The next morning, Jill squinted through half-open eyes and turned off her alarm. She hardly got any sleep the night before. She got out of bed stiffly and walked slowly into the living room. The cough was empty except for a neatly folded blanket with a pillow on it and a folded piece of paper. Jill stared at it for a moment, then picked it up and unfolded it.

 

“I’m leaving for a long time and I’m not sure if I’m coming back. Seeing you with him last night tore me, Jill. I don’t care what you have to say about it.

Have fun with him.”

 

Jill stared at the note for a long time with an emotionless face then moved into the kitchen. Chanyeol was sleeping with his face buried in his arms. Jill stared at him and said nothing. Then, Gongchan came into the room yawning and rubbing his eyes.

 

“Morning. Uh, why is Chanyeol asleep on the table?” He blinked at Chanyeol and turned to Jill.

 

Jill took a deep breath and sat down on the opposite side of the table, holding the note tightly.

 

Gongchan noticed the tension quickly. “…is everything okay?”

 

Jill opened to speak, but tears immediately flooded her eyes and she closed , afraid of crying.

 

“…Jill?” Gongchan blinked at her.

 

Chanyeol shifted and moaned softly, raising his head to rub his face. Jill moved her gaze to her lap.

 

Gongchan looked from Chanyeol to her. “…if it was something I did, I’m sorry.”

 

Chanyeol blinked several times and noticed Jill sitting on the opposite side of the table and froze.

 

Jill shook her head slowly. “No Gongchan. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

 

“Okay…then what’s up?” Gongchan asked.

 

Chanyeol’s gaze flickered from Chanyeol to Jill and slowly moved down to his own lap in shame.

 

“…okay, should I be worried?” Gongchan sighed a little, looking at the both of them nervously.

 

“No, it’s okay.” Jill tried to sound comforting.

 

“Um, no. Something’s obviously wrong here.” Gongchan glanced down the hallway. “Where’s Dongwoo hyung?”

 

Jill’s eyes closed and her head lowered even more.

 

“Did he get hurt? Is he in the hospital? Did someone die??”

 

Jill shook her head.

 

“Then what??”

 

“I-It’s my fault.” Chanyeol spoke very quietly.

 

“What do you mean?” Gongchan turned to Chanyeol.

 

Chanyeol took a deep breath. “I…forced myself onto Jill last night…and Dongwoo saw…”

 

Gongchan stared at Chanyeol with a half-open mouth. “… what?”

 

“I wasn’t thinking…about you or anything else…I’m so sorry.” Chanyeol’s voice got even quieter.

 

Gongchan looked at Jill and pointed at Chanyeol. “He…you…?” It was very hard for him to take in.

 

“You’ll have to forgive me.” Chanyeol glanced up at Jill.

 

Jill finally looked up. “You really think forgiveness and apologies are going to fix this mess?!” She exclaimed.

 

Chanyeol looked away uncomfortably.

 

Jill rose to her feet with a shaky voice. “My husband is gone now. I have no idea where he went and I don’t know if he’s every gonna come back! You really think that ‘sorry’ is gonna fix that!? Well it’s not!” Jill slammed her fist on the table and bent over, tears dripping from her eyes.

 

Gongchan stared at her in shock. He’d never seen her so upset before. After a second, he put his hands on her shoulders and held her close while she wailed.

 

Chanyeol stared at them for several seconds, then stood up. He met eyes with Gongchan for a couple seconds, then walked past the both of them out of the kitchen.