“Stop stop stop!” She shouted, clenching her chest and leaning forward.

Jungkook looked around to make sure that they were not followed.

“Come on. We have to keep going.” He said paranoid.

“Where?” She said winded. “Why are we running anyway?”

Jungkook guided her to a wall and propped her against it.

“Are you okay?” He said as he wrapped his scarf around her neck.

It was warm and smelled like vanilla. She could see the cold air condense into a small cloud with every breath.

“Aren't you cold?” She asked, still trying to catch her breath.

“I'll be alright.” He said as he rubbed both of his hands together and warmed them with his breath. “It'll be a problem if you got sick.”

He looked around for the plastic bag, and pulled out the two samgak kimbaps and banana milk.

“Here you go.” He said placing it into her hand and taking a seat next to her against the wall. “Don't you ever shower? … Hey. Hey! Hey!!!”

Jungkook reached over and tapped her shoulder. “Wake up!”

**************

“Hwanja-nim. You are finally awake.”

She looked around to see a nurse dressed in sea foam green and white. Her eyes took a few more seconds to become acclimated to the brightness of the room. She smelled both cleaning supplies and garbage at the same time, the trademark smell of most city hospitals.

“Where am I?”

“Hwanja-nim, you are at Severance Hospital.”

“What? Did I really run all the way to Sinchon.” She thought out loud.

“No. You collapsed and were brought in by someone.” She said as she scribbled on her clipboard. “But, before we talk about that. What is your name?”

“서제인 (Seo Jane)”

“Age?”

“Born in '92.” Jane said closing her eyes. The light was too bright and was bothering her.

“Is there anyone you want to contact?”

She thought for a moment. Who can I call? Omma? No, she is oversees. Eunhye? No, she is probably too busy. Taeyoon Oppa? Yeah. He'd probably pick up.

“Can you hand me my phone please?”

The nurse handed her the phone. Jane looked back at her phone. Call > Call History > 3 Missed Call > Taeyoon Oppa. Go figure. He is always worried.

“010-7663-xxxx.”

“We will call them for you.” The nurse said and bowed to leave. “The doctor will be here shortly.”

She put her phone back on the night stand adjacent to the bed.

Durururururu. Blocked number?

“Yeobosaeyo?”

“Is this Mokdori (scarf)?”

“Mokdori?” She said puzzled, then remembered what happened. “Were you the one who brought me to the hospital?”

“Yeah.”

“Thank you for bringing me to the hospital.” She said sincerely. “How can I make it up to you. I'll buy you a meal.”

“Forget about that.” Jungkook said hurriedly. “We have bigger problems now.”

“Bigger probl-?”

At that moment, Jungkook opened the door to her room and slammed the door shut.

Jane looked at her phone and back at him.

“You were here?”

“Yeah.” He said moving closer to her.

“What are are you doing here?” She said, genuinely confused. “And what problem?”

He revealed a shopping bag and pulled out a wig, a face mask, and a pair of sunglasses.

“What is this for?”

“You'll see.” As he forced the wig on her head. “Wear this.” He said pulling out a pair of matching sunglasses. He put on the other pair.

“Come on. Let's go.”

“Hold on. I'm not going anywhere!” She shouted back at him, behind the facemask.

“Shhh. They might hear?”

“Who might hear?” “Hear what?”

“Just get up.” He said forcing her up. He leaned down and put the hospital slippers on her feet.

Jungkook grabbed her by the wrist and started to lead her to the door.

“Wait. Ouch. This hurts. The doctor is coming.”

“We can't wait.

The door opened and a crowd of reporters equipped with cameras and microphones began snapping away. She now understood why she had the sunglasses. Jungkook grabbed the back side of the hospital gown to make sure it stayed shut and pushed Jane through the door.

“This way.”

They made their way to the stairs and outside through an auxiliary door, where a black van with tinted windows waited for them.

“Get in.”

“Where are we going?” She said as she got in. “I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what is going on.”

“Just get it.”

She turned and saw the hungry crowd closing in on them. Jane jumped into the van, slipping on the first step and falling face forward. Jungkook lifted her shins so the door could close.

“Go.”

Still on the floor, Jane looked up to see who else was in the van: A gentleman in his late 50s dressed in a suit, a pretty woman in her 30s sat in the front passenger seat, and another porky man in his 30s who manned the wheel. The gentleman cleared his throat, and Jane immediately sat up and immediately with as much respect as possible said:

“Ahnyeonghasyusseubnigga?”

The gentleman cleared his throat one more time. This time Jungkook helped her up and into the chair adjacent to the elder. Jungkook went to the back of the van and sat.

“Chubal.” The old man said in a quiet but authoritative voice.

The driver checked his mirrors and began to drive.

A few moments later he asked, “Have you heard of Big Hit Entertainment?”

“I'm sorry I haven't.”

The elderly man snorted. Jane looked at Jungkook, who quickly diverted his gaze to any where but her.

“Well you have caused a little problem for us.”

“I'm sorry. I'll pay back all the hospitals fees...---” Jane said, before stopping as the elder raised his hand.

“As you may know, there have been rumors that Jungkook and Vi are fighting over a girl.”

Jane's eyes opened wide and looked at Jungkook again.

“Do you live under a rock or something?” He mouthed silently.

“Well. That has hurt us tremendously. We have already put out articles saying this is not true.”

“Okay. What does this have to do with me?” Jane said.

The gentleman leaned in and handed Jane an envelope.

“Open it.”

She did as she was told. Several white bank notes forced the envelope to contort.

“We will pay you every month. You just have... Agassi, are you listening?”
Jane stop counting the money and bowed in apology.

“As I was saying, we need you to be Jungkook's public girlfriend.”

“For how long?”

“As long as needed.” He resumed his normal position in his chair.

“But, why me?”

“The news has already caught wind of you two at the hospital. This way it kills two birds with one stone.”

Jane nodded in deep thought. I don't think I can avoid this. Do I have an actual say in this? What are the terms and conditions? What did I sign up for? What if I say “no”? The van stopped and the gentleman exited through his side of the van and with that, she knew that that she had no choice.

“Now, you get along with Jungkook.” He said as the driver from the front shut his door and reentered the driver seat.

The driver began to drive again.