"I can only imagine how she must feeling... It was hard for us even when we stayed in our home country...With our homes 2 hours away or 3 hours away... By driving! Her home isn't even possible to drive to and is an eleven-hour flight... Our Director's a big butthead for doing that to her," Taemin could be such a sweet man without meaning to.

"Taemin-ah," Minho warned. "We're in a hospital, there are other people here who could hear you," Minho added. He was right... Wait, i'm in a hospital? Is that why it smells so...clean? Why are they here with me? I tried to move my hands and open my eyes.

"Oh, she's moving!" Taemin exclaimed, like I was waking up from a coma or something. I felt their presence above my head.

"Ellie-aaaaaah," Minho sang.

"Eeuung," was all I could say.

"Oh yeeeey, she's awake!" Taemin clapped. "Should I call Key?" he said. I wanted to open my eyes and say thank you to them.

"Yeah, call him," Minho said, grabbing my arm. "Ellie-ah, are you okay? You must have been really tired, you've been asleep for more than twelve hours, are you able to open your eyes?" Minho mumbled.

"Yeah she's awake, but she can't talk, wait, i'll put you on speaker," Taemin said.

"She can't talk?! What do you mean???" It was Key's voice! I wanted to call out to him but I couldn't say anything except groan. "Taemin-ah, turn on the video," Kibum said. I finally found the strength to open my eyes and found Minho and Taemin right in front of me, on each side of the hospital bed. The room was so bright that I had to squint to not blind myself. My corneas! Ughhh

"Oppa-deul, why are you here? Aren't you busy?" I asked, trying my best to form words.

"There she goes again," Minho clicked his tongue.

"Key's right, she worries about others too much and too little of herself," Taemin shook his head. "How are you feeling? We were really worried, I saw Key carry you out of the fire escape and I had to call the ambulance," he added.

"What? The ambulance?? I would have woken up, you should've just laid me down somewhere! Oh my God..." I was filled with embarrassment with what they had to do.

"Ellie-ah, the doctor said you don't have nutrients in your body, you're stressed, you're lacking sleep, they needed to stick this needle into your body to give your body the nutrients you needed," Minho explained, pulling up a chair and sat down. Taemin did the same.

"How do you feel?" Taemin asked.

"Mmm, i've been better," I mumbled. I knew I wasn't eating right, I barely had the energy to do anything, I barely slept right, and i've been stressing about so much.

"You know we're friends, right? You can ask us for anything," Minho said. I nodded, but it was the last thing I needed from them. Pity. It hasn't even been a full month of training and I was already acting like a baby, I was as vulnerable as I could get and as I could seem.

"Uhhhh helloooooo???" Kibum said. Kibum? OH RIGHT!

"Oh, hahahahhaha, we forgot you were on the phone! Hahahaha!" Taemin laughed and lifted the phone up to show my face on the video.

"Already forgetting about me! I'm a busy man, you know. How you feeling, silly? You scared me so much," Kibum smiled at me from the phone and for a moment, I wanted to be selfish. I wanted to tell him that I wanted him by my side, I wanted to tell him I was so lonely and that I was exhausted. I wanted to put my head on his shoulders and have him pat my head and tell me that everything would be okay. But, I knew I couldn't do that.

"I'm okay... Are you filming again?" I smiled and grabbed the phone from Taemin who looked tired from holding it up. Both him and Minho stayed quiet as Kibum and I talked.

"Mmm, yes, but I think i'll be done soon, it was only two scenes today, then i'm coming straight to you," he said and sipped from an iced coffee he was holding.

"Okay, go earn money, Kim Kibum," I waved at the phone, we said bye and hung up. I handed the phone back to Taemin and he put it back in his pocket.

"Don't you wanna just tell him to stop working so much?" Minho asked, suddenly, while Taemin stayed quiet.

"I couldn't do that..." I said, laying my head comfortably on the pillow.

"Why not?" Minho pushed.

"Because... That's something he really worked hard for. That's something he loves doing. Imagine if someone asked you to not go practice or hold concerts or make guest appearnces so much... Isn't that... Selfish?" I kept my gaze up at the ceiling.

"I think...that if someone else asked him that, it would be selfish... But it'd be you, I mean, do you have any idea how much you mean to him?" Taemin said, clasping his hands together, putting his feet up on the bed. It was one of the most touching things I heard come out of the Maknae. Is he right? No... I couldn't do that.

"He's right, you know. It wouldn't be the worst thing to ask Kibum to spend more time outside of work... That man works and works till' he drops, but now he has something outside of work... Well, other than shopping and school and volunteering," Minho said, putting his feet up as well.

"I see him enough, like at school and he comes over after filming," I sat up and decided to just look at them as I talked.

"Okay... I mean, if that's enough for you guys, but you know you have us too, whenever, just text or call us," Taemin smiled. I smiled back at them and felt eternally grateful.

"Shouldn't you be practicing? You have your concert in, like what, two days?" I asked.

"Yeah, i'm going to practice once our Key Hyung gets here," he shrugged.

"Don't you have somewhere to be?" I looked over to Minho.

"Yeah, i'm leaving with Taemin when Kibum gets here," he shrugged the same way Taemin did.

"I'm sorry you wasted your time here when you've got better stuff to do," I looked at them apologetically.

"No, don't be, we wanted to," Minho waved me off.

"Yeah, it's not a problem, we needed a rest, plus Kibum, Kris and Onew were here with you overnight, we just took over," Taemin nodded. That doesn't make me feel better!

"Do you think they'll let me discharge myself if I asked?" I asked them.

"Probably, but they said to finish this IV fluid bag here," Minho poked the bag of liquid that connected to my arm.

"Ah..." I said and nodded.

"How's being a trainee?" Taemin asked and Minho and I looked at him with a look that said 'are you kidding me?' Minho laughed and Taemin looked at us, wondering if he said something wrong. "No, no, other than being in the hospital and all that..." He said.

"Well, it's, uh, it kinda ," I said. "This was an old dream, I didn't really want to re-open that," I said quietly.

"How come?" Minho asked curiously. Did I really want to open up to these guys right now?

"Uh, it just brings back a... Painful feeling," I muttered.

"Ahh..." I sensed that they wanted to ask more, but held themselves back.

"It's uh, just, when I was pursuing that dream, it was my er, Aunt who really pushed me and supported me," I started, then fiddled with my hands, too shy to look up at them. "She, uh... Passed away and well, ever since then i've never really sang in public seriously... It just... Well, it didn't feel right," I finished and finally looked up. They were quiet for a few minutes, not knowing what to say.

"I'm so sorry for asking," Taemin said, stuttering.

"No, not at all, I just barely talk about it, that's all, but i'm not uncomfortable talking about it," I smiled at him.

"With all that, how come you decided to do this again? Become a trainee...and sing?" Minho wondered out loud.

"Well, I wanted to do this for Kibum... And for me and for my Aunt…” I explained, then they became quiet again.

“How did Kim Kibum meet someone so selfless when he’s…well you know,” Minho joked lightly. Taemin chuckled quietly.

Before I could reply, Kibum burst in the room, with the door hitting the wall when he opened it. He ran towards the bed and Taemin had to put his legs down to give him way. He suddenly hugged and rubbed the back of my head.

“You scared me so much,” he said, rushing the words out of him. He stayed in that position and Minho and Taemin stood up to leave.

“Okay, we’re gonna get going,” they patted Kibum’s back then he let me go to turn to them.

“Thanks for watching over her, let’s all go out for dinner tonight, I’m not filming! Yeeeeey,” he rejoiced by himself and I smiled at the sight of this.

            “Call!” Taemin said, high-fiving Minho.

            “You’re paying!” Minho said to Key, slapping his back.

            “Ok ok, call!” he said. “I have more schedules than you anyways,” he said to Minho and stuck out his tongue. For a second, I thought Minho was going to hit him, but he headlocked Kibum instead and gave him a noogie.

            “Yah yah! You’re gonna hurt each other, aigoo,” I threw my pillow at them and Taemin just stood there laughing.

            “Let’s go, let’s go, I have to practice, I’m going to the venue tonight,” he pulled Minho away and they walked out. “We’ll call you!” he said while they were already in the hallway. Kibum sat at the foot of the bed and just looked at me.

            “What?” I asked.

            “Your face is really dull right now,” he said with a blank expression.

            “Yah! Is that something you need to say right now?” I frowned, covering my face.

            “Aniya, I just mean that you haven’t been eating healthily… you haven’t been sleeping, you’re at the studio all the time,” he scratched his head. “This wasn’t what I wanted for you,” he added, looking down at his hands. “It’s my fault. It’s…unfair to stay together, risking your health, your career…”

            “Kim Kibum. Are you breaking up with me?” I asked defensively. He looked up from his hands then into my eyes.

            “Do you want to keep going? It’s selfish of me to ask that of you,” he mumbled.

            “You’re not asking me, I’m doing it on my own accord,” I nudged his hands with my feet from under the blanket. “You know, not everything revolves around you, Key of SHINee,” I said with a smirk. He scoffed and got off the bed. He walked over near my head and checked the IV bag. "Stop worrying so much... Sure, i'm lonely sometimes, but I mean, that comes with the journey, right?"

"I know but you shouldn't be starving yourself...if you have trouble sleeping, just call me, even if i'm working, i'll take your call," he said, grabbing my hand and kidding the back of it. I smiled at him, grateful for these short and sweet moments we rarely had.

"Yes, okay, i'll call you, are you happy now?" I said, poking his cheek. He pouted but nodded.

"If this happens again, we'll tell the Director to go away, we don't need to publicize it," he said, waving his hands in the air. Speaking of, when the heck will that dang CEO publish that article? “How do you feel?” he asked. The IV bag was almost empty.

            “I feel like…I wanna get out of here,” I said and he nodded.

            “Okay, I’m gonna call the nurse, you need anything else before we leave?” he started to walk away from the bed but I grabbed his arm.

            “Wait,” I pulled him towards me and I hugged him and he stood there, patting my head.

            “Aigoo, I missed you,” he said and kissed the top of my head. Suddenly, the door swung open and a nurse walked in, gasping. She did not look much older than us and from the look on her face, she definitely knew who Kibum was.

            “Oh, hello,” Kibum and I let go of our hug and I bowed my head. She smiled and walked towards me.

            “How are you feeling? You really scared Key-ssi and the members yesterday,” she said, writing something on her clipboard. Kibum stepped back and let her examine the IV bag.

            “Ah, neh…” I said quietly.

            “You’re much prettier in person compared to the article,” she smiled at me.

            “What article?” Kibum and I said at the same time. We’ve been worried about any article surfacing. What was it this time?

            “Oh, you don’t know?? That’s weird. Well, SM just published an official statement about you two dating,” she tilted her head, confused.

            “WHAT?!” Kibum and I covered out mouths and he walked over to the other side of the bed.