Water Heart | P.Sh

E.7

Once the end of November in 1830 was starting to near its end the snow had raised to knee depth of the youngest of the kids in town. For those adults that was slightly taller than the average the snow was merely a small hindrance and annoyance for most. For Sunoo it was mainly an annoyance when Sunghoon didn't think to kick off the snow before entering the bakery through the back door.

"You know... the snow is getting worse," Sunoo discreetly remarked as Sunghoon watched him get a plate of food ready for Soomin. Placing a cup of hot tea on the table between him and Sunghoon.

"It is," Sunghoon hummed, watching closely as Sunoo poured up a bowl of soup to place on the plate along with two slices of bread. Sunoo always plated too much for even Sunghoon, and Soomin barely even got a bite of it anymore.

"Alright... then let me put it this way," Sunoo sighed and looked sternly up at Sunghoon, "I'd appreciate it if you don't go and drag snow onto my kitchen floor. Visit her all you want, I appreciate it as much as she does. But for goodness sake kick off as much snow as possible before entering, will you?"

"Alright," Sunghoon hummed mindlessly, clearly somewhere else mentally once he gave Sunoo a small nod, "can I go up with her food now?"

"Just go," Sunoo sighed and waved Sunghoon off before returning out to the front of the bakery.

Sunghoon nodded and pursed his lips, balancing the plate with the soup and bread up the stairs in one hand and the cup of hot tea in the other. He had to walk slowly down to the bedroom above the oven, but he really wanted to just speed up and hurry back down to Soomin, where he had left her.

"I bring lunch... and tea," Sunghoon cooed with a small smile as he wandered into the room, putting down the plate and cup of tea on the floor, rushing over to close the window he had let be open for the few minutes he was downstairs. He couldn't deny the doctor's recommendation of giving her fresh air, but it being so cold outside he rarely dared let it be open for longer.

"I'm not hungry," Soomin murmured and shook her head weakly while Sunghoon rushed back.

"Just a few bites today," Sunghoon assured with an encouraging smile and sat down on the edge of the mattress, just in reach for the food, "Sunoo gave you an extra piece of bread and even brewed a tea for you. And today we're going to try and keep it in you. Do you have energy to sit up today?"

Instead of getting a verbal answer, she shook her head slightly. Still breathing heavily from just having murmured three words to him. Sunghoon pursed his lips in dismay and picked up a slice of bread, starting to pick it into smaller pieces on the plate, after having moved the soup bowl down on the floor.

"Just a small piece of bread then?" Sunghoon whispered and held out a piece to her.

"Please, Sunghoon," she whimpered quietly and his eyebrows knit together once her eyes opened more than the two slim slits they had been for many of the past days. For a second his breath got caught in his throat once he remembered how beautiful and lively they once were, now they looked empty and abandoned.

"Please, what?" Sunghoon whispered and her eyes slowly slid close again, "do you need anything, Soomin?"

"You need to go," she whispered and slowly raised a hand from under the woollen blanket Sunghoon had provided her with. The hand going to rub her forehead as she sucked in another deep breath, "you'll get sick."

"No, I'm fine," Sunghoon assured with a small smile, "I want to make sure you get better."

A painful expression spread on Soomin's face as a chill ran through her body. Sunghoon quickly noticed the light shake of the mattress and looked down at Soomin, noticing the colour of her lips as the very first thing. They were pale and blue, not their usual rosy red.