Chapter Text
‘I overdid it.’
Kim Soleum wonders how he is supposed to endure two more days of this. It had been a risk to visit the Dokkebi Workshop while under the effects of the Hellfare Taxi’s curse, but he didn’t expect his condition to deteriorate this much. On his commute back to the company housing, what had started as a manageable fever became debilitating.
The world around him spun in nauseating blurs and colors as he fought the headache searing into his skull. He was surprised he even managed to make it back to his dorm. The thud of the door closing behind him rang in his ears.
“Ugh…”
He felt a groan escape his lips as he felt the tang of iron rising in his throat. Kim Soleum staggered, planting a hand against the wall to steady himself as he pried off his shoes, letting them clatter to the floor.
He took heavy steps forward, but it felt as if the apartment stretched on endlessly.
‘Was my room always this far?’
He heaved heavy breaths, fighting the coughs hammering against his chest in painful agony as he managed to grip onto the couch at the center of the apartment. Had he really only made it this far into the apartment? Kim Soleum squeezed his eyes shut in frustration. He wasn’t going anywhere.
When he opened his eyes, his gaze fell on the soft, comfortable couch in front of him.
[ Oh dear friend! Surely you aren’t thinking about resting on this lowly couch, are you? A good rest is essential! Why don’t you walk a little further to your bedroom and rest there!]
Kim Soleum barely registered Braun’s words as he pulled his legs forward to crawl onto the couch, his consciousness slipping away as exhaustion took over him.
****
Baek Saheon’s steps came to an abrupt halt as the sound of employees' hushed whispers met his ears. He wasn’t beyond eavesdropping; he was just collecting information that could be essential to his survival! The information and rumors he’d heard from unsuspecting employees had been useful so far. So when he noticed Daydream employees speaking in a tone not meant for others to hear, he, of course, shuffled closer. Baek Saheon pressed an ear to the closed door of one of the company's break rooms, waiting for someone to speak again.
“Seriously? How are we supposed to handle all this work??? Ugh…this was not worth the extra points.”
“Stop whining, I’d kill to rack up as much point’s as you have.”
“Both the squad leader of D squad and the top rookie, huh? Wasn’t that darkness only C class? Don’t tell me they had to take sick leave for something so trivial.”
“Don’t even start! They better only be gone for three days, I’m drowning in paperwork…”
“Just pass it on to that other employee with you-”
Baek Saheon jerked his head away from the door, processing what he just heard.
‘What? Kim Soleum? On sick leave?’
That couldn’t be right. He had never seen that bastard so much as look tired, always carrying himself with an unnerving nonchalance as if nothing could touch him. As much as he would love to see that psycho break, Kim Soleum couldn’t be sick. No, his roomates shoe’s had been gone when he left the dorms this morning. That lunatic probably couldn’t even get sick. Maybe he just thought paperwork would be too boring and decided to ditch work.
‘It’s weird the Section Chief also called in sick…”
As Baek Saheon made his way back to his desk, his mind churned with the possibility that his roommate may have committed the heinous act of murdering his Section Chief. He wouldn’t put it past him.
Normally, thoughts like that would make him cautious about returning to the dorm he shared with his potentially murderous roommate, but after entering a harrowing darkness, Kim Soleum’s suspicious absence had totally slipped his mind.
Until he returned home.
He felt sweat trickle down his temple as he stared down at the uncharacteristic sight in the doorway. The usual neat, methodically arranged shoes of his roommates were now haphazardly strewn across the entryway.
‘No fucking way… was that bastard really sick?’
Baek Saheon was never sure how much he should believe in the whisperings around Kim Soleum; after all, it seemed that only he knew the true nature of that psycho. But the sight before him was an unsettling confirmation of the words of the temporary employee he had overheard earlier.
A shudder surged through him as he toed off his shoes, cautiously stepping into the apartment. Even if Kim Soleum was sick, the man would probably just stay in his room the whole time…actually, this might be a good thing, not having to worry about his roommates' possible schemes!
As he began to quietly step tward his bedroom, he heard a pained groan coming from the couch.
‘Ah.’
Baek Saheon almost felt his soul leave him. Who knows how Kim Soleum would behave if he were in a bad mood? It would be better to just find a hotel for the night.
He silently nodded to himself; however, as the minutes passed, curiosity got the better of him. When else would he have the opportunity to see that bastard in pain! With that thought, he silently strode forward to leer over the couch.
As he peeked over, his jaw dropped at the unexpected sight.
Kim Soleum was lying across the couch, his legs slightly hanging off the edge due to his height, his hair clinging to his forehead, sweat beading on his pale skin. Baek Saheon could see the labored rise and fall of his chest as Kim Soleum's expression pinched in pain. He was still in his suit, the fabric now appearing to cling uncomfortably to him.
He looked miserable.
Baek Saheon could barely contain the curl of his lips; he had expected to see Kim Soleum's composure to look a little rattled, not completely shattered! It was almost euphoric to see Kim Soleum being the one suffering for once.
He let his eye take in the scene when the thought pricked at his mind.
‘Couldn’t this be an opportunity?’
Kim Soleum certainly did not appear to be in any state to take care of himself. Maybe if he helped him out, he could finally be in his good graces! At the very least, Kim Soleum would owe him a debt.
Making up his mind, he silently stepped forward.
***
Moments later, and medicine in hand, he finally mustered the courage to rouse his sickly roommate.
Kim Soleum flinched at the touch, his eyes barely blinking open before he had abruptly shifted to his side, letting out a raspy wet cough. He didn’t even notice Soleum had pulled his hands over his mouth until he noticed the crimson coating his palms.
‘Is that…blood.’
The sight made Baek Saheon shiver unconsciously. Was his roommate in much worse condition than he thought? Was that bastard dying or something? As the coughing finally stopped, Baek Saheon shifted uncomfortably as Kim Soleum brought his gaze to meet his.
Kim Soleum stared at him with bleary, feverish eyes, the usual composed focus he normally wore totally absent from the disheveled man in front of him.
‘This is terrifying.’
Baek Saheon actually would have preferred being threatened by that psycho right now than whatever this was. His roommate blinked at him. It was almost a relief to him when Kim Soleum brought his palms over his eyes, perhaps to block the harsh light coming from the ceiling.
“Ug- sorry, I’m not feeling well…I can’t help you bake today…”
“...”
‘What now??’
Baek Saheon could hardly make sense of that sentence. Baking? Could he perhaps be mistaking him for someone else right now?
Wait. Does someone like him actually have someone he cares about? A lover? Family?? Beak Saheon could hardly imagine Kim Soleum with anyone like that; he always assumed him to be a cold, dopamine-obsessed lunatic, but the tone of his words was surprisingly gentle.
“...Supervisor.”
Kim Soleum was slow to react; he slowly pulled his hands away from his face to inspect Baek Saheon. What was happening?
“Oh…Baek Saheon.” Kim Soleum said aloud in an eerily quiet tone.
‘I should have just left while I could!’ Baek Saheon mentally berated himself for this decision.
“Yes…I brought you medicine, Sir.” Baek Saheon said, trying his best to hide the nervousness in his tone.
Baek Saheon followed Kim Soleum’s eyes, which were now fixed on his hands, which held the medicine and a cup of water. Then Baek Saheon heard his roommate let out a frustrated huff.
Did he do something wrong?
“...It’s no use…I’ll be fine in two more da-” Kim Soleum winced in pain as he lifted himself to sit up. “...It’s a curse, temporary.” Still, Kim Soleum gently took the glass of water from Baek Saheon’s hands and pressed the glass against his skin, as if to cool him off. Eventually, he began to sip at the water, but winced with each gulp.
“Thank you…”
Thank you? Baek Saheon couldn’t help but gape at this response. Out of everything he never expected to hear words of gratitude from the man. It was so unlike Kim Soleum.
But… was it?
A sense of dread washed over him. Kim Soleum talked to everyone at the company in a polite, kind manner. All the higher-up’s singing praises about him. Even… More than once, Kim Soleum had even saved him. The man was too sick to be playing any games right now. Could he have been wrong about him? No… His fever must just be messing with his head.
“...Of course, Sir.” Baek Saheon finally managed to say.
After that, Baek Saheon decided to retreat to his room. If it were a curse, then Kim Soleum would get over it; it was about time that perfect bastard finally had something bad happen to him. At least offering him some medicine might allow him to get in Kim Soleum’s good graces.
He went on about his night as usual, not thinking much about his roommate suffering in the other room, until he heard a quiet thud from beyond his wall. Normally, he wouldn’t even consider leaving his room, but based on Kim Soleum’s current state, he didn’t hesitate. He gently opened his door to investigate.
Kim Soleum had collapsed in front of his door.
‘Damn it. What was this psycho doing?’ Why did he come all the way here? He shouldn’t have been moving in his condition.
Baek Saheon knelt down to study his roommate, Kim Soleum somehow looked worse than before. His pale face was turning ashen, his skin glistening with cold sweat. He should just leave him. Why should he care what happens to him? But… his chest stung with the gentle ‘thank you’ his roommate had given him earlier.
He frowned. He must be going insane.