Chapter 13

*RIINNGG!!!*

The sound of his phone ringing jolted Wonwoo and Mingyu awake from their near kiss. They immediately turned away from each other, suddenly feeling the awkwardness of their intercepted kiss.

“Uh-” Wonwoo said distractedly.

“Your phone.” Mingyu reminded him awkwardly as he dropped his arms around the older. Wonwoo went to the counter and grabbed his phone. Seeing his mom’s name on the screen, he answered it.

“Umma?” He said. The other line was silent and Wonwoo was getting panicky when he only heard his mom’s heavy breathing.

“Mom! What’s happening? Are you alright? Do I need to call an ambulance?” He said worriedly. Mingyu must’ve heard him because he was suddenly in front of him with a concerned expression.

“I’m okay, son. At least physically, I-I am.” She said, her voice cracking. This is the first time Wonwoo heard his mother this way. By now, all he wanted to do was to go to her side.

“MOM! PLEASE TELL ME WHAT’S GOING ON, YOU’RE SCARING ME!” He shouted on the phone. He’s never been away from his family so he doesn’t know what to do right now.

“We’ve lost everything, Wonwoo.” His mom said.

“What? Was there a fire? Mom, are you alright? Call your insurance! I’m sure we could get insurance on most of our things!” he said, thinking of ways to legally help his mother.

“No, son, this is different. We’ve been kicked out by the landlord.” She said crying. “Where are we gonna live now? She said that in three days, our house would be demolished!” Wonwoo’s eyes are now glossed with tears daring to fall.

“What’s happening?” A voice behind them asked. The two looked behind them and saw Jeonghan and Seungcheol taking their shoes off. Wonwoo returned his attention to his mother while Mingyu went to the other two to explain what was happening.

“What are you talking about, mom? We have a contract with the owner! They can’t just kick you out!” Wonwoo shouted in frustration. “Have you contacted any lawyer? We have to take action!” He said.

“We need to find a place to live in first, son.” His father must’ve taken the phone from his mother. “Your mom is losing her mind. We’ve just sold our land in Changwon and we don’t have anywhere else to go to. Your hyung and noona are on their way from work and we’ll start looking for a place to go.” He said.

“Can you wait for me? I’m going home too!” He shouted.

“NO, JEON WONWOO! YOU WILL DO NO SUCH THING!” his father said in a raised voice.

“But, appa!” He whined, wanting to go to his family. He heard rumbling on the other line and her mom spoke next.

“We just called you to inform you, baby.” His mom said. “We don’t want you to be blind sided, son, so we told you. Now, more than ever, you need to concentrate on your studies, okay? At least I can sleep knowing that my maknae is doing good.” She said. “Will you do that for me, our maknae?” She asked him.

“Yes mom, I will!” He answered right away, wanting to help in anyway he can. “Can I really not go there, umma?” He insisted.

“Umma’s sorry for being like this, son. We’re just a distraction from your studies.” His mom said dejectedly.

“Umma!” Wonwoo said helplessly, unable to do anything but grip on his phone even harder. Mingyu wrapped his arm around the older’s shoulder, not sure what to do in this situation. Jeonghan and Seungcheol was heartbroken to see their doengsaeng so helpless.

“You just have to do well, okay? We’ll let you know when we move in, okay? Say hi to your hyung over there for me, okay?” She said, using her usual mom voice. Wonwoo didn’t know what to do. He knew how hard it was for them to find a house in Seoul. They almost cancelled moving here, but they insisted to because of Wonwoo. He suddenly felt guilty for making his parents leave their humble, but stable home for the one they rent here.

“Okay. Please call me as soon as hyung and noona comes okay? Let me know if anything happens!” He said. His mom said that she will and to take care of his health instead. They hung up after that.

“Wonwoo, what happened?” Jeonghan asked him, going to his side. Mingyu backed off a bit, but Wonwoo grabbed the hem of his shirt.

“The owner of the house we’re renting in is gonna have it demolished in three days. We’ve only been given time to move out before they do.” Wonwoo said lifelessly. Jeonghan was shocked at what happened. How could this happen? If they are under a contract like he heard from Wonwoo earlier, then the owners are bound by law to keep his end of the deal until the time the contract ends.

“What can we do to help, Woo-ya?” He asked the sobbing boy in front of him.

“I don’t even know how to help them myself, hyung.” Wonwoo said so helplessly, Jeonghan didn’t know if he said to Wonwoo himself.

***

Days have passed and Wonwoo’s family’s problem is still unresolved. Jisoo’s week has already passed as well; he called in to say he’d be delayed for another week. Their move was taking more preparation needed so he had to say behind longer.

Wonwoo’s family decided to temporarily live in a motel while they had their belongings in a storage area for rent. Jeonghan’s heart ached for his doengsaeng and his family but didn’t know what to do.

Wonwoo has been burying himself with so much schoolwork that even his partner Lee Seokmin had to take a break. He’s been so concentrated on his studies and Jeonghan would still see the younger’s room lit when he woke up in the middle of the night.

It was unhealthy and it was killing Wonwoo.

Mingyu has been in their apartment everyday. Cooking every dinner to force Wonwoo to at least eat something. Jeonghan watched in pain as the younger take a bite of the food and throw up minutes later. The stress is getting so much worse and Jeonghan can’t take any more.

“Jeon Wonwoo, stand up!” he shouted as he entered the younger’s room one afternoon. Wonwoo was sitting by his desk, his head down.

“Woo-yah! We’re going to your parents!” He said. The younger still didn’t move so Jeonghan went to him. He nudged him by the shoulder but had to response at all. Jeonghan lifted Wonwoo’s head to see him unconscious. Panicking instantly, he slapped the younger repeatedly to wake him up.

“Woo-ya wake up! Jeon Wonwoo!” He shouted as he shook the younger awake. He still had no response so he called Mingyu.

“Kim Mingyu I’m on my way to the hospital, Wonwoo’s unconscious and I dunno what to do!” He said before hanging up.

Jeonghan lifted Wonwoo and went under him. He brought the younger on his back and he went out of the room. Thanking the heavens to see his car keys on the table by the door, he took it and went out of his apartment. He ran as fast as he could to from to the elevator to the parking lot.

He found his Ferrari and opened its door to seat Wonwoo. He fixed the younger’s seat belt with shaking fingers before going to the driver’s seat. Jeonghan has never experienced this kind of thing so he only do that he thought would save Wonwoo’s life. He didn’t know he had it in himself, but he certainly used his car’s fast engine to drive to the hospital.

He parked his car in front of the emergency room, not caring about parking space anymore. He took the keys and placed Wonwoo on his back again, running to the nurse’s corner.

“Nurse! Doctor! Anybody, please help my brother!” He said, pleading. A nurse emerged and looked at him with bored eyes.

“Miss, please help my brother. He’s been unconscious and I don’t know for how long!” he said, panic clear on his voice.

“I’m sorry, please wait in line, the doctor would be here shortly.” The nursed droned on, as if the unconscious Wonwoo in front of her didn’t faze her. Jeonghan looked at the emergency room and saw that it was empty. Except for a couple of patients sleeping peacefully, the hospital’s emergency room seemed rather calm.

“Miss, I understand that the doctors may be busy, but is there really none that could check on my brother?” He asked, feeling exhausted and week himself. The lazy nurse just stared at him with her bored, half-asleep eyes.

“If you understand it then wait for them to arrive.” She said before turning her attention on the computer. Jeonghan saw on the reflection in the mirror behind the nurse that she was on her facebook page! He have never been so frustrated and angry before! How could a nurse check her facebook page when a patient is badly needing attention?! He looked to the list of doctors proudly written on a glass panel mounted on the wall. He saw that the Chairperson of the Board is his aunt; Gong Sunhwi.

Struggling to fish out his phone out of his pocket, he brought it out and dialed his aunt’s number.

“Jeonghanie! What a lovely surprise! How are you?” His aunt answered after a couple of rings.

“Auntie, I’m at your hospital’s emergency room.” He said, panting. He’s knees are beginning to shake but he willed himself to carry on. Wonwoo was definitely getting heavier; and Jeonghan could feel that the younger is not breathing properly.

“What’s the matter, child? Are you alright?” She asked worriedly.

“I am not, auntie. I’m here carrying an unconscious person and I have no where to set him down to!” He said, catching the nurse’s attention. “The emergency room doesn’t seem to be busy, aunt, but no one is giving my brother attention! He’s been unconscious for a while now, and I think he’s breathing is getting slower! Auntie please do something!” He almost shouted in pleading, his voice breaking.

“Yes, Jeonghan, wait a minute.” His aunt said.

“Please do something soon, aunt, the nurse is on her SNS page!” He said, wanting to have his friend looked at. The nurse glared at him but stood up.

“Who are you talking to?” She asked him, but he turned his back on her.

The doors opened and a dozen of doctors came in. The nurse looked at them nervously while Jeonghan looked to them hopefully.

“Are you Yoon Jeonghan-nim?” The lady in the middle asked Jeonghan.

“H