Life in Switzerland

Remedy

It started when he was chopping some vegetables for dinner, while Seri was working on her laptop, on the other side of the counter. 

A sneeze. Then two. 

He looked up from what he was doing to look at Seri. Her nose was slightly red, she sniffed softly, and, feeling herself observed, she turned her head towards him. 

"Are you feeling okay?" he asked. 

She smiled, and nodded. 

"Of course. I'm almost done, I just need to check my last email ...." 

She went back to work and he kept making dinner, keeping an eye on her. 

During dinner, his concern escalated. She had no appetite. She was picking at her food, her fork playing with the food on her plate. Ri Jeong Hyeok, who was telling her about his day, paused, frowning, and she lifted her head to look at him curiously. 

"What is it ?" 

"You're not eating ..." 

She looked down at her plate, and put down her fork with an apologetic smile. 

"Oh. To be honest I'm not very hungry, my throat is a bit sore but ...." 

He immediately got up from the table and, amazed, she watched him walk towards the kitchen.

"But .... You haven't finished eating ..." 

"I'm going to make you some honey tea ..." 

"Ri Jeong Hyeok-sshi ..." 

"Would soup be easier for you to eat?" 

"Ri Jeong Hyeok-sshi, you're not going to make soup, and I'm not hungry anyway ..." 

The answer didn't seem to satisfy him, but he returned moments later with a cup of tea and the pot of honey. 

"Drink this ..." 

She gave him a grateful smile. 

"Thank you, Ri Jeong ...." 

A violent fit of coughing interrupted him and his frown deepened. 

When she caught her breath, she wanted to give him a reassuring smile. 

"I'm fine, just a cold and ..." 

She coughed again and took a sip of tea to ease her throat. He didn't like it as within a few hours she had turned paler and looked more tired. Her hair had been gathered into a ponytail, but instead of the neat hairstyle she usually did, a few strands were already coming out of it. He sent her on the couch with a plaid as he cleared the table, and when he joined her, she was almost dozing. When he sat down next to her, she looked at him with eyes far too bright for his liking. 

"Do you want to go to bed?" he asked softly. 

She shook her head. 

"No, I'm fine, it's just a little cold. Let's watch a movie ..." 

Ri Jeong Hyeok would have been unable to recount the film as he was so focused on Seri. Covered in a plaid, he saw her shiver, but she seemed to follow the film attentively. She finally moved closer to him to rest her head on his shoulder and his fear was confirmed. 

She was burning. 

Heat emanated from her, and when he put his hand on her forehead, he swore between his teeth, he who never swore.