Softener [OT23] (updating)

♡ 14 ♡

the next morning, sofia woke up with a bad cold. she had a terrible runny nose, a sore throat, and a high fever. kun was very much concerned about her, but he had an important project to complete at work, and he couldn't stay at home to take care of her. his boss didn't even give him any permission to take care of sofia, such big client they had that day.

kun knew that sofia needed someone to take care of her while he was away and he immediately thought of his best friend, taeyong, who was probably not to busy. for those who are wondering, both taeyong and kun had participated in a theater drama together as a team when they were young and they had become very close ever since.

kun called taeyong and asked him to look after sofia for the day. taeyong was very worried at first, didn't know what happened to sofia and when he heard that she had fallen ill and needed someone to take care of her, taeyong jumped at the opportunity.

taeyong himself had never been the type to shy away from a challenge, and taking care of sofia while she was sick was definitely going to be a challenge. he knew that it was going to be a lot of work, but he also knew that he couldn't pass up the chance to spend some time with her to show how much he cared about her.

when taeyong arrived at kun's house, he was greeted by kun who was relieved to see that someone was there to help. he explained to him that sofia had caught a bad cold and was unable to get out of bed. they had already called the doctor, but they needed someone to stay with sofia and make sure she was comfortable during her bedrest.

" thank you so much taeyong hyung, this mean a lot to me. " said kun before he gave his friend the house's key and left for the work. taeyong waved goodbye and made his way to sofia's bedroom.

as he walked in, he was hit with the overwhelming smell of cough syrup and vapor rub. sofia was lying in bed with her hair in disarray and a red nose from all the tissues she had been using.

" hello, there. " he said softly as he approached her bed, the girl was both surprised and happy to see her old mentor stopped by. " how are you feeling? " he smiled.

the girl looked up at him with tired eyes and gave him a weak smile, " not great, " she croaked out.

the man could see that she was not feeling well at all and felt a pang of sympathy in his chest. he knew that she must be feeling terrible, but he also knew that he was going to do everything in his power to make her feel better.

" do you need anything? " taeyong asked sofia if she needed anything, and she asked for some soup and a hot cup of tea.

he then went to the kitchen and started preparing some chicken soup seulgi made earlier this morning. while the soup was simmering, he made her some hot tea with honey, just the way she liked it. he then brought the food to sofia and sat down next to her.

sofia was feeling grateful for taeyong's presence. she knew that her brother trusted him very much and that he would take good care of her. they chatted for a while, keeping up with each other.

he must've been busy with trainings, sofia thought to herself before asking " how's your traning?

hearing that question from sofia, taeyong swore he was about to tear up. he had always dreamed of becoming an idol, it's a passion for both music and dance that made him worked tirelessly to perfect his skills. but it was very hard for him to tell her the truth, especially after he rejected the chance to debut with lucas and renjun because he wasn't sure if being a celebrity would suit his lifestyle.

as taeyong trained and worked hard towards his dream, he began to realize the harsh realities of the entertainment industry. he saw how many idols had to sacrifice their personal lives and privacy for their careers because they were constantly in the public eye, with little to no privacy.

feeling unworthy and discouraged, taeyong started to lose hope in his dream. he began to wonder if he was already happy by just being an ordinary citizen or if he just simply did not have what it takes to make it in the industry.

sofia who had always been supportive of taeyong's dream, even when she was still in her senior high, noticed that he looked down. she also noticed that something was wrong.

" actually, there's something i need to tell you. " he said.

it was at that moment taeyong started to feel conflicted, " i love singing and dancing, but i don't know if i was willing to give up my usual life for the spotlight, " he was torn between his passion for music and his desire for a normal life.

" and i don't think i can see you again after i debuted. " his eyes were looking down.

sofia weakly smiled as taeyong finished sharing his concerns, " oppa, i know it's not an easy decision to make, but let me tell you something, " taeyong leaned closer and listened patiently.

" being an idol is not just about the music or the fame, it's about making a difference in people's lives. it's about using your talent to inspire and bring happiness to others. who knows that once you'd debuted, you'll be my motivation to live my life every day. "

taeyong pondered on those words, and he realized that sofia was right. he once said that he wanted to make a difference in the world. and perhaps becoming a public figure was his way of doing that.

and with that, he decided that he would chase his dream of becoming an idol and use his talent to make a difference in the world. he knew that the journey ahead would be challenging, but he was ready to face it and when he debut, he wanted his fans to appreciate him not just for his music but also for the positive impact he could bring to their life.

sofia noticed how taeyong's eyes lifted and then gave him a small gift. " take this " the girl handed a small unicorn pin, making taeyong both flustered and confused.

" this is a symbol of my support for you and so you won't forget me when you're famous. " sofia joked.

" god, how can i forget about you? and this... unicorn. " taeyong laughed as a response and they both hugged lovingly. " enough with me, do you need anything else? " taeyong rushed to her side.

he brought her another warm blanket, refilled her cup of tea, and some of her favorite movies to watch together. " you still watch barbie? " he chuckled and the girl nodded. while watching the film, taeyong also helped her to take the medicine.

the man did everything he could to make her comfortable. he spoonfed the girl her favorite meals, read her disney stories, and held her hand whenever she needed him. he even sang to her, made silly faces to make her laugh and sofia felt so grateful for taeyong's affection and care.

on the other side, taeyong knew he was lucky to have sofia by her side. it had been nothing but pleasure to take care of her every need.

as the day went on, sofia started to feel better. her fever went down and her sore throat started to feel less painful. taeyong continued to check in on her throughout the day, making sure that she had everything she needed.

when kun returned home from work that evening, he found sofia feeling much better. she told him about how taeyong had taken such good care of her and kun was grateful to his friend for being there to take care of his loving sister. he had become a trusted friend of the family, and sofia was always happy to see him. starting from there, kun knew that he could always count on taeyong to take care of his sister whenever he couldn't be there.

as the sky turned darker, it became clear that taeyong would have to leave soon. " you don't have to do this " taeyong was worried about sofia walking him to the door.

" i'm just having a cold, i'm not limp. " the girl said before they hugged tightly.

just as he was about to leave, taeyong suddenly leaned down and gently kissed her forehead. sofia was taken aback at first, but then she felt a warm, fuzzy feeling spread throughout her body.

taeyong smiled and said, " what's with the look? i just wanted to give you a little something to remember me until we see each other again. " the girl smiled back, feeling touched by the older sweet gesture.

as he walked away, the girl stood at the door, watching him leave. she felt so lucky to have someone who cared about her so much and the kiss on her forehead had made her feel so special and loved.  " see you when i see you, mr.unicorn. "