5 Chapter 4

Chaeyeon rapped her knuckles against Sakura's door. She waited for a total of 7 seconds–she counted–before it opened revealing a tired nevertheless beautiful looking Sakura. As always, Chaeyeon found her adorable but almost immediately, she noticed Sakura's pallidness.

"How are you feeling?" Chaeyeon asked as she stepped inside. Sakura crawled back to bed and let Chaeyeon close the door. She's sleepy but is trying very hard not to show it.

"Sick. But I'm not worried because you're here now," said Sakura. Chaeyeon draped the blanket over her. Sakura should've know that Chaeyeon would notice. She smiled gratefully at Chaeyeon after she was comfortably tucked in.

Chaeyeon then rummaged the paper bag she had brought. "Have you eaten something yet?" she asked.

Sakura shook her head slowly with little action. Her eyes drooping slightly.

Chaeyeon softly smiled and whispered, "Sleep. I'll wake you up when I'm done cooking."

Sakura blinked her eyes until her vision cleared. She felt a pressure on forehead. Bringing her hand up to her forehead with a newfound strength, she reached for the cold and wet towel. She then faced sideways. The kitchen was the only lit part of the room. A smile made its way on Sakura's face when she caught sight of Chaeyeon, wiping the counter diligently. She watched her moved around her kitchen for a minute until Chaeyeon glanced her way, catching her awake and observing. Chaeyeon's smile almost cured her.

"Hungry?" Chaeyeon asked.

Sakura hummed. "Yes." She sat up feeling much better than before. Maybe after eating, she'll be able to go back to full health. She stood up and sat on the stool facing the table top. Chaeyeon turned the stove on to heat up the broth she prepared. Then she served two bowls for them to eat.

"What is this?" Sakura asked, taking a huge sniff of its divine smell.

"Samgyetang, it is often cooked for people who are sick. It will give you an energy boost. There is a saying in Korea that by fighting the heat you must fight it with heat as well," said Chaeyeon before scooping a spoonful of it. "Now say ah~"

Sakura stared at the spoon in front of her mouth, caught off guard for a few seconds before opening her mouth to let Chaeyeon feed her. As always, Chaeyeon managed to surprise her with her cooking skills. "Delicious!" Then she began devouring hers.

After eating, Chaeyeon made sure Sakura took some medicines. She gave instructions about it, being thorough and serious.

"Don't worry, Jjaeyeon–ah. I want to get well."

"How did you even get sick?"

Sakura hummed in a pondering way while pouting and looking up. "I don't know. I was feeling okay then the next I was not. Maybe I just caught it from someone else, if that's possible."

"You should take care of yourself more. Try taking in some vitamins, I'll bring you some tomorrow." Chaeyeon began making notes in her phone.

"I think you should too."

When Chaeyeon glanced up from her phone, she was surprised to see Sakura glaring at her. She put her phone down and asked, "What do you mean? I'm taking car—"

"I heard from Chaewon who heard from Eunbi that you tend to overwork and exhaust yourself more than necessary." Sakura crossed her arms. Her voice low and serious.

"Well, I want to get better obviously."

"That doesn't mean you should kill yourself."

"I... you needn't to worry about me. I'm doing fine in terms of health." Chaeyeon stood up from her stool and began clearing up the table top. But Sakura grabbed her wrist to stop her.

"I'm worrying because I care about you. And of course, I worry and care because you're my best friend. Am I not in the position for that?" Sakura's voice came out tight and it pricked needles on Chaeyeon's heart.

She cursed internally. Best friends fight, it's not new. This is not the first time they fought either, but it never fails to make her feel like the biggest douche bag in the world.

Sakura turned around in anger and stomped towards her bed. At once, Chaeyeon wrapped her arms around Sakura's frame. Hugging her from behind, she buried her face on the crook of Sakura's neck.

"I'm sorry. Please, don't get mad you're still sick remember? And you're right, I definitely don't need to kill myself to get better. I will try to consider my well being more carefully. I'll even have Eunbi report to you personally, so please don't be mad at me."

The time continued to tick for a few seconds before Sakura finally turned around in Chaeyeon's arms. Her eyes were glistening and Chaeyeon bit her lip when she felt her own moisten. She hated seeing Sakura cry, no matter how cute she looks whenever her nose turned red and her pink lips trembled into a frown. She hugged Sakura again, tightly this time because of anger. To herself, for being numb and heedless.

She felt Sakura's arms wrapped around her shoulders and she couldn't control the urge to plant a soft kiss on Sakura's neck where she had buried her face. They stood like that for a few seconds until Sakura pulled back.

"Truce?" she asked, looking up to Chaeyeon with doe eyes.

"Truce."

Chaeyeon tucked Sakura in her bed again. She then cleaned the kitchen. When she was back beside Sakura, the woman was barely holding her eyes open. She placed a glass of water at the bedside table along with medicines. Then Chaeyeon knelt at the side of bed. "Sleep now, Saku-chan."

"Bbo-bbo..."

Chaeyeon smiled before kissing Sakura's forehead. "Get well."

*****

Sakura followed Chaeyeon's instruction about the medicines, waking up to the alarm set by her best friend and it was worth it after waking up feeling sick free. She checked the time on her phone and started preparing for the day. She smiled excitedly knowing she can now go back to cooking for Chaeyeon again.

When she got to the studio however, Chaeyeon was not there. Confused and very much disappointed she left. Her phone pinged before she could put it inside her lab locker.

Chaeyeon-chan: I don't know how to say this because it's embarrassing...I'm ill.

Sakura almost rushed out of the lab but then she realizes that she can't skip fot another day or else Chaewon would kill her. She sighed out of frustration.

Saku-chan: I'm sorry, Chaeyeon. It's my fault why you got sick. Expect me there later in the afternoon. I want to go now but Chaewon will send me to the depths of hell if I did. You have some medicines right? Please tell me you have. I will see you as soon as possible.

"Unnie, you looked troubled. Are you still sick?"

Sakura jumped in place. She was too worried to notice that Chaewon had arrived for their planning and ingredients gathering. She has to focus today, to pay for the class she had missed but how could she when Chaeyeon is sick out there and she's here?

"No—no...I'm not sick anymore."

"Then why did you look like you lost a pet or something?" Chaewon gazed at her in concern. Refusing to get ready until her unnie answers her question.

Sakura sat on one of the stools. "Jjaeyeon is sick and it's my fault." She pouted unconsciously. Chaewon began placing her belongings inside her locker.

"Why is it your fault? She would only get sick if you two did something that could transfer your sickness."

Sakura was unaware of Chaewon's growing smile as she continue to talk about yesterday, "We didn't do anything else except for a hug. I don't know. She did feed me, but she used my spoon."

Chaewon settled beside Sakura with a mischievous look. "Say," she begin in a sly voice. "Did you two kiss?"

"Huh?! Wha–what do you mean?" Sakura faced her with her eyes widened in surprised.

"I mean what I mean."

"We–uh... I think I asked for a goodnight kiss," said Sakura. When Chaewon exclaimed with oh! She was quick to add, "In the forehead!"

Chaewon hummed teasingly. "Did you kiss kiss? You know, kuchibiru ni kuchibiru (lips to lips)." The smile she was trying to hold, came out when a pinkish tint spread across Sakura's face.

"What?! N—no! We...we didn't do something like that! How could we?!" Sakura covered her cheeks using the sleeve of her double-breasted jacket. She shivered as she remember the kiss that Chaeyeon planted on her neck.

"You didn't? Oh, perhaps you two made out? Ah I see, not just a kiss, I get y–"

"No!" Sakura sprang up from the stool with her face matching the color of the tomato in the open fridge. Even her neck and ears were flushed, Chaewon observed with a proud smile. But she was not done.

Sakura racked her brain for today's class concept while trying to chase away the images that Chaewon spurred. Chaeyeon cupped her cheeks tenderly as she lean in and press her soft, warm lips against Sakura. Sakura shook her head vigorously, dizzying herself for a moment. She pressed her cool hands to her heated face. Stop Sakura! You cannot have thoughts like that about your BEST FRIEND! Eottoke...She glared at the back of Chaewon's head.

"What is the concept for today?" She stood beside Chaewon. She noticed the small smirk of hers this time.

"Italian." Chaewon answered simply, without a tease. But inside, she was preparing for the line.

Sakura hummed in acknowledgement before taking a basket to collect some ingredients. She took some flour, olive oil, and tomatoes.

"Sakura-unnie?"

The woman only hummed in response again.

"Did you two have sex?" Chaewon managed to catch the basket before it fell to the ground.

"Yah! Chaewon-ah!" By now, Sakura can be paired with the tomatoes inside the basket.

"You're red as these tomatoes unnie, want to join them?" Chaewon laughed out loud when Sakura punched her arm.

Sakura harshly took the basket from her. "How could you say such thing, you're too young to be saying that!"

"I'm eighteen years old, unnie. Perfectly legal. Plus, were only two years apart." Chaewon begin gathering ingredients she thought they might need later.

"Jeez... Let's be serious, starting right now. Okay?" Sakura faced her solemnly.

Chaewon flashed her a bright smile. "Okay, unnie."

A few seconds later. "So, was that a yes?"

"Chaewon..." Sakura's voice was deadly. It seems like Chaewon is the who'll be sent to the depths of hell.

*****

Sakura opened her locker in the hallway with rush. She had to get to Chaeyeon's dorm soon. She doesn't need to make a trip to the drugstore since Chaeyeon texted her that she got the medicines covered. As she yanked her locker open, an envelop fell to the ground. She stared at it with confusion, checked the empty hallway, then picked it up. She flipped and examined the pink envelop. She placed her filler notebook inside the locker before opening the said envelop.

She examined the contents. "A love letter," she whispered. Then, she noticed. "From a woman?" The handwriting was neat and cutesy with scribbles of kawaii characters and hearts.

Sakura had receive love letters before. A lot actually. But it's the first time it came from a woman, so she was surprised and was more surprised that she felt flattered. That was very brave of her, others would've felt disgusted.

She kept it inside her bag and decided to ask her best friend for an advice.

*

"You don't look sick," said Sakura as she follow Chaeyeon inside.

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"No, I meant it. Are you sure you're sick?" With a voice she uses for aegyo she said, "Hmm, maybe you just needed an excuse to see me again?" Sakura smiled cheekily.

Chaeyeon took her backpack and placed it gently on the third stool of the table top. She then walked back to Sakura who was in the process of removing her shoes. She waited until Sakura is wearing the shark plush slippers before taking her hand. Sakura stared at her curiously as she brought it to her neck. She fought the urge to flinch when Sakura's cold hand made contact with her hot skin.

"Oh damn. Sit down, lady." Sakura gestured for Chaeyeon to sit down on her bed. She did without hesitance, trusting herself to Sakura. But she didn't expect for Sakura to lean down. Her breath hitched as Sakura's face got closer to her. She flinched with her eyes closed when Sakura's forehead bumped into hers. Her heart pounded against her chest and when she opened her eyes, Sakura's doe eyes stared back at her. They're really brown, it seemed to be sucking her in. Her eyelashes are long. Pretty like a doll's eye. Lost in their intensity, Chaeyeon blinked in confusion when Sakura pulled back as if burned.

"You're hot," said Sakura.

"Tha—thanks."

"I mean, you're burning with fever." The corner of Sakura's mouth twitched.

All of a sudden, Chaeyeon can feel how hot her face is. "Of course. I'm thanking you for uh... noticing—checking on me."

"Well, at least you're not pallid like me when I was sick. Actually, you looked flushed. Are you okay? Dizzy?"

"No. I'm. Fine," said Chaeyeon and gave Sakura a serious look.

Their eyes locked. It felt a like a minute but it was only a few seconds, until Sakura broke it and headed to the kitchen. "Wait there, or sleep for a while. It's my turn to cook and take care of you. Be a good patient like I was."

"Hai..." Chaeyeon lied down on her bed to watch Sakura but it only took seconds before she snoozed.