Minho invited Krystal to eat lunch in a nearby coffee shop and she didn’t decline. Luckily, it was a holiday and there weren’t much patients in the hospital. Some doctors were also not on duty to enjoy the holiday, but not these two. Going out of town would be a waste because they’d have to go to work the next day, so they’d rather skip on going on a holiday. Besides, Krystal’s reason was valid that unfortunate events unexpectedly happen and it was better for them to be present in the hospital in order to attend to the patients in any case that those things happen.

While they were eating their lunch, Krystal thought she saw a familiar face and it instantly made her stomach turn upside down. Her gaze followed the familiar face as that person walked around to look for an empty seat. Her grip on her salad wrap started becoming loose and before she could completely drop it on the floor, she placed it on the table and pushed it towards Minho.

He spotted her wrap move closer to him while he was taking a bite of his deli. With a questioning and confused look on his face, he met her gaze to try and ask. “Do you not like the food?” He was worried that maybe it was bad or something’s not right with her food. Her eyes were telling him that something’s up.

“No, no. It’s just- I mean, it’s not the food. Sorry, I need to go back.” She stood up and looked at the person that she saw. Her eyes were full of anger and she stopped midway to the door when she saw the person’s back turned towards her. Before that person turned around, she marched out the door and quickly made her way to the hospital.

Minho’s gaze just followed his wife and he saw everything. He saw her jaws and her fists tightly clenched as she stood. He was right that something was wrong when he met her eyes earlier. She saw her eyes filled with anger as she looked at the person that obviously made her mad. He observed her every move until she angrily made her way back to the hospital. He became too boggled about what he saw that he was also unable to finish his meal and went to the counter to have their leftovers wrapped for take away. After waiting for the food, he looked at the person that angered Krystal before returning to the hospital.

Krystal was sitting with her back turned to the desk and stared out her window. She couldn’t believe that she’d be able to see her again. She kept breathing in and out to make herself calm, but she was still having a hard time to breathe. It didn’t take long for her to break down into tears. That’s what she knew would work best during a whirlwind of events because it sure worked when she experienced them way way back. Crying to herself with no one around always made her feel at ease. After a while, she went to the bathroom to wash her face, then regained her composure before a patient walked in. “Hi,” she said brightly to the child as if everything was fine.

He originally didn’t want to go back to his clinic and debated whether or not he should go to her, but he decided that it would be best to ask her later when it’s just the two of them alone. He made his way back to the clinic while greeting his colleagues and other medical practitioners who also greeted him. He was even able to spot a patient who is currently recovering from surgery and trying to walk around, still slowly. “Maybe tomorrow you’ll be able to sprint faster than me,” he even joked, which also help uplift the patient’s spirit to not give up on improving his health. When he saw that there were a few patients who were waiting for him, he greeted them, then prepared in his clinic to meet them.

He requested his cut off time to be early since there were no longer patients who were visiting him. “I’ll see you on Friday,” he said to his patient who will be scheduled for surgery on that day. He tried to smile to somehow give the patient relief, but he knew that deep inside, his patient is already nervous even if they are still just a few days away from the “big event,” which has been a usual routine for him. He went to get his stuff, then greeted Sunmi, his assistant goodbye and wished her safety on her way home. As he carried his belongings, he decided to do his final rounds for the day.

Krystal, on the other hand, has closed her clinic an hour ago and even dismissed her assistant, leaving her to be by herself in her clinic. It was dead quiet in there; she switched the airconditioning off, left her white coat resting on her backrest, and had her back turned against her desk once again while staring out the window. She kept asking herself if she was dreaming earlier, but it was too real. She nodded her head as she thought that she couldn’t be wrong because it was really one of the people that she hated. She wanted to scream earlier and launch herself at her to sass her out and throw a hot beverage to her face. It was quiet in her office, but she could hear her heart beating intensely from the anger that she felt.

Minho knocked on her clinic door before letting himself in. He was prepared to greet his wife’s assistant, but she was nowhere in sight. He had a questioning look on his face before closing the door. He was not sure if there was still someone inside because it was really quiet in the clinic. No assistant, no patient, no aircon, no voices, and just pure silence. He walked to his Krystal’s consultation room to see if she was still there. Maybe, she took the subway or a cab going home, which he hoped not. Knowing Krystal’s love for walking, it even hit his mind that she tried to walk going home, and he really prayed that she didn’t because it’s so much worse. As much as he’d like to call her, he couldn’t because her phone was with him.

She just left the coffee shop in the middle of their meal, not caring that she left her phone and her wallet with her. His steps were quick, but a lot of thoughts already went through his head. He quietly breathed out when he saw her sitting as she faced the window behind her desk. He carefully approached her, not wanting to shock her, because her current position prevents her from seeing who had just walked in.

“Hi,” he said to her in a voice which was almost a whisper.

“Hey,” she said in a low voice. She forced a weak smile as she looked at him to acknowledge his presence. “How long have you been here?”

“Not for long. I just arrived.” A slight smile was formed on his lips before he took her phone and wallet out of his pocket. “You left these earlier.”

“I did?” Her brows were furrowed in confusion as she received her valuables. “I’m sorry, I didn’t notice. Thank you.” She curved her lips slightly upward for another weak smile. For Minho, it was a sad smile.

He swung the paper bag lightly in his hand to show it to her. “I also had your food wrapped.” He placed the paper bag on the table, then placed his hands in his pockets and just looked at her. “Are you okay?” Clearly, he knew she wasn’t, but he wanted her to voice out what she’s really feeling.

She blinked before she could answer him and felt her mind going blank. “Uh- yeah, of course. I’m fine.” She kept avoiding his gaze, then stared at the floor before facing him once more to force another fake smile.

Minho walked closer to her and knelt in front of her. He rested his hands on the armrests and he saw how she kept avoiding his gaze. “Krystal, I know something’s up and it’s making you down,” he said as he tried to sneak in a joke.

She knew that it was his way of making her feel somewhat a bit later than what she’s currently feeling and it did work. She smiled, then looked her husband who was kneeling on the floor. He also smiled when he saw her smile, but they were both aware that her eyes say otherwise. Krystal tried to still conceal it, but he was seeing right through.

“Come on, what’s up? Was it because of the person you saw earlier during lunch?”

She raised his head in shock to meet his eyes and just gave him a blank stare. “No, no.” Her voice cracked, knowing that he hit bullseye. “It’s just that I didn’t have the appetite to eat,” she reasoned.

He watched her as she stared at her lap and rubbed the back of her left hand with her right thumb, a mannerism that he observed she had whenever she would feel tensed. As she bowed her head to avoid his gaze, he noticed a teardrop fell from her eye and it was followed by another one. “I saw how your eyes had anger in them and how you curled your hands into fists. If you need someone to talk to I’m just here.” He held her hands rubbed their back with his thumb, then in just a blink of an eye, Krystal had broken down into tears.

She retracted her hands from his hold and used them to cover her face. He stood back up and rubbed circles on her back to comfort her. She wanted to hide and cry alone, so she got up with her face still covered, hoping to run to the bathroom. However, her husband’s reflexes were quicker. She soon found herself in his embrace, her face that she’s still covering’s been buried on his chest, and sobbing. She felt feeble in his arms and just allowed herself to cry.

“It’s okay, just cry it out.” He kept her in his arms and would even kiss her hair at random periods. He has never seen her in this state and his heart broke for her. A few moments later, Krystal’s hands fell limp to her sides as she continued to to cry, still in his embrace. He didn’t let go of her and hugged her as tightly as he could.

Krystal suddenly became quiet and her tears stopped falling. She was able to have a good cry in his arms. She pulled away from his hold and wiped the remaining tears on her face. As she wiped her tears, Minho’s thumbs also helped her in wiping her tears before he caressed her cheek with a sad and worried look on his face. “Thank you,” she said in a whisper, managed to purse her lips together before nodding.

“No worries,” he replied in a whisper as well before forming a thin smile. He put his hand down from her face to grab her hand and pull her to the couch in her waiting area and asked her to sit. She silently obeyed, while he got her a cup of water in order to help her ease her breathing. Again she thanked him, then he sat beside her. “I’m not gonna force you to talk about it if you don’t want to, but at least you were able to have a good cry.”

She only nodded in agreement after drinking her water. “Yeah. You were also good at comforting. Thank you for that- and I’m sorry, too.”

“You’re sorry? For what?” His eyebrows furrowed as he looked at her.

She turned to look at him before she explained. “For seeing me like this.”

“For seeing you in a frustrated state and with a tear-stained face?”

Krystal could only bow her head down. “I’m such a mess right now.” She kept her eyes on her lap and shook her head lightly as she remembered how she was known for being so composed at all times.

“So? I don’t care about that. You’re just a person who gets to feel those things and it’s not wrong to cry in front of others, you know.”

She slumped her back on the backrest as she stared at the ceiling. She knows that he was right, but she’s just not used to it. She was so used to hiding her vulnerable side and would break down in secret.

“Krystal?”

“Mhm?”

“You don’t have to tell me everything because I understand that I’m still a stranger to you, but if ever you need someone, just know that I’m here for you.” He placed his hand on her knee as he looked at the girl who was staring at the ceiling while slouching, looking so exhausted. They thought that today wouldn’t be as tiring compared to their usual days because it’s a holiday, but they were wrong.

She took a deep breath, then moved her hand on top of his before patting it. “Thank you, Minho.” She patted his hand again and settled her hand to rest right on top of his. They stayed that way until she decided that it was time for them go home.

Author's note: I like to keep my word, so when I said that I'll make it up to you guys, here it is! A double update and a loop in the story! Well, seems like this story's gonna have twists and turns :) stay tuned by hitting the subscribe button and let me know what you guys think in the comments section below :) again, my apologies for the late update and thank you for being so patient in waiting!