Chapter L:

Stupid 

“Dara! NO!”

And what came next was darkness.

At the sound of Sandara’s name, Jaejoong whipped his head furiously, but then he flinched right away when a sudden loud clanging noise erupted within the function hall, and an explosion of screams and cusses then followed suit. Fear instantly wormed inside of him and he couldn’t breathe for a moment. What just happened? What the hell just happened?

One second he was practicing peacefully, the next he was pushed and now…oh my God.

He turned his head back and found himself gaping in shock. The center of the stage—where he was just standing seconds ago—was now a total wreck with a large light fixture embedded onto it. Everyone came rushing towards them and crowded around the stage.

“Jesus Christ, what just happened?!” Leeteuk shouted, darting his head around, looking alarmed and worried.  “Is everyone alright?!”

Jaejoong blinked. I could’ve been hit by that thing. If I wasn’t pushed I could’ve… But who?

Then realization came crashing on him like an avalanche.

He gasped. “Holy , Dara!”

His mind filled with terrible possibilities, Jaejoong fumbled upright and ran towards the center of the stage while he staggered on his steps. He shot his head everywhere—underneath, beside, at the back of the fallen equipment…everywhere—but Dara was nowhere to be found. Then his gaze fell down on the floor, and when it did, Jaejoong collapsed on his knees.

There below the ground was a body.

No. Bodies.

And relief never felt as intense as it washed the whole of his being.

Thank goodness.

An uproar of noises aroused around her, and Dara couldn’t feel a single bone on her body. Were they crushed? That she wasn’t sure of. But aside from numbness there was no pain. Why? I was so sure it fell on me.

She willed herself to move but couldn’t seem to do so. Maybe the after effect of the intense shock had momentarily immobilized her, but then again, it felt odd because Dara could literally feel herself being trapped to the point that she couldn’t move at all and wherever she lain, it felt rather...warm and hard, a more yielding object than the marbled floor.

What happened?

Sandara groaned.

And suddenly another voice groaned in return.

Startled, she strained to open her eyes, and when she did, a man’s scrunched up face loomed right in front of her.

Donghae.

“W-what,” she started but couldn’t seem to find her words. She was too shocked to say anything.

“Holy sh—Thank goodness you’re both alright!”

She heard Eunhyuk’s voice from the stage and realization finally came to her. Donghae just saved her. The careless man just came diving towards her and both of them ended up falling off the stage. She was unharmed, she was safe.

But Donghae…

Wriggling out of his embrace, Dara rolled to her side before lifting her body entirely. She sat on her knees, bending over to look at Donghae with a terrified frown marring the features of her face. “Oh my God, are you okay?!” she brought a hand on his face, slapping it subtly until the man grunted in response.

Heaving another groan, Donghae’s eyes fluttered, barely opening them up as thought the mere effort exhausted him. Then with half-lidded eyes, he looked back at Dara, a small smile tugging on the corners of his mouth. He looked pale, Dara noted, he looked so alarmingly pale.

“You’re safe,” he mumbled softly, sighed before closing his eyes.

Dara panicked at that, a torrent of emotions constricted within her heart. Suddenly, there were thousands of bricks lodged into that made it seem so hard to breathe.

No.

Terror, an old friend, came back only to kick her in the gut. Again, again and again.

No, no no no no no!

“Yah! Don’t you dare die on me!” she shrieked as Dara pounded both of her fists on Donghae’s chest.

With a loud oof, the man’s eyes flew wide open and it seemed to have effectively brought back the color on is face. Glaring, Donghae caught Dara’s hands in his grasps and hissed. “I’m not dead for Christ’s sake, so don’t try killing me!”

“My God, then don’t act like one!” she hissed back and slapped his chest once more. The woman glared back at him, swallowing the sobs threatening to break free. “Why are you such a stupid dummy, huh?”

Wincing, Donghae managed to lift himself up. He opened his mouth and was about to grumble back at her but stopped himself at the sight of Dara’s shaking hands. With her face contorted in dread, the woman looked like she was about to cry any second now, biting hard on her lip and trying to hold herself together.

Despite himself, Donghae smiled at her. “Geez, I’m fine. Okay?”

Honestly, he wasn’t. It felt like he just broke his spine because the whole of his back was damn painful; he could even feel some cuts here and there and it stung. It seemed they fell on a table or a chair, or whatever equipment was left beside the stage, and Donghae could still feel a few chunks and splinters of wood beneath his back.

“Holy , Donghae!” He heard the voice of Kangin and saw the man’s worried face poking in view and the other SUPER JUNIOR guys edging in.

“Hyung!”

“Call 911!”

 “Donghae!”

“You still alive, man?!”

“You ing made us worry!”

“Someone call for help!”

 “Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God!”

If his ears didn’t incur any injury from the fall, now it felt like his eardrums were bleeding.

“Guys, please, I’ll need your help.” It was Dara’s voice, barely stable but firm. “Riri, go and ask for medical assistance. Tell them to go straight to room W-05.”

Seungri nodded and stormed out of the hall.

 “Siwon oppa, Kangin oppa, please, bring him to my room. It’s the closest one here. I’ll try to tend the wounds while waiting for the doctor.”

As per Dara’s instructions, Siwon and Kangin reached for Donghae arms but the man protested.

“Hey, I’m fine, really. No need to make a fuss,” he said.

“You ing fell out of a seven-foot stage, Hae. You need help!” Eunhyuk insisted.

“Just let them assist you.” Dara added.

“I can walk my way…I guess. Just help me up and I’ll be fine.”

“No, you’re not.”

“Yes, I am.”

“My God. You clearly aren’t. So stop being so stubborn!”

After a series of insistent protests and arguments, Donghae finally heaved a resigned sigh as he allowed Kangin and Siwon lift him up by the shoulder