Yeonjun's pov:

Soon, our personal doctor arrived, examining Beomgyu as we all stood around, anxiety etched on our faces. Beomgyu barely had the strength to open his eyes or speak.

After a thorough check-up, the doctor handed over some medicine and spoke calmly yet firmly.
“This fever seems to be from exhaustion. He’s burning up. All he needs is plenty of rest and frequent cold compresses on his forehead to bring the fever down.”

We nodded in unison, thanking the doctor as he left. The room fell into a heavy silence, broken only by Soobin’s guilty murmur.
“It’s all my fault… If I hadn’t pushed him so much…”

I sighed softly, trying to ease his guilt.
“Hyung, don’t blame yourself. It’s not the first time Beomgyu has overworked himself. It could be the environment or even the weather that got to him this time.”

Kai placed a reassuring hand on Soobin’s shoulder and chimed in, “Yeah, hyung. Don’t overthink it.”

As the others started leaving Beomgyu’s room to let him rest, Soobin lingered by the door, turning back with a resolute expression.
“I’ll stay and take care of him,” he said, already reaching for a cold compress.

I stepped forward, stopping him gently.
“Hyung, let me do it,” I offered.

Soobin looked at me curiously. “Why?”

Taehyun, who was about to leave, patted Soobin on the shoulder. “Let Yeonjun take care of him. We’ve got rehearsals to get to.”

Soobin hesitated but eventually nodded. “Alright. Take good care of him.”

After they left, I stayed behind in the quiet dorm, focused entirely on Beomgyu.

A few minutes later, Chaeyon entered with a bowl of water and a towel, her face mirroring the same worry we all felt. I was sitting on the edge of the bed, keeping a watchful eye on him as she set the bowl on the nightstand.

“Thank you,” I said softly.

She nodded, her concern evident. “Do you need any help?”

I shook my head. “I appreciate it, but I want to handle this myself.”

Understanding, she gave me a small nod before leaving the room.

I soaked the towel in the cold water, wringing it out before carefully placing it on Beomgyu’s forehead. His eyebrows twitched, and his eyes fluttered open slightly.

“…Why is it so warm?” he murmured weakly.

Leaning closer, I gently patted his forehead, my voice low but affectionate. “You idiot, you worked yourself sick again.”

Beomgyu’s lips curved faintly, barely a smile, before his eyes closed once more. I stayed by his side, determined to see him through the night.

After gently compressing the towel on Beomgyu’s forehead, I asked softly, “Are you hungry?”

Beomgyu shook his head weakly. “No…”

I frowned, concern lacing my voice. “How are you going to take your medicine if you don’t eat something?”

He hesitated before cracking his eyes open slightly. “I want… soup,” he murmured, turning his head to look at me.

I couldn’t help but smile gently. “Alright, I’ll ask Chaeyon to make you some soup.”

As I started to stand, Beomgyu tugged on my sleeve weakly, stopping me in my tracks. I looked down at him, confused.

“I want you to m-make the soup,” he said, his voice faint but certain.

My expression softened, and I nodded warmly. “Alright. I’ll make it for you.”

Satisfied, Beomgyu closed his eyes again, a small smile tugging at his lips. I reached out, brushing my knuckles lightly against his fever-warmed cheek, sweeping a strand of hair from his face before heading to the kitchen.

When I arrived, I found Chaeyon already there, pouring freshly made soup into a bowl.

“What’s this?” I asked, curiosity piqued as I watched her.

She turned to me with a smile. “I thought Beomgyu might want some soup, so I made it.”

Her words hit me like a sudden wave. I froze, realizing a strange, unfamiliar feeling bubbling inside me. I wanted to be the one to care for Beomgyu. I wanted to make the soup for him, to see him smile because of something I did. And yet…

I swallowed the emotion and forced a neutral expression. “Oh… yeah. He was asking for soup. You can take it to him,” I said, my tone colder than I intended.

Before she could respond, I turned on my heel and headed back to my room, shutting the door behind me.

Beomgyu’s POV:

I lay in bed, waiting for the soup Yeonjun hyung promised. After a short while, I heard the door creak open and glanced up weakly.

To my surprise, it was Chaeyon carrying a tray. My brows furrowed slightly. Why was she bringing the soup? Did Yeonjun hyung have something else to take care of?

Chaeyon walked over, setting the tray gently on my lap as I struggled to sit up.

“Do you need help?” she asked, her voice warm and concerned.

I glanced between her and the steaming bowl of soup. She smiled softly and sat on the edge of the bed, tilting her head.
“Let me feed you,” she offered.

Her kindness made me pause. “Why are you being so nice?” I asked weakly, my tone more curious than accusatory.

Her smile didn’t waver. “Is there a reason I shouldn’t be?” she replied, her voice calm and reassuring.

She leaned in slightly, stirring the soup with a spoon before blowing on it to cool it down. “Here, open your mouth,” she said, holding the spoon toward me.

I hesitated, looking at her and then at the soup. But the promise I had made with Yeonjun hyung lingered in my mind, so I parted my lips, allowing her to feed me.

The moment the soup hit my tongue, my eyes widened. I smiled faintly to myself. “…It’s so good.”

But then a thought struck me, and my chest tightened. Yeonjun hyung’s soups were always the best. Was this his? Did he make it and ask Chaeyon to bring it to me?

The comforting taste soothed my body, but my mind wandered. Why wasn’t he here?

Author’s POV:

Yeonjun stood frozen, his hand gripping the edge of the doorframe as he watched the scene unfold. Chaeyon was sitting beside Beomgyu, gently feeding him the soup. Beomgyu’s faint smile as he ate hit Yeonjun like a knife.

He thought Beomgyu was enjoying his soup. He thought the warmth in Beomgyu’s eyes was because of something he had made. But the truth was undeniable, he hadn’t made it. Beomgyu didn’t know, of course, but that didn’t make it hurt any less.

Yeonjun’s jaw tightened, and he clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white. The weight of his emotions bore down on him as he turned away, retreating to his room.

Once inside, he sat heavily on the bed, gripping its edge as if to ground himself. His mind raced, anger and sadness swirling within him.

“How can you do this, Choi Yeonjun?” he murmured under his breath, his voice breaking. “Beomgyu doesn’t even feel the way you do… Why are you torturing yourself like this?”

He closed his eyes, the ache in his chest almost unbearable. In that moment, he gave up, or at least convinced himself he had.

Chaeyon’s POV:

After feeding Beomgyu, I picked up the tray and stood to leave. As I turned, his faint voice stopped me.

“Chaeyon… where is Yeonjun hyung?” he asked weakly, his gaze flickering toward me.

I paused for a moment, then replied, “He’s in his room.”

His brows furrowed slightly. “…Who made this soup?”

The question hung in the air for a moment, and I hesitated. Should I tell him the truth? My mind raced, but deep down, I already knew my answer.

“Yeonjun,” I said softly, lying without a second thought.

I knew the truth would hurt Yeonjun more than anyone else. His feelings for Beomgyu were painfully obvious to me, though somehow the other members and Beomgyu himself, remained oblivious.

Beomgyu looked at me doubtfully. “…He did?”

I nodded firmly, giving him no room to question it further. Without another word, I left the room.

As I walked toward the kitchen, I couldn’t shake the unease in my chest. Why had Yeonjun suddenly asked me to take the soup to Beomgyu? He’d seemed so determined earlier, ready to care for him himself. Yet, in the end, he had stepped back, cold and distant.

I sighed softly, shaking off the thoughts as I grabbed Beomgyu’s medicine and returned to his room.

“Here, take this,” I said gently, helping him sit up and swallow the pills.

“You should rest now, okay?” I smiled, tucking the blanket snugly around him. “If you need anything, just call for me.”

Beomgyu nodded weakly, his eyes heavy with exhaustion. I switched off the lights and left his room quietly, shutting the door behind me.