twentysix

There was a loud sound echoing in the room, and Yeoreum grumbled out loud, shutting her alarm rather forcefully before grunting herself up to sit on the bed. 

Her eyes were puffy and she was tired - probably because she spent the night talking to Eunhui who was so excited on coming back to Seoul after spending her holiday in Daegu. 

Strutting out from her room, she gave a grumble before went to the bathroom to freshen up. Her eyes glanced at her reflection and somehow had a blush on her cheeks at seeing the red bite marks all over her neck and she suddenly remembering the moment she had with Jongin yesterday.

Shaking her own thoughts, she freshen up and get herself ready, covering the marks along the way because she didn't want anybody to see that.

Before she walked down to the kitchen where her family was already down there, preparing for the breakfast. 

Sanghyuk was surprisingly early - already standing in the kitchen as he went pestering on the mother. 

"Ah...mom, please...just a little..." the boy whined in his childish way and Yeoreum rolled her eyes at that, knowing what he wanted already just by looking at the acts. 

"Han Sanghyuk, I already give you enough allowance." the mother said, putting the breakfast on the table and the boy grunted again. 

"I know, but I want to buy a new shoes. My dancing shoes already worn out." 

"Since when you dance?" Yeoreum suddenly marched into the conversation, helping her mother to prepare for the breakfast - which the woman gladly accepted the offer.

"I already told you that I signed myself to a dance club near the Yohan University." Sanghyuk muttered, looking a bit offended as his own sister didn't bother to remember his small activities. 

"Yohan university? Jongin went there." Yeoreum suddenly remarked - out of nowhere and Sanghyuk just scowled at that. 

"Can you please not include your ing boyfriend in the conversation - "

"Sanghyuk, language." the father suddenly remarked back, walking into the kitchen to help with the breakfast.

Sanghyuk quickly have his shoulders dropped at the sudden comment and he looked at his father pleadingly. "Dad..."

"If your mom says no, then it's no."

Sanghyuk huffed at that.

Before his eyes went to Yeoreum again and he jutted his lips cutely, batting his lashes and paddled his way to his sister. 

Yeoreum just stared at him blankly, before sighing. 

Then, her hand went to her pocket and took the money, giving to the boy who just jumped in glee. 

"I need resit."

"Got it." he saluted, before grinning. 

"Long live, queen Yeoreum."Sanghyuk made a bowing movement to her and she rolled her eyes at that, before sauntered to the dining table, sitting beside her mother. 

"How's Jongin, by the way?" the mother started the conversation and Yeoreum grinned immediately at hearing about the guy. 

"He's doing fine. Yesterday, we ate cake and..."

And Yeoreum began telling the stories on Jongin. It somehow become a habit of her to share on Jongin's story with her family, somehow loving to talk about him and basically showing him off. 

The family had known Jongin enough just by hearing her story when they didn't even met the said guy yet. 

But nobody said a thing, knowing that Yeoreum somehow had a soft spot for him and they didn't want to rip the girl's happiness. 

By as Yeoreum went on about Jongin and her day from yesterday, her phone suddenly vibrated and she paused on the story and also on her meals. 

Quickly, she took out her phone, frowning to herself. 

Mrs.Kim was calling. 

There was a thump in her chest, wondering why the woman suddenly called out of nowhere. 

Probably had something to do with Jongin. 

Maybe Yumi couldn't come to work and Mrs.Kim wanted to ask her to help around. 

Yeoreum told herself that, trying to ease down her sudden anxiousness. 

"Hello?"

"Yeoreum..." Mrs.Kim chuckled a bit on the line and Yeoreum frowned when she heard another voice at the back ground, knowing that it belonged to Jongin. 

"I thought on calling you later, but Jongin asked to call you right now in case you came early for him."

Yeoreum frowned at that. "Why? Is something wrong?"

"We're going to the hospital today."

Yeoreum didn't know why her heart went jumping loudly against her rib cage, as if it's going to lunch its way out of there. 

She breathed out heavily, eyes frantically looked to the examination room - where Mrs.Kim had informed her to go when she had arrived at the hospital. Inside, were Jongin and Mrs.Kim, having a few examination and Yeoreum went restless as she kept waiting for them to come out.

But then, as if her prayers being answered - her eyes caught Mrs.Kim who had walked out from the room and she heaved out a relief sigh. 

"Auntie!"

Jongin's mother looked up, quickly putting her phone away and urged the girl into a hug when she walked closer.

"Gosh, Yeoreum..."

Yeoreum was embraced tightly by the mother and she just let her be, eyes wandering to look for Jongin. 

"Thank you so much. Thank you so much. This is all because of you."

Jongin'a mother kissed her a few times on the head, smiling gently at the girl and Yeoreum blinked at the mother dumbly. 

The mother looked so thrilled and blessed at the moment that Yeoreum didn't have the guts to say that she didn't have anything to do with whatever that's going on at the moment. 

"Auntie..." Yeoreum wanted to speak, but the mother just hugged her one more time and hummed happily, rocking her back and forth. 

"You're going to choke my daughter." 

Jongin's mother looked up and her smile brightened. "You came?"

Yeoreum's mother came, having a small smile on her face before she hugged her friend out of habit. Behind the woman was Yeoreum's father, having a smile on his face too as he sauntered along.

"Well, Yeoreum was crying like huwaa when you said Jongin is going to the hospital and I'm like, I'm gonna be an angel and sent her here..."

Mrs.Kim laughed at that and Yeoreum just puffed her cheeks out of annoyance at her mother. 

"Were you worried?" Jongin's mother soothed Yeoreum on the head and smiled. 

"It's gonna be okay. He's gonna be alright. He's getting the surgery for the better..."

Still, Yeoreum couldn't help her anxious heart. 

Wasn't Jongin scared? 

Why he suddenly agreed to this? 

She looked down to her shoes, biting her lips worriedly.

"Where is Jongin?" her father asked and Mrs.Kim happily chirped back.

"In the examination room. The doctor need a moment with him."

Then, Jongin's mother went on. "I also have registered him for the surgery."

"So soon?" Mrs.Han raised a brow. 

"I pulled a few strings."

"You really want your son to see, don't you?"

Mrs.Kim just smiled at Yeoreum's father. "Of course, and this is all because of Yeoreum..."

Yeoreum didn't reply to that. Her eyes went to the examination room that was being closed and she just prayed that Jongin would be alright in there. 

And she went staring at the examination room, biting her lips and tapped her shoe restlessly while her parents went on talking with Jongin's mother. 

Her parents were talking on visiting Mr.Kim who was seated on the west side of the hospital since Yeoreum had been telling about how Mr.Kim went sulking on how his friends didn't want to visit him. 

Mrs.Kim surprisingly agreed on that, but only after Jongin had been warded and Yeoreum stared back at the examination room. 

Waiting for Jongin. 

Until, the door went opened and a man came outside, wearing a white gown and was muttering something as he guided Jongin to walk out and Yeoreum heaved a relief sigh when he looked rather fine. 

Mrs.Kim attached herself to Jongin immediately and Yeoreum just stared at the guy, noticing that he went blinking dumbly at nothing.

"Jongin, guess who's here."

Jongin had his head looked up, despite he couldn't see what's in front of him. 

"Yeoreum...?"