The news of Sang Hee’s admittance spread fast like a swarm of locusts. The television and entertainment news programs all shared a short snippet of the story but there was not much to tell since neither he, nor the staffs at the hospitals was going to share any information. They even tried to ask Hyung Jun who was still completing his army duty but for him the news was a shock.

 He was a bit pale faced as he talked to them. “I had no idea about what had happened. But now I’m thinking of contacting him—“

“—Aish,” Kyu Jong ended the television report by turning away. The waiting room felt lonelier than before, especially surrounded by the multitudes of uninhabited suede chairs.

Two days later he was back in the sterile environment. He’d been called in by the doctor this morning with possible results for Sang Hee. His hands had been clutched together in the prayer manner for most of that morning.

“Mr Kim,” he rose without thought. He faced the doctor and greeted him. “Come with me to my office. I have the test results.” For a blood test the results should have come within a week, it was fortunate that the hospital was equipped with a pathology laboratory.

They went into his square by square office and sealed it shut. Kyu Jong almost sank into the chair as the health professional sat comfortably.

“So I’ve sent the results to the pathology lab,” he then looked at Kyu Jong. “Unfortunately however we will have to refer her to a specialist.”

All of a sudden Kyu Jong felt as if he was waiting for the news again. The same anxiety rushed back to him. “She has to see a specialist?”

“Yes, the pathologist who took the tests is hoping that you will be able to see her this afternoon.” The news wasn’t bad but at the same time no questions were answered, no hearts at peace. Now he wondered if she knew about this. “Can I see her?” The doctor nodded. “Yes, she should be awake.” With that Kyu Jong thanked the doctor and saw himself to the lift.

*

Sang Hee was sitting up in her bed when Kyu Jong came in. “Morning, didn’t you bring flowers?” Instead she got a kiss on the side of her head to soothe her spoilt desires.
“I’ll bring some another time,” he assured her before taking his seat at her bed. He glanced at a vase of flowers next to her bed. He frowned in suspicion at to it being a secret admirer.
“They’re from your sister pabo,” Sang Hee assured him. “She’s a good sister-in-law. I regret not really getting to know her when she was in Seoul for our wedding. Have you tried setting her up with one of the members from double S?”

“Whoa, whoa I don’t think any of them would suit her.” Kyu Jong had been asked this before and he’d always said none of them would be right for her. “But I don’t want her in the spotlight. She should live a normal life right?”

“Ok I was just curious,” Sang Hee folded her arms. A lot of the colour she once had in her face was gone, rings under her eyes and hair dull and greasy in appearance. “Do you know when they’ll let me out? I stink; I need a bath and some ramen. Have you heard from my parents.”

“It should be soon,” Kyu Jong suggested. “But I have to speak to the doctor who took your blood tests today. They called yesterday and they’re going to try and come before we go home.”

“Aish,” she sighed; “another bloody night in this place of the sick.”

“-Shh people can probably hear you.” He glanced at the entrance. A group of faces were peering around the corners. “I have to go, the fan club’s here.” She nodded, still appearing grumpy at the thought of having to stay longer.

“Come back soon. It feels weird not being at home.” He grinned at the edges of his mouth. He bent down and kissed her but this time on the cheek.

“You call that a kiss?” She grumbled.

“Not in front of fans.”

“Screw them,” though rude they both smirked. He her cheek before he left her to rest. In a few hours he would have to return to see the specialist.

*

Since the doctor didn’t have an office Kyu Jong had to wait outside the pathology laboratory. Shortly a woman with her hair in a bun came out. She turned to Kyu Jong. “Mr Kim?” He nodded before greeting her with courtesy. “I’m Doctor Lee GeungYoung, come inside. It’s messy but at least no one will be able to hear us.”

Kyu Jong joined her in the small space. She picked up the files, the name ‘Lee Sang Hee on the tag. The ticking of the clock quickened his nerves, raced his heart and twitched paranoia within him. This was it. This news would either make or break what he and Sang Hee had only just started to rebuild.

“It’s taken a while since her doctor in Seoul had to email her current records to us so we could get a diagnosis. Fortunately it came today so now we were able to piece it all together.”

“Did you find out what was wrong?” A silly question he would admit later on but for now he wanted nothing more than to know the truth.

“Yes, thanks to the tests we did we were able to come out with a cause. However this isn’t one you may have expected. Feel free to take that seat.” Kyu Jong saw the chair in his peripheral vision. He grabbed the top in case.

“Your wife is indeed sick. The name of it is called acute intermittent porphyria.” He couldn’t respond. He just blinked dumbly at the un-familiar jargon.

“It’s a condition where there’s a mutation in an enzyme. The symptoms tend to appear between the ages of eighteen to forty. Women get it more than men do.” She adjusted her glasses by pushing them up her nose. “It’s not fatal but it can only be treated not cured.”

For a moment he remained still. A mental glass of water had been thrown at his face, shocking him into silence. He just slid himself down into the seat, hoping it would bear him and the weight of the news. He had to force himself to speak. “So… What will happen?”

“When the symptoms occur such as stomach pain, anxiety, weakness of muscle these will usually quickly clear up after the attack. However some attacks may cause damage to the muscle and nerves which will need time to repair. To treat her we will have to check what sort of medications could be affecting her and also prescribe intravenous glucose therapy for the mild of the attacks. Also consider putting her on a high carbohydrate diet.”

“I see,” Kyu Jong wanted to stand but his knees wobbled.

“She’ll be fine,” Miss Lee gave him a sincere smile, “you’ll be there with her every step of the way.” Right there and then did Kyu Jong feel like he had the air knocked out of him. The divorce would have done more damage than they realised if they still went through with it.

~*~

Crappy chapter it’s sort of gone down-hill since I last updated. Probably because I tackily included what happened to Hyung Jun and changed some of the small details which as a result make this chapter kind of…Anyway. The name of the enzyme which is affected by the disease Sang Hee has is called porphobilinogen deaminase. Not entirely sure how to explain what this exactly is (Biology in High School did not cover such stuff) so if anyone who knows this sort of thing please feel free to explain to my readers.

Disclaimer: I currently know no one who is suffering from such a disease. It is online; there are real sources so NO I DID NOT MAKE IT UP