You let out a tired sigh as you sat on the swiveling study chair right beside the bed, where Chan lay still unconscious and heavily flushed from a high fever. A medium-sized plastic bowl sat on the bedside table, filled with ice-cold water and floating chunks of fresh ice.

Beside your feet, Berry, his adorable Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, sat on her fluffy butt, whining softly at the sight of her human looking so helpless.

You had only come over to check on Chan since he hadn't shown up to school for three days straight.

You had knocked on his apartment door quite a few times and were just about to turn around and leave when you heard the soft, muffled whining of a dog from the other side. It was Berry, scratching frantically at the door.

After calling Minho—one of Chan's close friends—to get the passcode, you finally entered the apartment and found Chan lying helplessly on his bed, his face flushed a deep red and his clothes completely disheveled.

Chan was the student council president at your school, currently in the twelfth grade and seventeen years old, just like you. He had been an incredibly responsible president for almost three years now, constantly re-elected for his calm, kind personality and his natural skills as a social butterfly.

Even in his current feverish state, he possessed a strikingly handsome face that perfectly balanced softness with sharp definition. Almond-shaped dark brown eyes rested beneath thick, well-groomed brows. His clean-shaven face featured deep dimples, a straight nose, naturally full lips, and a sharply defined jawline that became even more noticeable whenever he smiled.

His porcelain-smooth, exceptionally pale skin looked flawless, giving him an almost sculpted appearance, though right now he looked noticeably paler than usual. His jet-black hair, usually cut short in a neat side part and softly slicked back to keep his forehead open, was now a complete, messy tumble.

His physique was powerfully built rather than lean, boasting broad shoulders, a thick chest, muscular arms, defined biceps, and visible abdominal definition beneath his fitted clothing. His pale forearms looked toned and veiny, hinting at remarkable strength from disciplined training.

Despite his wolfishly handsome visuals and imposing build, his usual bright smile, dimples, and relaxed expression gave him the friendly, playful charm of a husky—gentle, approachable, and impossible not to like.

Usually, he is a bit of a flirt who is smooth with words. But right now, he just looked entirely pitiful.

Chan really wasn't the type of guy to bunk school for three days straight. Seeing him absent without any prior notice, your homeroom teacher had sent you over to check up on him.

Honestly? You weren't even close to Chan. He was a popular, incredibly busy guy, while you were just an average student.

Chan was Korean but born in Australia, which explained why he lived alone in this huge, luxurious, and spacious apartment. You had heard his parents back home were quite wealthy, so a place like this wasn't much of a surprise.

When you first entered, Berry had spent the first few minutes barking at you because you were a total stranger. Fair enough.

But after watching you spend the last hour carefully helping Chan into fresh clothes, settling him comfortably on the bed, and placing a damp, ice-cold towel over his forehead, she clearly sensed you were a friend and decided to camp out by your feet.

You glanced at the clock. It was almost 7:00 PM. So this was why Chan had disappeared? You couldn't really blame him, though. All the non-stop stress of running the student council had finally caught up to his body.

Well, it was a good thing it was a Friday evening, meaning you were in no immediate rush to head back home.

“Mmm...” Chan finally groaned, shifting slightly against the pillows as he slowly started to regain consciousness. “My head...”