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The ENHYPEN dorm, surprisingly, woke with the still silence of the early morning. Typically, someone would (accidentally or intentionally) wake the others up. But no such thing occurred as they slept past noon.
The only sound that stirred Jake awake was the shuffling of someone in their bed. Jake’s first instinct was to think that Niki was just being rowdy in his sleep, since he tended to move around a lot. But when he started to hear pained whines, he realized who it really was.
“Sunghoon-ah?” the Australian called for the member across from his bed in a still-waking-up voice.
Barely opening his eyes, he could make out a figure underneath the sheets tossing and turning nonstop. He continued to make noises with each movement, almost like he was in pain.
“Sunghoonie~” he sang, checking if he was still unconscious.
Jake was startled awake when Sunghoon violently kicked the bedsheets off him, seeing them gently float to the ground. More pained whines followed.
“Sunghoon?” he made his way to the other bunk, trying to gauge the condition of his friend. When he was close enough to see exactly what was going on, he was met with a pitiful sight.
The youngest 02 liner was in a fetal position, squirming every which way, and eyes shut tight as he seemed to clench every single muscle in his body. His arms were wrapped around his stomach, and he looked to be in a lot of pain.
Trying not to wake up the others, he whispered. “Sunghoon-ah, are you okay?”
The younger was slightly startled by Jake’s sudden appearance, but as soon as he laid eyes on his main caregiver, his eyes glittered with tears and his lip quivered.
“A….ppa…” his voice was coarse, groggy from the morning and weak from the pain.
Hearing that, Jake caught on instantly, and he went to wrap his arms around the little. “Oh Hoonie, come here. It’s okay, I got you, Appa’s here.” he cradled the baby and rocked him back and forth. However, this was apparently the wrong move, as the rocking upset Sunghoon’s already queasy stomach.
With this, he promptly threw up over the top bunk’s railing. Chunks and liquid splashed all over the bedroom floor.
Seeing the mess he made, and the burning feeling lingering in the back of his throat, Sunghoon’s misty eyes quickly turned into waterfalls down his cheeks. He wailed and wailed, waking everyone else up. Jake did his best to console the little (without rocking him this time).
“Awww, there there, Hoonie, I got you. You’re not feeling well, right? It’s gonna be okay, just let it out.” he patted his back the way one would when they’re burping a baby.
Some groans managed to reach Jake’s ears amidst Sunghoon’s wails.
“Oh my god, what is that smell?” Sunoo asked in a disgusted tone.
“Oh my god what is that ?!” Niki shouted, gagging at the sight.
Hearing everyone around him being disgusted by his own vomit, Sunghoon cried even louder.
“Guys, quit it! Sunghoonie threw up and he already feels terrible. You being vocally disgusted by it will only make things worse!” He changed his tone when talking to the little. “It’s okay, it’s okay. Appa’s right here.”
Plugging his nose, Jay quickly made his way out of the dorm. Each member followed suit, finding their own way to exit the room in a “floor is lava” style manner.
Only Jay and Jungwon came back with cleaning supplies. Niki, Sunoo, and Heeseung stayed back to help make breakfast, run a bath, and get the laundry machines ready to go.
Wiping his mouth with a tissue Jay brought him, Jake continued to speak comforting words to Sunghoon. “Don’t worry, Hoonie, we’ll help you get all the ickies out of your tummy, okay?” The little only nodded, digging his head into Jake’s chest.
He carefully maneuvered Sunghoon down the steps and kept him in his arms the best he could manage. They rested on the open floor in the living room, since Jake was afraid that Sunghoon might stain more linens.
Jay returned to the pair with his baby bottle filled with tap water. “Right now, Sunghoon needs lots of fluids so he doesn’t become dehydrated. It’ll also help calm the stomach acids. I bet your throat feels icky too, right Hoonie?” He went to pat the little’s head, and he nuzzled into it.
“I’ll call manager-nim and see if he can get us any medicine. Jungwonie and I will clean up the mess.”
“Thank you Jay-ah. Seriously, you and Jungwon are life savers right now. Especially since none of the others will get within ten feet of the bedroom right now.” he chuckled.
Jay gave the kitchen a side eye and shouted to the avoidant idols. “Guys, just cuz you’re not on cleaning duty doesn’t mean you can slack off! Come help Jake take care of Hoonie!”
Heeseung, Sunoo, and Niki slid their way into the living room with guilty faces, and Jay merely rolled his eyes before joining Jungwon back in the bedroom.
“Aww, Sunghoonie, is your tummy upset?” Sunoo baby talked the little as he made his way next to him.
“Hyung, can you get an empty bowl? Just in case he needs to throw up again.” Jake asked. The eldest was quick to make himself useful and zoomed into the kitchen. “Oh, also, grab his diapers so he doesn’t have an accident.” Jake added before Heeseung left the room.
Niki grabbed the tv remote from the couch. “Wanna watch some cartoons, Hoonie?” he clicked the button and Sunghoon’s attention became captivated by the moving pictures. Luckily, it was still on the same kids channel Sunghoonie loved.
“Can I feed him his bottle?” Sunoo asked innocently. Jake nodded, and Sunoo eagerly went to work. With Sunoo holding the bottle for him as he drank, Sunghoon could keep his fetal position and hands clinging to his main caregiver.
However, he took a couple sips before spitting it out. “Bleh!” he vocalized his disgust. The taste was off. It tasted nothing like the sweet milk he was used to. He really wanted his warm bottle of milk!
“Oh, Hoonie, I know it’s not what you like, but you need water right now.” Sunoo wiped the little’s mouth.
“Mmm-mmm! Mmm-mmm!” the little shook his head violently, hiding from the bottle that betrayed his trust.
Jake was still anxious when it came to being Sunghoon’s primary caregiver, but he has been talking with Jay on how best to deal with him when he’s being fussy.
In a relaxed yet firm tone, he spoke. “Sunghoon-ah.” the little perked his head up, making direct eye contact with Jake. “I know you don’t like it, but you have to drink it. It’ll help with your tummy feel better.” he rubbed Sunghoon’s stomach gently.
“If you drink milk right now, you might throw it up again.” he then gagged to give a visual presentation of the possible consequences. “You don’t wanna throw up again, right? That’s yucky!” Sunghoon let those words sit with him, forming a pouty expression. Jake still could never tell when Sunghoon could understand what he was saying, but the general idea seemed to make it through.
“How about this, if you drink all of this,” Jake pointed to the bottle, “I’ll give you your milk. Does that sound okay?”
Sunghoon stared at the bottle in Sunoo’s hand, then back at Jake.
“Ba-ba?” he asked innocently.
Jake couldn’t help but smile at the sight. “Ba-ba later, okay Hoonie? Finish this and I’ll give you ba-ba.”
Sunghoon then became much more compliant, letting Sunoo feed him the plain water without any resistance. He didn’t look happy drinking it, but he continued until eventually it was all gone.
“Good job, Sunghoonie! You did so well!” Sunoo praised him nonstop, ruffling his hair and poking him. Sunghoon seemed to like the praise a lot, as he gave a warm smile back.
Holding the empty bottle, he presented it to Jake. “Ba-ba! Ba-ba!” he repeated, wanting his promised drink.
“Okay, okay. We’ll get you ba-ba now.” he handed the bottle to Sunoo who went to prepare his milk.
“How’s he doing?” Jay and Jungwon finished cleaning the bedroom, with Jungwon tossing the sheets into the washing machine.
Jake stroked the little’s hair. “Better, I think. He hasn’t thrown up again, but he’s running a little warm.
The older put his hand on Sunghoon’s forehead. “He could have a fever. I’ll grab the thermometer.”
Before Jay could leave, Sunghoon grabbed his hand, pulling it close to his chest.
“Ma-ma.” he said softly, innocent gaze staring up at him. He then smiled when he saw Jay didn’t leave, and he played with his hand, shaking it up and down. “Mama! Mama!” he giggled.
“Aigo, this kid will be the death of me.” he admitted defeat, joining the pair on the ground.
“Though, death by cuteness wouldn’t be too bad of a way to go, wouldn’t you agree?” Jake chuckled.
Sunghoon pulled at both until the 02z were as close as they could physically be, snuggling up and cuddling with his Mama and Appa.
When Sunghoon started shivering in between the two, that’s when Jay confirmed his suspicions.
“Everyone, come over here! We need a cuddle pile!” Jay then spoke to the little. “Hoonie, are you feeling cold right now?” Sunghoon gave a small nod. “Okay, bud, we’re gonna get you nice and toasty, okay?”
When everyone arrived at the scene, Jay instructed them, “I think he has fever chills. We’ll need to get his body temp up so his immune system can fight off the infection. But the second he starts saying that he’s too hot, we break. Then he’ll need a damp towel and more fluids.”
Everyone nodded in understanding and all piled on. Sunghoon was on cloud nine, once again being the center of another group cuddle. He made small noises of contentment as he snuggled in.
“Niki, think you can turn that off now? Sunghoonie’s not even watching it.”
“But I’m still watching it…”
“Just record it! Their voices are starting to annoy me.”
“Someone else’s voice is starting to annoy me …”
“Yah!”
After some light banter and discussion of what they’ll have to eat later, Sunghoon did eventually start feeling too hot.
Squirming uncomfortably and making more upset noises, Sunghoon heard someone’s voice before the members gradually lifted themselves off the pile.
When he looked up and saw everyone leaving, he started crying again.
“Oh no, Hoonie, it’s okay!”
“We’re not leaving you!”
“Don’t cry, aegi, we’re here and we love you!”
The members stayed, but didn’t cuddle him. Jake and Jay stayed close, keeping Sunghoon in their laps, so Sunghoon decided to keep what he could close to him.
“Don’t worry, Sunghoonie. They’re not leaving. You’re feeling awfully warm now, right?” he put his hand to Sunghoon’s forehead again, and it felt cool against his skin. The little nodded in response to Jay’s question.
“Well they’re gonna get you some things to cool you off. We’re all going to be here to help you feel better.” Jay said warmly. And Sunghoon couldn’t help but melt at the older’s words, loving how gentle and kind his tone was.
Although he could vaguely understand what was going on, he still felt too tired to talk, so he babbled to his caretakers, giggling softly while playing with Jay’s shirt.
“Heeseung-hyung, any updates on the medicine?” Jake asked. The older pulled his phone out. “Oh, manager-nim just got here! I’ll go pick it up!” he nearly tripped getting to the door.
“Careful hyung!” Jay reminded the fake maknae.
“Okay, Sunghoonie, say ahhhh!” Sunoo held a spoonful of the thick liquid for Sunghoon to take. Jay had already predicted that Sunghoon would refuse to take pills or even chewables, so he made sure their manager got them medicine in liquid form.
The main issue with a lot of liquid medication is that it’s bitter and doesn’t smell very pleasant. That fact seemed to stay true, as Sunghoon brought his nose to the spoon and quickly turned away in disgust.
“Come on, Hoonie. Here comes the airplane! Weeee!” the younger carefully maneuvered the spoon without spilling it, but the little still refused, curling his lips inside his mouth.
As the members sat in contemplation thinking how to get Sunghoon to take his medicine, Jungwon brought up an idea.
“Ooh, hyung, try feeding it to me!”
Sunoo side eyed him. “But you don’t need it, Jungwonie.”
The leader merely rolled his eyes. “I don’t mean literally. Just pretend to give it to me. Didn’t Jay-hyung say he gets jealous easily?”
Niki suddenly got excited at this idea. “Ooh, ooh, Sunoo-hyung, do me too! Two are better than one!” he then sat in front of Sunoo with his mouth open like a baby chick.
Sunoo and Jungwon chuckled at the sight, but decided to give it a try. Sunghoon watched carefully how Sunoo “fed” Jungwon and Niki a spoonful of the medicine, and after each made a very obvious gulping sound, Sunoo would pat their heads and tell them how good they were.
Out of the corner of his eye, Niki could see that it was working. They just needed one more final push…
“Heeseung-hyung! You too! Three times the charm!” he whisper yelled.
Making his way over, he retorted. “I’m pretty sure the phrase is third time’s the charm.”
“Whatever, just, come get your medicine!”
And it seemed that the sight of his Heeseungie hyung getting spoonfed medicine and receiving praise for it is what finally tipped Sunghoon over the edge of jealousy. His eyes widened with longing, and he began to babble incessantly. “Ah! Ah! Ah!”
Sunoo internally fist pumped the air, as he prepared another spoonful and poured it into the little's mouth. Sunghoon’s face instantly squirmed at the bitter taste, but he swallowed it with all his might.
Luckily, everyone joined Sunoo in showering him with praise.
“Yay! You did it, Hoonie!”
“You did so well, aegi!”
“I’m so proud of you!”
“Such a good boy you are!”
Sunghoon could feel the heat from his fever all rush to his cheeks, but he felt so safe and loved. He babbled happy noises as he snuggled deeper into his caregivers’ laps, bathing in the attention he was receiving.
Jay had left briefly to grab something for Sunghoon, to which the latter vehemently objected by screaming “Mama! Mama!” Over and over until he returned. When Jay finally did return, the little's eyes lit up at what he brought.
“Here you go, bud. Just be careful not to get brain freeze.” It was a large popsicle in his favorite flavor. Jay kindly unwrapped it and even wrapped a paper towel around the stick so it wouldn't drip.
Sunghoon gratefully took the popsicle and began licking it innocently, not before stating in the most adorable aegyo ever heard, “T’ank you, Mama!”
Everyone awed at the little’s words, but Sunghoon was too caught up in his popsicle to notice.
Jay ruffled the baby's hair, prompting a small giggle to escape Sunghoon's mouth.
“Anything for our aegi.”