Final Puzzle Piece || SKZ 9th Member

Hyunjin's Fever

Minho's bed was empty when Hyunjin woke up. He wasn't there anymore, and so was all his stuff.

The more Hyunjin mused about it the more it felt weird now without the older boy here, like something was missing in the frame, both literally and metaphorically. He thought he should just maybe get used to it or something, but it was always easier in his head than really doing it.

The night before, Minho indeed told Hyunjin that he'd leave the dorm early this morning to move to the other unit, but he didn't expect it to be so early early. Although they still could see each other in the company, Hyunjin wanted to help Minho with his things and maybe have a little farewell once more.

Getting up, Hyunjin uncovered himself from the blanket. Seungmin was still out on his bed. This same-age friend of his had also cried so much yesterday. The other members surely had their own struggles letting Minho go, but Seungmin and Kala perhaps were the most affected ones by his elimination.

Speaking of Kala made Hyunjin suddenly sneeze. When the girl concealed herself from everyone after the filming yesterday, he accidentally found her first coming out from the women's toilet, but he didn't dare to approach her as she seemed so devastated, especially when their awkward saga had become a continuing series. So he just stayed there behind her the whole time, from when she left the company until she was back at her unit.

Hyunjin was very much aware that his relationship with Kala wasn't even close to the point where they would come to each other for comfort, but one thing he knew for sure, he just wanted to ensure Kala came home safe, much less when it was raining cats and dogs that evening. So it shouldn't be a wonder why he had a runny nose now and sneezing here and there.

TV in the living room was on, playing a Harry Potter movie that Hyunjin didn't really remember which one. Then he found Jisung and Kala on the couch with a small bucket of ice cream that the two devoured together.

"Oh, Hyunjin-ah, you wake up already?" Jisung greeted him, making Kala shift her attention to him too.

"Y-yeah, just now." Hyunjin didn't know how his ability to talk was never good when Kala was around, he always ended up stuttering.

"Kala's here," Jisung informed unnecessarily because Hyunjin clearly could see her beside him.

"E-eoh... You—you feeling better?" Hyunjin somehow succeeded in encouraging himself to let out the question he'd been wanting to ask the younger girl.

Kala nodded rather in slow motion, not sure if she heard him right. "I'm getting there."

He nodded likewise. "Good then. Don't," sneezed, "don't hesitate to talk to us."

She gave him a little smile. "Will do."

"Oohh Hyunjin~ that was an improvement of you," Jisung teased, spooning ice cream into his mouth with an annoying smirk.

A sneezing reply from Hyunjin for that. "Shut up." And more sneezes.

"Are you sick?" Jisung frowned, watching Hyunjin walk away to the kitchen to get some water.

"Just a mild fever."

"You shouldn't have been out in the rain yesterday."

Not answering Jisung's late reminder, Hyunjin took a glimpse of Kala who gladly didn't look suspicious of the situation and put two and two together. He didn't want her to think he was a creep for following her all the way back to the dorm when he just wanted to look after her.

But then Hyunjin noticed Kala whispering something into Jisung's ear. His heartbeat increased. What if she managed to make a correct guess on what was happening?

"Hyunjin-ah, do you want kimchi jjigae for your fever? Kala said she can make it for you," Jisung yelled those words from the living room, making Hyunjin sigh in relief.

Hyunjin waved his hands in decline. "No, it's okay, I'm just gonna take medicine."

Jisung rolled his eyes at the poor resisting. "Just say yes. It's not that hard. You need a warm soup to chug down your medicine, and Kala makes the best of it."

After some denialing to not bother Kala, Hyunjin eventually gave up. "Okay, yeah, sure."