Suhee Catches a Cold
Cough. Cough.
How many days had it been since she'd gone out with Heeju? At first Suhee had figured it was just her body protesting the messy, punishing sex. Two men had worked her over until morning, after all. Aches had bloomed everywhere, so she'd taken a few days to rest—and today, the coughing started.
"Must be a cold..."
They'd been saying the strain going around lately was especially vicious, and a flicker of worry did cross her mind. When you lived alone, getting sick was the most wretched, exhausting thing in the world.
Of course, if she so much as mentioned it to any of the men who were interested in her, they'd come running to take care of her. But she didn't feel like it. Perhaps because those relationships ran so heavily on the physical, she couldn't quite bring herself to lean on any of them.
Cough.
Once the coughing started, her throat burned. And yet, even through that, there was someone who came to mind.
Jeongun. The owner of the cafe.
Maybe because he seemed somehow different from the other men. She found herself caring a little more than she expected.
Nothing to lose, she figured. Suhee threw on whatever clothes were at hand and tugged a hat down over her head. She left the house without a scrap of makeup, a mask pulled over her face. It was miserable, but she could still manage a cup of coffee.
The little bell on the glass door of Jeongun's Cafe chimed. Old-fashioned, but Suhee had always thought the sound suited him, somehow. She stepped inside with her head bowed low.
"Welco—me?"
Jeongun tilted his head slightly at the sight of her. Suhee in a hat pulled down over her face—that was a first. She was always so chic, so neatly put together. And now there was the black mask, too. Her face was so small that barely more than her eyes showed above it, and though he didn't let it show, even those eyes alone were enough to guess at her beauty.
"Cough, cough. An Americano... a hot one, please."
"Have you caught a cold?"
"Seems like it..."
Jeongun studied her glum, muted answer for a moment, then gave a small shake of his head. So that was why she hadn't shown up for a few days...
Getting too involved in a relationship like theirs wasn't wise—but Suhee was different. It was her looks, yes, but honestly, the sex was an incredible match too.
"Hmm."
He nodded to himself and started making her coffee.
"Should you be drinking coffee, though? You won't be able to sleep."
"Oh, it's fine. I just wanted something warm..."
"Tea would be better..."
"Even so."
Beneath the mask, Suhee smiled at the offhand concern in his voice.
"Cough. I heard yuja tea is supposed to be good for this, but it's not even on the menu."
"Well..."
She took the cup he held out and swayed a little on her feet.
"Careful."
"Cough. I'll just head home today."
"Alright. Get some rest. Take some medicine."
Back home, Suhee peeled off what she'd been wearing, tossed it aside, and perched on the edge of the bed to sip her coffee. The heat of it did seem to ease her throat a little.
"Haa..."
She could feel the hot liquid tracing a path from her mouth all the way down into her stomach.
"Ah, right. I should've at least picked up some medicine."
The thought arrived late—she hadn't needed a hospital, but a pharmacy stop wouldn't have killed her. Still, she waved it off. A good long sleep and she'd be fine. The heat of the drink was already making her drowsy. Her nose was stuffed, but if she just slept like this...
That was as far as the thought got. Suhee set the cup aside and collapsed onto the bed.
"Ah..."
She didn't know how long she'd been out. Buried in the mattress, Suhee opened her eyes.
"Hhk."
She'd thought she was alright when she lay down. Now her whole body ached. A fever was coming on, too—her skin burned, and every breath came short.
"I'm dying... I really should've bought medicine."
Regret was useless now. She was in no condition to move at all. Fingertips that could barely twitch reached out, and she managed to close her hand around her phone.
Jeongun's phone buzzed. He picked it up.
"Mm."
A message from Suhee. They'd exchanged numbers, but neither of them had ever reached out privately. She'd always just come to the cafe.
He read the message, gave a small shake of his head, and let out a quiet sigh. So that was why she'd looked so rough. She hadn't gone to a hospital or a pharmacy, either.
He lifted his gaze and scanned the shop. No customers today, as it happened. Business hadn't been great, but he decided to count himself lucky. A short huff of a laugh, and he started closing up earlier than usual.
A knock. Then the doorbell.
Suhee had drifted off again after sending the message. The sounds pulled her eyes open. The bed was soaked through with sweat. The clothes she still had on were plastered to her with cold sweat, too.
"Nngh..."
She dragged herself upright and staggered toward the front door, covering her mouth with her sleeve as another fit of coughing tore through her. She barely made it.
The lock clicked.
"What are you doing, opening the door without even asking who it is?"
"...Haa... There's no one else who'd come."
"You still need to be careful."
Jeongun took in the wreck of her. Her face was a mess compared to usual—undone, barely any makeup. Not that it made her look bad. If anything, there was a different kind of appeal to it.
Forget it.
He couldn't entertain thoughts like that about someone who was sick. He watched her stagger back and collapse onto the bed, then toed off his shoes and stepped inside.
He hadn't expected to end up in Suhee's apartment this suddenly, but he didn't gawk. The room was neatly kept, and her scent filled it.
He set the medicine he'd bought and the yuja tea he'd brought on the table, filled the kettle, and pressed the switch.
"You should've gone to the hospital earlier."
"Haa... I couldn't be bothered..."
He clicked his tongue, but there was no real scolding in it. While he waited for the water to boil, he glanced over at Suhee sprawled across the bed. Cold sweat had soaked through her clothes, and the sheets were a disaster.
"Change your clothes."
"...Help me."
He almost asked if she was sure, then let it go. They'd already had sex—what was strange about taking her clothes off?
"Where are your clothes?"
Suhee lifted one arm and pointed.
"Medicine first."
He followed the direction she'd indicated, then came back with the pills and a glass of water. He sat her up, tore the packet, tipped the tablets into her mouth, and held the glass to her lips.
She swallowed.
"It's not a prescription, but it should help a little."
"Huu..."
The moment the medicine went down she sagged backward; he caught her before she could fall, then headed the way she'd pointed.
This was a first—coming into a woman's room and rummaging through her things. He stood in front of the small dresser and the wardrobe and hesitated. To find something for her to change into he'd have to open everything, and that felt like a breach of courtesy...
"...What are you doing?"
Her cracked voice came from behind him.
"It's nothing. Just wait."
No choice. He pulled open a drawer and started looking. The first one was full of underwear—everything from the extremely filthy to the perfectly ordinary. Given the circumstances, he picked something plain. A comfortable-looking T-shirt and a pair of shorts, too.
He started back toward her, then paused, thought better of it, and went into the bathroom as well.
"You've got towels, right? Ah—here."
He pulled out two, and soaked one in hot water. If he was going to change her clothes, he might as well wipe her down.
He wrung out the hot towel, grabbed the dry one, and headed back. He set the towels, the underwear, and the clothes beside the bed, then went to the kettle—which had finished boiling—and mixed a strong cup of yuja tea. The thought that he'd never imagined making a drink anywhere but the cafe pulled a faint smile out of him.
He carried the hot cup back, slipped an arm around her, and eased her upright.
"...You'll catch my cold."
"It's fine. I'm sturdy. Drink this."
Suhee took the yuja tea from him and drank. It was strong, and sweet.
"It's sweet."
"You're sick, and you took medicine, so you'll feel better. I'll wipe you down."
It was so different from the way he was when he took her—forceful, demanding—that something in Suhee's chest went slightly strange. She decided it was the fever and let herself go limp in his hands. They'd already seen each other naked. They'd done far more than this. This much shouldn't have mattered.
Jeongun swept her sweat-damp hair to one side and began undressing her, slowly. The clothes had glued themselves to her skin; peeling them off was not easy. Her limp, unhelpful body didn't make it any easier.
"Cough."
Still, he worked them off, piece by piece. Pale skin came into view almost at once, and the strap of her bra slid weakly down her shoulder.
He cleared his throat.
He'd thought he'd be fine. He was not fine. Something low in him stirred, threatening to answer. Honestly...
It was too much. The wet sheen of her skin. The defenseless way she sagged in his hands.
He couldn't bring himself to strip her completely. Instead he took the hot towel and began wiping her down.
"Haa..."
Fever-hazy, Suhee eased into the careful path of his hands. The clammy, unwashed feeling after all that sweat was fading, bit by bit. Whether it was the warm yuja tea and the medicine, or simply being looked after by him, something in her unclenched.
He left the fallen bra strap where it was, and the upper curve of her breast showed. He hadn't come here for sex today, and he tried not to look—but instinct was instinct. As he held her and wiped her down, thoroughly, patiently, the reaction below started in earnest.
"...Wipe here too. It feels gross."
A tired little complaint, almost coquettish. Too many things lived in that voice for Jeongun to refuse her. She was pointing at her back.
She turned, and the clasp of her bra came undone.
"Ah..."
The pressure vanished. Suhee breathed easier, drawing the air in deep. A back of unbroken white—faintly flushed, from the fever—and Jeongun's hand settled against it.