Dear Readers,

I AM SO SORRY!!!!! I KNOW THIS IS SHORT AND ITS BEEN A REALLLLLLYYYY LOOOONGGG TIME SINCE I'VE UPDATED BUT I AM UNDER A LOT OF STRESS APPLYING FOR COLLEGES SO PLEASE UNDERSTAND! AND I'M FAILING CALCULUS SO PRAY FOR ME!!!

With all due respect,

Sophie

“Congratulations!” So Min said excitedly. So Min has been officially transferred to a brand new room. Grandpa Yoon and Ji Hoo came together and created a suitable room for her. She’s still encased in a glass room; however, she’s not cut off from the rest of the world completely. She has a large smart t.v. at the front of her bed. The television is equipped with a webcam for her to talk to her friends and some of her children patients who wishes her well. Every new technology that So Min has was sterilized personally by the older and younger Yoon.

“I’m so happy!” Ga Eul’s face gushed on the television.

“I’m sure you are, darling!”

“You know, I wish you can come,” Ga Eul said dejectedly. It has been a good three months since Ga Eul’s debut at Harabeoji So’s mansion. During these three months, Ga Eul and Mama So were busying beating out the wedding details while Yi Jeong finished off his last master piece for a new art exhibit. 

So Min’s face faltered. Even though she’s not cut off from the world, but not being near her friends physically bothered her. “I know, and I’m sorry.”

“If I could, I would reached out from this television and give you a big fat hug. I don’t care if you can’t make it to the wedding; I just want my best friend to be well again,” Ga Eul said.

“I’m trying,” So Min replied and gave Ga Eul an air hug.

Ga Eul air hugged her back. “I have to go now; I have to got to lunch with Jae Kyung.”

“Okay, give her my love,” So Min replied back and smiled the cheeriest smile she could muster. 

It’s been two months now, and no progress but no deterioration of her health. It was boring being holed up in the room, but So Min couldn’t go anywhere. Ji Hoo would occasionally pop in and out everyday, but she felt lonelier when he does that. She used to be busy with work and the children ward, but now, she’s glued to a bed with nothing to do. She was jealous of Ji Hoo and everyone else, especially when he couldn’t come to her bedside at night because of work. That used to be her too. She had times when she had to work till the sunrise, but now, nothing, absolutely nothing to do. Grandpa Yoon stayed at their house since Ji Hoo practically lives at the hospital now with So Min. He would also come almost everyday, but So Min rather see the old man enjoying himself fishing instead of being holed up with her. 

Suddenly, she heard a knock on her glass window. She looked over and there was a grinning Wang Hae Ra waving excitedly at her. Her phone then started ringing when Hae Ra put her own phone up to her ears.

“Hello?”

“Hello sick ducky!” Hae Ra’s voice shrilled from the other line.

“Hey,” So Min said lamely and waved at Hae Ra.

“Sorry, I couldn’t visit you sooner. My husband... well, he has been difficult with Jae Kyung’s marriage, and his parents too. God! You would think Woo Bin had killed their precious little princess.”

“Yes, Jae Kyung has been complaining to me about that too.”

“Well, I don’t understand what they want from the poor boy. They’re married on paper, and he has made practically every attempt possible to gain their approval,” Hae Ra sighed as she pitied Woo Bin.

“I’m sure they’ll come around,” So Min replied back through the phone. 

“Enough about them; how is my new friend doing?” Hae Ra asked in concern. 

“So-so; I’m bored out of my mind.”

Hae Ra nodded in understanding, “I know. Your dear husband called me to spend lunch with you since he couldn’t make it.”

So Min grinned. Although Ji Hoo couldn’t accompany her during her meals sometimes, he always called one of her friends to spend time with her in his place. “I figured he did.”

Hae Ra pulled out a sub and placed it neatly on the desk in front of the transparent room. “You must miss real food,” Hae Ra commented as she took note on how thin So Min has become.

“You have no idea! I crave so many different food that instead of dying from this illness, I’ll die from deprivation of food.”

Hae Ra laughed and replied, “I believe someone needs to invent a nutrition injection that taste like different kind of meals that a patient wants.”

“YES! That would be ideal! My little kiddy patients will stop whining about wanting candy!”

“Yes, and patients like you will just stop whining in general,” Hae Ra replied. “I stopped by to look for Ji Hoo before I came here. He looks really busy.”

So Min nodded, “Yeah, the grand opening of the new ward is soon.”

“I’ll keep a look out on that Hyun Ah,” Hae Ra gritted her teeth. 

“She’s back?” So Min asked in surprise. 

“Yes, but you don’t have to worry; she came with her husband, and your friends are always on the look out for you. No walking female who wishes to get near your husband can if we deem her to have ulterior motives,” Hae Ra winked.

So Min saluted to her, “Then I shall rely on you and the rest of your army to keep Ji Hoo in line.”

“With pleasure!”

After lunch, Hae Ra left to assist Woo Bin gain his in-law’s approval. So Min took an extremely long nap until Ji Hoo was done with his shift which was way past dinner time. she woke up when she felt Ji Hoo climbing into bed next to her. Every night before entering her room, Ji Hoo always had a health check up to make sure he isn’t sick with something that So Min’s immune system may not be able to fight.

“How was your day?” So Min asked groggily.

Ji Hoo sighed and replied, “Tiring, so many people came in today during my ER shift. I almost had to perform an emergency surgery.”

So Min patted his back and looked at the clock, “Did Dr. Kim give you any grief about coming in so late?”

“When does she not? How was lunch with Hae Ra?”

“Fine, we talked... a lot... since that’s all that I can ever do now.”

Ji Hoo sighed. “I know; I know you’re bored, but be patient. The worst will pass.”

“When?” So Min sighed.

Ji Hoo found no answer to So Min’s question. He just continued to sigh and pulled her closer to his side. The wait for her recovery has begun to become a very tedious task. Each night when he brings her close, he can feel how much weight she has lost over the past two months, and it pains him to not know when her suffering would end.

As the days progress, So Min became impatient and grouchy. When friends come to visit her, she would feign sleep, and hope they go away. She’s tired of talking. She’s tired of them pitying her. Sometimes she would even feel relief when Ji Hoo can’t come to sleep next to her. As each night progress, she can’t seem to find her voice when she’s near him. There was nothing for her to contribute in the conversation. He tells about his day, and she listens. That’s all. Nothing else. Nada. There was just nothing in life anymore that she can talk about. How interesting would her stories be when they just consist of everything in this jail house.

“Ji Hoo, you’re wife is suffering from depression,” Dr. Kim said grimly.

“I know,” he simply said. He has noticed it ever since she started to drift farther and farther away from him during their conversations and even in their sleep, she no longer sleeps near him. 

“She’s taking treatment well though. As long as we can rebuild her immune system by next month, she should be able to walk out of that room as if nothing has ever happened to her.” 

“If I can pull her out of this stump of a depression.”

Dr. Kim patted him on the back. “You have to understand; she’s young, too young to be confined to a room with no social life and actual contact. Also, I have confidence that she will rebuild her immune system soon, so she won’t be depressed anymore.”

“Depression takes time,” Ji Hoo said in a matter-of-fact tone. 

“I know, but depression is better cured outside of a depressing environment,” she countered.

Ji Hoo nodded in agreement. He could only wait and pray that she would recover quickly. It was going to be their first wedding anniversary in three months, and Ji Hoo wished they wouldn’t spend it coup up in a hospital room. 

Two and a half months has passed since So Min was officially diagnosed with depression. Towards the end of the first month, she refused to see anyone and even kicked Ji Hoo out. The only way he could see her was by sneaking in to sleep next to her when she was asleep. She did not wish to see anyone or talk to anyone; she became a complete recluse. The only saving grace was that she’s recovering despite her emotional hinderance. 

“I don’t know what to do anymore,” Ji Hoo sighed and ran his hand down his haggard face as he sat across from Jun Pyo at the dinner table. F4 and the respective wives, except for So Min, gathered at Don Juan’s mansion for a hand made dinner done by the new Mrs. Song herself. 

Jan Di patted Ji Hoo on the back in hopes to bring him some form of comfort. “It will take time.”

“When is she going to be released home?” Yi Jeong asked.

“In a week. She’s completely recovered, but she won’t talk to anyone. She doesn’t even smile fully when she go to visit the children ward.”

“Has she talked about going back to work?”

Ji Hoo shook his head. “She hasn’t said much to anyone really. She usually takes walk around the hospital, but the nurses says she comes back even sadder than she was before she went out.”

Everyone’s face fell to a grimace. Depression was an inner monster that So Min must fight herself, of course, she will have her friend’s help, but ultimately, she’s going to have to defeat it herself.

“I have a plan!” Ga Eul said excitedly. “However, its going to be a difficult one since we only have a week to plan it out.”

Everyone waited for Ga Eul to elaborate.

“Sunbae, you know I love you, but there has been one thing that has been bothering me about you,” Ga Eul said thoughtfully.

“What?” Ji Hoo asked in confusion. What did he ever do to make the sweet Ga Eul dislike him?

“You married my best friend.... I didn’t even get to witness your marriage. None of us did!”

Ji Hoo scratched his head. “You know the circumstances we were under! Plus, we were planning to-”

“But you didn’t,” Jan Di countered.

“We were busy!” Ji Hoo defended his marriage.

“Well, we’re about to remedy that,” Ga Eul declared. “I refuse to believe that with four wealthiest family united, we can’t plan a fabulous wedding in a week.”