To You ➟ KTH

Sick

April 3
Saturday
Year 1

Taehyung and I were almost done with our Argumentative paper. After weeks of working on it, it was a relief to be so close to completing it.

K.THNG
I'm sorry for leaving you
by yourself on Thursday :(

Seollilili:
Don't be! I got a lot
done and I don't
mind doing more!

Taehyung missed class on Thursday. He told me that he started feeling sick in the morning and by the time our lecture came up, he had to go home.

Jimin told me that Taehyung gets sick easily when it rains. It didn't help that Taehyung only had his sweater to protect him that day.

If only I crossed paths with him earlier to pass on my umbrella.

K.THNG has started a call.

I sit up on my desk and stare at my phone, like I'm reading it wrong.

With a gulp, I slide to answer the call, waiting with a racing heart.

Taehyung pops up on video and waves, the smile on his face a little weaker than the other times.

"It's easier for me to talk then type." He coughs before moving around.

I nod, fixing myself on my chair while I wait for him to finish drinking the water he reached for.

"Jimin," I start, "told me that you catch colds easily when it rains. That must be tiring."

Taehyung chuckles and lays down on his side, the side of his face resting on his pillow. "It is, but it's my fault. I have such a weak immune system."

Seeing Taehyung rest so comfortably, makes me want to. Funny how I didn't feel sleepy until now.

"But, I'll be fine~" His voice cracks slightly, and he leans over for a tissue this time.

We fall silent, but it's comfortable. I'm thinking about what mom always gave me when I was sick and needed to recover quickly. Maybe that can help him.

Taehyung groans before chuckling. "Sorry. That didn't reassure you, did it?"

"No~" I laugh softly. "How long do your colds last for?"

Taehyung draws his eyes up and scrunches his nose. "Mmm, maybe less than a week? I get sick often but at least I get better fast."

There's a knock on his door and he excuses himself for a second, putting himself on mute. I take the opportunity to close my laptop and walk over to sit on my bed.

"Back," Taehyung unmutes himself. He pushes the tray with a bowl on it further onto what I think is the nightstand next to him. Instead of eating it, he lays back down on his side.

"You aren't going to eat?" I find myself asking.

He moves his mouth to the side. "Mmm. Maybe later."

"It'll get cold."

It's hard to eat when you feel sick. I understood Taehyung, but I felt worried that he'd get worse if he didn't fill his stomach with something warm soon.

Taehyung sits up. "Will you keep me company while I eat it?"

"Of course!"

"Then I'll eat it." He props his phone carefully before taking the tray and placing it onto his lap.

I smile and rest my head down on my pillow.

I can see that his mom made him soup and also placed a medicine cup of cough syrup next to his bowl for when he's done.

It makes me feel better.

Taehyung bends over to slurp up the noodles, scrunching his nose up as well.

"Ah, it's so spicy." He coughs and drinks some of the liquid from the spoon.

"That's good for you!" I tell him. "It'll clear your sinuses. At least, I think."

He tilts his head back before sneezing really loudly.

I cover my mouth to laugh.

He sniffles and shakes his head. "I'm feeling better already. But it's not because of the soup."

"It's not?"

He grins, "It's because of you, of course."

I tilt my head. "Hmm?"

He places the tray back down before taking the medicine cup and swirling it around. "I hate being taken care of when I'm sick, but when it's you telling me to do what I can to get better, I want to do it."

Before I can ask anything else, he tilts the cup into his mouth so the liquid transfers over.

"Y-you're friends also wished that you could get better soon." I'm stuttering again and I can't understand why.

"They missed you, I can tell."

"Yeah?... And you?" Taehyung lays back down grabbing the phone closer.

I blush because it feels so intimate all of a sudden.

"That's how I could tell..." My voice trailed off.

Taehyung swallows, his cheeks turning rosy. Is he getting a fever?

"Did you miss me, Seolli?" Taehyung's voice is low that it makes my heart beat a little faster.

"I... missed you." How could I not? Without him, I didn't know how to speak to the others. Without him, class felt a little boring. And without him, I felt alone.

Taehyung plays his lip in thought until he darts his eyes back to the camera. "Why are you crying?"

Confused,  I reach up to touch my eyes. I wasn't crying, but small tears were forming against my waterline. I wasn't going to cry, but I felt a little sensitive.

I didn't know what to tell him. Was it because I missed him?

"Seolli," He calls for me. "I wish I was there."

My heart races. Taehyung? Here?

"I would..." and before he could say anything else, he closes his eyes.

I wait for a bit until I realize he's asleep.

I smile, and wipe my eyes.

"Thank you, Taehyung. Please get better soon."

And as I go to end the call, I swear I saw the corners of his lips lift a little.