Chapter 21:

            “I…” he thought as he tried to keep his eyes open. “…really…” then at that point he fainted and fell on the staircase. He let go of the glass he was holding causing it to break. “Hm?” YoonDuk said as he got startled from the breaking sound. “A burglar?” he thought and got out of bed. He the lamp in his room and slowly went for the door. He then slowly opened it and headed for the stairs which was at the other side. As he walked along the sides he then saw what cause the sound and rushed to Onew in shock.

            “Onew ssi?” he said as he slapped him to wake him up. “Onew ssi, Onew ssi!” he said and tried to get him up. He then put him on the couch in the living room and let him lay there. “JinHyun noona!” he ran back upstairs to JiHyun’s room.  

            “Where am I?”Onew thought as he woke up and found himself in that dark-filled place again. He then got up and started to walk in which he believes is a straight path. “Where am I?!” he yelled as he continued on walking and looking around him. As he continued to walk he started to yell his parents’ names; his siblings, s, his friends, everyone he knew and loved. “Where…” then, just as he thought about giving it up, he saw this small and rather faint light. He went towards it.

            Closer and closer he went as the light became bigger and brighter. He set his hand over his eyes as to see what was before him. “What is this?” he said as his other hand reached out to the light. As he was about to somehow reach it he then heard voices in his head…yelling. “Onew ah!!” familiar voices started to storm his mind. “Agh…” he said as he struggled to silence the voices inside his head talking all at once. “Onew ah! Wake up!! Please!!” he heard them all.

            “Stop!!” he said then suddenly he felt like falling down in a bottomless pit. The light receded and soon it was gone. He kept on falling as he yelled and got a hold of his head. Falling…deeper and deeper he went and it struck him like a bolt of electricity running through his body. “Uhhhhh!!!” he gasped for air. *beep beep* He could hear the sounds of beeping. He then…slowly…opened his eyes. He heard voices once more…only that he could here 2-3 voices.

            As he opened his eyes the blurry view makes it hard for him to see for a moment. “Blood pressure now stabilizing…” he could hear a couple of female voices around him. Then he could see a blurry figure looking down to him. “Onew ssi….are you feeling okay?” as his eyesight straightened he could see the man looking down to him was a doctor. Confused, he then looked to his right side and rolled his head to the side to where the beeping was heard. He saw machines and a table there and in the background was what seems to be a green curtain. As he rolled his head he felt the pressure of the oxygen mask pushing to his face.

            He then looked up to the ceiling and wanted to reply “yes” but all he could do that time was nod and grunt. “Okay then. You’ll be fine so don’t worry.” Then the doctor gave him a smile and went away. “Hospital?” he thought. Then the nurses rushed to him to get him clothed as he was half- with no shirt on. It seems like he was revived.

            The doctor then got out of the curtains which enclosed where Onew was. “Doctor.” YooDeuk and JinHyun went to him. “He’s now stabilizing. It’s a good thing you brought him to the hospital as soon as possible.” The doctor said. “If it were a minute or two later it would’ve been too late.” He added. Both managers gave out a sigh of relief. Then Onew was then transported to his room in the hospital. As he was transferred the other SHINee members and AeLin went with him.

            “What’s wrong with him doctor?” JinHyun said. “You did say there was blood residue when you saw him one the floor right? It was coughed out by him and after that he passed out. Although further examinations should be done, it might be caused by either a lung or heart problem…” the doctor then explained. The nurses then arrived at his room and transferred him to another bed there. As they left the SHINee members and AeLin went to crowd around him.

            “Hyung ah, are you okay?” Jjong said as he looked at him. “I’m okay. I’m just a little bit dizzy.” Onew said and gave them a warm smile, as usual. “Hyung ah…we got all worried. Don’t scare us like that.” Key said and held his hand. “What happened anyways?” Onew said. The others looked at each other. “You don’t remember?” TaeMin said. He just shook his head in reply. “Earlier YoonDuk oppa found you unconscious on the floor.” AeLin answered. “You also had blood on you so he went to wake up JinHyun noona.” MinHo added.

            He looked really confused amidst the explaining. “Well…now that we know you’re okay at least get some rest hyung.” Key said. “Yeah, don’t worry, we’ll be here always.” Jjong added. Soon Onew went back to sleep. It was still early in the morning and news about what happened to Onew already spread to the world as faster that they could have ever expected. Leader sure is loved by everyone and this news brought about worried fans praying for his sake. Even other fanclubs offer prayer for his fast recovery.

            Although they still don’t know why it happened, they sure are dead right about him being in the hospital. Maybe a nurse leaked it out? No matter though. As the two managers headed for Onew’s room they saw the other SHINee members and AeLin cuddled up together on the couch sleeping while they were sitting down. “They’re tired.” JinHyun then got two blankets from the cabinet and got it onto them.

            Hours later the sun finally rose. It was now morning and what a good way to start the morning with the sight of your parents together by your side. “JinKi ah…umma got really scared and worried.” Onew’s parents came to visit their son as they received the news. They had to ride on the train and a couple of buses to reach the hospital; they went on to a long journey. “Umma, appa.” Onew said with a very bright smile on his face.

            The 3 of them hugged. His umma started to tear up as they broke the hug. “Umma ah, don’t cry. It’s okay! Look, I’m really well!!” Onew said and tried to do funny poses to lighten up the mood. His appa just hugged his umma and comforted her. “Excuse your umma JinKi…she’s just very worried.” His appa said although it seemed like his voice was trembling as if he was about to cry himself as well. “I really appreciate you being here right now. Home is very far away and for your ages it’d be a bit hard to travel such long distance. Thank you for coming umma and appa.” He said and gave them another warm smile.

            Then someone knocked on the door. “Good morning Onew ssi.” The doctor said as he entered. “You must be his parents.” He added and greeted the two. “Are you feeling well Onew ssi? No weird stuff going on with your breathing?” the doctor said to him. “Well…none that I can remember. I’m doing pretty well right now.” Onew replied. “Okay, that’s good.” The doctor said then did a general check up on him. “Doctor, how long will I stay in the hospital?” Onew said. “Hmm…we’re not certain yet. But don’t worry.” The doctor replied.

            “Can the two of you please follow me to my clinic?” the doctor said to his parents. “De.” Onew’s umma said as he wiped her tears off. “We’ll be going now JinKi. Take care always.” His appa said. “De.” He replied and saw them go out of the room. He gave out a sigh. “I wonder what I got myself into this time.” He said and closed his eyes. Moments later someone knocked on the door. “Come in.” he said. The people from outside then let themselves in. “Ommo!” he said and got that big bright smile on his face again.

            “Doctor…” Onew’s umma said as they sat down to discuss what Onew’s condition was. “In the past, have things like this happened?” the doctor said. The two looked at each other. “When he was born, his heart had a hole.” His umma said. “But then he went under operation afterwards and it was cured.” His appa added. “If he had such a past why does he keep pushing himself? Even though he underwent operation he’s still susceptible to complications.” The doctor replied.

            “Well…ever since he was 3 he watched various singers sing and perform on stage. ‘I want to be like them one day.’ Was what he said. He worked hard on his singing and even his dancing. He really wanted that dream.” His umma said. “We did want to tell him about what he went through but we saw how he was doing well and nothing like this has happened back then so we thought it’d be okay. We didn’t want to burden his dream with such a past.” His appa replied.

            There was silence in the room for the moment. The doctor gave off a worried look and a sigh. “Mr and Mrs Lee, a complication like his is really serious. Sure, with the operation done he’ll be okay but check-ups are also necessary. He’s an idol, yes, but the strain experienced by one is too much for his heart. From his records I could see that he had been in and out of the hospital for the past 3 years. You can’t hide it from him forever.” The doctor explained.

            The parents looked at each other as Onew’s umma cried again. “We’re really…” she said and wept. “I know it’ll be hard for both him and you. But if he gets to know what’s wrong with him, he’ll be more cautious of what he does and further complications wouldn’t arise. For now, there’s a small tear in one of the major blood vessels coming in into the heart. We’ll be conducting an operation to close up the tear and further mend other damage in his heart. But before that, please…tell him. Okay?” the doctor said. The two were in each other’s arms. “De. We will doctor. Thank you.” Onew’s appa said as the got up and went out the door.

            “Ah! Noona! Hyung!” another smile arose from him as he saw some familiar faces that came in. “Onew ah! We’ve been worried!” SaeKo said and gave him a hug and a kiss to the cheek. “You’ve done it this time Onew.” YiBum then gave him a hug next. YiBum was SHINee’s manager for how many years and SaeKo was AeLin’s first manager. Since AeLin and SHINee were together for a long time SaeKo and YiBum had that time to actually be together.

            “We were just here for a check-up when we hear nurses talking about you being here.” SaeKo said. Right now they’re happily married and there was now this little kid holding onto YiBum’s hand. “Ommo, is that your daughter?” Onew said as he saw the little girl. She looked shy and confused as to what was happening. “Ommo, she kind of reminds me of YooGeun ah.” Onew added and gestured her to come closer to her. “Come, Onew ajusshi wants to meet you.” YiBum said and carried his daughter and got her on Onew’s bed. She looked at Onew in a cute way.