“She’s stable now but still unconscious.”  Dr. Kang comes up to Yonghwa. “You should lie down.”

“I’m fine just being here.” Yonghwa replies. “Do I really need this?” He holds up his arm that had an IV drip on it.

“Well if you continue to hyperventilate like this then yes. “ Dr. Kim tells him. “Just finish that one bag and don’t drink any stimulant – namely coffee – for the next 2 days.”

Dr. Kang then moves to Jungshin who was lying down with his head on Minhyuk’s lap. “Are you okay now?”

“I’m fine.” He blushes and stammers as he sits up.

“Chincha?” Minhyuk asks as he fixes Jungshin’s shirt. “You gave us a fright there by fainting.”

“First of all he didn’t eat breakfast – the pabo – then this happens.” Jonghyun comes up and looks at Jungshin’s face.

“Sorry Hyung!” Jungshin stammers again. He lets Jonghyun fix his hair and gives a weak smile when Jonghyun lightly slaps his cheeks.

“Goodness – you boys must really love Miss Seo a lot.” Dr. Kang looks at CNBlue.

“Deh.” Was their collective answer. “Ajumani.”

“Well, she’s under observation right now – hopefully…” Dr. Kim wasn’t able to finish because everyone turn to see Tiffany running towards them holding a box.  Taecyeon and her boyfriend Nickhun followed close behind.

“Wait – wait – Doctor!” Tiffany stops in front of the Doctor and holds up her hand. “Please – let me show you this.”

Nickhun gets the box from Tiffany and opens it.  He brings out 2 vials and a note.

“This was delivered to our agency almost at the same time that Seo was rushing out. Tiffany received the parcel on her behalf.” Taecyeon explains.

“I’m sorry – I was in a panic and calling everyone about Seo that I forgot about this.” Tiffany was crying. “Please - if what that note says is true then this is the antidote.”

“Did you call Lee Joon and the police?” Yonghwa asks.

“Yes, Hoya Sunbae is coming to get one of the vials for testing in the police lab.”

“Well, I’ll take one and get it to the hospital techs right now.  I want to know the composition of this so called antidote before I use it on my patient.” Dr. Kang gets one vial from Tiffany.  “Tell the police lab to work on it as soon as possible and give us the results so that we can compare them with ours.”

“Fany – sit down – you’re so pale.” Nickhun gently grabs his girlfriend’s elbow and sits it down.

“We’re tracing the courier company right now so that we can check who sent the box to Seo.  It may be the same person who called her that Yonghwa was in danger.” Taecyeon tells them.

Just then L comes in with Hoya.

“How is Seo?” He asks.

“She is stable but still unconscious.  Are you here to take the vial to the police lab?” Taecyeon asks.

“I am but L has to go to the Japanese embassy. “ Hoya replies.

“Why?” Taecyeon asks.

“Well – you remember the son of the Japanese business man who owned Dubu?” Hoya asks.

“Yes – I remember that punk.” Taecyeon nods

“You will never believe this but he is connected to this.  It would seem that somewhere along the way Sungjoong and Kaito Arakawa met and became friends in Japan. Talk about birds of a feather! Anyway – a few weeks ago Kaito came and stayed with Sungjoong.”

“They could the ones who set fire to the vet office.” Jonghyun exclaims.

“Bingo!” Hoya nods. “We are working on proving that. Now going back to what I was saying – the Japanese embassy called President So and told him that Kaito went to the embassy this morning and told the Consul General that he was surrendering himself because he was an accomplice to a crime. Kaito gave them our agency’s address and telephone number.”

“Oh, they were the ones who called this afternoon. I forwarded the call to Hwejangnim because it was the Consul General himself who called.” Tiffany adds.

“Okay now everyone’s updated – we have to go. Tiffany are you staying?” Hoya asks. “Taekyeon Sunbae are you coming with me?”

“We’ll stay.” Tiffany nods her head.  “The girls will be coming together. They have finished questioning everyone in the MV site and all their information are with us.  They’ve all been told to make themselves available for questioning and not to talk to the press.”

When L, Hoya, and Taekyeon leave, Yonghwa stands up and heads for Seo’s room.

“Hyung – finish that IV first. Seo-nah isn’t going anywhere.” Jonghyun tells him.

Yonghwa sighs and sits down again. “What is FNC doing?”

“I don’t know – let me call.” Their manager replies.

“Oh, Yong – President Han is coming with Directress. They’ve just released a statement to the media about what happened today. They are playing down what happened to Seonah because –“

“What?!” Yonghwa exclaims as he stands up. “Playing down? Seonah was poisoned and is in danger! Call him!”

“It’s an active police investigation! How can they play it down?!” Jonghyun exclaims.

“They’re playing safe again.” Jungshin remarks bitterly.

“As always.” Minhyuk mutters.

“They don’t want to pre-empt the police investigation.” The manager replies.

When the Directress and President Han come – it took a while for CNBlue to even look at them and that was only after Directress explained the course of action the FNC had taken. They have been advised by their lawyers to keep information at a minimum. The company would abide by what the information the police would release to the public.

“Are you afraid that Seo’s agency would sue FNC for what happened to her is that it?” Yonghwa was very angry. “She was fired remember? I fired her! She went there as a private individual – as my girlfriend. To save me! How can you play this down? Her heart just stopped a while back and they had to revive her. They still need to find an antidote to the poison that’s inside her body – she is still unconscious!” With those words he pulls off the IV needle and goes into Seo’s room.

“Hyung!” Minhyuk runs after him. “Don’t! Finish the IV!”

“Why is Yonghwa hooked on an IV?” President Han asks Jonghyun.

“He hyperventilated when they took a crash cart in to revive Seo. He’s agitated and very worried about Seo – we all are. It doesn’t help that FNC seems to be not too concerned with what happened to Seo. What was she in your press release? One of the extras in the MV who fainted? Really sometimes this company –“Jonghyun closes his eyes and turns away before he said anything further.

Inside the room….

“Hyung – come back outside. I’ll have the nurse put back the IV needle.” He holds on to Yonghwa’s hand.

“Look at her Hyukie – she’s so pale and cold. I did this to her. It should have been me.” Two tear drops roll down his face.

“Hyung don’t say that. Seonah would be mad at you! She loves you – she saved you. She’ll get better I just know it.” Minhyuk pulls at Yonghwa’s hand. “Let’s go outside.”

“No – have the nurse come and put the IV back on me but in here. I’ll stay here – with her. Hyukie – we’ll be in the army in less than 2 weeks – but how can I leave her like this?” Yonghwa starts to sob.

Minhyuk’s eyes start to tear up. In a span of months, Seo had grown to be an important person in their lives. Like Yonghwa – Minhyuk could not even think of how they could leave her in this condition.

“Ka!” Yonghwa turns to Minhyuk. “Wipe your tears and call the nurse about my IV.”

The younger man nods and quietly leaves the room. In a couple of minutes, a nurse comes in with Yonghwa’s IV.  She puts in a fresh needle and re-inserts his IV.  She quietly tells him to finish the IV and that she’ll come back.

Yonghwa pulls the chair and the IV drip stand next to Seo’s bed. He takes her cold hand and kisses it.

“Seonah – sweetheart wake up. Someone left a parcel for you – it had the antidote in it. But we’re having it tested just to make sure. They’re also checking on who sent it. And Hoya was talking about a guy – a Japanese guy named Kaito – who used to own Dubu – he turns out to be a friend of the stalker – who by the way was caught by the police. I’m rambling aren’t I? It’s just that I’m so angry and worried about you.”

Seo could hear Yonghwa’s voice very faintly.  Her consciousness kept coming and going. Even breathing hurt. She kept trying to open her eyes but so far she couldn’t. She wanted to hold his hand but couldn’t. Whatever poison that was in her system now was still strong enough to limit muscle movement.

Outside…

“Fany!” Sooyoung, Yuri, Hyoyeon and Sunny arrive. Their faces were dry but the telltale redness in eyes and nose show that they were crying on the way to the hospital. They were updated by Lee Joon before they got there. Yuri and Thunder were to stay with Seo at all times.

“Where is he?” Sunny asks about Thunder.

“He’s at the hospital laboratory.” Tiffany replies. “I think he’s been there since they took samples of Seo’s blood. But it’s a good thing – he’s very worried and agitated. TOP Sunbae will bring Dara Unnie later. I heard that she fainted when she learned about what happened to Seo.”

“Oh course it’s a shock. We were crying when we saw her carried out by the ambulance. We were stationed at the back of the warehouse so we really didn’t see her come in. “Yuri blinks back tears.

 “Unnie – “Hyoyeon looks at Sooyoung.

“I already told my parents and Oppa – our church is holding a prayer vigil for Seo.” Sooyoung tells them.

“And Yong?” Sunny asks.

“He’s inside. They had to put an IV on him because he hyperventilated when they brought a crash cart into Seo’s room.  He was also so mad at the FNC for the press release they gave.” Tiffany whispers to the girls. They didn’t want to risk being heard by the Directress and President Han who were still there.

“Is that why the boys are over by the window?” Yuri asks.

“Deh, they are keeping their distance from President Han and Directress. The manager is acting as go between but you know Jonghyun – he’s cold when he wants to be and the Maknaes follow him and Yong.” Tiffany tells them.

It was already night when Dr. Tim Kang comes back to visit Seo. He was accompanied by Thunder and 2 residents. He was introduced to President Han and the Directress.

“Where is Miss Seo’s young man?” Dr. Kang asks. “I need to speak with him and Miss Seo’s Uncle – please get him on the phone for me.”

“Yonghwa is inside Doctor – he has our President’s number.” Tiffany tells him.

Inside the room, the doctor gently shakes Yonghwa awake.  “Mr. Jung…”

“Oh my apologies.” Yonghwa stands up and bows.

“I have the analysis on the contents of the vial. Call her guardian so that I can inform you both.” The doctor tells him.

Yonghwa dials So Ji Sub’s number and puts the phone on speaker.

Dr. Kang informs them that based on the laboratory analysis of the vial he wasn’t confident about it being an antidote for Seo. “The poison is pooling in her stomach now but it will be going into her vital organs soon.”

“What do you suggest Doctor?” So Ji Sub asks.

“Is there a way I can talk to person who made the poison? If indeed he made the antidote there are several questions I need to ask him.”

“That person is a Japanese citizen and he’s now in Japanese Embassy.  We are currently working with the prosecutor’s office and we are trying to get him to face criminal charges here in Korea.  I will try my best to get him to talk to you – please just give me an hour….”

“President So – Miss Seo doesn’t have the luxury of time – the sooner I talk to this person the sooner I will know about the antidote.  I believe this is also what the police crime lab will tell you.  As it stands – the poison was homemade and the antidote is the same.  I would like to be able to administer a clinically approved antidote to Miss Seo not a homemade one.  There are unforeseen complications that I don’t want to subject her to as her heart may be weakened because of that. You are her guardian and I cannot stress enough how vitally important I give her an antidote as soon as possible. By midnight. I expect a phone call in 15 minutes.” With those words Dr. Kang gives the phone to Yonghwa and leaves the room.

In 20 minutes Yonghwa was racing out of the room to look for Dr. Kang.  The Japanese Embassy was going to let Dr. Kang and the Lead Lab Tech of police crime lab to talk to Kaito Arakawa but it had to be inside the Embas