3:00 am was the time in which the hospital was at its quietest. Groggy employees, quiet streets, less patients checking in. It was almost as if it was the perfect time for a predator to strike.

Room 614 was left alone for the night. The occupying patient was known to not have any relatives in contact and so the hospital had put him under monitor. The last monitoring nurse had just taken her leave from night watch, leaving the patient with no one to share the night with.

The sound of the door creaking open suddenly breaks the silence, a doctor in a white lab coat enters the room lacking the usual checklist that a monitoring nurse would carry. The tall man quietly observes the room for a moment before approaching the patient on the bed. The frail man had just been taken out of life support as he had shown remarkable signs of recovery. But he was still barely able to move or speak, communication only being limited to eye blinks and small nods. By his arm was a long tube attached to an insulin pack that hung above his head.

The doctor crosses his arms as he stares at the patient’s unconscious state. a smirk forming across his lips

"You're quiet the tough son of a , aren't you" Minjun mutters, his voice low and full of malice. The smirk on his face slowly transforming into a grimace as he continued to eye the unconscious man.

"I've always admired that about you, Ji-Cheol" the tall man reached inside his lab coat and pulled out a vial containing a dark-colored liquid. He approached the side of the bed where the insulin pack was located.

"You know, I was just about to claim your payment to me just as we agreed upon." Minjun says as he takes the transparent bag down. He opens its flaps and begins pouring the contents of his vial into the clear liquid. After returning the bag to its position, the doctor hides the empty vial and approaches the man on the bed once more.

"But I have to make sure that things go my way and I can't have you ratting me out" The doctor smiles to himself before leaving the room, making sure no one has noticed his presence before moving away.

It struck him once again.

The nightly episodes that ate away at him as he slept, the outer body journeys that always ended with the sound of a gun firing off and it was extraordinarily loud that morning.

6 am, sun barely up in the orange sky. It was an hour in which his mind was normally unable to think properly and so Jun thought it was gonna be another case of waking up in a puddle of cold sweat and forcing himself back to sleep by burying his head underneath his pillow.

But this time it was much different.

Jun felt a hand come upon his right chest. Turning his head, he spots the love of his life propping herself up by one elbow. She was dressed in a blue, silk tank top paired with matching pajamas for it had been incredibly hot that time of year.

"Another dream?" Chewy asks. Her voice timid but not devoid of concern. Jun found it heartwarming that, for once in his life, he had grown familiar to the presence of a companion by his side.

The newly-birthed couple were still getting used to each other's presence. Though they had lived together for nearly a month now, the air around them began to feel different ever since their confessions came out.

It was like living with a person altogether. Now that their feelings were out in the open, the aura surrounding the house was a lot more carefree and easygoing. Jun was a bit overwhelmed at how drastically different Chewy appeared in his eyes. From a mysterious stranger, Jun now saw the young woman as someone he needed and could rely on whenever he needed.

Though Chewy knew little to nothing about romance, evident by her awkward demeanor whenever the two would share skinship. Jun decided it was best not to rush the girl as he didn't want to overwhelm the girl with the new experience.

It almost seems as if nothing has changed between the two. Only the fact that they now slept in the same bed and Chewy occasionally showing signs of jealousy whenever Jun would come home late.

But nevertheless, they were content with each other and didn't ask for more.

Jun tried his best to understand the young woman and promised to guide her through their relationship and the latter promised to stay by his side no matter what.

"Yeah, wilder than usual" Jun replied, his voice still shaken from the experience.

"What was it this time?" the young woman replied.

Jun thought about it for a moment before speaking again. Though he would normally tell Chewy about his dreams, he wasn't sure if he wanted to spill the details about this one in particular.

For he wasn't sure if Chewy would be pleased if he told her that he witnessed himself in a wedding with none other than his boss, Wendy.

"Nothing different. Just the boat as usual" Jun lied as he rested back down on his pillow.

Chewy followed suit, resting her head by the crook of Jun's neck. Only she wouldn't be able to sleep for the next couple of hours.

A few hours later, Jun woke up to the scent of something cooking invading his nostrils. He couldn't make out what it was but decided to investigate seeing as Chewy was nowhere to be found.

The young man came upon the kitchen with half lidded eyes and a hungry stomach, the scent of burning dough triggering the primal instincts of his empty stomach. He spotted Chewy standing over the kitchen stove, wearing a white apron over her blue tank top. The white straps of the apron gracefully wrapped around her slender neck that was exposed by a messy ponytail.

Jun couldn't take his eyes of it as he sneakily approached his muse and planted a kiss on her nape, causing her to nearly drop her kitchenware.

"Don't scare me like that" Chewy complained, visibly flustered. Jun could understand that she wasn't used to that type of behavior, but felt that he had to help himself from time to time.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know you could cook" he said as he stared at the simmering circles of pancake batter in one pan and the sizzling strips of bacon in another. The aroma of cooking meat coupled with Chewy's natural scent was enough to wake all of Jun's senses up and was something he couldn't get enough of every single day.

"You taught me. remember?" Chewy playfully teased as she poured another serving of batter into the pan. Jun fondly remembered the moment everytime the two had breakfast together.

He had returned from a tiring day of work that night and didn't bother to have supper as he went straight for the bedroom, even dismissing Chewy's usual interrogations and promised that he would tell her everything she wanted to hear the following morning. The scent of burning woke him up a few minutes later, causing him to panic and rush towards the kitchen in fear that the house might have been burning down.

Instead, he found Chewy frantically trying to put out the kitchen stove as two, dark brown circles rested on a pan, emitting a cloud of smoke in the air.

"You looked like you could eat a horse" was her excuse for wasting a hefty amount of their pancake batter. Rather than flaming at the young woman for nearly giving him a heart attack, Jun felt himself gushing over her gesture as it was the first time he had seen her attempt to cook in their time together.

After preparing the necessary ingredients, Jun commanded his lover to watch closely as he was going to teach her the proper way of making pancakes.

As Chewy brought her head closer towards the bowl of pancake mix, Jun swiftly swiped his batter-soaked fingers across Chewy's lips. It wasn't long before Chewy retaliated and the two ended up resembling unfinished art projects, nearly wasting their entire supply of pancake-mix in the process.

It was a night that Jun wouldn't forget so easily. Pancakes for dinner at 10pm which they ate without cleaning themselves up. They later agreed to shower together, though Jun couldn't exactly bring his fantasies to life as Chewy nearly passed out after 5 minutes of lip-lock.

Snapping out from his senses after feeling his stomach grumble, Jun decided to help his lover out by setting the plates in the table. It wasn't long before the two found themselves seated in front of each other, chowing down on their first meal of the day.

Jun payed close attention to how Chewy elegantly sliced through the soft surface of the pancakes and how she carefully placed the large chunk in to avoid getting syrup all over her lips.

Jun couldn't help but chuckle as he remembered a certain moment in time.

"What's so funny?" Chewy muffled as she chewed on her meal.

"I still remember when you could barely cut up your pancakes, now you're giving commercial models a run for their money" Jun smiled as he took a sip from his coffee. Chewy rolled her eyes at her boyfriend's playful remark. She noticed that Jun had become noticeable more playful since the day that she confessed. She would sometimes find his humor a little dry, but she didn't complain as she enjoyed witnessing that side of him.

"And... I still remember the first question I asked you that day" Jun continued, his tone shifting to a more serious one. Chewy looked up to stare at him for a while before realizing what her lover meant. To her, it was a memory that seemed like a lifetime ago, she felt like a completely different person in the present time that would sometimes wonder what it was like to live during those days.

"It's crazy to think that after all this time... I still don't know your real name" Chewy could hear the melancholic tone in Jun's voice. Though she understood his small dissappointment, it wasn't something that was easy for her to discuss.

"Does it still really matter?" she said, gently dropping her utensils on her plate to wipe .

"Of course, it does. I mean, what am I supposed to say at the altar?" Jun's statement caught Chewy off-guard. She was a bit overwhelmed that her boyfriend was already thinking so far when the two were still so early into their relationship. She was certain that she loved him with all her heart, but she felt like there was still a lot of aspects in life that she had yet to experience. She wasn't even sure if she was a good girlfriend, let alone a wife.

"I don't even have a father, who's gonna walk me to the altar?" Chewy said. Jun could sense the longing in her voice and so he reached out his hand towards hers.

"I know you have one and I'm sure he's out there doing everything he can to find you"

The atmosphere was suddenly broken by the ding of Jun's phone.

The young man glanced over to his screen to see the contents of the message and it's sender.

'Chaeyoung'

'Need you to report early, Patient Yoo has been tampered with'

Jun's eyes immediately widened upong reading Chaeyoung's message. Despite losing enthusiasm for his job, Jun still cared greatly for the hospital's patients, especially if one of them was a friend of his. He didn't exactly know what Chaeyoung meant by her choice of words, but a feeling in the back of his head screamed that Mr. Yoo was in trouble.

Jun hastily picked up his plate and bolted for the sink, surprising Chewy in the process. Less than 10 minutes later, Jun came dashing down the stairs in his uniform.

"I'll explain everything later, one of the patients is in danger" the young man says, slurring his words in panic. He packs the rest of his things and plants a kiss on Chewy's forehead before bursting through the door like a madman.

Arriving at the hospital, Jun immediately made his way to where Mr. Yoo was situated. The hospital had been busy as of late, the hallways were as packed as ever which allowed Jun to avoid Wendy if he wanted to. It didn't seem as if she wanted to show up either as the only form of communication the two had was done through relays done by her assistant.

Jun took a deep breath as he ran through the hallways, narrowly avoiding fellow staff and patients alike. It had been years since the two last met and Jun wasn't sure if he was ready to meet the man again, especially if he was in poor condition.

Arriving at the room, Jun found the door was left open. A group of nurses were surrounding the bed within, frantically shifting through equipment and the patient himself. Chaeyoung, who was one of the nurses, immediately spotted Jun who was standing frozen at the doorway.

"Get in here and help!" she yelled out, snapping Jun out of his trance. It took all his courage to enter the room and witness the chaos that was happening within.

Mr. Yoo was shaking violently in his bed; his eyes were wide open as if they were about to pop out of its sockets. Veins on his neck were coming through showing the sheer amount of pain the he was experiencing. His entire body was drenched in sweat, suggesting that the seizure had been occurring for an extended period of time. The sight horrified Jun. To him, it was like witnessing a scene from a horror movie brough to life. Tubes were attached through a few parts of the man's body with the nurses trying desperately to rid his body of the poison.

Fighting through his petrification, Jun threw his things aside and stood beside Chaeyoung.

"What can I do?" he asks as he stares at the carnage.

"Most of the poison has been extracted already, but the patient has lost a lot of blood in the process as the poison entered his bloodstream. I need you to fetch us a blood pack from the storage" Chaeyoung commanded, never losing focus on the patient. Jun nodded and made way for the storage room.

After frantically searching the interior, Jun finally located the blood packs stored in small cabinet. The young nurse proceeds to grab two packs of B positive before bolting back to the room. His heart was racing not only from the exhaustion, but also from the fear that Mr. Yoo might not make it out alive. It was as if he could see the memories they've had flashing before his eyes. Images of a younger Mr. Yoo providing him love and care while he had lost his way from his parents. Over the years, Jun had figured that maybe the reason he grew so attached to the man was because Mr. Yoo was the only person who allowed him to experience any form of paternal love and he wasn't ready to let that go.

Arriving back at the room, Jun noticed that Mr. Yoo's convulsions have toned down, but his face was incredibly pale due to the blood loss. Jun rushed to Mr. Yoo's side and connected the blood pack to the man's arms with a tube. As he quickly administered the blood pack, the room began to calm down. Some of the nurses were already heading back to dispose of the poison.

Jun watched as Mr. Yoo's face started to gain its original color back. His eyes peacefully shut and the veins that were popping out have retracted themselves back into the skin. The young nurse was relieved, he didn't expect to witness such a horrific scene so early into his career but was glad that it was finally over. The relieved look on Mr. Yoo's face set his mind in its proper place. He hoped that he would be able to get through the day without another gut-wrenching incident.

"What happened here?" Jun asked, panting from exhaustion.

"One of our nurses was walking by the room when she heard the electrocardiogram go off. When she brought the rest of us here, we found that his insulin pack had been mixed with cyanide. Someone must have snuck into the room and administered it." Chaeyoung replied as she packed the rest of the equipment away on a silver tray.

Hearing the idea of someone wanting to murder Mr. Yoo sent shivers down Jun's spine. Despite their short time together many years ago, Jun was sure that the older man was kind. One of the kindest people that he had ever met in his book. His mind couldn't fathom a reason why any ill will would be born on him. To make matters worse, Jun was sure that the building's security system was air-tight. He was also well-aware that the hospital didn't let anyone but doctors and relatives into the rooms of the patients. Jun somehow hypothesized that the assailant must be working an inside job which only terrified him even further.

"You seem a little too shaken, Jun. Thought you'd be used to this job by now" Chaeyoung teased, attempting to lighten up the mood as she was concerned for her co-worker, The latter grasped both sides of his face to feel that they were cold, as if the blood has been drained from his own body.

"I thought so too. But you see..." Jun hesitated for a bit, wondering if Chaeyoung would care to hear about his past.

"Go on" she assured him, living up to her warm-aura that was well known across the building.

"I've known him since I was young" Jun began.

"Is he a relative of yours?" Chaeyoung asked as she carefully moved Mr. Yoo's arms into a more comfortable position and fixed his crooked lab gown into place.

"He took care of me when I was young. You see there was a time that I lost my parents while on a trip to Taiwan and I was lucky enough that Mr. Yoo was able to find me. He took me into his home and fed me for a few days before my parents found me again" The young nurse takes a seat on the couch next to the bed. Never taking his eyes off the patient as he told his story,

"Oddly enough, it's the only thing I remember from my childhood" Jun grasped his hands over his mouth, closing his eyes in an attempt to calm the uneasiness that was haunting him.

"You must be very grateful for then, being so worked up for him" Chaeyoung took a seat next to the young man. He was grateful that he had some company to ease his mind, especially that it was hers. Chaeyoung had a natural ability to ease people's minds with her demeanor and Jun was one of them.

"What was the last thing you remember about him?" she asked. Jun thought hard about her question, suddenly recalling spending his first night with Mr. Yoo.

Jun sat comfortably on a wooden chair as he nommed down on a bowl of sardines. Mr. Yoo's house wasn't as big as the high-class abode that he was used to. But he found the place to be cozy and safe.

A certain picture frame suddenly caught the young boy's attention as it wasn't far from the dining table. In the frame was a girl about his age, sitting cheerfully on a swing set with a wide grin plastered on her face.

"Ahjussi, who's this" Jun muffled through his stuffed mouth.

"Ah, that's my daughter. I wish you could meet her but, she has a habit of running away. The police are still searching for her as of now" Mr. Yoo replied as he took a seat in front of the boy.

Somehow, Jun couldn't keep his eyes off the photo. He couldn't deny that he was mesmerized. The way her small eyes curved upwards, the dimples that were formed by her grin, the unique color of her skin that he hadn't seen in any other girl before. The photo made the young boy experience feelings that were far beyond his understanding.

"What's her name?" he excitedly asked, wanting to know the name of the captivating gal.

"Tzuyu"

"He told me that he had a daughter that ran away and that he was still looking for her. I couldn't remember her name clearly but I can somehow make out the photo of her that I saw. I remember it was the first time I ever felt attracted to someone. I guess you can say the puppy love kept it ingrained in my memory, ew" Jun said in a mocking tone.

"That's nothing to be ashamed of. Everyone has their first times." Chaeyoung smiled, relieved that her co-worker was feeling better. Jun felt her hand resting on his back, the warmth effectively putting him at ease.

"Anyway, I gotta get going. You should probably get something to eat, you're a bit pale" the nurse said as she got up from her seat.

"I think I might just stay here for now" Jun insisted as he held his place on the couch.

"No, you've done enough. I'll call someone over to monitor this room. From now on we can't afford to leave the patient unattended" Chaeyoung retorted as she left the room. Jun figured that there wasn't much use in arguing with the young woman. She was older than him after all and Jun knew very well that it was hard to change a woman's mind once she has made her point.

Chaeyoung struck true to her word when, not 5 minutes later, a new nurse had entered the room for watch duty. Jun took one last look at Mr. Yoo, assuring that the older man looked comfortable before gathering his things and leaving the room.

As Jun made his way through the packed hallways, he couldn't help but feel a presence lurking behind him. He tried to ignore it by drowning himself in the crowd. But he couldn't help but feel that someone is watching him from behind.

Jun turned around in a panic, but didn't see anyone that gave off a stalker-ish vibe. Figuring that he might just be paranoid, the young man decided that he needed to leave the area as soon as he can. He sped up his tracks, fast walking through the hallways like he was late for a meeting. It was there that he began hearing footsteps trailing behind him. They made a distinct, clicking sound, indicating that they were heels. The sound agitated the young man who sped up even more but the pursuer persisted, keeping up with his pace.

Jun felt like he was in a horror move, being pursued by a masked killer the moment he turned around. But he wanted it to end and so he took the chance. Stopping in his tracks and closing his eyes, the agitated nurse took a deep breath before turning around to face his pursuer. Only to find no one. Jun furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, assuring himself that could very well hear footsteps just a minute ago.

"Maybe I do need something to eat. I'm starting to hear things" the young man chuckled to himself before turning around. Unfortunately, he was halted in his tracks when a familiar face suddenly appeared.

Standing in front him, dressed in a black coat with a matching cardigan, a large cup of coffee in her right hand and a stern look on her face. It was a person Jun didn't hope of seeing anytime soon. But he also knew that the circumstances that surrounded him have deemed it inevitable.

"Can we talk?" Wendy asked with a bland tone in her voice. She stood a few meters away from Jun but felt like she was all up on his face. The latter rolled his eyes in disgust as the realization hit him. That Wendy might have been following him this whole time.

"If this doesn't concern work then I don't really wanna hear it" Jun coldly said as he brushed past his boss. He made a decision to avoid her if it was necessary a long time ago and tried his best to appear cold and strictly professional hoping that it would discourage her from ever making contact with him again.

Only he wasn't prepared for what she had to say next.

"I'm pregnant, Jun"

What sort of predicament has Jun gotten himself into this time?

Sorry it took so long and I know I said last time that I would update weekly again.

But I'm not too certain this time around with work and online classes coming in for me again.

But don't worry I won't be gone for too long :)