Days passed and the love issues of Soomin had been fixed, well, partially fixed. She and Taemin were talking again but there were limits, and so were their "skinship". Their once endless hugging and teasing were lessened, causing both Nu'est, Key and Sulli to worry. Still, there were still teases and aegyo showing between the two, though it wasn't just like before.

This day, Ren was absent, much to Soomin's surprise. Ren seemed okay the last few days, and she even came to their house to check up on him. Even Key and Taemin was shocked that Ren was absent, he was perfectly fine these previous days. 

"Does anybody have any ideas why he's absent?" Key asked, his arms crossed like a diva he is.

"Fever." Aron quickly answered.

"Very high fever." Minhyun corrected.

"Jinjja? How come?" Taemin asked as he blinked a few times. "He was okay these past few days, wasn't he?"

"Nae... about that..." Baekho nervously stated. "Well..."

"Well what?" Taemin and Key asked.

"He told us not to tell you that he wasn't feeling well these days." JR said, completing Baekho's sentence.

"Mwo? Why in the world will he do that?" Key scowled. "Aish... that boy."

Soomin was the only one quiet. Everyone tend to recognize that, especially Taemin and JR. Her eyes showed worry, great worry. "Yah, are you okay?" Taemin worriedly asked as he placed his hand over Soomin's shoulder, making the young girl quickly look at him.

"N-nae." Soomin nodded. 

"You look pale." Key commented as he leaned a bit at Soomin. 

"Aniyo! I don't!" Soomin smiled.

"Someone's worried now, isn't he?" Baekho smirked as he placed his arm around Soomin's shoulders. "Don't worry, we can drop by at his place later to visit him."

"Cool idea!" Aron smiled. "You think so too, don't you, JR?"

"Sure, sounds cool."

Everyone then agreed to visit Ren at his place. Time passed really quick and before they knew it, school was over! With the speed of light, everyone dashed off to Ren's residence, of course since they picked Sulli up, she was included to come with them.

After a lot of running, they reached Ren's residence. The family maids quickly welcomed them, and since JR's family is friends with Ren's family, Ren's foster parents quickly noticed him. "Ah, Jonghyun-ah! What brings you here?" she asked.

"We're visiting Ren, ma'am. Is he okay?" JR asked.

"He still has high fever, but he's slowly recovering." Ren's foster mother smiled. It didn't take a while before she noticed Soomin was along and was about to great her until Soomin ran her index finger on , telling her not to reveal her identity and to pretend that she doesn't know her. Well, nobody knew that she was dropping by at Ren's house, and that Ren was dropping by at her place so if his foster mother told them that she knew her, the twins' secrets are going to be revealed! Ren's foster mother saw her gestures and pretended not to know her. 

"Minki is up in his room, just knock, arraseo?" 

"We will, thank you." everyone bowed as they quickly went up in Ren's room. As told, they knocked first and turned the doorknob, and much to their surprise, Ren wasn't resting! He was standing up, walking around his room doing random stuff.

"Yah! Choi Minki!" JR cried upon seeing Ren standing up. "Why aren't you resting?!"

"JR?!" Ren cried in shock as he saw JR and the rest. "W-what are you doing here?!"

"Duh, to visit you, what else?" Aron answered. "And JR's right, why the heck aren't you resting? Aren't you sick?!"

"Don't tell us that you pretended to be sick?!" Baekho angrily scolded.

"Ani-! It's not that!" Ren cried."I just did something, that's all!"

"Don't lie to us, you were obviously not resting!" Minhyun scowled. 

Ren, later, saw the worry in Soomin's eyes. Upon seeing her, he quickly tried explaining things, though it sounded nonsense, so that he can have an excuse why he wasn't resting. Well, true that he has high fever, but Ren's the type that can't stand being in bed the whole day doing nothing! He was strictly told by his foster parents to stay in bed, no gadgets, no work, just rest. "W-well, I just about to... um, get a book to read then you came in. T-talk about great timing, right?" Ren smiled.

"Jinjja?" Key glared.

"Nae-!" Ren cried before finally collapsing. To be true, his vision while talking with them was slowly getting blurry, but he didn't want to tell them so, thus, he collapsed. Acting quick, Soomin caught him before he fell on the floor. 

"Ren collapsed!" Soomin cried as he turned to the others. JR quickly moved and carried the unconscious boy to his bed. Like a caring sister she is, Soomin fixed Ren's blanket and felt his forehead. "Woah! He's burning!" she exclaimed as she quickly retreated her hand.

"Woah, he really is!" JR cried.

"Key-hyung, do something!" Taemin cried.

"Why me?!" Key cried.

"You're the umma for crying out loud!"

"Aish, fine! Get some cloth and basin full of water!"

Everyone acted quick and obeyed. Soomin, meanwhile, was worried and kept on clearing Ren's face from his bangs and secretly held onto his hand. 

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"Umma! Soomin's burning with fever!" eight year old Ren cried out as he tried pulling his mother to his and Soomin's room. "Palli! She's really sick!"

"Mwo? Aigoo, that girl! What was she up to these days?" Mrs. Choi worriedly cried as she and Ren ran to their room. As soon as they arrived, they saw Soomin lying down their bed, layers of comforters on her. "Aigoo, my poor Soomin!" their mother cried as she felt her forehead. To her surprise, she really was burning hot! 

"Umma... Soomin will be okay, right?" Ren asked, his eyes slowly getting teary.

"Y-yes she will, dear, I'll just get something, arraseo? Watch over your sister."

"Nae, umma."

When their mother was gone, Ren turned his eyes onto Soomin. He tried to hold in the tears that were threatening to roll down his cheeks anytime. He tightly held onto his twin sister's hand, making the young girl open her eyes, enough for her to see her twin brother beside her. "Minki..." she softly called out, enough for him to hear.

"Mianhe, Soomin. It's my fault that you are like this." Ren softly said as he caressed the young girl's forehead. "Mianhe..."

"Ani, it's not Minki's fault." Soomin smiled. "I insisted to play under the rain, didn't I? It's clearly my fault, I knew that you didn't force me to go in because you know that I was having fun playing under the rain. Oh, and gomawo, I had lots of fun."

"Don't talk anymore, arraseo? Just rest." Ren smiled as he wiped his teary eyes.

"Why are you crying?"

"I-I'm not! Something just got in my eyes..."

"Pff, liar!"

"Am not!" 

"Yes you are~"

"Aish, shut up."

The twins ended up laughing. Ren was really protective over Soomin, and though they were born at the same date, Ren can be considered as the older twin, he was four minutes older than Soomin. He won't let anything happen to her, and now that she has high fever because of him, he feels extremely guilty, though she claims it to be her fault. It was only them who cared the most for each other. Later, their mother came back, carrying a basin of water and a small white towel. "Umma, can I do it?" Ren asked as he grabbed the towel.

"Do you know how to?" Mrs. Choi asked.

"Mhm! I see umma do this a hundred times! I want to take care of Soomin myself!" 

"Aigoo, arraseo. Just be careful not to spill any water, okay?"

"Ye, umma!"

"Okay then, umma will just buy our dinner, okay? Don't let anyone in the house until you see it's me or your appa, arraseo?"

"Ye, umma!"

"Good, I'll be going now."

"Be safe, umma!"

Once Mrs. Choi was gone, Ren began to wet the towel and placed it above Soomin's forehead. "Better?" he asked.

"Nae, gomawo, Minki." she smiled. Ren smiled back and refused to go anywhere, he wanted to just stay beside Soomin until she feels better. "Yah, why not go play with Taeminnie, Key-oppa and Sulli?" she suggested.

"Ani, I'm staying beside you until you feel better." Ren smiled. "Yagsog!"

"Jinjja? Minki won't leave me?"

"Yagsog! I won't leave you."

"Gomawo!"

"Gwenchana!"

Ren decided to read some of their favorite stories to Soomin, still refusing to let go of his twin's hand. Afternoon came and still, Ren didn't let go of Soomin's hand until he fell asleep. "Minki. Minki-ah." Soomin repeatedly called out as she gently shook Ren, waking him up.

"Nrgh-?! Wha? Waeyo, Soomin-ah?" Ren asked, his eyes half opened.

"I'm hungry." she softly said.

"Ah, jinjja? Wait, I'll get you some food, is there anything you like?" 

"Anything will do..."

"Arraseo, I'll make some porridge."

"Nae! Gomawo." 

"Anything for my sister~" Ren smiled as he patted her head and went to the kitchen. Soon, he got back with a bowl of porridge and a glass of water. "Porridge for milady~" Ren joked, pretending that Soomin was a princess.

"Yah, hajima!" Soomin laughed. "And, aren't you a prince? Why be formal?"

"Just felt like it." Ren giggled and began feeding his sister. Soon, evening came and their parents arrived at the same time. 

"Aigoo, it seems so quiet." Mr. Choi softly said. "Where are the kids?"

"In their room. Minki must have stayed beside Soomin, he looks extremely worried for her."

"How sweet. Oh, there they are." 

Their parents soon saw the twins fast asleep, Ren sleeping beside Soomin. The twins' hands were intertwined and the bowl of porridge was still there, empty. Several books were piled beside the bed. "Aigoo, how cute! Our twins are really close." Mrs. Choi smiled.

"Nae. We'll wake them up later once dinner is ready, arraseo?"

"Nae."

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"Minki-ah! Palli!" ten year old Soomin cried as she dashed ahead of her twin.

"Jjakaman! Let me catch my breath, Soomin!" ten year old Ren cried as he heavily panted. "Aigoo, aren't you too excited?"

"Palli!" Soomin cried as she held Ren's arm and dragged him behind. While running, Ren's attention was caught by a rather eye-catching furniture. He quickly let go of his twin and took a look at it. Later did he know that Soomin was crossing the street already and a speeding car was about to hit her. Due to his great senses, he sensed this, but it was too late.

The car was near her already and Soomin was paralyzed by fear. "Soomin! Get out of there!" Ren cried as he dashed towards his twin and pushed her aside. 

Soomin was too scared to even look at what was happening. Later did she know that she was lying on the road, her vision slightly blurry, and a figure was beside her. A familiar figure.

"MINKI!!!" she cried in terror as she saw her twin brother clad in his own blood.

=========================================================================================

"Mianhe... I really am sorry..." Soomin repeatedly mumbled as her tears refused to stop. She was holding her brother's hand tightly, and was extremely weeping.

"Soomin, it's okay." Ren smiled as he patted his twin's back. "I'm okay... I promise."

"You are not okay! You were hit by a car and the doctor said that you have a blood clot thingie in your head! You're situation is NOT okay!!!"

"Calm down, everything will be fine." Ren smiled. "I'll be fine, we'll be fine."

"Minki, I overheard umma and appa talking lately. They said that... they can't afford the hospital bills, eottokhe?"

"That's expected. Let's just hope for the best, arraseo?"

"H-how if you and I are... are separated?"

"That won't happen, I promise."

"Yagsog?"

"Yagsog."

Soomin tried to show a reassuring smile to her brother, but failed multiple times as tears continued to roll down her eyes. Ren was really getting worried for Soomin herself, he didn't want to see his sister like that. He hated seeing his sister crying. "Yah, stop crying now, okay? A princess doesn't cry that much, remember?" Ren joked.

"I'm no princess now." Soomin sobbed. "And, what's the point of being one if my prince is gone?"

"Aish, I won't go, okay? I'll stay with you." 

"But..."

"Trust me, everything will be okay..."

"Okay."

With that, the twins closed their eyes and held hands again, hoping for something like a miracle to happen.

=========================================================================================

"We promise, we'll take care of little Minki."

"You can assure that we'll treat him as our own son."

"Oh, you don't know how glad I am! I really don't want him to be separated from us, but, it's the only choice we can see out of this..."

"We understand. Please don't worry, we will take care of him."

"Nae. I know you will."

These were the voices Ren heard. He opened his eyes but saw nothing but darkness. He felt the things around him, and to his relief, he felt Soomin was still beside him. He tried moving, but the pain just got worse. Soon, he heard footsteps getting closer to him.

"W-who's there?" he asked, but no one replied. Soon, he felt himself being carried up, away from Soomin. He tried calling Soomin, but words refused to escape his mouth. He was beginning to grow weak and he felt his eyes slowly closing for some reason. His head was painful and so was his whole body.

"No! Don't take me away from Soomin! Aniyo!" he yelled in his head. "Let me down! Soomin! Soomin! Help! Umma! Appa! Aniyo!"

His vision slowly blackened. 

"UMMA! APPA! HELP! NO, LET ME GO! HELP!!! ANYONE! DON'T TAKE ME AWAY, PLEASE! SOOMIN! SOOMIN!!! DON'T SEPARATE ME FROM MY SISTER! SOOMIN! SOOMIN!!!"

=========================================================================================

"Soomin!" Ren cried as he jolted up from his sleep, surprising Soomin. He scanned the whole place and found himself in his room. Everything was just a dream, thank goodness...

"Yah! Are you okay?" Soomin worriedly asked. Ren turned his eyes on her and pulled his twin for a tight hug. Soomin was rather confused on what was happening, until she felt Ren's sobbing. "What's wrong?"

"I... saw my memories." he softly answered. "That time... we got separated."

"Jinjja?"

"Nae. It hurts... it really does. I don't want us separated again, Soomin. No more."

"Calm down, it won't happen again." Soomin smiled. "We're together again, see? Don't worry. We'll be beside each other forever."

"Yagsog?"

"Yagsog." Soomin nodded as she hugged Ren back. 

True, that time they got separated must be the most painful memory they both have. It was also true that both of them changed greatly after all these years, but their promises will remain.

Together forever. Forever twins.