The Muse

— I was fine when I met you, Hyung. It probably didn’t spread to you.“Did you think I was worried about catching it from you?”— Hmm.“I’m not worried about myself. One of the few perks of being an Alpha is good health.”— Then I’ll take it as you worrying about me.How did the conversation turn to that? Sihoo opened his mouth to argue but couldn’t find the words. Meanwhile, Yejun chuckled softly and murmured faintly.— Thank you for worrying about me. It makes me happy.Suddenly, warmth spread near his ears. Sihoo’s tense lips twitched, and his dark pupils darted from side to side. Realizing he was softening from such words, he found it absurd. Was he actually moved by something like that?Ridiculous.Flustered, he raised the hand that wasn’t holding the phone to rub his forehead. He noticed the cigarette that should have been in his hand was gone. Looking down, he saw it lying on the ground, the faint ember still glowing red at the tip.“What’s there to thank me for? Does my worrying make you better?”He muttered gruffly, but Yejun didn’t seem offended.— Yes, it helps a little since you’re worried about me, Hyung.“You must be feeling really sick, spouting nonsense like this.”— It’s not nonsense. I mean it.“Enough.”The sentimentality was unbearable. Yejun’s good-natured voice, his own unsettled state that even made him drop his cigarette—it was all too much. Sihoo closed his eyes and changed the subject.“Are you at home? What about work?”— It’s my day off.“Good. Make sure to see a doctor, and don’t go wandering around unless necessary.”— Haha.“What’s so funny?”— Your voice got softer because I said I’m sick. I should stay sick to keep getting your affection, Hyung.“…Hang up.”Sihoo ended the call first, muttering, “Unbelievable.” It was ridiculous how Yejun’s mood brightened the moment he realized Sihoo was worried about him. Kids these days sure are sharp, he thought while furrowing his brows, recalling the sound of Yejun’s dry cough.Though he tried to brush it off, he couldn’t stop imagining Yejun’s flushed face, warm from the fever. His gaze remained fixed on his phone, his expression tightening. The tingling sensation spread across his body as if static electricity were coursing through him.Finally, when his fingers began to numb, Sihoo clicked his tongue. A resigned look crossed his pale face.⟡ ݁₊ .On a night with a biting wind, Sihoo stood in the elevator of an officetel. Clad in a black coat, suit, leather gloves, and polished shoes, he exuded a heavy, commanding aura. Yet, in his right hand, there was something that didn’t suit the image at all.Rustle.“…”The faint crinkling sound drew Sihoo’s gaze downward. In his hand was a plastic bag. Inside were items he had personally bought just an hour ago. As he stared at it, the elevator doors opened, and the cold air seeped in.Without hesitation, Sihoo walked to a door. His action of pressing the doorbell was equally decisive. Even as a voice came through the intercom, he remained calm.— Sihoo… Hyung?“Open the door.”— Huh?“….”— Huh? Uh, uh?Yejun’s voice sounded more flustered than Sihoo had ever heard. Clearly, he hadn’t expected an unannounced visit to his home. Sihoo nodded slightly, as if he understood.“I’ll leave what I brought hanging on the door. Make sure you eat it—”Before he could finish, the door opened. Standing there was Yejun, his eyes wide with surprise. His appearance was far from his usual neat demeanor. His slightly tousled hair, flushed cheeks from the fever, and half-asleep eyes gave off a languid, unkempt vibe.Sihoo scanned Yejun from top to bottom, a smirk tugging at his lips. Despite his sickly appearance, there was something pitiful yet undeniably cute about him. As Sihoo cast a gaze mixed with pity and affection, Yejun hurriedly adjusted his hair with his hand.“No, how… I mean…”Sihoo extended what he was holding. Yejun, flustered, stopped moving when he saw it.“What’s this?”“Things you need when you’re sick.”“Did you buy this, Hyung?”“Of course. Take it and make sure to take care of yourself.”Sihoo, about to say goodbye and leave, looked at Yejun’s face once more. His dazed, unfocused eyes looked off, something wasn’t right.“Did you go to the hospital?”“Oh.”“Oh?”He hadn’t gone. Sihoo, abandoning his thought of taking the elevator to leave, moved closer to Yejun. After removing his gloves, he placed his hand on Yejun’s forehead. The heat beneath his palm was like fire, far hotter than expected.It was worse than he thought. Irritation rose involuntarily.“Why didn’t you go?”“It’s not that bad… Ah, don’t touch me.”“Have you eaten?”Instead of answering, Yejun tilted his head back and pulled away from Sihoo’s hand. His actions made it look like he was running away from germs, which made Sihoo narrow his eyes. Realizing the misunderstanding, Yejun hurriedly mumbled.“I’m afraid I’ll spread it.”“Have you eaten?”“…”“Did you eat?”“I’ve just been sleeping.”“When did you start sleeping?”“…Since I finished talking with you, Hyung. I feel a bit better now.”So, he hadn’t eaten, hadn’t gone to the hospital, and had just slept. Sihoo clicked his tongue briefly. After all this, Yejun had told him to be careful not to get sick. Sending a reproachful look, Yejun avoided his gaze, rolling his eyes.“Let’s go to the hospital.”“I’m fine.”“Are you a doctor, Yejun? How do you know if you’re fine?”“I know my body.”His stubborn tone made Sihoo imagine knocking him out with a quick strike to the neck. Frowning, Yejun sheepishly added more.“Really, I just need to sleep a little longer.”“…”“…”An awkward silence lingered, and Sihoo lifted the corners of his lips into a smile. It was the softest smile he could muster. At his sudden change in expression, Yejun blinked slowly, as if he couldn’t understand.“I’m sorry.”“Huh?”“I’m sorry for showing up suddenly. I was going to contact you beforehand, but I got caught up in work. By the time I finished, it got late.”His murmuring voice was surprisingly gentle.“I’m bothering you, right?”“No!”Yejun, who had been listening absentmindedly, startled and shook his head vigorously, even waving his hands.“I’m not bothered at all, not at all.”“Really?”“Yes. I think of it as Hyung’s house, so anytime…”“Alright.”Sihoo’s expression returned to neutral, as if he had never smiled at all. At his sudden change in demeanor, Yejun’s eyes widened. Regardless, Sihoo naturally took off one of his shoes.“What are you doing?”Sihoo spoke in a sharp voice before even taking off the other shoe.“Move. Let me in.”“…”Yejun stepped aside, startled, and Sihoo walked in without hesitation, tilting his chin up.“You said it wouldn’t bother you.”Then he headed straight to the bathroom and quickly washed his hands.Moments later, with hands smelling of soap, Sihoo reached out to touch Yejun’s face. Still too stunned to grasp the situation, Yejun stayed frozen, allowing his face to be handled. Displeased, Sihoo furrowed his brows.“Hyung.”“…”“Are you going to start speaking informally now?”Instead of answering the question, Sihoo grabbed Yejun’s wrist and pulled him along. He led him to the bed, where he laid Yejun down. Afterward, he placed a bag that had been hanging from his wrist on the desk and checked its contents. Fortunately, he had thought to buy some emergency medicine.“Hyung.”“…”“It’s not that bad, so I didn’t go to the hospital.”“Do I need to ask twice if you’re a doctor?”“…No.”Yejun let out a long breath. His murmured voice carried a genuine note of apology.“If I knew Hyung would be upset, I would’ve gone to the hospital.”Sihoo, now with cold hands from washing, lightly smacked Yejun’s forehead. Being careful not to use much force on the sick person, his hand made a soft “slap” sound. Thinking about Yejun suffering alone made him feel sorry, but the fact that he hadn’t gone to the hospital despite having a fever was frustrating.“Don’t do this again.”“…”“Don’t be stupid. If you’re sick, go to the hospital. That’s what it’s there for.”“Yes.”Yejun held the hand that was still resting near his forehead. He lightly tugged it, pressed his cheek to the palm, and then quickly let go. It was obvious he stopped because he was worried about passing the illness on.“I’ll do that next time.”“…”“Don’t be mad.”Watching him, Sihoo sighed, as if he had no choice. Despite his large frame, Yejun looked pitiful acting this way. Thinking he seemed particularly childlike today, Sihoo reached out and gently touched his cheek. Yejun’s trembling breath, accompanied by a faint “haah,” tickled his ear.“As long as you know you were wrong.”After those words, Sihoo left the room. He hadn’t walked far when the electric kettle caught his eye.The tasks that followed weren’t difficult. He boiled some green tea he had brought, then ordered porridge for delivery. While waiting for it, he laid out the medicine on the table. Behind him came a dry cough.“…”It was annoying. Sihoo frowned slightly and glanced toward the open door. Yejun was holding a hand tightly over his mouth, clearly struggling to suppress a cough.The emotions he had been holding back deepened. Perhaps that’s why, without realizing it, Sihoo broke the silence.“Do you want to come to my place?”He opened the door and approached Yejun, who was lying down. As he bent over, Yejun opened his eyes wide and met his gaze.“Eat some porridge, and then you can move around. …Leaving someone sick alone feels wrong.”At the word “someone,” Yejun frowned. Shaking his head, he sat up, his thick brown hair swaying slightly.“I’m fine.”Yejun smiled faintly as he said that. The sight of him smiling with flushed cheeks from the fever annoyed Sihoo. He furrowed his brow as if to ask what part of this situation was “fine.”“If it gets worse, I’ll call Hyung. Not you, though. My real Hyung.”“…”“The one I mentioned before. The one who took pictures for me.”He didn’t need any information about the older brother Yejun had never even met. What bothered him more was the polite yet firm tone of refusal.In truth, this was the first time Sihoo had ever invited someone to his home simply because they were sick. The fact that Yejun dismissed the offer without hesitation made Sihoo boil inside, even surprising himself with how much he cared.Sihoo furrowed his brows, his gaze fixed ahead with growing dissatisfaction. His reprimanding look caused Yejun to mumble an apology and lower his eyes. And yet, for some reason, his eyelashes seemed unusually pretty at that moment.“So much effort.”Why do I have to care so much about this guy? A mix of irritation and frustration swelled inside him like a balloon. For a fleeting moment, he considered ending things altogether.Then he wouldn’t have to worry anymore.He wouldn’t have to spare even a glance at this whining brat who only got attention when he was sick.The negative emotions grew so large that they were about to burst. Just as they were reaching a breaking point, Yejun stretched out his hands toward Sihoo. His large, firm hands grabbed Sihoo’s wrists and pulled him close. Before he knew it, their bodies were almost touching.Thud.At the light sound, Sihoo’s eyes wavered. Yejun leaned his forehead against Sihoo’s stomach, his breathing erratic. Though Yejun’s hands had already let go, the spot where he had touched still burned hot.“I’m sorry.”“…”“Just for a moment… let me lean on you.”Watching Yejun lean against him, the tension that had been coiled inside Sihoo instantly dissipated. Wearing an expression of resignation, Sihoo gently patted Yejun’s head. His hand rested on the back of Yejun’s hair, softly tapping it, though an unfamiliar emotion tugged at his chest.“Tsk.”Sihoo’s sharp eyes narrowed. Unable to pinpoint the name of the feeling stirring within him, he continued to stroke Yejun.Thud, thud.His casual pats carried an odd tenderness.⟡ ݁₊ .“Ugh, damn it…”It was only later that Sihoo realized what kind of fever Yejun had been suffering from. He should have taken him to the emergency room instead of feeding him porridge and medicine. Mistaking it for a simple cold had been a grave error in judgment.“Haah… ha, Hyung.”“Take it slow… fuck, ugh.”“Hyung, Sihoo Hyung…”Yejun hadn’t caught a cold. It was merely one of the early signals his body sent before a different symptom emerged—a warning neither Yejun nor Sihoo had recognized in time.Days before the incident, Sihoo’s face had been calm and composed. Far removed from the disheveled state he would soon find himself in, with bite marks and bodily fluids covering him, he had been peacefully enjoying Yejun’s piano performance, even wearing a faint smile on his lips, oblivious to what was about to unfold.