CHAPTER 14: MISSING PIECES, DISGUISED

-56 hours before the article was released-

 Sunngyu could feel his lids heavy, as if kept closed by large boulders pressing down on it. He cannot get his eyes to open and the darkness of the room prevented him from seeing anything. Although absurdly enough it was also dark outside his room since he stayed on his bed dead to the world for more than 16 hours. The last memory he had was a solid punch he gave to a rich arrogant man. He remember a few guys trying to pick a fight with him, insulting his father as being a criminal or an aid to criminals who were smuggling drugs.  

-Sunggyu’s Flashback -

Sunggyu spat back at the man accusing his father by saying. "At least my father just transports drugs but does not use it unlike you spoiled rich men who uses it and are helping my father to get richer. Now who is a wiser person the one who makes money or the person who buys the goods to make that other person richer? Just...."

Sunngyu did not even finish what he was saying when this group of people started attacking him. Quick enough, the pub bodyguards came to Sunggyu's rescue. He was immediately pushed in his father’s office as the ruckus outside the Pub became more chaotic as Sunngyu could hear from the door where he was leaning on. A loud bang could be heard along the hallway, stepping away from the door Sunngyu went behind his father’s desk staring wildly at the door.

The door cracked open a dark head peeped in; a teenage boy with feminine features was now staring at Sunngyu and was slowly sliding himself in the room. He was of average height with a small framed body garbed with leather pants and jacket partnered with a red shirt, and a dog tag necklace. His lids heavily eyelinered, ears pierced with multiple earrings, although darkly attired his good looks still shined through the gothic attire.

Sunggyu grabbed the baseball bat underneath his father’s desk ready to protect himself in case “Baby/Korean Mick Jagger” wanted to attack him. His hand gripped on the handle tightly as the boy in front of him swag his way towards the desk. Leaning his full weight on the desk with both of his hands the boy looked at Sunggyu. Cocking his head, he smirked before saying, “I believe you started the fight outside but then your hiding in this room. It is only right that I call you a coward…”

Sunggyu swung the bat in front of him placing it on his shoulders. He looked at the boy in front of him “I don’t think it be the best time to call me a coward.” Cocking his head he smirked back at the boy.

The door opened suddenly. “Look who we have here? The cocky kid who spoke against our friend is in hiding, too scared to man up hiding behind his father’s body guards!”

Sunggyu was about to step forward to teach these men a lesson when the gothic boy stopped him in his tracks by placing his hand on Sunggyu’s chest. The boy stepped forward instead swung a punch at the man and back kick the other one beside him. Both men staggered now redirecting their anger towards the boy who hurt them bruising their manly ego.

Sunggyu did not want to be left out. He swung the bat behind one man’s knee crippling him from doing anything. While the other received two more punches from the gothic boy fell flat on the floor.

A Pub bodyguard finally came in the office grabbing hold of gothic boy he dragged him outside while Sunggyu shouted. “I did not get your name!”

The gothic boy looked behind him as he was being dragged. “Don’t worry will meet each other again….sooner than you think!”

-End of Flashback-

Sunggyu finally got his lids open as he heard loud banging on his room door. He could hear IU shouting behind it.

“Lee Sunggyu open the door now! You don’t want me kicking your door open!” IU threatened.

Hearing IU, Sunggy groggily walked towards the door not doubting his cousin’s threats. Turning on the doorknob handle he came face to face with an angry IU, a breathing dragon in a dress.

IU did not even wait to be invited in her cousin’s room she stormed pass Sunggyu and held on the collar of Sunggyu’s shirt from behind dragging him back to his room. She then plopped her cousin on the big red sofa and glowered above him with her hands on her hips.

Exasperated, IU breathed out deeply before saying, “I can’t believe you got in a fight!!! Worse thing was you got into a fight with a politician’s son! You know how much money they are demanding from your father? Ten billion won! Good thing the press was controlled by the other party but because of that they are asking an additional five billion won from my Uncle, your father!”

Looking at Sunggyu, IU noticed his cousin holding unto his ribs wincing in pain. That got IU worried; sitting beside Sunggyu she slowly lifted his shirt and found a huge bruise around his cousin’s rib area.

“Dang! I should have beaten up those guys who did this to you! I even saw the politician’s son he did not even had a single scratch on him.” IU pouted but then smiled evilly right after. “Well…I would not say the same of his friends they were beaten to the pulp.” Lifting her right hand “High five for that cousin” Sunggyu met her halfway and slammed his hand on IU’s small one. 

“Ouch!” Sunggyu said suddenly holding unto his ribs. “You’ve got a strong arm there cousin.”

Sunggyu was pretending to complain while looking at IU in pain although smiling warmly after a second since he was happy that his cousin still cared for him after all. A loud ringing of a phone interrupted them. Looking at the phone that was ringing beside Sunggyu IU could distinguish that the caller was Bora. Moving more quickly than his cousin, IU got to the phone first and answered it.

“Hello?” IU said a little gruffly. “What do you want?”

“Uhmm…hello? Is this Sunggyu’s phone?” Bora asked timidly

“Yes it is.” IU bluntly replied. “My cousin cannot come to the phone, his..”

“I hope his not hurt?” Bora interrupted

“How would you know his hurt?” IU responded quizzically. Sunggyu tried to grab on the phone but IU stood almost immediately avoiding him. “Were you the reason he got into trouble!?” IU slightly raising her voice counter reacted.

“So he is hurt” Bora worriedly said. “I was not inside the pub last night but came during the fight. I was not let in, I wanted to help and find your cousin but..”

This time Bora was interrupted by Sunggyu who finally got the phone from IU after a lot of struggle. “You were in the pub?”

“Oh Sunggyu!” Bora said happily. “Yes I was in the Pub last night looking for you since you did not show up for our…errr… plans last night.” Mentally face palming herself she was about to say “date” and that would have been embarrassing.

“I’m sorry about that let me make it up to you over dinner tonight?” Sunggyu unsurely said blushing quite heavily in front of his cousin who had her ears on alert for any sound and her eyes fixed on Sunngyu.

Bora responded hesitantly “I…I...have plans. I’m on my way to visit Sungjong in the hospital since his condition is quite critical...”

“What Sungjong is in hospital? What happened…” Before Sunggyu could finish what he was saying IU got her hands on his phone again.

“Why? What happened to Sungjong?!” IU demanded.

“Oh it’s you again.” Bora irritatingly sighed.

“What hospital? Is it bad? Give me information lady or else you will never get to talk to my cousin again.” IU scowled.

)-------------(

Sungyeol was pacing in front of the hospital room where his cousin lay still unconscious after 8 hours in the operating room. He could not believe all of these horrible things are happening to him, are happening to the people he loves most. His cousin is on a hospital bed, his best friend is betraying his trust, and his first love is falling out of love for him. If his cousin will not wake up from this state he will be left without anything. He slumped down on the cold stainless chair of the hospital; placing his head on his hands he muttered a frustrated cry.

Sungyeol heard footsteps nearing him and a pair of Doc Martin’s stopped in front of him as he looked up he found L staring down at him with a worried face.

“I’m sorry I was not here sooner. I only found out and I came as soon as I heard.” Looking up at the bright fluorescent light, L was trying to prevent his tears to fall. “I should have known something was up when you did not show up for our scheduled dinner last night.”

Sungyeol did not respond, he put his head back down covering his face with his hands not wanting to deal with L. He was still trying to come face to face with the fact that his cousin was suffering from a terrible disease. A terrible heart disease that his kept a secret for all these years from Sungyeol; Sungyeol always knew his cousin was sickly but he never suspected that it was this horrible.

Clutching unto his hair Sungyeol stopped the tears that were about to spill. L looked at his friend who was having a mental battle in his head, sat down and placed his hand on his friend’s back rubbing it hoping that it will lessen the pain they were both experiencing.

Sungyeol flinched once he felt L’s hand on his back as if burned by the contact. He suddenly stood up and was about to leave the premises in where his in close contact with his “best” friend, when the doors of the operating room finally opened in where Dr. Park Gahi stepped o