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Jihyun was spectacularly talented at hiding when he wasn’t feeling well.
So talented in fact, that MC sometimes couldn’t even catch the signs and symptoms until he was feeling so ill he could hardly stand.
She knew it was because he didn’t want her to worry about him, but it only worried her more . Because he would often feign confusion, pretending that he was in perfect health even when he was teetering to the side, even when the world was no doubt spinning and whirling like a carnival ride around him.
He was getting sloppy, though, and MC noticed how he seemed slower than normal that morning.
He’d protested, quite loudly, when she’d tried getting up before him, but he’d also relented far too easily when she’d insisted on making them breakfast. And then he hadn’t gotten out of bed until she’d come to get him, dragging him from the warmth of the blankets.
His face had been pale, with none of the usual colour that usually stained his cheeks when he first woke up, and she could have sworn he’d shaken with chills.
It was all quite odd, and more than a little out-of-character.
Jihyun only slept in when he’d been up late working, otherwise he’d often get up with MC, struggling to help put food together. Or he’d be trying to get her to stay in bed with him to cuddle. But he almost never stayed in bed that late alone .
The chill didn’t make much sense either, as MC had made sure the temperature had been turned up to banish the frigid bite that had clung to the air in the early morning.
But she didn’t give it much thought, not at first anyways, until she noticed Jihyun opening the cabinet where they kept their medicines.
“Jihyun,” she said, tipping her head to the side, sweeping her gaze over him again, taking another look at him in the bright kitchen lights. At his pallid face and the way his shoulders hunched just a little and how he kept shivering. “Are you feeling okay?”
He shrugged, pulling out a bottle of aspirin. “I’m fine, just a headache.”
MC hummed, feeling doubtful, crossing the room to stand beside him. She brushed aside his bangs, pressing her hand to his forehead.
“You feel warm,” she said, pressing her lips into a thin line. “You might have a flu.”
He looked away, a small flush creeping across his face. “I’m fine, love, I promise.”
But that didn’t stop him from shivering then, despite how warm it was in the kitchen.
MC dropped her hand from his forehead, crossing her arms as she frowned at him.
“Do you have chills?”
He was about to shake his head, but MC glared at him and he froze.
“Jihyun, don’t lie to me.”
His shoulders sagged, and he ducked his head as he muttered a resigned “yes.”
“Are you feeling nauseous?”
He looked more annoyed than anything as he nodded his head.
“And you do have a headache?”
Again he nodded.
“Jihyun I think you’ve got the flu.”
He started to protest but she took his hands, shaking them gently as she cut him off.
“You’re sick , you need to rest.”
“Really love, I’m fine. I just need to take a-”
“ No ,” she snapped. “Absolutely not . Last time you did that you passed out because you pushed yourself too hard.”
He had the good sense to look sheepish as she reminded him of the last time he’d gotten sick.
It had not been pretty once he’d finally succumbed to the raging fever he’d had. MC had been terrified he’d have to go to the hospital, but after a few days he’d been fine.
She was not letting that happen again.
She dragged him from the kitchen, back to their room. “You are going to lay down and you are going to rest ,” she said. “And you are not going to leave this until you’re too ill to stand.”
“MC-”
“No arguing!” She sang, pushing him onto the bed.
“MC I don’t want to be a burden-”
She yanked the blankets up around his shoulders. “Jihyun, my love, my wonderful husband,” she said, tucking the sheets in perhaps a bit too tight. “You are never a burden.”
She paused, perching on the edge of the bed, brushing his bangs back from his brow. “I love you,” she said, her voice growing soft. “And I want you to feel better. Just…” She trailed off, cupping the side of his face. “Let me take care of you.”
His expression softened, and he relaxed back against the pillows. “Alright.”
MC pressed a light kiss to his brow before standing. “Good. Now get some rest, okay?”
She flicked the lights off as she made her way from the room, her heart aching as she closed the door behind her.
She didn’t particularly want to leave him alone, but he needed to rest, and she didn’t want to bother him too much, either.
Instead, she focused on putting together something for him to eat when he woke up again.
Soups were supposed to be good when you were ill, but he’d admitted to being nauseous, and she didn’t want to give him anything that would upset his stomach more.
Plain toast then? Crackers?
Maybe she should make him a cup of tea, something warm that would make him feel a little better?
Or maybe she should leave him for a while? Let him sleep for longer before she brought him anything?
MC felt herself go rigid, frozen in place as she tried to figure out what to do.
She never did know what the best thing to do was when it came to taking care of someone sick. And Jihyun hardly ever let her know when he wasn’t feeling well, she didn’t know what would help him most.
MC ended up boiling the water three times before she finally made a cup of tea and heated up some soup.
“Jihyun?” She called, poking her head into their bedroom. “I brought you some food.”
She paused, unsure if he’d fallen asleep or not. But then he stirred, pushing the blankets aside and struggling to sit up.
His face was somehow more pallid than before, and although he tried smiling it looked more like a grimace.
“Jihyun, wait,” she said, rushing forward to set the food on their shared dresser before going to his side, helping him to sit up. “Don’t push yourself too hard.”
He frowned, but didn’t argue with her.
“I didn’t know if eating something would help,” she said, gesturing uselessly at the soup and the tea. “But I brought some food in case it did.”
He quirked a brow, but then he did smile, and this time it didn’t look like it pained him.
“Thank you, love,” he said. “I really appreciate it.”
“Is there anything else I can do for you?” She asked, checking his temperature again, his body burning hotter than before. “Do you still have a headache? Any other body aches?”
He winced, nodding slowly. “My head is killing me.”
“I’ll get you a painkiller,” she said, sprinting to the kitchen and snatching up a few painkillers before heading back.
She brought the tea over to him, forgetting for a minute how much she’d poured into the mug, hot liquid dripping over the side as she moved.
MC cursed softly as the tea burned her hand, setting it down on the side table next to their bed.
“Sorry,” she said, wiping her hand on her shirt as she handed him the tablets. “But I got these for you. They should help with the headache.”
Jihyun nodded, taking them quietly.
MC stood there, feeling like she needed to do something else. Wishing she could do something else, if only to help him feel a little better.
“Is there anything else I can do?” She asked, sitting on the side of the bed.
Jihyun’s brow arched and he began trying to sit up, wincing as he did.
MC’s hands shot out, intending to help him, but Jihyun took her hands, squeezing them gently.
“Love, it’s not that I don’t appreciate you caring for me,” he said, still struggling to sit up in bed. “But you don’t have to seem so delighted about it.”
“Ah, sorry,” she said, feeling bashful. “I’m just glad you’re letting me take care of you.”
Colour slowly crept across his face, reaching to the tips of his ears.
“Yes, well…” He said, stumbling over his words.
He didn’t often get flustered or tongue-tied, and MC couldn’t help thinking how cute it was.
“I’m lucky to have a wife willing to care for me.”
She smiled, squeezing his hand. “I love you,” she said. “And I want you to feel better.”
“Thank you, love,” he said.
She helped him to sit up, putting a few pillows behind his head so he would be a bit more comfortable before kissing the top of his head.
“I’ll leave you to rest for a bit, then,” she said, standing. “Come get me if you need anything, okay?”
But before she could walk away, Jihyun reached out, taking her hand again and pulling her back.
“Jihyun?” She asked, blinking at him curiously.
He turned his gaze away, again looking flustered.
“What is it?” She asked, perching on the bed.
“Would you stay with me?” He asked, peeking back at her.
MC thought she would melt as he stared at her like that, his eyes wide, his face turning near crimson.
How could she say no?
“Of course,” she said, threading her fingers through his.
He shifted to the side, making room for her on the bed, and she climbed in next to him.
“Like this?” She asked, rearranging the blankets around them.
Jihyun nodded, his smile growing soft. And then he was leaning down, resting his head in her lap.
“Like this,” he breathed, his eyes fluttering closed. “This is good. This helps.”
MC peered down at her husband, at the beautiful man she’d married. She ran her fingers through his hair, humming lullabies as he nestled against her. And she found that she was happy that there was something she could do; something that helped him feel a little bit better.