The last scenes the production scheduled for filming were the ones in the warehouse and the upcoming wedding and post-wedding scene, the schedule was tight but if they could just complete filming by the early dawn hours of January 17, the airing of the last episode, episode 21, they could succcesfully finish the drama. They could not risk filming any later than that since they still had to edit and splice scenes to come out with a good and complete episode to air.

Today it was EH who had a slightly earlier call time at the set of the warehouse. EH sent a SMS to YC informing him that she was leaving for the filming site and would see him later. What EH did not tell YC or anyone else of her personal staff was that she was not feeling 100% well today and actually did have much of an appetite. She knew how pressed for time the production was and she did not want to worry anyone so she just had a glass of orange juice before walking out of her home. She was sure she did not have a fever, because it was the first thing she checked when she woke up feeling unwell, but she was feeling cold despite the heavy coat she was wearing and the heat in the van.

EH arrived on the set while the staff was working hard to make the warehouse as warm as possible by placing drums with fires in strategic places in the warehouse. Despite all their efforts, the warehouse was still cold, it was the dead of winter after all and the warehouse had no insulation.

EH started filming her solo scenes and her close-ups that did not need YSH of YC’s presence. When she was nearly done with her scenes YC and YSH arrived one after the other. They decided to film YSH’s solo scenes and close-ups and, as is her wont, EH stayed in her place to give YSH a better point of reference in the scenes where KHJ-HB was supposed to focus on LSY. YC was watching EH full of pride in her full support for YSH. He knew that not many actresses would go this estra mile for their co-star since she could just have easily gone to the warmer waiting area that was prepared for them as she was not actually needed for the filming. Suddenly, YC stilled from where he was watching and took a more intent look at EH. He was not sure but he thought that he saw EH shiver in her seat. At the break, when the staff and crew where preparing for his solo shots and close-ups, he walked over to EH and asked: “Are you feeling well? Did I see you shiver a while ago?” Startled EH answered: “Huh, yeah I did shiver a bit but I’m fine now.” YC, clucking his tongue: “Aigoo, why don’t you join YSH in the waiting room while I’m filming my solo scenes. It’s a lot warmer there, hmmm.” As YC was saying this he was already leading EH towards the warmer waiting room. He gives EH a slight nudge into the room and smiles at her before walking back to the warehouse to start filming his scenes.

An hour into filming his solo scenes, the filming staff and crew were distracted by a commotion in the waiting room. YSH was running toward the warehouse and stopped directly in front of YC to whisper in his hear: “YC hyung, EH noona fainted in the waiting room a few minutes ago as she stood up to stretch her legs and walk around a bit. She hasn’t woken-up yet.”  As soon as YC heard this he was running at high speed towards the waiting room, YSH and the PD-nim not far behind him.  

The blood drained from YC’s face the instant he saw his EH lying unconscious on the waiting room floor. MSM was gingerly placing a pillow under her head while EH’s coordinator was placing additional blankets over her. YC frantically kneels down beside MSM, reaching out to hold EH’s cold left hand and instantly rubbing it between both his hands and asks: “What happened? Was she feeling unwell this morning before coming here?” MSM shakes her head and replies: “If she was, she did not tell us. Knowing EH, she would not tell us so we would not worry. She does not have a fever and she does not have a cold. She did not even look pale. What could it be?” YC was losing his composure the longer EH remained unconscious. All he wanted to do was to gather EH in his arms and keep her there, about to do just that, he feels EH grasping hold of his hand and looks at her face in time to see her slowly open her eyes.

YC: “EH, honey, are you alright? How do you feel? Are you cold? Do you hurt somewhere? What happened?”

EH weakly tries to sit up as YC helps her with his arms around her shoulders. She answers: “I’m okay now, please help me up and lead me to my chair.”

As YC is helping EH stand up, EH’s knees gives in and it is clear that she is too weak to even lift a finger. YC carries her in his arms, walks over to the chair, sits on it and places EH on his lap, wrapping the blankets tightly around her. MSM talks to the PD-nim and says that they need to bring her to the hospital YC fully agrees with MSM’s decision and is now standing up to carry EH to her van and accompany them to the nearby hospital.  Before YC can join EH in her van, his manager and the PD-nim stops him and calls him aside to talk to him.

YC’s manager: “YC, you know perfectly well that you cannot accompany EH to the hospital. If you do it will be big news and a scandal may ensue. I thought we were avoiding that for EH’s sake. I know how you feel. I have eyes and I can see that you really care for her but you can’t go. For EH’s sake you should not go.”

PD-nim inserts: “JW-yah, we have not finished filming your solo scenes and you know how urgent it is to stay on schedule. We can continue filming around EH’s scenes until she comes back.”

YC knew the truth of what his manager and the PD-nim was saying. If it were up to him, he did not care about a scandal but EH would be the most affected if a scandal broke out at this point and he wanted to protect EH. Reluctantly, YC steps away from EH’s van. Instead, he calls over one of his coordinators and gives her strict instructions to accompany EH and her staff, not to take her eyes away from EH for even a second and keep him updated on EH condition. The coordinator nods her head in understanding and enters the van. YC’s manager and the PD-nim looked on with worried looks on their faces. YC was holding back tears as he realizes that he really could not live if anything bad happened to EH.

The production team continued filming around the scenes of EH. But the atmosphere in the set was subdued. The rest of the actors playing HJW’s police team as well as the SWAT team arrived and they filmed the exterior shots that involved them. But all were worried for EH especially since YC’s coordinator called YC to inform him that the nearby hospital was not fully equipped to treat EH so they had to go all the way back to Seoul for treatment. OJS stayed by YC, whenever he could, trying his best to cheer-up his friend. YC felt that he was slowly going crazy with worry. According to his coordinator, EH was getting several bags of IV drips to give her strength so she can continue filming. EH was so worried that she was causing so much delay in the filming that she was already requesting the doctor to allow her to leave the hospital and travel to the filming site with the last IV drip still connected to the back of her hand. YC wanted to put his foot down and insist that EH stay put in the hospital but he knew that they did not have that luxury. They still had several crucial scenes to film before they could wrap up filming.  

Every one on the set heaved a collective sigh of relief when YC informed them that his coordinator called to inform him that the doctor allowed EH to travel with the last IV bag still on EH’s hand and that they were on their way back to the filming site. YC did not share the fact, though, that the doctor insisted that EH should check-in at the hospital as soon as possible so that they could give her a thorough check up.

Note: To be continued…