“Ah Junah? Wae?” Hyun Joong hyung’s sleepy voice comes up.

            “Got to tell you something important” I reply.

            “Mmm? What’s it?” He still sounds sleepy.

            “Jung Minnie wants to meet you guys”

            “What? Jinja?” He snaps and his tone changes.

            “De… he said he wants to. He wants you guys to come here”

            “What about his parents?”

            “He’ll call them. Will you be able to come?”

            “I-I don’t know. We’d have to ask manager hyung and then the company. I don’t think we can lie this time” He sounds worried.

            “Yeah, I know. It’ll be weird if you guys come with something like me too. Maybe we should tell them the truth”

            “But that’ll create another problem”

            “As long as Jung Min is not injured or anything the company don’t have to worry plus he is taking treatments so what’s the big deal?” I ask.

            “You don’t understand. Company will get worried and then you know; they’ll start background checking on the doctors and then they’ll send a whole team to check on Jung Minnie and… I don’t know a lot!” He sighs at the end.

            “Try to do something hyung. It took him a lot of guts to agree to this” I sit beside Jung Min on the bed.

            He shakes his head at me hinting me not to push this harder. But his eyes are yearning for the members, for happiness.

            “Hyung do something!” I snap at the phone.

            “Arasso, arasso! I’ll call manager hyung now and you two! Go to sleep! Isn’t it like early morning what the hell are you two doing up so late?” Hyun Joong hyung scolds.

            “Jung Minnie’s sick. The doctor just came; she said he’ll be fine” I say.

            “What? Sick? Why? Fever?”

            “Yeah, over 40 degrees! But now it’s okay. He’s going to be fine”

            “Why did he suddenly get sick?”

            “He ran all the way home from that damn beach like Usain Bolt!”

            Jung Minah cracks up and then hits my hand literally cursing me for telling it to hyung. I hear Hyun Joong hyung’s laugh too. He shuts it down immediately.

            “Why did he run like that?” Hyung asks still laughing slightly.

            “He got angr-” Jung Min punches me again stopping me half in my words.

            He shakes his head at me with curled eyebrows and I nod at him.

            “Just jogging” I say with a calm tone.

            “Give him the phone” Hyung asks and I shrug my shoulders.

            I hand the phone to Jung Minnie. He widens his eyes at me and unwillingly takes the phone.

                “Oh hyung…” He says in a dull tone.

                He widens his eyes at me again giving me the death stare.

                “No I swear I was just jogging!” He says and his voice breaks.

                He shouldn’t try that hard! He’s still sick.

                “Young Saeng Hyung I swear!” He says again.

                Oh Young Saeng hyun’s there too? Jung Minnie pauses and listens into the phone. I’m waiting till he speaks again; ready for any violence caused by him. The thought makes me smile but he doesn’t notice it.

                “Okay… I was angry” His tone utterly annoyed; big time.

                Confession? Hyungdeul must have forced him then. I give him a glance and he glances back at me; deathly of course. I splash my teeth at him with a huge grin and he replies me with a dull look.

                “Yeah okay I will, tomorrow” He says after another long pause.

                “Talk to the CEO. If it’s needed then call me, I’ll talk to them too” He adds.

                Getting permission will be really hard I know. They will ask us a million questions. First; why we didn’t tell that we found Jung Min. Oh I hope no one will suspect manager hyung. Oh wait!

                “Yah ask them to tell the company that manager hyung didn’t know this either okay?” I tell to Jung Minnie and he nods at me.

                “Hyung tell them that manager hyung didn’t know okay? Neither they’ll kill him” Jung Minnie says and gives me a thumbs up after a few seconds.

                “Okay then try your best. Call me if you need anything” He hangs up.

                I raise my eyebrows at him. He hands me back the phone.

                “Hyung said they’ll go to the company tomorrow and then talk to them about this. He said not to sure anything because they might freak out and then you know police and all” He says.

                “What about that detective?” I ask.

                “He didn’t talk about him. Eventually hyungdeul will have to tell him too anyway” His tone is very low but it carries hope at its edge.

                I pray inside my mind hoping it would happen; that they would actually give permission. I know it’s going to take a long procedure for sure. Not like the company will agree with us the moment hyungdeul will ask them. What if they really send a huge police team here? What if everyone suddenly freak out or something?

                “Tell them it’s okay if it all goes upside down. They don’t have to come” He says again.

                I look at him with weary eyes; weary from sadness. I hate him feeling this way while everything can work out. I know it ain’t going to be easy but I did promise him that I’ll help him and that I’ll go to any extent with that. Why does it always have to be so hard like this? Why can’t everything always just fall onto their place naturally?

                “Food’s ready” Omma comes into the room disrupting my thoughts.

                She’s holding two rice bowls and curries on a tray. I sigh and help Jung Minnie sit up. Omma places the tray in front of us and adjust Jung Minnie’s pillow. He takes in a deep breath like he’s trying hard to even stay like this. I get worried wondering whether he’ll collapse onto the bed again.

                “Jung Minah I’ll feed you” Omma says picking up a bowl and he nods.

                I pick up the other bowl and the chopsticks.   

                Ah omma’s food.

I hear a familiar music in my dreams. I turn to the other side to get it out of my head. But it keeps playing there and it doesn’t disappear. I make an irritated sound and then only I realize that it’s actually my ringtone. I search for the phone everywhere with my eyes still tightly closed.

                I find it on the bedside table and something drops down as my hand hurriedly touches everything. I still can’t open my eyes and I struggle for a moment to slide the answer button on the touch screen.

                “Yeo..bosae..yeo” My sleepy voice cracks.

                “Ah Hyung Junah” Kyubbi says from the other end.

                I immediately sit up on the bed. “Ah Kyu Jongah… What happened?” I ask but in a very low tone since Jung Minnie is still asleep.

                “We went to the company. I think it’s a bit okay but I’m not sure. We were talking about it; all of us and then CEO said he wants to talk to Hyun Joong hyung and manager hyung alone so he asked us to leave. Maybe because they are the older ones”

                “Did they give permission?” I whisper again.

                “Not yet. When we told about the whole thing they reacted pretty badly but then we tried our best to explain it and they were a bit okay with it. But I’m not sure at all. But we can have some hope. And even hyungdeul will take care of it”

                “I hope so… hmmm” I sigh.

                “Were you sleeping? How’s Jung Minnie now?” He asks.

                “Still sleeping”

                “Did he eat anything?” Kyubbi sounds worried; as usual.

                “Omma fed him rice last night and then he took some pills too. He must be okay now”

                “Don’t wake him up then, I’ll call you when Hyun Joong hyung comes out. Go back to sleep, you must be tired”

                “Oh yeah, very. I ran with Usain Bolt yesterday nah” I say staring at Jung Min’s sleeping face.

                Thank god he ain’t awake.

                Kyu Jongah laughs. “Go to sleep now, chalja” He says.

                “Mmm…” I hang up.

                I place the phone on the table again and lie down. Jung Minnie is sound asleep. He must be very exhausted and weary neither he surely would have waked up with all the noise I created. I stare at his peaceful face. I don’t know why god decided to punish him like this. He doesn’t deserve it; neither do we. Why can’t he just get better soon and return home? Why does he have to keep suffering like this? I always thought he was the strong one and the one who takes care of everything but today we have to play that role; I have to play that role and it’s very tiring. It’s taking up my whole strength. I don’t know how long I will be able to go on like this if I don’t receive back up anytime soon.

                I know I promised him I’ll help him but the entire world knows that I’m not that strong. I can’t go through every situation without tearing up. He’s like a pillar; a pillar of strength. So when the pillar breaks down who am I to stay strong?

I hear the same familiar sound again. This time my mind recognizes it sooner than the last time. I quickly search for the phone. My sleep wasn’t deep so I can manage to open my eyes. It’s very bright outside but the room is a bit darker since the curtains are closed. I look at the phone screen; Its Hyun Joong hyung. My stomach turns as I expect good news.

                “Hyung” I say picking up the call.

                “Ah Hyung Junah” Hyung says; his tone’s not worried.

                “Did it go well? Did you get permission?” I whisper into the phone.

                “Totally aced it haha!” Hyung laughs loudly.

                “Jinja?” My volume rises but I quickly low it again. “How?” I whisper.

                “Me and manager hyung kept pleading them and explaining them. In the end they understood about Jung Minnie so they said it’s kind of fine. They said they are however going to send someone over there and make him assign a better doctor and everything you know. And he won’t disturb Jung Min at any cost so it won’t be a huge problem. But we still have to get permission from your best friend”

                “Best friend?” I ask back, confused.

                “The detective. The company said they can’t do anything without asking him because he’s in charge of his case”

                “What the-” I snap angrily.

                I knew this! That guy is a pain in the !

                “Are you going to talk to him?” I ask.

                “Yeah we are going to the police station now. Although we got permission from the company just don’t keep big hopes okay? And don’t tell Jung Minnie yet” Hyung says.

                “Arasso. Just punch that if he doesn’t listen to you. He deserves it!” I say furiously.

                “Dude! This has to be done with a lot of emotions and sensitivity. Thank god you aren’t here! You might have ruined the whole thing” Hyun Joong hyung laughs.

                “He annoys me” I sigh.

                “I know” Hyung says but I suddenly feel Jung Min turning to my side.

                I quickly glance. His eyes are slightly open.

                “What are you doing?” He asks in a sleepy voice that it barely comes out.

                “Ah… Hyun Joong hyung is on the phone” I say in a worried tone.

                Hyung told me not to tell him but I can’t lie; he’s right in front of me.

                “Hmm…” He says and turns around and goes back to sleep.

                I stare at him, confused. In a few seconds I hear him snoring again. He’s asleep? Oh…okay.

                “Hyung, call me when it’s done” I say.

                “Don’t tell him okay? Babo. Mmm” He says and hangs up.

                I look at the time. It’s past ten. Rice bowls from yesterday are still there on the table at the corner of the room. We fell asleep right after omma went back to the hotel. I didn’t even keep track of the time. I still feel sleepy but I don’t want to sleep anymore. I hear someone’s footsteps in the hallway.

                Who? Ajhumma?

                I get off from the bed and very quietly pace to the door with the phone in my hand. I take a peek. It’s ajhumma of course.

                “Good Morning” I greet.

                She startles and turns around. Her hand immediately lands on her chest and it makes me smile.

                “Good Morning Hyung Jun-ssi” Her voice breaks.

                She sniffs and disappears into the kitchen.

                I walk to the living room. The bright light hurts my eyes. I make myself comfortable on the sofa and turn on the television. I don’t know what to watch; I don’t know Chinese. I only understand some words like Hello or Thank you.

                “Hyung Jun-ssi do you want some breakfast?” Ajhumma asks.

                I don’t feel hungry yet. I shake my head at her and give her a warm smile. She leaves. I keep staring at the television without understanding a single thing. I wonder whether this has satellite. I try to find some other remote control but I can’t. I sigh and sit down on the sofa again. Should I sleep? I’m really sleepy and Jung Minnie ain’t awake either. I don’t have anything else to do. I have to wait for Hyun Joong hyung’s phone call too.

                I lie down on the sofa with my legs bent from the knee. It feels comfortable. I stare into the ceiling. The only that runs in my head right now is that the permission from the police. I really wish hyungdeul will get it. Jung Minnie needs them, I need them. I really do.

My phone rings again. My sleep quickly breaks. It’s Young Saeng hyung.

                “Hyung! What happened?” I snap the moment I pick up.

                “It’s half done! Hyun Joongah is still giving various excuses but the detective agreed!” His voice dances.

                I quickly stand up. “Jinja?” I shout.

                “Yeah! He said they are going to send a team with us though, that’s the worst part. But it’s fine, they agreed not to let that police team to always show up in front of Jung Min”

                “Mmm… police team and a person from DSP. Hmmm…” I sigh.

                “I know, It’s not what we had in our minds either” He sighs back.

                “We can’t do anything though. We lied to them so we got to pay a price. And even I don’t think it’ll be a huge problem though. However the detective said he wants to talk with Jung Min” He adds.

                “When?” I snap.

                “I don’t know. I think today if he’s well enough”

                “Will Jung Minnie like it?” I ask.

                “If he doesn’t then this thing won’t happen. They need a reassurance from Jung Min. Lying to the police is a huge thing you know that right? They aren’t going to let this go easily. CEO came to the police too”

                “What? Omo… why?”

                “Because we lied! Company name was almost going to get ruined. If this news gets leaked it’s going to be a huge problem. So the CEO had to come and settle it down. However it’ll be fine as long as they are assured that Jung Min is fine” Hyung’s tone excited again.

                “Hmm… however it’s all done right?” I ask again just to make it sure.

                “Yes, yes! If it’s all settled we are applying for visa today; that’ll take like three days maximum. Then we’ll be on the first flight to Singapore”

                “Woohoo!” I shout.

                “Don’t tell Jung Min yet okay?” He asks.

                “Arasso. But he’ll be really happy if you come. He really needs some friends”

                “Hmm… okay I’m hanging up now. Give him some medicine. I’ll call you if all gets settled”

                “Mmm… annyeong” I hang up.

                An electric thrill runs through my body; a thrill of excitement and happiness.

                Jung Minah… I’ll bring the escape of your reality.

                I promise.

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I'm really sorry for the long hiatus. It was very rude of me I know. My university started but then I fell sick because of the sudden weather change. When I was over it I really didn't had the good mood to write the story and I never write when I don't have the mood because it'll ruin the story so.. I waited till I was ready and did it.. Hope it didn't disappoint you.. And I'm sorry.  And this whole enlistment thing is killing me like literally killing me.