~~~

“A person who truly loves you is someone who sees the pain in your eyes, while everyone else believes in the smile on your face.” - unknown

~~~

It had been a week. A week since Kyuhyun had broken up with her. It had been a week for Sooyeon since Kyuhyun had left her to collect and nurse the shattered pieces of her broken heart alone. A week since Sooyeon had thrown herself into work, and somehow it helps her to numb the pain. At least, work anesthetized the throbbing pain inside of her heart. She acted like nothing had happened; she acted like her usual self, even in front of Siwon. Sooyeon knows that it will do nothing good to anyone if she wails about her heartache. It’s for the best.

But in reality, no one actually knows the truth behind her smile. Almost every night Sooyeon had broken down, tears streaming down her face when the memory of Kyuhyun hits her. Sometimes, she even cried herself to sleep when the pain inside of her heart become too much for Sooyeon to bear. She will wrap herself under the thick cover of her duvet, thinking that it’s Kyuhyun who had been holding her, enfolding the warm embrace around her cold body. Sooyeon knows she is only chastised herself by doing so, but who is Sooyeon to lie to herself. She misses him, and it hurts her so much knowing that Kyuhyun is not feeling the same for her.

Sooyeon woke up earlier than usual today; she is going to have a presentation on the tender management for Han Group. She has to look at her best self and as presentable as she can be. This is such an important project and Sooyeon will not commit anything that might cost her to lose over this project. And hence, Sooyeon had ignored the throbbing pain her head, thinking that it is just the result of her over stressing herself for her upcoming presentation.

~~~

“Are you sure you okay?” Hangeng whispered to Sooyeon and she nodded as she smoothed her hands over the hem of her suit jacket and she is fighting the urge to run her hand through her long brown locks; a nervous habit that she had long developed since she was a kid. If people saw that, especially Siwon who is sitting across the long table, they will figure out that she was nervous. And if they were to realize that she wasn’t in complete control of the situation, they will think that she is weak, and Sooyeon doesn’t want that. Just the mere thought of losing control is one of the scariest things that had ever crossed Sooyeon’s mind.

The projector in the presentation room started flickering and Sooyeon knows that she must be in focus; the next hour is going to be so important.

Sooyeon began her presentation with an unruly smile on her face. She gave a brief nod to Hangeng who is standing beside her; she somehow needed Hangeng’s warm smile to calm herself. Sooyeon felt weird, this is not her first time she is conducting a presentation, and it is one of her daily routine to stand in front of people and giving a presentation like this. Sooyeon is breathing fast, she could feel herself breaking out in a cold sweat, and her stomach was tying itself in knots. Even her knees are weak, and her hands are cold.

But Sooyeon ignored it all. Taking a deep breath, Sooyeon managed to carry half of the presentation and catching Siwon’s warm and reassuring gaze in between. It’s comforting; Siwon is a comfort that Sooyeon had always needed, but Sooyeon didn’t say a word to Siwon about her whole situation with Kyuhyun. Sooyeon doesn’t want Siwon to pity her; it is the last thing that Sooyeon needed. She doesn’t want Siwon to see her vulnerable and broken state, not again.

Suddenly, Sooyeon can feel that the room is spinning around in circles, and she started to feel nauseous. Sooyeon bit her lips, gathering her last piece of self control to carry on with half of the presentation. But her breathing was heavy, uneven and ragged before Sooyeon lost her balance and collapsed on the floor. And Sooyeon vaguely heard someone shouting her name and rushed footsteps before she completely lost her consciousness.

~~~

Siwon stood stiffly near the triage table as he pays attentive attention when the doctor is explaining to him about Sooyeon’s condition. God knows how shocked Siwon had been, seeing her lost consciousness and fell helplessly down the floor. A whine of panic shook Siwon terribly and he had literally jumped from his seat, rushing to get to Sooyeon’s limp body. Siwon cursed inside of his head, when he is not the one picking Sooyeon up from the ground. Hangeng was faster than him; he had scooted Sooyeon up and picking her up in his arms before they rushed to get Sooyeon to the hospital.

~~~

Siwon pushed open the door to Sooyeon’s hospital room. And there was Hangeng, just sitting and watching Sooyeon’s sleeping figure beside her bed. Siwon scoot over to the bed, he glanced down at Sooyeon. Now Siwon can clearly see it all, she looked utterly tired and worn out, black circles forming under her eyes, and her small lips are dry and chapped. It breaks Siwon’s heart seeing her like this, so weak and vulnerable.

“Is she okay?” Hangeng suddenly spoke quietly not wanting to wake Sooyeon up.

“It’s over exhaustion and high fever. The doctor said that they will release her as soon as she is strong enough to stand on her feet again.” Siwon explained briefly, too annoyed to further clarify the details to Hangeng. To be honest, Siwon didn’t like Hangeng since the beginning, and he didn’t fancy him hogging around Sooyeon, even for the sake of work.

Hangeng nodded weakly and his hand slowly reached up to Sooyeon’s hair softly. Siwon saw it all, and he is fighting the urge to brush Hangeng off from Sooyeon, but Siwon knows that this is not the right time to cause any scene. His knuckles turned white as he clenched his fist tightly.

“She had been bearing all the pain alone, struggling to put up her own misery, hiding her tears behind her smile, and acted like nothing can bring her down.” Hangeng said as he looked up to meet Siwon’s gaze.

“What do you mean? If she got into trouble, she would have told me.” Siwon said because he hated the tone in Hangeng’s voice, because somehow it kind of mirrored to Siwon that Hangeng knows Sooyeon better than he did.

But Hangeng didn’t answer right away; instead he rises from his seat and walked towards Siwon’s stiff form.

“It’s not my place to tell Siwon-sshi, but all I can say is that she needed you, she needed  you to help her pick up her broken pieces again... I believe that you need sometime alone with her.” Hangeng said as he put his hand on Siwon’s shoulder, patting it softly as he makes his way towards the door.

“Wait... Who are you exactly?” Siwon said as he fixed and narrowed his eyes on Hangeng.

“When the times come, you will know.” Hangeng said as he let out a small smile before he slipped away from the room.

~~~

Sooyeon opens her eyes slowly, flinching at the sudden bright light that hurts her eyes. She saw a tall figure at the side of her bed and Sooyeon blinks her eyes, trying to get her sight focus.

“You’re awake, little princess?” A careful question comes from a voice that Sooyeon knows belongs to Siwon. Sooyeon can now see Siwon sitting beside of her bed with a worried expression plastered on his handsome face.

“Where... Am I Oppa?” Sooyeon asked; her voice horsed as she can feel is dry and sore. But apart from that, Sooyeon can feel her body is lighter now.

“You’re in hospital. Don’t you remember? You fainted during your presentation. How are you feeling now?” Siwon questioned with a voice thick with concern. He had stayed all night at the hospital, falling asleep on the couch beside Sooyeon’s bed. She just can’t bring himself to left Sooyeon alone.

“Better than you I guess. You look like you’ve been mobbed Oppa.” Sooyeon joked lighty and her lips form a small smile, as she scanned Siwon thoroughly. Siwon is still wearing his working shirt, sleeves rolled-up, and his hair in a mess. It warms her heart to see the usually dashing and charming Choi Siwon in this state. Sooyeon raised her head of the bed and moving her body into a sitting position to face Siwon properly.

“Well, that thanks to someone who freaked the hell out of me.” Siwon said faking a pout and Sooyeon let out a weak laugh upon seeing Siwon’s antics.

“I’m sorry.” Sooyeon’s eyes shining, she can’t remember the last time she had actually let out a sincere laugh like this. Sooyeon is about to open to speak again, before Siwon cut her off by putting a finger over her lips.

“Sshh... Not now. I know what you are going to say. You don’t have to worry about work now Sooyeon. It has been taken care off. They’ve agreed to postpone the presentation.” Siwon said as he can read the thought that clouds Sooyeon’s mind clearly.

“As for now, you health should be your main priority.”

 Sooyeon looked at Siwon for a moment, studying his face, before squeezing his hand lightly.

“Thank you Oppa... For being here.”

“What exactly had happened Sooyeon?” Siwon asked carefully, his voice low as he shot a worried gaze to Sooyeon and caress her small hand lovingly.

Sooyeon stayed silent, she disengaged her hand from Siwon, and she fixed her eyes on the white sheet of her bed, tears threatening to spill, and Sooyeon shuts her eyes tight to stop them from falling.

“We should let Kyuhyun know about you” Siwon said, unaware of the main cause of Sooyeon’s misery and agony.

Sooyeon turned rigid upon hearing Kyuhyun name being mentioned, panic strike obvious on her delicate face.

“NO! Please don’t Oppa. I beg you; please don’t say a word to him about me. You have to promise me Oppa. Please!” Sooyeon almost shouted and her eyes show a mixed of anger and sadness.

Siwon frowns, obviously confused but says nothing; just waiting for Sooyeon’s to cease her rage. He stares blankly at Sooyeon’s pale face, not understanding anything that had just come out from Sooyeon. But Siwon let her question left unanswered not wanting to make Sooyeon’s condition worsened.

“Hey, take it easy okay. Anything for you.” Siwon said before their conversation was interrupted when the nurse comes in to attend for Sooyeon and ask for Siwon to leave.

“We’ll talk about this when you are ready.” Siwon let out a reassuring smile to Sooyeon as he takes his cue to leave the room, and he left with an enormous curiosity filling him to the core of why Sooyeon refused to let Kyuhyun knows about her being.

~~~

TBC