A slamming car door echoed through the silent air as Akio held his breath and waited for the inevitable.

 

The one order he was given, the one above all others he was never meant to disobey, had been shattered in an instant. He had never meant for it to be so. He had feared it from the very moment his charge had requested to visit the company and had naively believed that time would be on their side. But, the moment he saw their great Lady, he instantly knew what he had done.

 

Suddenly a resounding thud echoed in his ears and slammed into his conscious thought. Snapping his eyes open, he immediately turned to look at Jaejoong as saw nothing. Panicked beyond all belief, he practically climbed over the roof of the company car to the other side and felt his heart drop to the floor when his eyes landed on Jaejoong collapsed on the ground, clutching his chest in a complete and utter daze. Dropping to the ground beside the lost and confused man, Akio wrapped his arm around Jaejoong’s back and sat him up. Breathing heavily, on the verge of hyperventilation, Jaejoong tore at his chest as all the color in his face immediately drained away. His eyes glazed over and teary, locked in the throes of sheer shock and panic, he never registered the feel of the young man’s hand on his cheek.

 

“Mr. Kim,” called Akio desperately as he patted the man on the face. “Mr. Kim….”

 

No answer.

 

Readjusting his grip on the man in his arms, Akio racked his brain for a way to help Jaejoong and mentally kicked himself for being so unbelievably stupid. Their great Lady had warned him, Face to face, she had made her orders very clear and spoke of what could happen. He had thought that it was just her way of being protective, as she always was but now…now he finally understood why there had been a flicker of fear in her eyes when she spoke that day.

 

She had known how Jaejoong would react to seeing Yunho, without being prepared. She had known how it would affect him, hurt him.

 

“What have I done?” he breathed out worriedly, his face full of fear and concern.

 

Without warning, Jaejoong’s breathing began to speed up as his heaving chest ebbed and flowed faster and faster; until every breath, be it intake or exhalation, became laced with a suffocating and painful wheeze.

 

“…” gasped Akio as he glanced around looking for someone that could help.

 

Standing on the company steps, Director Choi stood back to attention as the sound of the company limousine pulled away from the curb. With a relatively relieved sigh, he smiled satisfactorily at the thought of how the days’ meetings had ended. With a resolute and contented nod, he turned back to enter the company. Suddenly, movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. Turning to see what he had barely notice, the Director’s eyes immediately widened when he spotted a man in a dark suit kneeling on the ground with his back to him and the barely visible form of another sprawled out on the concrete.

 

“What in the world…” breathed out Director Choi as he began to move towards the two men apprehensively. As he came closer and closer, and his eyes began to slowly recognize the silhouette of the man in the suit, he turned back to one of the remaining bodyguards standing by the entrance and ordered him to follow with an increasingly panicked and nearly desperate voice.

 

“It can’t be…” thought Director Choi as his feet suddenly picked up the pace and he began to run before his mind registered the movement.

 

Darting down the sidewalk as fast as he could, the Director panted heavily as his mind began to race about the unthinkable.

 

“Please…God. Don’t let it be,” he breathed out in quick pants as he came closer and closer.

 

Coming up alongside the man in the dark suit, the Director immediately gasped when his eye fell on the overly pale, nearly lifeless face, of Jaejoong. Dropping to knees, he shot a gaze of pure anger at Akio, before looking back down at panicked man laying before him.

 

“Jaejoong,” he gasped softly.

 

“Give him to me, Watanabe!” growled the Director as he nearly pushed Akio over. Wrapping his arm around Jaejoong’s back and settling him against his chest, the Director immediately pushed Jaejoong’s hand out of the way and put his own hand flush against the man’s chest.

 

“,” mumbled the Director as the sensation of Jaejoong’s wheezing lungs reverberated in his skin.

 

“What the happen?” growled the Director as he angrily glared at the now frightened Akio. “Why the hell is he even here?”

 

“He insisted,” defended Akio as he looked up and watched one of the company’s bodyguards kneel down on the other side of Jaejoong. “And, I thought…”

 

“Well you thought wrong!” yelled the Director before turning his attention back to Jaejoong. Bringing his hand up to Jaejoong’s neck the Director went for the man’s jugular and felt for a pulse.

 

“!” he panicked as he felt Jaejoong’s heart racing a mile a minute.

 

“Sir…” said the bodyguard in a deep voice. “He doesn’t look well. He needs an ambulance.”

 

“Where the hell is his bag?” he suddenly growled, shooting another hateful glare at Akio and ignoring the advice of the other man.

 

“His bag?” questioned Akio “Its…it’s in the car.”

 

“Get it NOW!” screamed the Director.

 

Scrambling to his feet, Akio darted for the car. Without even bothering to open the door, he practically climbed through the open window and reached for Jaejoong’s bag sitting in the floorboard. Snatching it up, he climbed out of the car and ran back to the Director’s side.

 

“Get his medicine,” ordered the Director.

 

“Medicine?” questioned Akio as he ped the zipper and plunged his hand into the bag. Digging around for only a moment, he finally grabbed what felt like a little bottle.

 

“This?” he questioned as he yanked out the bottle and showed it the director.

 

“No! You idiot!” he growled. “Does it look like he’s in a state to be able to take pills! The ing inhaler you moron!”

 

Jamming his hand back into the bag, Akio searched and searched until his hand landed on something that felt like a large disk. Grabbing it tightly he pulled it out of the bag and looked at it.

 

Albuterol.

 

“That’s it,” growled the Director, instantly snatching the rescue inhaler from Akio’s hands before looking back a Jaejoong.

 

“Mr. Kim, Jaejoong,” he called out, trying to get the hyperventilating man’s attention and bringing the contraption to Jaejoong’s lips. “I need you to take this, ok?”

 

“No…” wheezed Jaejoong, as he weakly pushed it away and then suddenly clutched his chest in pain.

 

“You have to!” argued back the Director worriedly, pushing the inhaler back to Jaejoong’s lips. “Come on Jaejoong!”

 

“You have to take this or you will die!” he pleaded. “Your heart can’t take much more of this.”

 

“Please Jaejoong!!!” he begged in a near state of panic.

 

A few tense moments passed as Jaejoong weakly tried to fight off the Director's actions but it wasn’t long until the panicked and hyperventilating man gave in. As the inhalant entered Jaejoong’s body, the three men looking on in fear and worry waited with bated breath for any signs that the medication was working. Slowly, Jaejoong’s breathing began to slow until it was nearly normal. Clutching the device tightly in his hand, the Director checked Jaejoong’s pulse once more and hoped that it, too, had started to stabilize. To his chagrin, it hadn’t and Jaejoong’s complexion continued to turn paler and paler as the seconds ticked by.

 

Falling in and out of consciousness, the dazed man had an idea where he was any more. All he could think about, all his mind focused on, was the sight of someone he had loved for most of his life. Someone he had missed every day of his life since they drifted apart, standing in front of him.

 

“Let’s get him inside,” ordered the Director before turning to Akio. “Give me your jacket Watanabe.”

 

“Yes…yes, Sir.” he stammered, quickly pulling off his suit jacket and handing it to the Director.

 

“You there,” said the Director sternly, looking up at the bodyguard in front of them. “Go to the company clinic and inform the staff physician that we have an emergency. Tell him it’s Emergency Protocol Alpha. Make sure the locks down the clinic immediately and I want security details posted at every entrance and exit. ”

 

“Yes, Sir!” answered the man as he immediately stood and rushed off towards the company’s main doors.

 

“We’re not taking him to the hospital?” questioned Akio worriedly.

 

“If we take him to the hospital…” answered the Director as he placed Akio’s coat over Jaejoong’s face, slipped his hands underneath his legs, and lifted him up off the cold concrete. “The press will have a field day. If they get wind of Jaejoong even being in Japan –let alone this, Lady N will have our hides along with both our jobs!”

 

“He’s that important to her?” questioned Akio, suddenly surprised that the Lady would be so willing to ruin the Director’s career just because of Jaejoong, as they immediately began to rush back to the company.

 

“You have no idea,” he panted.

 

 

[September 4th: Tokyo Japan 6:55 PM]

 

“How is he?” questioned Secretary Kang quietly as she looked up at the Director in the middle of the company’s main lobby.

 

“He’s been sedated, but he’s ok,” he answered as he looked at his trusted secretary and friend “At least, physically.”

 

“What did Dr. Han say?” she prompted worriedly.

 

“Asthma attack brought on by a panic attack,” he sighed deeply.

 

“But, Mr. Kim doesn’t have asthma,” he countered as he glanced down at his file in her hand.

 

“Acute reaction to the shock,” replied Director Choi. “It’s not the first time.”

 

“He was diagnosed with a panic disorder, about ten years ago,” he added. “Not many know about it. He’s even been keeping it hidden from Mr. Kim and Mr. Park.”

 

“That’s why he had the Albuterol?” she breathed out slowly.

 

“Yeah, just in case,” nodded the man.

 

“His family, have they been contacted?” she questioned softly.

 

“His sister is on her way,” answered the Director, his face dropping immediately as the conversation they had on the phone an hour ago flickered across his mind.

 

“That bad?” she questioned, registering his disturbed and worry look immediately.

 

“Worse,” he sighed.

 

Suddenly a loud bang echoed the hallowed chambers of the company’s main lobby as one of the front doors was slung open and a woman dressed in a light pink blouse, black skinny jeans, and high heels –carrying a countenance of both worry and fury, rushed into the building. Taking only a second to register where she was, never speaking to a soul, she took off for the clinic doors on the right side of the lobby as fast as she could. Coming to the doors of the clinic, she was immediately stopped when two hands grabbed her by the shoulders and held her in place.

 

“Unless you want to lose your goddamn hands and go around for the rest of your life handicapped,” she growled hatefully in Japanese.

 

“You best take your damn hands off me!” she shouted.

 

“I take it that’s her,” scoffed Secretary Kang.

 

“Yeah,” sighed Director Choi as he handed the folder to his secretary and headed towards the clinic.

 

“I’m sorry Miss,” said one of the security guards sternly. “But we cannot allow anyone into the clinic at this time.”

 

“You will move,” she barked angrily. “Or I will move you myself!”

 

“There’s no need for violence,” offered up Director Choi as he came up behind the irate woman and nodded to the two security guards.

 

Turning to face the voice behind her the woman just scowled.

 

“Are you in charge here?” she questioned incredulously, her spite for the man dripping from every syllable.

 

“I am. I’m Director Choi Jin Sang,” he answered in an odd tone. “And, considering your current mood, you must be Ms. Lee.”

 

“Director,”  Nikki scoffed protectively. “So you’re the son-of- that put Jaejoong in this situation.”

 

“I want to see him!” she demanded. “Right now!”

 

“Of course,” replied the Director as a slight flicker of fear echoed across his face and he motioned to the security guards to step aside.

 

When the doors of the clinic opened before her, Nikki ran as fast as she could to the patient rooms in the back. Searching every bed, panicked and fearful, she made her way through the large room fretfully. Coming to the last bed, she snatched back the curtains and gasped. Laying there on a cold heartless gurney, Jaejoong slept almost peacefully with tubes in his arms and wires all over his chest. As she stepped up to his bed, Watanabe –who had been standing vigil beside Jaejoong since the moment they brought him to the clinic, stood up and bowed respectfully to the woman instantly. Ignoring the man, Nikki immediately grabbed Jaejoong’s hand lovingly and reached out to feel his head.

 

“Jae,” she whispered. “I’m here.”

 

Seconds later the sound of footsteps echoed all around them. Looking up at the source of the sound, Nikki just glared as the Director and another man dressed in a white coat came into view.

 

“What’s his condition?” she questioned worriedly.

 

“He’s been sedated,” answered Dr. Han. “But he will be alright.”

 

“Due to the unforeseen shock,” he continued when she didn’t respond. “Mr. Kim suffered a massive panic attack, which brought on an acute asthma episode. Thanks to Director Choi’s timely intervention, however, we were able to stabilize and treat the asthma symptoms quickly.”

 

“Is he stable?” she questioned, as she tried to hide her watery eyes and petted Jaejoong’s head lovingly.

 

“For the most part, yes,” he responded. “Though his blood pressure is still a little on the abnormal side, he should even out with the next hour or so.”

 

“Good.” she nodded, sighing a sigh of relief.

 

“You there,” she spoke again, glancing up at Akio. “You’re Akio, right? Jaejoong’s liaison?”

 

“Yes, Ma’am,” he replied with a bow.

 

“Watch him for me,” she ordered as she dropped her hand from Jaejoong’s head and turned to the Director and pointed hatefully “You! OUTSIDE NOW!”

 

“Let’s go!” she growled as she stepped away from Jaejoong and walked past the Director.

 

Twenty minutes later, Jaejoong suddenly began to stir from his drug-induced sleep as the sound of muffled shouting registered in his mind. At first, he didn’t recognize the strained voices but as his mind came more and more into focus, he could have sworn that he heard his Noona. But, that was not possible. She couldn’t be in Japan.

 

Opening his eyes at the thought, he immediately winced at the brightness of the room, threw his arm over his eyes and moaned in pain.

 

“Mr. Kim?” came Akio’s worried voice. “Are you ok?”

 

“HE COULD HAVE DIED!” suddenly echoed a screaming, yet muffled, over-protective female voice from outside the room.

 

Startled, Jaejoong shot up in bed and frantically took in his unfamiliar surroundings.

 

“Mr. Kim,” reassured Akio as he reached out and gently grabbed Jaejoong’s shoulder. “Everything’s ok. You’re safe.”

 

Looking up at Akio in confusion, Jaejoong’s eyes immediately widened when the image of Yunho standing outside the company office flashed across his mind. Panicked, he jerked away from Akio and nearly climbed the wall behind his bed to get away from him.

 

“Mr. Kim!” called out Akio worriedly. “Calm down, everything’s ok!”

 

At the sound of Akio’s pleading voice, Dr. Han –who had been standing near the clinic’s office door eavesdropping on the best chewing out he had ever heard the Director receive, immediately understood that his patient had awakened and opened the door. The sight before him nearly made the elderly man chuckled. There was Ms. Lee, as mad as a mother hen protecting her clutch of eggs and there was Director Choi nearly cowering in fear.

 

“Ms. Lee?” questioned Dr. Han.

 

“What is it?” she responded hatefully.

 

“Your brother’s awake,” he answered, quickly moving out of the way as she instantly darted through the door and left the Director standing in the clinic’s private office nearly dazed.

 

“Now, aren’t you glad, ” quipped Dr. Han with an amused chuckle, a few seconds later, as he looked up at the Director with a smile. “That I insisted on soundproofing the clinic all those years ago?”

 

“God, yes,” sighed Director Choi as he instantly hung his head.

 

“Jaejoong,” called out Nikki desperately as she rounded the curtain that cordoned off Jaejoong’s little part of the clinic and ran to his bedside.

 

“I’m here,” she comforted, immediately grabbing him around the head and shoulders and hugging him. “Everything’s ok. I’m here.”

 

“Noona,” croaked out Jaejoong confusedly as the feel of her arms seemed to instantly calm him.

 

“I’m here,” she repeated, looking up at Akio and silently telling him to leave.

 

As the man politely left the space, she sat down on the edge of the bed and slowly released her hold on Jaejoong.

 

“You’re here,” breathed out slowly, a little bewildered that she was sitting right in front of him.

 

“I’m here,” she reassured once more.

 

“But,” he questioned.“I thought...I thought you were with your sister.”

 

“Oh, Jae,” she nearly sniffled, her face contorting with a mix of worry and disbelief at Jaejoong’s nearly ridiculous question. “Did you really forget?”

 

“Forget?” he questioned, suddenly a little lost.

 

“My sister lives in Shibuya,” she answered with a slightly amused smile. “I came as soon as I got the call.”

 

“They called you?” he questioned, still confused about what had happened –his memory of the last few hours a haze.

 

“Yeah,” she nodded reassuringly, reaching out rubbing Jaejoong’s shoulder lovingly.

 

“What happened?” he questioned worriedly after a long, quiet pause.

 

“You had a panic attack,” she answered.

 

“That’s not what I mean,” he replied, shrugging off her loving hand from his shoulder, and lowering his head. “Yunho…”

 

“It doesn’t matter,” she instantly dismissed, raising her hand up to Jaejoong’s face and cupping his cheek. “It doesn’t matter.”

 

“But…” he started, only to be cut off immediately.

 

“Jaejoong,” she said a little more sternly. “It doesn’t matter, ok?”

 

“Worry about it later,” she nearly seemed to plead, looking at him with worried eyes.

 

“All…alright,” he gave in a few short moments later, leaning forward and dropping his forehead on her shoulder. “Later.”

 

“Mr. Kim,” coughed Director Choi softly, deliberately clearing his throat to announce his presence before deeply bowing, a few short minutes later.

 

Jaejoong looked up at his Noona slightly confused at the unknown man standing before them.

 

“Please allow me to apologize on behalf of the entire company for your unfortunate experience while in the company of one of our employees,” started Director Choi, still bowing respectfully. “We humbly request your forgiveness for causing you such distress.”

 

Nikki couldn’t help but smirk at how fast the Director’s attitude had changed from high and mighty to meek and apologetic in such a short period of time.

 

“My name is Choi Jin Sang,” he continued as he slowly began to stand. “I’m the CEO and Director of General Operations here at Haze Media and the responsibility of this situation falls to me. I hope that you can find it in your heart to forgive the foolishness of my subordinate and be reassured by the fact that an incident such as this will never happen again.”

 

“I assure you,” he added, shooting a ‘you’re fired’ look at Akio.

 

“Don’t fire him," spoke up Jaejoong instantly, understanding the tone lacing the Director’s voice immediately, as his mind remember Akio talking about his new bride and their three-month-old son earlier that day. “He did nothing wrong.”

 

“But, Mr. Kim,” stammered Akio, a little flabbergasted.

 

“I insisted on coming to the company,” admitted Jaejoong. “You were only following my orders. I will not have you terminated for a simple mistake, no matter how much pain it caused me.”

 

“Jae…” sighed Nikki, impressed with Jaejoong’s response.

 

“It wouldn’t be right,” he mumbled softly to her, smiling when he saw her nod in agreement.

 

“As you wish, Mr. Kim,” conceded the Director just as Dr. Han stepped back into view.

 

“Doctor?” questioned Nikki. “How long before Jaejoong can go home?”

 

“His blood pressure has stabilized,” answered Dr. Han as he stepped over to the BP monitor and checked the last auto-reading.

 

“Once his I.V is done,” he added, looking at the nearly empty bag hanging from the stand. “He’s free to go.”

 

“Good,” she sighed in relief.

 

“Mr. Kim,” spoke up Director Choi. “Once Dr. Han has cleared you, a car will be waiting to take you back to your hotel.”

 

“Ok,” sighed Jaejoong with a nod as he watched the man respectfully bow once more, turn, and leave the room with Dr. Han and Akio following right behind him.

 

“Noona...” sadly sighed Jaejoong once they were finally alone.

 

“What is it love?” she questioned, looking back at the man still curled up in her arms.

 

“I didn’t imagine it, did I?” he questioned with a sniffle as his eyes suddenly began to tear up. “He was really here, wasn’t he?”

 

“Yes, love,” she answered as she felt him shuttered every-so slightly and tightened her arms around him “He was.”

 

 

[September 4th: Tokyo, Japan 8:35 PM]

 

“It was an accident,” defended Director Choi into the phone as he reached up and loosened his tie, sweat beading down his temple.

 

“Accident or not!” nearly shouted the Lady N. “What happened today was completely unacceptable. After everything, we’ve been through, after everything we’ve done…”

 

“How could you?” she questioned angrily. “You know how crucial this point in time is!”

 

“I know, N,” replied Director Choi, becoming more and more nervous with every word from his best friend and beloved boss.

 

“If we lose Jaejoong because of this,” she nearly growled. “Our Company will be ruined!”

 

“Damn it!” she breathed out harshly.

 

“We can still fix it,” he reassured. “There’s still a chance…”

 

“You better hope so,” she shouted before angrily hanging up without another word.

 

“…” sighed the Director as he slammed his phone on the desk and hung his head.

 

 

[September 4th: Imperial Hotel, Tokyo Japan 11:09 PM]

 

Releasing a saddened sigh, Nikki sat quietly and stared at the empty Soju bottles sitting on the coffee table before them and listened to Jaejoong breathing softly from her lap. Running her fingers through his hair, trying to comfort her distraught and dearest of little brothers, she silently worried about him and how the day had truly affected him.

 

Since the moment they had left the company’s main office, Jaejoong hadn’t spoken a word; resounding to lay his head in her lap and close his eyes the entire ride back to the hotel. After they arrived, it wasn’t long before Jaejoong began to drink. Silently, he downed bottle after bottle without a word as Nikki sat by his side and held his hand. She had wanted to comfort him, to reassure him that everything would be alright, but even with such a huge empathetic heart, she couldn’t find the right words that would make what happened that day alright.

 

She had known the moment that she received the worried call from Director Choi that today would end up being one of the longest of her life. She knew that Jaejoong would need someone there, to hold his hand and be with him while he dealt with the feelings that seeing Yunho would inevitably stir up within him, and even though it killed her to see Jaejoong this way, she was glad for the first time in her life that she had returned to Japan when she did.  

 

“Noona,” came a softly meek and nearly heartbroken voice a few moments later.

 

“Yes, love?” she answered softly.

 

“What do I do?” barely spoke Jaejoong. “The contract…”

 

“Do what you feel is right,” she answered lovingly.

 

“If you still want to go through with it,” she added softly. “Then give them a chance.”

 

“But, why was he there?” he softly questioned as he finally to his back and looked up at her.

 

“I don’t know darlin’,” she answered with a reassuring smile as she continued to run her fingers through his hair comfortingly. “Perhaps, it was fate...”

 

“Fate,” scoffed Jaejoong. “There’s no such thing.”

 

“I wouldn’t be so sure, love,” she answered knowingly. “Fate is a fickle thing, hiding in the shadows like a thief in the night and seemingly always showing itself when you least expect it.”

 

“Well, I definitely didn’t expect it today,” scoffed Jaejoong as he leaned into her touch.

 

“See,” she smiled down at him.

 

“What would you do?” he questioned as he closed his eyes, rolled towards her, and wrapped his arm around her waist. “If you were me?”

 

“I’d, at least,” she answered hesitantly. “Would want to know, why?”

 

“I want to know, why?” breathed out Jaejoong softly before quietly falling asleep.

 

“You will love,” she said gently. “You will.”
 

 

A/N: Hello everyone! In the spirit of trying to be more diligent with my updating, I'm dropping this latest chapter today. I hope you like. I also wanted to take this time to mention that I have several other currently running fics. Please check out my medieval epic Of Wolves and Dragonkin, my family fluff piece: Tiny Hearts, and my vampire story: Midnight Winds (which I will be updating soon!)