Chapter 96

If I can't debut, I'll get a deadly disease - Chapter 096

With a blurry vision, I saw a familiar face.

"...Sejin?"

"You seem to have a high fever."

I couldn't be sure, but Sejin probably had a shocked expression.

I cleared my throat a few times and replied.

"...Yeah, yeah. I took some medicine."

"You shouldn't just take medicine... Hey, you should go to the hospital. Should I call the company for you?"

"...It's not a serious illness... It's fine. It's just a cold."

Sejin clicked his tongue.

"Why suffer when you can get better quickly? Just get an IV and come back. Get some strong prescription medicine too."

"..."

It was a hassle, but honestly, it was tempting.

'The company would probably cover it.'

After all, it's a large corporation, so they should handle this as a work-related injury.

Then I realized the current situation.

"Ah... The manager is off today."

"You can call a taxi. Just get dressed."

"..."

I hadn't considered the taxi option.

I watched Sejin finish the phone call and finally managed to ask a rational question.

"Why are you here?"

"I came by the company to pick something up. I live nearby, you know."

To pick something up at the company?

"What are you picking up?"

"Is that important right now? Forget it and change your clothes. The taxi will be here soon."

"..."

I slowly got up, took off my sweat-soaked T-shirt, and put on a hoodie. I wasn't really hot.

"Can you help me?"

"Got it."

This should do. If I just cover my face with a mask...

"Here, put it on."

"..."

He's so perceptive. I put the mask on and admitted it.

"Thanks."

"Got it. Be nice to me."

Sejin shook his head and checked his smartphone.

"Ah, the taxi is nearby. Let's go down."

"Yeah. Should I go to the main gate?"

"I called it there. Follow me."

"..."

It seemed he wasn't just seeing me off but coming with me.

"I'll just go by myself quickly."

"What if you faint on the way? Imagine the headlines."

"..."

I admit defeat.

"Let's go."

"Okay."

I followed Sejin in silence and got into the taxi.

With a hazy mind, I tried to suppress my nausea, and before long, we arrived at the hospital.

* * *

"Feeling better?"

"Yeah."

I readily agreed. I don't know what's in the IV, but after receiving two different colored packs, I felt much better.

'Just a tolerable cold.'

It was great that it was a large hospital and that the visit ended quietly, as many celebrities visit due to its location.

"Go eat and take your medicine. Wow, I don't have a friend like you."

"Thanks."

"Least I can do."

Sejin shrugged and opened the door to the dorm.

Then a pile of boxes appeared before my eyes.

"!"

These weren't just delivery boxes. These were different-sized boxes wrapped in ivory paper with dark green ribbons...

"Ah, they've already been delivered."

"..."

I quietly asked the calm Sejin.

"Is it your birthday?"

"Huh? Oh, you must have seen it on the search~"

Sejin grinned.

"Yeah. My birthday is the day after tomorrow, August 1st."

So the things he was supposed to pick up at the company were these gifts.

'I thought he was just making a fuss a week before his birthday.'

I didn't expect him to be so quiet about it.

If I hadn't remembered seeing it on social media a few days ago, I might have mistaken these gifts for debut support.

Anyway, the birthday boy was calm.

"Since my birthday falls during the vacation, I wanted to take a picture in advance. It feels better to see it on the day, right?"

"That's true, and... Happy birthday."

"Thanks~ Send me a touching birthday message and a gift card. I'm satisfied with chicken."

I chuckled.

"...I paid for the chicken today."

"! If you hear this, I can probably get two for the deal?"

"What?"

Sejin smirked and walked into the kitchen, lifting a pot.

"Is this rib stew?"

"...Rib?"

Where did that come from all of a sudden?

"I~ was worried about my friend being alone in the dorm~ so I brought it from my birthday feast, get it?"

"...!!"

"Isn't it... touching? Bringing ribs for a teammate during the vacation... K, tell people it's a heartwarming story when you go out."

"..."

"Speechless with gratitude? It's okay. It happens."

Sejin waved and headed back to the entrance.

"I'm heading back. Take care of your health during the vacation. Make sure to heat up the rib stew."

"...Can you take a picture of the gifts?"

"Haha, no need. What for? I already took one at the company."

Sejin left with the advice to go back to the hospital if I feel sick again.

"..."

'I've experienced all sorts of things.'

I haven't often been with someone when I'm sick, and it usually just adds to the hassle, so this was quite new.

'It's convenient to have someone help.'

...I should really send him chicken for his birthday. It's worth it for my vacation.

'Okay, then take the medicine and monitor again...'

Drrrr.

A message arrived on my smartphone.

[Seo Ah-hyeon: Are you enjoying your vacation, Moondae? I just finished my first counseling session. The client seems nice, so I'm really going to try hard this time. I wanted to thank you, so I'm messaging you... (more to see)]

"..."

This... hasn't changed. At least he didn't post it in the group chat.

I tapped to see more.

In summary, it was a thank you and a question if I had any plans to visit during the vacation.

'No.'

I replied that I was glad he had a good session but that I wasn't feeling well and was resting.

I threw my phone on the sofa, took my medicine, and came back to find five long messages and a lot of notifications in the group chat.

It turned out Sejin had already posted about today's events in the group chat.

[Cha Yoo-jin: Get well soon, bro! (crying emoji)]

[Ryu Cheong-woo: You must be tired from work. Let me know if it gets too much.]

[Kim Rae-bin: Grandpa gave me some ginseng. Should I bring it when I return to the dorm? (blurry water bottle photo)]

[Sejin: Me too (laughing emoji)]

...This kind of conversation had piled up.

"..."

At this point, it felt like these guys were in the next room.

'Still, it's nice of them.'

I could have complained about the unnecessary messages while resting.

Even Sejin sent me a message, though not in the group chat.

[Sejin A: Are you feeling better?]

I replied in the order they arrived.

First, I told Ah-hyeon that I was getting better and that I didn't think he was trying to invite me out, so not to worry. I also told Sejin that I was fine.

Finally, I posted the same in the group chat.

[Visited the hospital and feeling better. Everyone have a good vacation.]

The screen filled with okay emojis from those who saw it. ...The feedback was quick and positive, which was somewhat pleasant.

'Now, let's eat.'

I shrugged and heated up the rib stew and instant rice.

The rib stew was quite delicious.

* * *

As Park Moondae recovered and quietly finished his vacation, Testa's fans were enjoying the vacation updates posted on social media.

-Ah-hyeon lol started crocheting sponges, so cute... so cute...! (half-crocheted sponge photo)

-Today's Rae-bin: Had sweet corn with grandpa... I want to feed him until his belly is full of sweet corn.

-Does anyone know where Cheong-woo took the photo? It looks like a mountain. Did you climb a mountain in the summer, Cheong-woo...? During the vacation...?

Especially, Sejin posted a flood of photos and videos around his birthday, providing plenty of content.

The most popular was a short video of Testa lip-syncing to their Hi-five music show performance while doing everyday activities like drinking water or reading a book, passing through the living room. This video, where they randomly followed someone else's part, went viral and became a hot topic.

-Why do they seem closer here than in the reality show lol

-I didn't know Sejin could match the beat... especially to Cha Yoo-jin's rap part... lol

-It's heartwarming to see how close they've become... sniff... sniff... Testa, please extend... for 100 years...

As the final episode of the reality show trip aired, fans felt a bittersweet satisfaction with Testa's debut activities coming to a good end.

However, for one member's fans, it was too early to enjoy the aftertaste.

Specifically, the fans of Park Moondae, whose show 〈Let's Get Along〉 was about to air.

-Finally, the day has come.

-Moondae 😭 reality show 😭 overflowing content 😭

-I couldn't sleep last night because I was so nervous...

-The preview showed a story about an escaped murderer and ghost tales. Just thinking about Moondae pretending not to be scared and following the seniors closely is already cute and hilarious. I took a day off to watch it with a clear mind.

└lol how much anticipation...

Amid the fans' nervous anticipation, this week's 〈Let's Get Along〉 began.

The first scene... was a comedy sketch set in a cabin on a snowy mountain.

[The sudden blizzard was a shock, but it's fortunate we found a cabin.]

[Yes, I came in quickly after checking the weather.]

The problem was that neither of them had any acting talent.

It turned into a good comedy sketch.

The community comments on the live broadcast burst with laughter.

-LOL

-It looks like a business meeting, not a rescue situation, guys.

-Mysterious meeting room vibe

-Where did the cool leader go, and why did Jae-hyun pop up? If someone sees this, they'll think it's a seminar.

-Moondae, it's a winter setting. You were about to take off your jacket because you were hot, right? 😂

They shared hot Americanos and awkwardly ate instant heat packs from their backpacks, making people chuckle.

-Moondae just pretended not to see the chicken feet lunch box 😂

-It's supposed to be something he brought, but he's rummaging through his backpack like he's seeing it for the first time!

-Cha Yoo-jin, you only drink hot water even in the summer, so you're making hot Americanos in the summer... (speechless)

-It must be a bad lunch box. They both ate it in silence 😂

The awkward snowstorm CG on the window added to the absurdity.

[At that moment,]

[A loud noise echoed...?]

The addition of small subtitles made it even stranger.

[A deafening noise shook the cabin]

[Rescuer 1: Is it thunder? (calm)]

[Rescuer 2: I'll report it to the police. (calm)]

-We're trapped in the cabin due to a landslide, but we don't feel any tension. We have a PPL product that produces endless hot Americanos.

└LOL

-They're completely out of sync 😂

└They must think they're really into it...

The endless comedy sketch was interrupted when Cha Yoo-jin brought up a ghost story.