Chapter 14: Fever

As the sun rose the following day, Jihoon blinked awake, disoriented by the sunlight flooding into his room. He groaned softly, attempting to gather his scattered thoughts and piece together the night before. Instantly, snippets of laughter, games, and the warmth of whiskey came rushing back. He suddenly recalled the dare and the absurdity of giving Seungmin a hickey.

His cheeks flushed with both embarrassment and amusement. "What a ridiculous night," Jihoon muttered to himself as he sat up, the weight of the previous night pressing upon him.

But the moment of reflection was cut short as he felt a wave of exhaustion wash over him. He rubbed his eyes, trying to shake off the heavy feeling that enveloped him. In that moment, he dismissed it, brushing off the weariness as a hangover from the night's festivities.

Dragging himself out of bed, he shuffled to the bathroom. After a quick splash of cold water to his face, he caught sight of his reflection in the mirror. Dark circles were forming under his eyes, and there was a faint headache pulsing in his temples. Unconcerned, he made his way back to his room to check his phone for any missed messages, finding notifications from Seungmin and Yuna thanking him for the fun night.

Trying to shake off the fatigue, Jihoon spent the day attempting to stay productive; however, each minute felt more challenging than the last. The headache was getting worse, and soon, he couldn't concentrate on his assignments. He decided to take a nap, hoping that a little more sleep would magically erase the remnants of his hangover.

Hours later, he awakened to a sharp heat radiating from his body. Confused, he noticed the sun had shifted, casting a warm golden hue across his room. Jihoon felt lethargic and dizzy as he tried to sit up, and a wave of nausea rolled over him. "What's happening?" he mumbled, dragging his palm across his forehead. It felt scorched, and he realized he must have a fever.

Quickly, he stumbled to grab his phone, scrolling through contacts until he found Seungmin's name. With a hesitant finger, he hit 'call,' unsure if he should disturb him on a lazy Sunday afternoon. The phone rang a few times before Seungmin's voice came through, slightly groggy but laced with concern.

"Hey, Jihoon! What's up?"

"Hey… I think I'm sick," Jihoon replied, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'm really hot, and I feel kinda gross."

"Seriously? Do you want me to come over? I can bring some medicine and soup," Seungmin offered without hesitation, the care in his voice softening the edges of Jihoon's discomfort.

"Yeah… that would be great, thanks." Jihoon replied, gratitude washing over him despite feeling miserable.

"Alright, I'm on my way."

After hanging up, Jihoon flopped back onto his bed, squeezing his eyes shut, hoping to ward off the sensation of nausea swirling in his stomach. The minutes felt like hours as he waited, each tick of the clock resonating in his hollow chest.

When Seungmin finally arrived, Jihoon barely had the energy to shuffle to the door. Seungmin walked in, a bag of groceries in one hand and a concerned expression etched across his features.

"Hey, why didn't you text me sooner?" Seungmin scolded gently, his forehead creased with worry. "You look terrible!"

"Thanks," Jihoon muttered, attempting a weak smile, though it fell flat. He led Seungmin into the living room, collapsing onto the couch as he fought off another wave of dizziness.

Seungmin wasted no time organizing the supplies he brought along, pulling out a thermos of soup. "Here, this will help." He poured a warm bowl and sat down next to Jihoon, handing it over. "Eat up. It'll make you feel better."

Jihoon took a small sip. "Thank you," he managed, his voice raspy. At that moment, the warmth of the soup coupled with Seungmin's presence brought him an unexpected sense of comfort.

As he cautiously took sips of the soup, Jihoon noticed how attentively Seungmin watched him. The concern in his eyes was palpable, and it tugged at something deep within Jihoon. Perhaps it was the fever or perhaps the vulnerability brought on by the situation, but he felt exposed in a way he hadn't experienced with Seungmin before.

"I'm really sorry about last night," Jihoon said suddenly, the words spilling forth. "About the hickey, I mean. I don't know what I was thinking."

Seungmin laughed lightly, though it was more of a nervous chuckle. "It's… fine. Honestly, everyone was drunk. It was just a fun moment."

"Right," Jihoon murmured, glancing down to avoid Seungmin's gaze. "But I feel like it changed things a bit. Things feel different now."

"Yeah, I mean… I guess it could," Seungmin said slowly, his eyebrows knitting together in thought. "But it's not a bad thing, right? We're still friends."

"Yeah, friends," Jihoon echoed softly, though deep inside, there was a sense of longing he couldn't quite articulate.

They shared a comfortable silence for a moment, the warmth of the soup beginning to settle in Jihoon's belly. Perhaps it was the fever, or perhaps it was the rawness of their conversation, but he felt a sudden urge, to be honest. "Seungmin, I think I might like you more than I realized."

The admission hung in the air, palpable and thick. Jihoon's heart raced as he glanced at Seungmin, whose expression shifted from concern to surprise.

"I—what do you mean?" Seungmin asked, his voice barely a whisper, as though he was afraid to break the fragile moment unfolding between them.

"I just mean that… I've enjoyed being around you more than friends usually do. After last night, it hit me harder than I thought it would," Jihoon admitted, his heart racing. "I'm sorry if that's weird or complicated things. I just… I needed to say it."

Seungmin shifted closer, his serious expression softening into something more tender. "It's not weird. Honestly, I've felt something, too. I wasn't sure how to say it, and then last night happened and…."

Jihoon felt a rush of relief mingled with excitement. "You mean it?"

"Yeah," Seungmin murmured, letting the words hang in the air. "I care about you a lot, Jihoon. I've just been trying to figure things out in my own head."

Before Jihoon could process what was happening, Seungmin reached out, a gentle touch on Jihoon's wrist grounding him. In that moment, the exhaustion faded a little, and he felt more alert. Their connection felt intense, electric, and every second stretched out, filled with unspoken possibilities.

"Let's take it slow, okay?" Seungmin suggested, his voice soft. "We don't need to rush this."

"Yeah," Jihoon nodded, his heart beating in a steady rhythm as he welcomed the honesty. "I think I'd like that."

Back in the comfort of their rapport, Jihoon leaned back, a small smile breaking through. The weight of uncertainty that had lingered after the previous night began to lift, replaced with a lingering warmth that surged through him.

"Okay, enough serious talk for now. Let's just hang out, enjoy this soup, and maybe binge some shows?" Seungmin proposed, the mischief returning to his eyes.

"Sounds perfect," Jihoon replied, and as they settled into a lighthearted conversation, Jihoon felt the fever dulling to the side—perhaps a testament to how the emotional connection between them was strong enough to battle even the most troublesome feelings.

He realized that with Seungmin's companionship, even the toughest of days wouldn't feel as burdensome, and the depths of friendship could blossom into something even more beautiful.