Chapter Text
Kibum felt like he’d been hit by a truck.
A very big, very heavy truck.
He’d kept up a good front all through rehearsal, all through the drive back and all the way up to the dorm, but now, standing in the bathroom with the door locked and clutching onto the sink, he feels even worse. Currently, he feels freezing cold, shaking all over and head throbbing with pain. His palms are clammy and keep slipping on the porcelain of the sink, and his legs feel weak.
A shower; a shower would warm him up and make him feel better.
Running the hot water over his skin was a strange sensation, not as relaxing as he’d imagined. Now his body felt like it was on fire, the exact opposite to five minutes ago. His head was still pounding and if anything he felt even weaker.
Managing to get himself dried and into a shirt and some shorts, Key closed his eyes as he gripped the bathroom vanity once more, breathing shakily. This sucked.
If he could just make it to his room, he could collapse and go to sleep. Surely he’d feel better tomorrow.
He stumbled out of the bathroom, using the walls of the hallway to brace himself against as he tried to limp to his room.
But everything suddenly felt overwhelmingly worse.
The cheap fluorescent lights felt blinding.
Every breath hurt to take.
It felt like someone had his head in a vice.
He was burning up, but shaking as if cold at the same time.
Key lost his balance and fell into the wall.
Minho’s head appeared around the corner, ready to yell at him for making so much noise, but he only saw Key hit the wall and slump to the floor heavily. “Kibum!”
Minho shot up from the couch and raced toward Key’s weak body on the floor. He’d never seen him so pale, Key was nearly white and sweating hard, he was shivering and he gave a weak groan.
“JINKI HYUNG! COME QUICK!” Minho shouted as he knelt next to Key, brushing hair from his face, “It’s okay, Kibum, you’re okay, we’ve got you.”
Jinki had raced into the hallway, shortly followed by Jonghyun and Taemin who had been concerned at Minho’s tone. They all stopped when they saw Key lying on the floor and Minho next to him.
Minho looked up to them, eyes wide with worry, “He came out of the bathroom and just collapsed, I- I don’t know what… he’s boiling.”
“Jonghyun, call manager hyung. Taemin go get a damp cloth and the thermometer,” Onew immediately directed, the pair chorusing a confirmation and racing off as Jinki joined Minho at Key’s side. He removed his jacket and folded it under Key’s head. As he gently lifted the boy’s head, he could feel how hot his skin was under his touch. Minho was right, he had the highest fever Jinki had ever felt.
“Kibummie, can you hear us?”
There was a pained groan in response.
“Try to keep breathing slowly, it’s okay, we’ll take care of you.”
Taemin came back into the hallway with a wet cloth and handed it to Minho, who started dabbing at Key’s face and arms gently. Jinki took the thermometer from him and gently put it in Key’s mouth.
Taemin stood and watched, scared, not sure what to do. Key was white as a sheet and it was scaring him.
“Manager hyung is on his way,” Jonghyun relayed as he reappeared, eyes also glued to Key. “Is he going to be okay?”
“He’ll be alright, manager hyung will help work out if we need to take him to hospital,” Onew tried to calm the others’ concerns despite his own racing heart and worry. Key had seemed okay all afternoon, he’d seemed a bit sleepy perhaps, but maybe he’d been hiding the fact he wasn’t feeling well.
Jonghyun noticed Taemin looking awkward and nervous, and gently reached for his arm, “Come on, Taeminie, we shouldn’t crowd them, come sit.” He took Taemin to the couch to sit with him.
“What does his temperature say?” Minho asked, still dabbing up and down Key’s arms as the teen shivered and squeezed his eyes shut.
Onew pulled the thermometer from Key’s mouth, checking the reading, “High… very high.”
Shit.
“Kibum-ah, I think we might need to take you to hospital,” Onew smoothed the younger’s hair. He’d never seen him like this, so… helpless and just… void.
Key whimpered, quietly whispering, “I’ll be fine, I just-”
“No, Kibum, Jinki’s right. Listen to hyung,” Minho pressed the cloth to Key’s forehead.
Key had no fight in him, he couldn’t resist.
“Once manager hyung gets here we’ll work it out, I don’t know how we’re going to get him downstairs,” Onew said to Minho. “Jonghyun?” he called.
Jonghyun was immediately in the hall with them.
“Can you make sure Taemin and Minho are okay if I go with manager hyung?”
Minho was about to protest and tell his leader he wanted to go to make sure Key was okay too, but he figured now was not the time for an argument.
Jonghyun nodded.
At that moment, the door buzzed open, their manager rushing in.