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The air was humid and warm as they got off stage, kazuha's heart was still beating rapidly, adrenaline coursing through her body and her face warm from all the jumping and singing they had done.
She gave eunchae a tired smile and a highfive, the younger girl's bangs stuck to her forehead too. "Y'did great" kazuha got out, and eunchae gave her a side hug as they walked backstage.
Her heart was warm, glad everything went so well, but a glance backwards made her pause for a second.
Yunjin was the last to come down, a spent expression on her face too, and a hand against the side of her head. The blonde girl's eyebrows where furowed untill she saw kazuha look back at her.
With a smile she caught up, removing the hand on her head. "Hi" she said, and eunchae grabbed yunjin's hand too. The three walked like that, still getting off that high of being on stage, but something inside kazuha couldn't help but worry.
_
"Gosh, I've really been craving this" sakura said with a satisfied hum, putting more of the food they ordered in the hotel restaurant on her plate. They wanted to visit it ever since they arrived, the food looked absolutally delicious. and so the girl's where eating here now, because they where planning on leaving for a different hotel tomorow.
It was very obvious the group was tired, the energy they had right before performing had been used up well. Kazuha's body felt sore, but the familliar ache was kinda pleasent. Prove of her hard work, prove of that her body was working hard to keep up, getting stronger.
And eating well helped with that too, ofcourse. Though one person wasn't really eating that much at all. Kazuha sat down next to yunjin on purpose, a gut feeling wanting to make sure the girl was okay, and because she was keeping a close eye on her she noticed yunjin play with her food.
Her hand on the side of her head again, and kazuha saw the older girl was trying to keep her face from grimacing. ofcourse even the smallest change didn't go unnoticed by the younger girl. Whenever it came to her yunjin-unnie kazuha was always the first to notice.
Not the first to speak up, ask what was wrong, eunchae often did that. Kazuha didn't really know how to go about it, didn't want to come off as too naggy.
On the other side, she knew how yunjin whould react. Whenever the other members checked in on her when she wasn't feeling well she really appreciated it. But something still kept her from doing so.
She looked to her right where yunjin was zoning out, still not eating. Guilt roze up into kazuha's heart, or was it worry- maybe both.
The Japanese girl reached for her own hot chocolate, still untouched. She wasn't really in the mood for it, but she ordered it when she saw yunjin sit down without ordering anything to drink. It was small, maybe a little stupid, but she wanted to give it to her anyway.
Kazuha felt her heart in her throat for some reason when she stared at the blonde girl next to her. Her nose was flushed red, more than usual, and every few seconds she sniffled.
"Unnie" kazuha said softly, "yunjin unnie" She repeated, trying to get her attention. Was yunjin getting sick perhaps?
Yunjin turned to look at kazuha with raised eyebrows as if ripped back to reality.
They stared at eachother for a moment as kazuha felt herself losing herself in yunjin's big brown Boba eyes, but she regained herself. "Uhm- whould you like a sip?"
Yunjin's eyes dipped down to the drink kazuha was holding, the warm chocolate still steaming.
"Oh" she said, and shut her eyes. With a soft hum she held onto her forehead. "No it's okay zuha-ya.. I don't.. Feel so well."
Her croaky voice didnt help kazuha's concern, though something about it was wierdly endearing.. Kazuha tilted her head and leaned in a bit closer, not being able to hide her worried expression. She glanced over to the others, chaewon and sakura in a conversation while eunchae was dozing off, still chewing on her food.
Kazuha contemplated asking yunjin about it, still nervous about the whole thing for some reason, but decided to push through.
"You feel sick, unnie?" She asked, reaching her hand out. Yunjin looked at her again, and allowed kazuha's hand that wanted to feel her temperature. The younger girl's hand was cold against yunjin's burning forehead.
The blond girl slowly nodded and scooted closer to kazuha after the younger girl pulled her hand away. "I can't taste anything, I can't enjoy your hot chocolate to it's full extend like this zuha" She mumbled, and her lips turned into a pout.
Kazuha's heart didn't calm down, She really didn't know what to do at all- well She knew what she wanted to do.. But did yunjin want that too?
They stared at eachoter, with yunjin staring at her with a- almost pleading look. Or is that what kazuha wanted it to be.
She wanted to run her hand through her long blonde hair and tell her to rest. To take it easy and not let her go for a while. To kiss her and have yunjin complain that She didn't want kazuha to get sick too-
Kazuha blushed, redirecting her atention to the drink in her hands. The mug radiated warmth, just like yunjin's forehead had. It'd be wierd to, kazuha wasn't the person to show affection like that. And to just start out of nowhere-
"Do you want to me to.. Grab you something?" kazuha asked, not wanting to come off as interly uninterested. Just find a nice inbetween. Where yunjin wouldnt hate her for ignoring, and She wouldnt find out how much kazuha actually cared inside.
When yunjin didn't respond she dared another glance her way. The girl had a glassy look in her eyes, she was awake but there definitally werent any lights on inside. Disociating, probably because of the fever.
It really took every muscle in her body to restrain herself from holding her unnie, as if she where younger than kazuha and needed babying. It was really not fair to have someone older than you look so adorable.
Yunjin sniffled again and wiped at her nose. Thats also when chaewon and sakura's atention shifted. "You okay, yunjin-ah?" chaewon asked, the state yunjin was in impossible to miss now.
Yunjin blinked and nodded slowly. "I think im gonna head to bed early. See how I feel tomorow"
"We dont have anything scheduled tomorow anyway, so don't stress yourself out too much, yeah?" sakura told her, standing up to help yunjin up.
Yunjin didn't get up from her seat though, her eyes found kazuha's first. She stared at the younger girl as if she wanted to ask something without words, her eyes big and puppylike.
Kazuha stared back, face warm and opened her mouth to say something. Something She wasn't quite sure of yet, and if it werent for sakura pulling the poor sick girl up from her seat- kazuha didn't know what she might've said. Something- probably something very stupid she'd regret right after.
Kazuha watched sakura walk yunjin to the lobby of the hotel. The elevator Doors opened slowly and closed once the two girls got inside. Kazuha didn't know why she couldn't have brought yunjin back to her room like kkura was doing right now.
Her heart squeezed, in a wierd, slightly uncomfortable way. She really didn't know what to make of what she was feeling right now.
"I think I'll head to bed early too"
Chaewon's voice cut kazuha out of her thoughts and she turned around to look at her unnie. Eunchae was long gone, chopsticks still In her hand but her eyes where closed. Lips slightly parted as she breathed softly.
The sight made kazuha chuckle. "Yeah, i'm tired too"
"I can tell" chaewon said, and kazuha looked up at her from across the table. She didn't know why that sentence made her nervous like it did. Maybe the thought of someone like chaewon discovering what She had been thinking about.
She didn't even know why it was such a big deal anyway.
A sigh escaped kazuha's lips as she looked at her warm chocolate again. She took a sip. The liquid had cooled down significantly, but it still tasted good.
"You should check up on her later"
Kazuha paused.
"Hm?"
"On yunjin. You should check up on her later" chaewon repeated. "She'd appreciate it"
Kazuha's heart thrummed against her ribs. Did she hear that right? She could feel her ears turn red. Did chaewon know- see how kazuha had longinly watched yunjin and sakura go?
"Maybe" the japanese girl said instead.
Chaewon hummed, and looked over to eunchae who was sleeping next to her. "I'll take this girl up to her room" She said with a soft smile on her face.
Kazuha nodded, her thoughts and heart still racing. Why was this effecting her this much anyway? Its really tiring to feel so many strong emotions all in one day. Emotions She couldn't make sence of- or emotions she could make sence of but didn't really want to make sence of.
"Ill see you tomorow" chaewon said, a sleepy eunchae against her side as she took careful steps towords the lobby.
"Yeah" kazuha breathed out. "Goodnight"
"Goodnight"
_
The sound of water streaming down the sink and drain filled kazuha's bathroom. She had already showered right after the show, already taken off her makeup and everything, but something inside her wanted to do it again.
The action of taking care of herself distracted her enough from thinking She wanted to take care of someone else right now.
A sigh escaped her lips, Toothbrush in her mouth.
'She'd appreciate it' chaewon had said, and her words hadn't left her mind once. Whould she? Wouldnt yunjin think she was A bother if she came in there? whould she even want kazuha there?
She brushed her teeth as she stared at herself in the miror.
She knew it wasn't completely true, yunjin had told her over and over again. How kazuha meant as much to her as anyone else on their team, and that their group wouldnt be the same without her, but ofcourse kazuha couldn't help the thoughts from coming back.
Maybe she should just go and check on her anyway. A Small gesture to show yunjin she cared, nothing more. Not because kazuha couldn't stop thinking about her and really didn't want to leave her alone untill she felt better. Or didn't want to leave her alone at all-
Kazuha put her toothbrush back into her bag and spit the remaining paste out of her mouth. The water she drank after felt fresh, and cooled her down a bit.
It wasn't wierd to check up on a fellow member when they felt sick, kkura and chaewon did it too.
With a rapid Heartbeat she made her way over to yunjin's hotelroom door. It was across from hers, all the girls in the same hallway, so it wasn't hard to find at all.
She did a quick onceover of what she was wearing, gray pyjama pants and a dark blue sweater. Not bad at all- yunjin wasn't going to care about what she was wearing anyway.. Maybe she should straighten her hair out a bit-
Kazuha shook her head and took another deep breath. Just calm down, this isn't a job interview of any kind, just knock on the damn door.
The hallway was deathly silent after she did.
Could yunjin be asleep already? It hasn't even been 15 minutes..
She knocked again. This time a bit louder, and the sound echoed throughout the space.
Why where her hands so clammy? Kazuha blinked down to look at her sweaty hands when the door creaked open slowly. She didn't dare to look up- but did when she heard a soft sniffle.
"Zuha" yunjin croaked out, her nose stuffy and her cheeks flushed, her hair mushed up too.
"Unnie" kazuha said, worry washing over her and she almost forgot to be worried.
A small smile found yunjin's lips. "Hi"
And kazuha couldn't help but grin stupidly at the sound of her voice, her sweet face- "hey"
They stood there for a moment.
"How are you.. How are you feeling?" kazuha asked, eventhough she already knew the answer just by looking at her. "Did.. Kkura-unnie take care of you?" she didn't know why her question made her feel kinda wierd inside. Almost.. a bit jealous.
"Yeah" yunjin breathed, her eyes on kazuha's- what she could asume her outfit before meeting her eyes again.
The two where silent for a little longer.
"Great" kazuha spoke up. She really wanted to step closer, Stay to make sure yunjin got some sleep. But should she leave now? What was the normal friend thing to do?
"I could use a little more taking care of though" yunjin said softly, just above a whisper and kazuha wouldn't have heard it if it wasn't this quiet in the hallway.
Her breath caught, wasn't fully sure if yunjin really meant what she had said- had maybe read kazuha's mind, but yunjin opened her door a bit more.
Kazuha stared at the opening, big enough to slip through. Did she really want her in there right now? "Are you sure?"
Yunjin didn't respond for a moment, and wiped at her nose again with a sniffle. She looked down as if a little embarassed.
Kazuha took a step forward though, and her hand found yunjin's forhead again. A touch she knew was okay. A touch she knew didn't cross any boundaries.
Yunjin sighed and looked up at kazuha with those warm brown eyes of hers. Her pink lips turning into a pout again. That pleading look returned, and she opened her arms as if she wanted kazuha to pick her up.
kazuha didn't hesitate to step closer and hold her. Yunjin hid her face in kazuha's shoulder and sniffled again, with her arms loosely around kazuha's waist, as if she didn't have the strength to hold on tightly.
"Lets get you to bed, okay?" kazuha said as she rubbed cirkles into yunjin's back. The blonde girl's scent was almost intoxicating, and instantly made kazuha feel safe. Even if she was the one holding yunjin right now.
Yunjin hummed but didn't move, snuggling into kazuha's shoulder with her face. The younger girl could feel yunjin's nose bump into the skin of her neck.
Her mind raced, trying to come up with an excuse to let go, even if she didn't want to. Kazuha was glad no one else was around because the other members whould deffinitely tease her about how red her face had become.
"Yunjin-unnie" kazuha said, still moving her hand up and down yunjin's back. She huffed out a laugh. "Don't fall asleep on me like this"
Yunjin giggled too, lifting her face from kazuha's shoulder to look into her eyes, but her eyebrows furowed almost instantly, her hand on the side of her head again. Her free hand tightened around the fabric of kazuha's sweater.
Kazuha reached out for yunjin's face, cupping her cheek. Her skin was very warm to the touch. "Oh, baby. Did you take painkillers yet?"
The nickname slipped past her lips before she could think twice. She held her breath, it was too late to take back now. but it wasn't too late to flee back to her own room?
Yunjin didn't show disgust on her face though, kind of the oposite. She nodded with an even sadder pout, and held onto kazuha with both hands. as if kazuha calling her that made her even more dependent on her touch.
The younger girl really didn't know what to think. Was it okay to keep yunjin this close?
"Kkura-unnie gave me water and painkillers and everything but nothing's working" yunjin mumbled, and hid her face in kazuha's shoulder once again. "Im cold too, but kkura told me to not sleep underneath too many blankets cus I'll overheat"
Kazuha moved one of her hands up to the back of yunjin's head. Her fingers threaded through her soft blonde hair, and massaged her scalp.
Yunjin melted into it completely and let out a satisfied hum at the feeling.
"Let's go lay down, unnie" kazuha offered, carefully picking out her words after that slip up from earlier.
Yunjin didn't respond for a second.
"Can you call me that again, zuha-ya" She asked softly, still clinging onto kazuha's sweater.
"Unnie?"
"No" She mumbled. Her tone quiet as if she didn't want anyone else to hear. "The other thing"
Kazuha's heart squeezed at yunjin's raspy voice. Did she.. Did she mean..
Kazuha didn't know if she could actually do it again. Call yunjin-
"Are you sure?" she asked, and moved the hand that wasn't in yunjin's hair up and down her back.
"If you want to" yunjin responded with a small voice.
"My baby..?" kazuha said, and was followed by silence. She squeezed her eyes shut, cringing at herself. heart pounding inbetween her ears.
yunjin let out a satisfied noise and snuggled closer.
"Carry me zuha" yunjin mumbled, and sniffled again. The request made kazuha laugh, even if the whole thing was making her nervous.
"You can't walk anymore?" the blonde girl shook her head, face still buried in kazuha's shoulder.
Kazuha tried to pull away, but yunjin clung onto her like a little monkey whould. "Baby" kazuha chuckled, still not used to the nickname but also strangely adicted to it already. The name also didn't help with the way yunjin was clinging to her.
"Come on" kazuha said, taking careful steps into the room, and yunjin let herself be lead backwards.
Kazuha didn't carry her, but did walk her over to her bed. The sheets where already tangled up, as if yunjin had been trying to sleep but kept tossing and turning.
"I'll get you some water" kazuha said as the back of yunjin's legs hit the bed. She lead her down slowly.
Yunjin didn't respond verbally, but also didn't let go. Her grip was tight around kazuha's shoulders. "Stay"
"You dont feel sick anymore?"
Yunjin huffed and tried to pull kazuha with her down onto the matress. "Baby, you need to drink well when you're sick, you know that"
Yunjin huffed again, and kazuha pulled away just enough to look into her eyes.
"Okay"
Kazuha didn't expect it to go this smoothly, but she knew yunjin always put her wellbeing first. She didn't go overboard when she wasn't feeling well, didn't cross any serious lines, and kazuha was glad for that.
She returned quickly, a glass filled to the brim with water, and saw yunjin laying on her back, an arm draped over her face as she groaned again.
"You sure you took painkillers?" she asked as she approached the bed. She helped yunjin sit up again and didn't let go of the glass as her unnie took a long sip.
"I did, zuha" she said, and looked up at her with big eyes again. Kazuha put the glass down, and stood there now, hands awkwardly at her sides.
Whould yunjin want her to tuck her in? Stay there untill she fell asleep? Maybe hold her and- "You think you'll be okay?" kazuha asked instead.
That pout returned on yunjin's face again, and kazuha breathed out a laugh. She stepped closer inbetween yunjins legs where She was sitting, and kazuha pet her blonde hair. Smoothening it out a bit. Yunjin sniffled and wiped at her nose, eyes turning tired from the way her head ached.
"Yunjin-unnie.. Can.. Are you okay with it if I.. Stay for a bit longer?"
Their eyes met again, and yunjin's lips turned into a small smile. She reached out for kazuha's waist and pulled her down a bit with the strength she had left. "Only if you baby me and tell me how good I did on stage today"
That made kazuha laugh again, but she didn't resist it when she was pulled down. Yunjin smiled too, and little did she know, kazuha whould gladly do anything for sick yunjin if she'd only ask.
The next day yunjin's fever was miraculously gone, though kazuha's throat did feel a bit sore when she woke up.