[attr="class","mouths1"]A sigh escaped into the air; light, airy, and generally weak, to say the very least. Breaths, shallow. Body, weary. Vision impaired, head throbbing… Long story short? He could feel everything, and he could hear almost everything, alongside that. While he seemed to be hyper aware towards his surroundings to the point where it was almost excruciating within even the faintest amounts, his ability to react and cope accordingly, in general, had been drastically narrowed, if not laid to momentary rest for a fair while, by then, altogether. ...He was a strong man. Always was, always would be. Or...so he would’ve liked to keep thinking, at the very least. When most heard the name Tae Seung Kyon - be it in passing, the workplace, or otherwise - they would’ve likely connected the name to the words ‘erratic’, ‘hardworking’, or other qualities of the sort, if the given name had been recognized, to begin with. Either way, these same words would denote to strength; to perseverance. ...Because if there was one thing that he knew how to do above else, it was to push forward without a damn to give, and to play the part of his own trailblazer. He was his own destiny forger. He was his own boss.

Nothing could get him down. Ever.

It was something that was true. Something that was always true, no matter what he or anyone did, said, or thought. ...Yet right there and then, within those few, particular moments within that afternoon, he had been more than aware that that day had been unlike any other. For one reason or another, he was failing. His mind was failing. His body was failing. He was failing, and even if he could still muster the strength and effort to shove a tired version of that signature grin of his out while greeting and conversing with the people he knew, that fact still remained true, and it was something that he hated. It was why he found himself taking a breather at home, that afternoon. For the past several days, he had been taking his life into his own hands as usual; heading to work, chatting others up, and that whole shebang. Same old, same old; nothing too special. As time went on, though, he could feel the change. Something was wrong. Something was ailing him. Whatever it was, it took enough of a toll on him to actually consider leaving work early for the day, despite the overall position that he held within his own company.

At that moment, he had been in the kitchen of his home; leaning upon the opposing counter to the stove with his elbows secured upon it, and his face held softly within the palm of one, while the remaining held the back of its form against his neck within his own, best attempts to assess his temperature. By the aromas of searing and sizzling meats and the like, one would never guess that anything was wrong until they caught a direct glance upon his form, and - eventually - the manner in which he gradually leaned his head further into his hands with a subtle, tired groan within foreign tongues. What even is this…? he thought to himself; azure voids holding a lackluster alteration of their normal glow - if even hosting their normal, natural energies, to begin with - while they focused within a narrowed glare upon the counter before him. He inhaled deeply before shutting his eyes, altogether. ”Medicine’s not even helping…” he murmured in continuation of the thought, though not without clearing his throat and stifling a not so subtle cough. ”It’s been way too long, too…”

For the most part, he stayed that way for what he felt to have been no more than a few minutes, though - in reality - it had been a few minutes shy of ten; nothing too devastating to whatever was on the pan, though something to cause a faint char upon its heated side by the time he gathered enough willpower to turn around and flip it. Soon after doing so, he turned his attention towards a kettle sitting upon a neighboring rack; gazing upon it with a tired and almost dazed eye for several seconds too long before sighing and reaching out with a rag for safety in order to lift it up as it whistled. With the chamomile already seeped within the bag partway through the heating, he took care to pick through his cabinets for a cup before pouring it in, and - soon afterwards - slipped a couple spoonfuls of honey in with that he noticed to be an oddly and uncharacteristically wavering and shaky grasp.

It was different.
...It was unsettling.

Nevertheless, he continued on with prepping the basics of whatever remedies he could forge, though by the time that he had been able to take a couple of sips of the tea, he lifted his gaze a faint bit at the sound of the bell. Even with the sound registered within his mind, however, it seemed to take a couple of moments for him to properly realize what was happening. His brows furrowed weakly as he tilted his head. ...Everyone’s at work right now. Or...whatever… With a tired, yet curious mind, he eyed his cup for a small while in debate of whether or not to bring it with him with his faltering grasp taken into account, though pushed whatever qualms he had aside while ultimately opting to bring it with him on his way down the hallway. A slow, grumbling sigh left his lips as he lifted the ceramic to take another sip, which was followed by a second one in steeling and preparation as he lowered it. Whatever… Pull yourself together, big boy~. Can’t go hacking in someone’s face right now…

With that final thought, he gave a final, softer huff before reaching out with an unoccupied hand; flicking the lock to unfasten, and turning the knob of the door prior to pulling inwards for sake of opening it. The woman he saw before him - even if it took a couple of moments to properly recognize her within his daze - surprised him, given her schedule. ”Eh…? Vi~...?” Compared to earlier when he called, the drop in tone, as well as the raspiness that he had been trying to suppress, would’ve been much more apparent, though he did his best to pay it no mind, as well as to give it no point of concern as he gave her an amused smile, despite his condition- bother external, and internal. His lip quirked as he eyed her, then eyed the bag that she brought with her. ”What’re you doing here…? Shouldn’t you be at work?”