KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

 

Youngmin snorted awake.  His back and forehead felt sore.  He sat up and stretched his back.  Looking at the clock, he noticed it was an hour after he had called Hwayoung.  He gazed admiringly at Yoomi.  She had turned over to face him and their hands were intertwined.  He smiled as he remembered he had fallen asleep on the chair with his head resting on the bed.  

 

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

 

He blinked his eyes and realized what had woken him up.  He gently withdrew his hand from Yoomi.  She only stirred slightly.  Youngmin smiled and walked over to the door, rubbing the sleepiness from his eyes.  He opened it. 

 

Hwayoung and Minwoo stood at the door.  Hwayoung's eyebrows were knitted with worry and Minwoo looked as if his mind was elsewhere. “Hey, Youngmin,” Hwayoung said quietly.  Youngmin stood out of the way so she and Minwoo could walk in.  Hwayoung sat on the bed while Minwoo hung back with Youngmin.

 

Minwoo stared at Hwayoung and Yoomi. “How’s Yoomi?” Minwoo whispered to him without his eyes leaving the girls.  Youngmin looked down and shook his head slowly.     

 

"Youngmin, where's the thermometer?" Hwayoung asked.  Minwoo looked down, embarrassed that she saw him staring at them.  Youngmin and Minwoo walked over to the bed.   

 

Youngmin picked up the thermometer off the nightstand and handed it to Hwayoung.  She took Yoomi's temperature.  "Still hot," she murmured.  She looked up at Youngmin. “Did she eat anything?” Minwoo walked slowly to the chair closest to her and sat down.

 

Youngmin got on his knees on the other side of the bed. “No, she woke up and started crying and saying some random stuff.” He took Yoomi’s hand in his. 

 

Hwayoung took a rag and stood up. “What random stuff?” Minwoo stood up fast.  She turned and looked confused.  "I'll- I'll go ahead and get some, some uh, water on that for you," he stammered. Hwayoung smiled and handed it to him. "No need for you to get up," Minwoo blurted and disappeared into the kitchen.  Hwayoung kneeled on the floor again.  She looked at Youngmin. 

 

Youngmin fought the urge to cry and swallowed hard. “She cried and said, 'Everyone hates me, no one likes to take care of me except for the girls.'" 

 

Hwayoung nodded.  Just then, Yoomi slowly opened her eyes.

 

She rubbed her eyes with one hand. “Hwayoung?” 

 

“Yeah, it's me.” Hwayoung helped Yoomi sit up.  Minwoo came rushing in with the rag soaked in cold water and handed it to Hwayoung.  She smiled her thanks and started dabbing Yoomi's forehead with it.  Minwoo sat down slowly. 

 

Yoomi noticed someone was holding her hand.  She looked over and saw Youngmin. 

 

She pulled her hand away as if he were on fire. “You're still here?  Didn’t I tell you to leave?” She tried to sound as angry as she could for just waking up.

 

“But Yoomi, he took care of you the entire day.  He's been up with you since six today,” Minwoo defended Youngmin firmly.  Everyone looked at him.  He looked down to examine his shoes.  Hwayoung put her hand on his knee and he smiled.  She went back to tending Yoomi.

 

Yoomi searched Youngmin's face.  She hoped she could find the reason he cared so much for her, but she gave up so as to not make the moment awkward.  She looked back at Hwayoung.

 

“Did you have fun at the park?” Yoomi asked, changing the subject. 

 

Hwayoung beamed at Minwoo. “Yeah I did!  Minwoo taught me how to swim, right Minwoo?” 

 

“Really?” Yoomi asked.  Minwoo nodded with a faint smile on his face.

 

“What else?” Yoomi pressed.

 

“Uhm... We went on a ferris wheel!” Hwayoung smiled.  MInwoo's his face fell.  Hwayoung looked back at him.  Minwoo forced a smile for her and she smiled more. "And I even helped him figure out how to confess to the girl he loves!" She smiled at Minwoo and nodded. Youngmin tilted his head at him.  Minwoo sadly nodded his head in Hwayoung's direction.  Youngmin shook his head in sympathy.

 

Yoomi squealed. “Awww, that’s so cute!” 

 

"I thought so!  And Minwoo even insisted on escorting me to the room.  Isn't he just the best?" Hwayoung gushed.  Minwoo winced.

 

Youngmin saw his hyung and tried to change the subject again. “Yoomi, are you hungry?” He prayed she would answer him, even if the answer was no.

 

Yoomi shook her head. “No, not really.”  

 

Hwayoung noticed Youngmin was still kneeling. “Youngmin, why are you sitting like that?  Come sit here.”  She stood up and Youngmin sat in her place on the bed.

 

"What about you?" he asked.

 

"Oh, I'll-" KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK 

 

"Someone's here!" She walked over to the door and opened it.  She exchanged a few words with the visitors and they came over.

 

“Hyunmi and Kwangmin are here!” she announced.

 

“Yoomi, I bought you something...” Hyunmi held out a penguin plushie.

 

Yoomi grew a big smile on her face. “OMG!  Give me give me!” Hyunmi handed over the penguin. “Thank you!” She hugged the penguin tightly. Youngmin looked at Hwayoung with a confused expression.

 

“She loves stuffed animals,” she mouthed.  Youngmin nodded and made a note in his head.

 

Minwoo touched Hwayoung's arm. "Hwayoung, why don't you sit down." Hwayoung looked confused.  "Don't want Yoomi crowded..." Minwoo stammered.  

 

She smiled. "Good idea," she said.  She looked around for another chair, but Minwoo shyly patted his lap.  She sat down slowly. 

 

“It’s so cute!” Yoomi babbled about the penguin. Youngmin smiled wide at the sight of Yoomi being like a child.

 

“I brought Pikachu,” Kwangmin said proudly and held up his Pikachu.  Youngmin rolled his eyes and snatched the plushie.

 

Kwangmin sat on the other chair and Hyunmi shly sat on his lap.  They exchanged glances every few seconds and grinned.  Minwoo looked at Hwayoung, then at Kwangmin and Hyunmi, and back at Hwayoung.  He stared at his lap and frowned slightly.

 

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

 

Hyunmi moved to stand up, but Kwangmin hugged her around her waist so she couldn't move."Come on in!" Hyunmi called, laughing.  Donghyun and HeeChin walked in, cheeks flushed with excitement. 

 

“Hey guys!” HeeChin waved.

 

Yoomi pointed to a poster in her hand. “What’s that?” 

 

“Oh, right!  Look guys!” Donghyun reached for the poster right as HeeChin began to unroll it and their hands touched.  They laughed and she tried to give it to him while he backed up.  They laughed again.  They noticed everyone staring and HeeChin blushed, practically throwing the poster at Donghyun.  Donghyun unrolled the poster and read it out loud.

 

“A talent show?” They all looked around at each other.

 

Hwayoung raised her hand. "I think it sounds like fun.  I want to join!” 

 

“Right!  Hwayoung you're good at dancing, you should dance with Minwoo!” HeeChin said.

 

“Oh, I'm not that good..." Hwayoung looked at Minwoo. "You want to do it Minwoo?” she asked.

 

Minwoo looked up at her eyes.  His mind raced.  They would have to practice all the time, so he'd definitely see her more often... "Yeah, sure, why not?" he grinned and wrapped his arms around her waist.  She beamed.

 

“We- me and HeeChin," Donghyun said looking at HeeChin,  "Are gonna compose a song and sing together.”  They smiled at each other.

 

“Nice!" Hwayoung clapped.  "What about you, Youngmin?” she asked.

 

Youngmin smiled.  This would be perfect.  Maybe the talent show could bring him and Yoomi together.  Maybe she wouldn't be mad at him anymore. “I want to sing,” he smiled.

 

Yoomi bit her lip nervously. “Can I not be in this?” she asked.

 

Hwayoung stopped smiling. "Why?” she asked, her voice full of disappointment. 

 

Youngmin’s heart sank.  He squeezed Kwangmin's Pikachu, afraid if he didn't, he'd burst into tears. 

 

“Because... because I just don’t want to," Yoomi retorted.  She hugged her legs. "And I’m sick too,” she added.

 

“The show is in two weeks,” Kwangmin piped up. "You'll get better before then," he assured her. Yoomi stared at her lap.

 

Youngmin's heart felt like a cracking pool of ice. “It's okay Yoomi, you don’t have to do it,” Youngmin said in a forced cheerful voice.  A fake smile stretched across his face.  He squeezed Kwangmin's Pikachu so hard his knuckles turned white.  Minwoo looked around Hwayoung and made eye contact with him.  His eyes were full of sympathy and seemed to have a "I-almost-know-the-feeling" look.  Youngmin looked at his hands and released Pikachu. 

 

Jeongmin burst in the room. “Guys, have you seen Jaemi anywhere?  Is she here?” His eyes scanned the room in a worried hurry. 

 

Kwangmin turned his head around. “No, not yet!  Did you guys fight again?” 

 

Jeongmin twisted his hands. “No... well not really a fight..."  He looked around the room again and stared at his shoes. "Well, never mind." He turned his back to everyone so they wouldn't see his eyes shining. 

 

Donghyun walked over with the poster and held it out to him. “Oh yeah, you want to be in this?  It's a talent show-”

 

“Uhm, sure, I don’t care.” Jeongmin controlled his urge to cry in frustration and paced quickly.

 

Hyunmi and Kwangmin watched Jeongmin and looked at each other, sharing a look of sympathy. 

 

Nara and Hyunseung walked in the room, seeing the open door, hand-in-hand, with flushed cheeks and huge smiles.  They noticed everyone staring at them and they looked at the floor, glancing at each other every few seconds and smiling.  Minwoo bit his lip and hugged Hwayoung tighter to feel more secure.  He watched out of the corner of his eye Kwangmin bringing Hyunmi closer and resting his head on her back.   

 

Hwayoung held Minwoo's hands around her waist and he let out an internal sigh of relief. “You guys took your time!” she smiled teasingly at the couple.