Friday the 26th, Oct 2018.

Seokjin felt utmostly stupid.

He thought back to the night before, when he'd sipped from his cup later in the night, after Yoongi had had his share by mistake.

He'd seen the blond sniff for the greater part of the night, but he hadn't thought anything about it then.

Well, it was all that stayed in his head now.

Ah, and that cold shower an hour to midnight too, maybe?

He sniffed as he ate his breakfast.
He sniffed as he brushed his teeth.
He sniffed as he wore his clothes.
He didn't dare hop in the shower that morning too— to hell with water for now.

Seokjin remembered Namjoon's little brother, Eunho, and the present he meant to get him to mark his birthday. But right there he felt dangerously cold to think of forfeiting the bus and walking instead. So when the bus arrived at his stop, (after Seokjin had shivered in his layers of clothes for about 5 to 8 minutes), he jumped in as quick as his legs would let him waddle.

He could already feel how miserable his day was going to get from there.

He sort of was wrong, but right, all in one.

--

He arrived before his friends did, and as soon as he got to where they liked to sit, he let his head fall to the table in a determined resolve to take a short nap before things began. But no sooner had he closed his eyes that somebody tapped his cheek.

It was Namjoon.

Seokjin never ignored people, but he didn't care how much he did right there and then. Joon immediately guessed. His voice tuned a notch softer.

'Oh Jin... you're ill, aren't you?' Then he suddenly moved himself to the first chair in the row— far from where Seokjin was on the seventh. 'I don't want any of your germs, so we're gonna stay like this till whenever!'

Seokjin groaned. Then he suddenly raised his head and blew his nose into a piece of tissue that was clasped in the palm of his right hand.

Namjoon eyed him from his distance. 'I guess no shift at flour cloud today'.

Seokjin heard him.

'I'm going. No way I'm ditc— achoo!' He gave a deep snort and laid his head back on the table. 'Ugh...' he groaned. 'I hate everybody'.

Namjoon spoke as though he was addressing a vicarious audience. 'This happens rarely, but every time he's the same. It's always as though he were PMS-ing'.

'Arrgh shut up, Kim.'

'Idiot, you're a Kim too.'

Joon had a realisation.

'Oh wow we're all Kims. This is incredible. I've never really thought of this.' He paused. 'Or maybe I did, back when we were in seventh grade—'

'Dude shut up'. Seokjin raised his head. 'Please'. He lowered it again.

Namjoon began taking his notes out. 'I'll forgive and forget, since unlike Taehyung, he's actually polite'.

The mentioned walked into the theatre at that moment. Namjoon watched him climb up the stairs till he got to the row where they were sat, prepared to join them on it. He got ready to speak.

'Why did you steal my bread?'

Taehyung huffed and rolled his eyes for what seemed like the four hundredth and twenty seventh time that morning.

'Namjoon, for the love of God-'

'Don't bring God into your lies,' Namjoon puffed, sticking a finger up at his friend. 'He's pure and all, but you're not. He doesn't deserve getting dragged into your unholy premises, man'.

Taehyung ran his hand down his face in a languid facepalm motion. 'I swear I didn't know your bread existed until you decided to take my alarm's job and scream about it in my ear a few hours ago'.

'Liar! Explain the crumbs on your bed, then'.

'Joon, those were cookie crumbs. Cookie crumbs, I swear-'

'For the monalisa's sake. Shut up. Shut up. Shut up'.

That was Seokjin, and he was pissed.

Taehyung found his eyelids blinking on their own accord. 'What's up with him?'

'He's PMS-ing again.'

Taehyung sent Namjoon a look.

Joon sighed. 'Fine. Looks like Yoongi's given him a cold.' He threw his hands in the air. 'And now he's exerting all that negative energy on me because I'm closest to him, oh Lord.' He dramatically wiped an imaginary tear and reached for Taehyung's arm. 'I need some comforting, you—'

Taehyung withdrew his arm before Namjoon could touch him. He glided past him and the rest of the seats, and sat beside Seokjin.

'Buddy, are you hurt?

Seokjin sniffed. 'How come you both are fine? Yoongi sat with us all. Its weird being sick alone. I don't like it.'He tried grabbing Taehyung's arm. 'Be sick with me, Tae—ugh...'

Taehyung shoved his arm behind himself. Then he got up and speedily glided past the chairs again, back to his second friend. He sat beside him with a plop.

'Yeah, so we stay like this today Joon, alright?'

Namjoon had a smug look Tae wanted to smack off.

'Aye, Cappy'.

--

For the second class, Tae and Joon decided to scoot closer to their friend.

Seokjin had blown a temperature, and he was sleeping as though he'd been drugged— so soundly. Taehyung propped a textbook in front of his friend's napping head, so it would appear as though he was studiously reading it.

Namjoon sat on Seokjin's other side and continuously ran his palm up and down his back. He thought it was sad to see Seokjin sick. It just hurt the whole vibe of the day, in some way.

--

Seokjin slept through lunch, too. He didn't even acknowledge the warm bowl of soup Namjoon had got him as it sat there on the table beside his drowsy head. Taehyung thought the soup smelt too delicious to ignore.

'He probably can't even smell it', Taehyung provided, taking the bowl for himself. Namjoon gave him a harsh look.

'Its gonna get cold. I don't want to put your cash to waste'.

Joon rolled his eyes. 'He's got to eat something though. I'm going to wake him up and force him to drink the soup'.

Taehyung was spooning the soup into his mouth. 'What soup?'

Namjoon dug his hand into his friend's pocket and drew out his wallet. 'The soup you're going to buy for him'.

And so, Seokjin was made to drink the soup, with the threat to "not let him go for his shift" hanging over his head if he refused.

--

They weren't going to let him go for the shift either way.

'Please please please', Seokjin rubbed his palms against each other in a pleading motion, 'let me go to flour cloud. I've been literally waiting all week. Today's the only time I get to work a shift there.' He paused to blow his nose. 'I've been thinking of applying for another shift also— on Wednesdays, from 4 to 8 too. Then afterwards I can join ya'll at Hoseok's apartment to play your overwatch and stuff'. He sniffed. 'Please please please.' His voice snapped. 'Namjoon, stop pushing my head to the table, you idiot'.

It was thirty minutes past three in the afternoon. Seokjin's shift at his favourite bakery began at four; but he was sneezing and coughing all over the place, and so his friends wouldn't let him go to work.

Seokjin knew they were being sensible, and it hurt.

'Jin', Taehyung began softly, as though he were trying to teach a four year old how to play with sand, 'you're hard working, which is admirable. But you're also sick, which is disgusting'.

Joon piped in. 'You don't want to go dropping mucus into people's innocent cakes and shit, do you?'

Seokjin's eyes watered. 'No, I don't...'

'Exactly,' agreed Tae.

'So you will get on the bus now...'

'And go straight to your apartment...'

'And have a long ass nap'.

Taehyung shot his friend a glare.

Joon shrugged. 'He's 22, dude. Ass isn't that big of a deal anymore'.

Namjoon was once again, the cause for which Taehyung was rolling his eyes. 'Jin, just... go rest. Take some medicine. Have really warm food. Soon, you'll be up and doing again.' He watched Seokjin blow his nose for the thousandth time. 'Okay, Jin?'

Seokjin's eyes were puffy. 'Sure.' He had admitted defeat. 'Okay'.

'Good boy,' said Joon. He brought out a note from his pocket. 'Here. Have a thousand won'.

Seokjin raised his left brow in befazed amusement. He accepted the cash, only because Namjoon's smile looked far too stretched to be considered kind.

'Okay? Thank you?'

Joon smiled. 'You're welcome.'

--

Seokjin was laying in his bed, snuggled under his duvet and feeling all toasty. He had had some medicine, and another helping of healing soup. He wanted to shower gratitude all over his friends for taking him back to his apartment, making sure he did beneficial stuff and being angels (they had even helped him call in sick at the bakery), but he wasn't sure how well he could do that.

'Burgers', drawled Joon, his face hitting a matter-of-fact spot as he nodded.' Just burgers. And maybe a milkshake, every time I ask, for the next month'.

Seokjin laughed. 'Alright. As long as you pay me to buy them.'

Taehyung joined. 'You already gave me something I enjoy, really.'

'Oh really? What, our friendship?'

Taehyung was rolling his eyes again. 'No, silly. The pack of bonbons.'

Seokjin sucked his teeth really loudly. 'But of course.'

Taehyung gave his right arm a pat.
'I was just pulling your legs. I appreciate being friends with you'.

Seokjin gave a loud sniff. 'Even when I'm all disgusting and what not?'

'I get disgusting and what not, too. Remember the skateboard incident?'

Seokjin guffawed. 'Your mother burnt that thing till the ashes disappeared'.

'I have never been more terrified of her, no kidding'.

Namjoon was whipping his hair from side to side and flipping his hands through. 'I'm perfect. Disgusting is not in my vocabulary'.

Taehyung scoffed. 'Says he who ate bugs during gym'.

--

It was well into the late hours of the evening when Seokjin woke up. He yawned and gave his arms a good stretch above his head. He looked out the window. The sky was already printed with a few tiny dots scattered here and there, blinking far away.

He felt... stuffy. Yes, the weather around was cold and all, but having been bundled up in a thick duvet and taken a nap that lasted about five hours had given way to becoming extra warm-too toasty, even. He had a thin sheen of sweat all over, and it made him want to shower.

So he did.

Seokjin dressed himself in a simple shirt and comfy pants. He felt much better than he had before, but his nose was clogged and his throat slightly irritated. In his mouth lay his tongue, and it didn't feel as alive as it usually was. But overall, the way his body felt now drew a far line from how it had been that morning. Now, he felt like he just needed some air willowing around him, and not just from through the windows. He needed to go outside his apartment.

And he didn't understand why, but he also suddenly craved triangle kimbap. The one with the kimchi filling its middle.

He took out from his wardrobe one of his warm padded jackets, and slipped on a beanie. He slid his phone into the pocket of his pants-his wallet too.

Then he was out the door, securing it carefully after him.

There weren't a lot of people around on the streets, and every now and then, a car zoomed by Seokjin's peripheral. He wasn't really keeping track. Instead, he watched the few people who walked past him-the ones going home from work, the friends having a fun time together, and the ones probably just taking a walk, like he was.

His gaze stayed longer on a young girl walking her dog, closely followed by her mother. The retriever was keeping it's head up and taking little trots, as though it were looking forward to getting to where his owners were going, but was polite enough to keep their pace and not drag them forward in his excitement.

Seokjin thought he'd like a dog too. One of those big, fluffy haired ones; so it could welcome him happily whenever he got back from class and they could stay warm together on cold nights.

Also so it could scare Namjoon who was terrified of dogs; make him loose his mind for a few minutes while he agreed to do whatever Seokjin required of him. He believed Taehyung would be keen on the idea. He was always looking for ways to get back at Joon, and this seemed a pretty decent one. One silly act and he'd threaten to set the dog on him.

Seokjin bubbled a laugh. The lights of the convenience store twinkled in welcome.

'These three, please,' he said, as he dropped the packaged triangle pieces on the counter. He placed a little bottle of strawberry milk down too. 'This too'.

The sales person did his job, and after a hearty "thank you", Seokjin was walking out and into the open aired atmosphere again. But he didn't start his walk back home yet. There were about two or three chairs each around two separate tables. He chose the one closest to the walk path and sat, swiftly ripping one kimbap packet open just after. He was hungry.

'It's been a while, triangle shaped wrap of goodness.' He flipped it one side and back to the other. 'When was the last time I had one of you?' He couldn't bring himself to remember.

He continued to stare into the night, as he began to eat from the remainder packets and sip from the one little bottle. He sniffed involuntarily. The strawberry milk was a little too cool for his currently sore throat? He mentally scolded himself. He should have gotten some warm beverage instead.

'Should I-?' He stared down at the straw he was drinking from. Then he shook his head and sipped from it. He made the sniffing noise again. 'Better to finish it if it's already opened'.

He spent a few more minutes people watching. And then, something he had wanted to do resurfaced in his mind.

'Ah, Eunho!'

He got up and re-entered the store.

The shelves definitely felt his scrutinizing gaze.

'What to get him...?'

Seokjin felt his brain not working up to expectation. His brain must have felt offended, for it suddenly shot another thought to the fore of his mind. It made him pause in his tracks.

'What am I doing here?'

He scratched at his jaw. 'This kid is eleven. I should be at a comic shop or something, and not here.' He blinked as though to clear his eye focus. 'When I was eleven, I'd have given a death glare to anyone if they brought me a bunch of convenience store snacks that I could already afford and munched on with friends on a day-to-day basis.'

He made to leave the store. Then he stopped and brought out his wallet. He sighed really deep and gave a rapid row of gentle slaps on his right cheek.

'I haven't even got enough money in here.' He ran his left hand's fingers through his hair. 'Ugh, I swear its like I'm high on something'.

He was leaving when his eye caught the shelf with the spicy ramen packets.

--

His head was starting to feel a little woozy. He laughed.

'Whoa. What's in the air today?' His sense of smell (or rather for the time being, lack thereof) reminded him.

'Ah, its just my nose'.

He raised the nylon with the ramen inside up, so if his stomach had eyes, they'd be on the same range.

'I shall eat this, tomorrow... with some chicken.' His gaze lost focus, and then gained it back. 'Maybe I'd add some extra powdered pepper?' He laughed again. He suddenly thought about his father.

'He'd lose it if I had him try some, oh gosh.' He coughed. He sniffed too. He was closing the distance between him and his apartment with each step. The lights around him got dimmer, and more shadows came out of the night to dance about the streets in uninhibited frolic.

'Mom would love it. She's spicy like I am.' He recalled how totally "unspicy" his cousin was.

'Unlike Jisoo'.

He could see the apartment building now— a tall rectangular clump of bright boxes in view. As normal as he could, he entered the building and got into the elevator, his mind wishing for his bed quick.

He didn't feel the shadows that grew behind his back as he stood in front of his door, punching his code into the key pad.

The door swung inwards, and he pushed himself in.

A soft bolt of light threw a wave beneath his eyelids, right after a determined pad of cotton had clamped his nose.

~
Jisoo of Blackpink and Jin could pass as family, no kidding. Their facial resemblance slaps, is what I think at least