I froze. Sehun seemed to be sleeping so peacefully. Too peacefully. 

I almost felt relieved when he sneezed and turned over toward me. He opened one eye and grinned. "Check my temperature." 

I sighed in relief as I reached over for the thermometer. I stuck it in his mouth and waited patiently. "102.9 degrees..." I whispered. "I feel like this is entirely my fault." 

He grabbed my hand and squeezed it a little. "It's not," Sehun said. "I do get sick like this every now and then,” he mumbled. "Can you get my phone?" 

I nodded and left his room. His phone was charging in the living room, as usual.

I heard the rain outside and turned around, furrowing my brows as I stared at the cloudy sky. If only it didn't rain...Sehun would be fine. 

"Here’s your phone," I said as I sat down next to him. Sehun opened his eyes. I noticed how long his eyelashes were. How unfair.

"Password is 10080."

I unlocked the phone and nodded for him to continue. "Can you call my mom?" he asked. 

I hesitantly go through his contacts and search for the one that says "Mom." I smile at the display picture––it's a picture of Sehun and his mom, hugging. I sigh. It's been nearly a year or so, and I haven't seen my mother or grandparents in so long. Do I even remember what grandma's kimchi fried rice tastes like? 

"Hello? Sehun-ah?" The woman on the phone snaps me out of my thoughts. Sehun's asleep again and I'm on the phone with his mother. "A-Ah, hi, I'm Sehun's roommate," I said slowly. "My name is Dako––Minhee. Call me Minhee," I stuttered. 

"Minhee, what's wrong?" she asked. 

"Sehun has a 102-degree fever and he asked me to call you. I don't know what he wants. He's asleep next to me," I explained. 

"Aigoo, my poor baby is sick again. I suppose you're taking care of him?" she asked.

I nodded and say "yes."

"Sehun likes kimchi stew a lot. He always asks me to make it for him when he's sick, but I'm out of town right now and his father is overseas for work. Minhee, can you cook?" 

The question throws me off. Can I cook? I never tried.

"Minhee?"  

I nodded. "Y-Yes, I can cook," I said absentmindedly into the phone. I mentally smack the back of my head. Why'd I say that? I can burn toast. There's no way I can make kimchi stew for Sehun without giving him the stomach virus. 

"Ah, wonderful. In the Samsung Note app on Sehun's phone, there should be the recipe for kimchi stew. Take care of Sehun for me please, okay? I'll call back in a few hours. Thank you, Minhee.” 

"You're welcome..." I mumbled. The phone call beeps to show it has ended and I reluctantly flip through his apps. I open the Samsung Note app and find the recipe. 

It's like trying to read another language. I scratch my head and make a list of ingredients I need., then tap Sehun awake. "Ah?" he turns over and props his head up with his hand. I chuckle then frown when I touch his burning skin. "Go back to sleep. I just needed to tell you I'm going into the city for a bit. I'll be back within an hour, I promise." 

Sehun sits up and ruffles his hair. "For what?" 

"Don't ask …”

He holds his pinky out. "Back in an hour?" I lock fingers with him and nodded. 

I'm back in the dorm within forty minutes. I peek into Sehun's room and see him sleeping, and wait until I hear a cough or sneeze before leaving. 

Flustered, I mess around with the ingredients in the kitchen before ending up calling my mom for help.

"Mom? How much is one cup of kimchi?" 

"How long should I cook the rice?"

"What's better to use, beef or chicken?"

The questions went on and on. After twenty minutes of speaking, she finally asked me, "Who are you cooking for? Is it a boy?" 

I bit my lip and nodded silently.

"Dakota..."

I sighed. "Yes mom, it's for a boy."

My mother chuckled over the phone. "And do you like him?" 

I stood there in the kitchen as the water boiled away. "Dakota? You still there?" my mom asked after a few minutes of silence.

"Mom, I gotta go, the water's boiling,” I mumble. 

Do I like Sehun? I wish I knew the answer to that question too. 

He came out around six. "It's still raining," He said as he looked out the window. I stop stirring and look up. "Oh, you're awake," I said. 

He sits down on a chair by the counter. "What are you making?" 

I eye him. "Can't you tell?" 

Sehun shakes his head. "Not really...my nose is stuffed," I turn my attention back to the stove. What can clear a stuffed nose? Wasabi? Too bad there isn't any sushi to eat it with. 

Sehun groans in agony. "I wish I could smell...I love kimchi stew." 

I walk over to him and open up a tube of wasabi. I smear some on his lip and watch as he curiously licks it off. Sehun raises his eyebrow and tilts his head. "What was that?" 

I give the kimchi stew one more stir and turn the fire off. He watches me spoon some into my mouth. My face lights up. "Hey, this is pretty good!" Not bad, Dakota! Not bad for your first time cooking.

I smile and get Sehun a bowl. 

Sehun's pale cheeks turn red as his nose clears up. He runs to get water and I can’t help but giggle a little bit. 

I set the bowl down in front of him and watch nervously as he tastes it. His hoodie is over his head and halfway zippered. My eyes land on his chiseled chest and pale white skin. It makes me wonder, what if his bar code is somewhere else? 

I flush red and turn away at the thought of seeing his bare body.

"Hey...you're blushing again," Sehun points out. "Are you thinking about being kissed in the rain?" he teased. 

I stare out the window. Maybe I am thinking about being kissed in the rain. My mother's unanswered question comes back to me.

Do I like Sehun?