoo stroked her head and back several times, giving her a little tap on the rump.
Meowww?
While chewing on the rabbit ears, Monroe glanced toward the open door and let out several loud meows.
“Why isn’t Daddy coming?”
Meow.
“Daddy’s sick today.”
Nyaaang.
As if understanding, Monroe’s wide, round eyes suddenly opened even wider, tilting her head to stare at Hyunsoo.
“Yeah, he’s sick. If you comfort him, Daddy will feel better.”
While preparing food and water, checking the bathroom, and tidying the room, Monroe postponed her meal and stayed by the open door, looking out into the hallway with a puzzled expression, occasionally letting out pitiful cries into the air.
If Hyunsoo had taken a video to show Jooho, he’d pretend not to care but secretly be thrilled. He regretted not bringing his phone out of the bedroom.
Leaving Monroe’s door open, Hyunsoo started preparing the meal.
Since he had moved in, the place had slowly started to look more like a lived-in home — the fridge and kitchen better stocked.
Neither of them was good at cooking, but they had various ready-to-eat foods, fresh vegetables, and fruits.
Even if all they did was quickly fry meat and asparagus in a pan, the number of proper meals they shared had increased.
As the savory smell of sesame oil mixed with the scent of fermenting kimchi began to waft from the pot, Yoon Jooho walked out to the living room.
“Oh? Why did you come out? I was going to bring it to your room.”
“I’m not that sick. I don’t like food smells in my room.”
Jooho shuffled over, hands in the pockets of his gown, and flopped down at the dining table.
“How’s Monroe?”
“She’s fine, but she’s been looking for you a lot.”
Jooho snorted in disbelief.
“How do you know she’s looking for me?”
“She ignored her food and cried so much standing by the door.”
“……”
“Once you eat and get some strength, go see her.”
Hyunsoo placed the pot in the center of the table and served two bowls of rice.
Though Jooho said he had no appetite, he thankfully started eating diligently.
After finishing about half his bowl, he looked over at Hyunsoo, who was poking at his own food.
“Why aren’t you eating well?”
“Because you’re sick, my appetite’s gone for some reason.”
“Do you ever lose your appetite?”
“Ha, yeah, I guess so.”
“Then grill some meat and eat.”
“Don’t worry about me. When healthy people get hungry, they can find something to eat.”
Hyunsoo put down his spoon and scooted closer to look at Jooho.
“Is there anything you want? If delivery can’t get it, I’ll go buy it. Is it because of Grandma? When I’m sick, I crave peaches the most. You know, canned yellow peaches. Boksu—uuuh… Senior, senior, senior!”
Trying hard to suppress his excitement, Hyunsoo lowered his voice and called out to Jooho.
Jooho looked at him curiously, eyes rolling in his stiff body.
“What? Is there a bug?”
“Over there, the hallway, the hallway.”
Unthinkingly turning his head, Jooho froze as well.
Monroe was standing at the entrance to the hallway leading to the living room.
More precisely, she was hiding like a detective tailing a suspect, peeking around the wall with only her face and front paws visible, staring directly at them.
Hyunsoo bowed his head toward his bowl and nudged Jooho with his elbow.
“Act casual. Pretend you don’t care. If you make a fuss, she’ll get scared and run away.”
“You’re the one making a fuss right now.”