With the heart monitor's beeping faintly in the background, Minjeong opened her eyelids slowly. A little disoriented and dazed, she stared at the white ceiling and took a deep breath.

The surroundings weren't too bright, but this comfortable air made her feel at peace. And too bad, this peace abruptly caused her to think about the last window that popped in front of her before passing out.

Faint noises of people panicking, the ambulance sirens, and the silence that rang in her ears. It was vague, but Minjeong remembered it all.

She remembered the time reduction the Goddess of Ent. gave her in exchange for the chance, and here she was. She hoped Jimin was able to continue with the competition unharmed.

"Ahh, thank god you're awake."

Minjeong shifted her eyes to turn toward the voice— Taeyeon? She didn't get a good look at the place until she sat up to look at the older. The room looked luxurious.

"Eonnie..." Minjeong said in a surprised and quiet voice, "Did you put me here?"

Taeyeon sat on the chair beside the bed, nodding. "You don't know how popular you are right now. So, I had to put you here to avoid any commotion... But that's not the point. It's been three days. How are you feeling?"

Three days...

As this was one of those days the show allowed the contestants to go outside, Minjeong was sure that Jimin would be on her way here for a visit.

"I feel fine... but what do you mean by a commotion?"

"Strangely enough, no one could record the accident and post it online. That includes the CCTVs around the area, so no one except the witnesses knew what happened to you and Jimin." Taeyeon sighed in relief, "Glad I won't have to figure out hiding you from the public."

"Hide...?"

"Yeah, only I, you, and Jimin know about this. We can't have the staffs or the contestants know about the accident when we're in the middle of something big."

Minjeong smiled, thinking it would benefit the show if this were to get out to the public. "Wouldn't it boost the ratings if you guys film about this?"

Taeyeon reciprocated the smile, and it seemed like she was against the idea. "Minjeong-ah, I know that I'm one of the producers and editors, but I'm not that kind of a monster... well, maybe my peers are. But! You know."

"Thank you, eonnie." Minjeong remained smiling thankfully at the older, "Anyway, how did you get a hold of me? This is the first time we met in a while."

"I've been busy. As for how... I wish I could tell you— but this isn't the good time for that. You're in a tight situation, after all."

*KNOCK KNOCK*

"Minjeong!"

Suddenly, the door opened, revealing Jimin's frantic face. This alerted Taeyeon, and look at the two back and forth. As if getting an idea, she smiled at Minjeong and excused herself so they could talk privately.

When Taeyeon closed the door, Minjeong looked at her girlfriend in relief. But little did she know, Jimin was furious and sat on the couch instead of the chair next to the bed.

"What the hell?" Jimin crossed her arms with a disgruntled face, seemingly trying to suppress the voice inside her. "You almost died."

Minjeong pursed her lips, "I didn't want you to get hurt... Yo-"

"I don't care." Jimin interrupted with a slightly louder voice, and the latter bit her lip, "If I were the one who got hurt instead of you- You're going to get eliminated!"

"...I just wanted you to be safe— and debut like you always wanted."

Jimin clenched onto one of the pillows, "No! It was fine if it was me." she couldn't take it anymore. "Watching your heart monitor suddenly appear in a straight line. Don't you know how terrifying that was?! And didn't you have an outbreak to survive...?"

Her voice broke and got quieter when saying the last sentence. She sounded worried and mad at the same time... And all Minjeong could do was lower her head to hide her expression.

"Jimin, I wouldn't have done that if I knew I would die."

"That was what the windows were about? Tsk... whatever, the possibility of you dying is still there because of the outbreak, isn't it?" Jimin looked like she was about to cry and turned to face the opposite direction, "You know, I don't really care what happens to me. As long as you survive that thing. I'm fine."

"No, you're not! You- you..."

Minjeong paused the instant she realized what she had blurted out. Because of this, Jimin knew Minjeong was up to something and stood up, looking at her intently.

"I'm what?"

"..."

"Baby, you promised you'll tell me everything— Don't lie and go silent with me."

"...I couldn't take it, okay?"

"Take what?"

"You, dying."

Jimin furrowed her brows, "What do you mean?"

Minjeong hesitated before answering, "I don't know what happened to the original Minjeong here, but I'm not from this timeline... I exchanged something with the Goddess— and here I am."

"Huh? So, you're from the future?" Jimin asked as she ran her hair back with her fingers, "Why would you do that?"

"I'm sorry... I'm scared of losing you."

"And I'm scared of losing you." Jimin repeated and kissed the latter on the forehead, seated on the edge of the bed, "We're in the same position... and I'm glad that you woke up and told me about this, but."

With frowned lips, Minjeong looked at her girlfriend confusingly. They both locked eyes briefly before Minjeong suddenly felt a sting that