In My Arms (Hometown Cha Cha Cha fanfiction)

Chapter 7: Soft Pillows

Du Sik's POV

I wake up to the sound of the Bugyeong barking.

"Aish, did Bugyeong eat something wrong again?" I mumble and yawn sleepily. Beside me, Hye Jin sleeps soundly.

I smile and reach out to brush the loose strands of hair away from her face.

"Oh?" I get a slight shock when I touch her forehead and it's burning.

"Hye Jin ah..." I put my hand on her forehead. It's hot. Her face is flushed and dotted with beads of sweat.

"Oh no... You must have gotten a cold from yesterday." I say, worried. Gently, I shift out of bed, careful not to wake her and draw the covers over her.

In hurried steps, I draw a cold towel from the kitchen and place it on her forehead.

"You got sick because of me..." I say regrettably and scratch the back of my head.

I cast one more look at Hye Jin before I run out to the pharmacy.

"Medicine for cold, yes?" The pharmacist clarifies with me.

The shop bell rings as Mi Seon steps in. She still has sleep in her eyes.

"Oh! CHIEF HONG!" Mi Seon snaps awake when she sees me. "YOU'RE OKAY?" She does a quick scan of me. "I GOT A FRIGHTENING MESSAGE FROM HYE JIN YESTERDAY. I HEARD YOU ALMOST GOT STUCK AT SEA!" Mi Seon exclaims.

"Oh! Oh, I'm okay. I'm a very good swimmer." I laugh.

"May I help you?" The pharmacist asks Mi Seon.

"Ah yes. May I have medicine to help me with my hangover?" She says.

"What are you doing here, Chief Hong?" Mi Seon asks me.

"Ah," I hold the cold medicine in my hand. "Hye Jin is running a fever. I think she caught a cold from the rain yesterday." I sigh.

"Omo. Is she okay?" Mi Seon asks.

"It's a common cold. She should feel better after sleep and medicine. Don't worry, I'll take care of her." I reassure Mi Seon.

"Shall I bring some of her things over? Like her clothes and toothbrush?" Mi Seon offers.

"Thank you." I say.

~

Hye Jin's POV

"Hye Jin, Hye Jin ah." Du Sik wakes me gently.

"Mmm?" I turn uncomfortably. There's a crushing weight on my head. My skin feels hot and my nose stuffy.

"Take your medicine and then get some rest," He coaxes me.

"Slowly," He says as he helps me up. My mind feels fuzzy. In the haze of a fever, I take the medicine. I can feel the raspiness of my throat as the medicine goes down. My eyes flutter shut from exhaustion, as if taking one dose of medicine was the most gruelling thing I've ever done.

"Careful." Du Sik says gently as he helps me lie back down.

He pulls the sheets over me and plants a small kiss on my forehead.

"Jagiya..." I mumble sleepily before sleep takes over.

Du Sik's POV

I watch Hye Jin sleep for a few moments. I can't peel my eyes away from her. She looks beautiful even when she's asleep.

"Sleep well." I whisper.

There's a knock on the door and I open it to Mi Seon who holds a box of Hye Jin's things. Clothes, toothbrush, phone charger.

"What's all this?" I ask Mi Seon and hold up what looks like a toiletry bag. "It weighs a tonne."

"Oh, Hye Jin's makeup." Mi Seon explains. "I figured she'd freak out if she didn't have her makeup by her side."

"What are you talking about?" I ask. "Hye Jin doesn't need any makeup. She's so beautiful already." I exclaim.

Mi Seon laughs and pretends to have goosebumps.

"I should get going." Mi Seon waves goodbye.

"Thank you Mi Seon." I wave back.

"Wah... what's in here?" I turn Hye Jin's makeup bag around questionably.

"Oh my!" I exclaim as I open the bag and a puff of beige powder poofs up.

"What on earth do girls put on their faces?" I mumble to myself and stick my hand in curiously.

"What?" I mutter as I draw my hand out, only to find it with some streaks of black. Looks like eyeliner...

I carefully place the exploding bag of makeup down, as if it were a ticking bomb, before going off to make porridge for Hye Jin.