Two days past and there had been no progress in the confinement where Dara is. They had been informed that the medical society are still formulating cures against the novel virus that infected people in the country. however, as time goes by, Dara had been feeling quite heavy on her chest and a feverishness had rise not just on her but to her fellow tourists too. They only had been given immunity booster in rotation hour but it didn’t even elevate their progressing sickness on their body.

 

Morning is the schedule for five doctors to attend them in full protective while taking blood samples from them. They assured them they’ll be well taken care of and that they should relax. When it was her turn, the doctor adjusted her dextrose and gently assuring her that they’re doing everything they can to help them. She just absently nodded although she had been crying in secret. The five doctors then proceeded to the other patients, leaving a nurse still keeping track of her record. Dara reached for her when she was leaving.

 

“Yes, miss Park?” she asked in voice muffled with N95 mask. Although her eyes were covered with a protective goggles, Dara can see the kindness behind those.

 

“Uhm…can I have my phone back? My family must be worried of me now. I just want to call them that I’m safe.” she said in low voice while the nurse regard her for a moment before she was called by one doctor.

 

Dara heaved a deep sigh behind her own surgical mask knowing her request wont be addressed at all. She just suit herself in watching news in the television where the news were focusing on Wuhan and Hubei where a great deal of infected people were admitted in different medical facilities.

 

It was lunch when the food committee had entered in and passed them food while checking her track sheets. When it was her turn, Dara saw the food carefully sealed in pack. She then murmured her thanks to the committee who was looking around the other people and her pouch where her phone, charger and power bank were stored.

 

The food committee leaned over her bed table and arranged the food in there and murmured under a low voice, “don’t make a call. Just text.Do it at night.”

 

Dara nodded to her and said her thanks while the food com left the room. She hurriedly ate her food and drink her daily vitamin drinks. After, she stirred the bed table to her side and hid her pouch for now. She felt a little bit comforted even thought it contrasted to her physical problem right now. Behind her mask, she let another sneeze while her eyes watered. She looked up to her fellow tourists who had become a little bit weaker while waiting for the unknown ahead of them.

 

The news in the television contributed to their cheerless demeanor and Dara hates sad atmosphere as she stood up from her bed and get the remote of the TV and changed the channel.

 

“are you allowed to do that?” asked one foreigner to her.

 

“nothing wrong with lifting our spirits a bit,” she said while scanning for a fun channel. She smiled when she found the channel of her favorite show.

 

“Hey, I love that series.” the women far from her bed said while Dara just grinned at them.

 

Some of the tourist just watched just for the heck of it until they didn’t noticed that they were all having fit of laughter inside that negative pressured room.

 

***

Two days and both the Kwon and Park family hadn’t had a descent sleep at all while they scanned for channels and channels of news outlet in hope to get information of Dara’s possible whereabouts right now.

 

“I’d call a friend in China but the government had issued that all citizen must stay in doors to prevent the virus from spreading further.” Suho Kwon sighed.

 

“Even the Tour agency didn’t have the decency to call us or even answered our calls,” Jay sat beside his wife who had red eyes from crying.

 

Emmie hugged Rona to comfort her, “she’s gonna be alright, Ron.”

 

The Kwon had stayed at the Park residence to take care of them. While Jiyong had been locking himself inside Dara’s room.

 

When Emmie to check for him, he was staring at his phone while trying to message and dialed Dara’s number again and again. She saw his son’s own struggle when he kept on bottling all his emotions but sometimes she would find him silently shedding tear while clasping his phone with earnestness. He hadn’t spoken to them since the day of the problem, gluing himself to his phone all the time.

 

“Jiyong, come down for dinner dear.” Emmie said but he didn’t responded while he continued to dial her again and again even though he was only answered by the monotonous voice of an operator. “Please come down dear and don’t make them wait. We’re eating together.” Emmie said while he still didn’t answer him. She just sigh and leave him be.

 

Jiyong’s inbox had been full of his own messages for her and all of it still unopened. For many hours past, he thought he can’t breathe properly for the mere thought that Dara is there, exposed to such disease she don’t have defenses. He knew she is weak and such exposure can possibly endanger her. A mere thought which always seemed to choke him endlessly. He reached towards his chest when he felt like suffocating in there while he firmly closed his eyes letting a tear escaped his eyes.

 

“Dara…”he whispered in agony while he hugged her pillow hard.

 

***

 

Night came and Dara still waited until dinner was served to them until almost everyone was still sleeping while she hide under her covers, curling her body while clasping her phone which she just . She guessed they were being turned off by those people who confiscated them.

 

When her phone is ready, she immediately scanned her parent’s number but then tons of messages come to her notifications that she opened them first. She blinked to see it coming all from Jiyong and some from Bom. They were asking her if she’s alright. However, his messages caught her attentions most especially that he sounded pleading now.

 

‘Dara? Please tell me your alright.’

 

‘Dee, I’m so worried sick. Please let me know.’

 

‘Dara please be alright.’

 

‘Dara.’

‘Dara,’

 

‘Dara, I feel like dying here…’

 

‘Please,’

 

‘Please, be alright.’

 

‘I miss you so much…’

 

‘don’t leave me alone, Dee.’

 

‘I’m sorry that we argued. I regret it that day.’

 

‘Dee, please…please I’ll die without you,’

 

‘baby girl…please answer me,’

 

‘I can’t do life without you, don’t leave me…’

 

Dara had no idea why she felt her heart lurking out and her fingers shaking from too much knocking on her heart. Then her vision blurred overwhelmed with her emotion that she tried bottling up since the breakout started. She must admit that she’s missing him so much too and his teasing and their bantering together. That she felt guilty for shouting at him after the graduation. She was even planning to give him a gift to surprise him. A prank gift with funny clowns jumping out the box. She sniffed while getting rid of her tears before daring to dial his number wishing secretly that she wont be caught.

 

***

Jiyong had send one message again and waited just to be frustrated again. His parents called him out again down the stair while forced himself to bolt up from the bed and trudged towards the stairs while clasping the phone firmly on his side. He can’t even hide his own misery even before the parents when he traced down the stairs. The tv still broadcasting the increasing number of confirmed cases which significantly ruined his mood more. Just before he can go down the last step, his phone rings. When he lifted it up to see the caller, he gasped while hurriedly hit the answer button.

 

“Dara? Baby?” he called out in much expectation while the parents stood up when they heard him. Jiyong leaned over the stair’s post in support.

“Jiyo?” came her voice in whisper.

 

“Oh god…”he can’t even stopped himself from shedding tears of relief upon hearing her voice from the other line.

 

“Can you tell my parents that I’m alright?”

 

“T-they’re here.” Jiyong pushed down the lumped on . “baby, they’re here.” Jiyong immediately handed the phone to Rona who exclaimed in much relief for hearing their baby girl’s voice.

 

Jiyong get rid of his own tears listening to Dara’s voice on the phone after he had it in loud speaker.

 

“I just sneaked this phone the nurse gave me. She said not to call to avoid detection. After this, I’m gonna have to text you guys instead.” she said in whisper.

 

Rona sniffed her tears while Jay supported her from behind, “It’s alright dear. Are you comfortable in there? Are you hurting?”

 

“We’re being treated here, omma. They feed us vitamins and a special diet. But I missed you and Jiyong’s mom’s cooking. And Jiyo’s pancake. They don’t serve it here.”

 

Jiyong can only bit his lips in much suppression on his own emotion while she tried being cheerful.

 

Dara suddenly gasped and hurriedly whispered to them, “the doctor’s coming,”

 

There was rustling from the other line as if she had forget to turn it off while the five of them stayed still, listening.

 

***

Five doctors came back and checked their vitals. One doctor who had her name assigned to him came to inspect her temperature and got her saliva sample. He then called one of his colleagues after seeing her temperature.

 

“Am I gonna be okay, doctor?” she asked slowly to them.

 

“For now miss Park, let’s try to lower down your fever and get some nice rest, okay?” the doctor said before scrabbling on her track sheet.

It didn’t take a while before the five doctors got out again.

 

Dara then get her phone back and was surprised that she wasn’t able to end the call.

 

“hey guys you still there?” she asked in whisper again and there were immediate responses from the other line.

 

“do you have fever, Dee?” asked Jiyong which instantly made her heart jolted.

 

“yeah. A slight one,” she said unconsciously sniffing her runny nose. “and a little headache. You know typical symptoms for having the virus,” she said casually under the blanket’s covering.

 

Then her mom assured their love for her while she assured them that she’ll get through this just fine and not to worry too much.

 

“and Jiyo? Please tell Bom I’m alright,” she said before ending the call.

 

It was only 8pm and Dara got out the covers while staring at the television and looked around. Everybody was already resting and she decided to turn off the TV. Going back her bed, her phone indicated an sms. She opened it when settling back her bed. It was from Jiyong and her heart made a weird thumping inside her chest again.

 

Dara bit her lower lip upon reading the message.

 

‘Baby?’

 

She then typed a message back to him.

 

‘Ji,’

 

Then he typed back.

 

‘please be alright.’

 

‘I am,’ she replied.

 

‘I miss you so much, Dee…’

 

‘ohhh…don’t let Ella read this or you’ll lose your chance to her,’ she send it with winking icon.

 

‘I don’t even like her,’

 

‘too bad…*sad icon*’

 

‘I’ll come to you,baby…’

 

Dara had to bit her lower lip to stop herself from grinning every time he called her that.

 

‘you can’t. flight’s ban in and out our country, Jiyo’

 

‘can find ways. Tell me what hospital are you now?’

 

She then send him the name of the hospital.

 

‘but I know you can’t come here, Ji. Just wait for me in there.’

 

‘i can be stubborn too, Dee.’

 

‘yeah right. It’s annoying sometimes.’

 

‘bite me.’

 

‘come here then and I will. *evil icon*’

 

‘looking forward to it,’

 

‘nah. I wont give you my virus now,’

 

‘I don’t mind it though,’

 

Dara smiled while feeling so tired all of the sudden.

 

‘Jiyo, I’m suddenly tired. It’s our curfew now.’

 

‘rest now, baby. I’ll see you soon,’

 

Dara smiled again and replied a quick response.

 

‘I will. *kissing icon*’

‘I love you, baby,’

 

Dara once again heard her heart thumped so hard on her chest while reading his words again and again. Not really knowing why it suddenly made her feel giddy and overwhelmingly happy before she replied back and hugged her phone on her chest nervously feeling a fluttering tingles all over her body as if she didn’t feel so tired anymore.

 

‘I love you too, Jiyo…’

 

Dara slightly jumped when her phone vibrates with one caller registering it. She suddenly felt so nervous while hiding under the covers. With a shaking hands she answered it anyway.

 

“H-hey…” she greeted.

 

“I just want to hear your voice before I sleep,” he said on his uncharacteristic nervous voice.

 

“yeah?” she asked in whispered tone. “are you staying in our house?”

 

“I’m in your bed,”

 

There reigned silence while they only heard each others’ breathing.

 

“I bet you enjoyed Japan?” she asked after a while.

 

Jiyong just let a chuckled, “not even the slightest.”

 

“Wae? You’re smiling on Ella’s upload.”

 

“they forced me,” he said. “It’s so boring without you.”

 

“same here,” she said while Dara’s heart fluttering at his whispering voice in the phone.

 

“Let’s go together there.” he proposed. “I hadn’t check out those things we planned to go.”

 

“Jongmalyeo?”

 

“hmm. Let’s do it together.”

 

She giggled, “I’m looking forward to it already.” while letting a yawn.

 

“sleep now, baby.” he urged and Dara couldn’t still get over how it sound so natural to call her that.

 

“goodnight, Jiyo.” she said pressing the phone to her ear.

 

“I Love you much,” he said it again in almost breathless tone.

 

Dara bit her lower lip when she felt like he’s actually waiting her words.

 

“I love you too, Jiyo.” she finally said which made him chuckled.

 

“Goodnight, little monster.” he said and she ended the call.

 

Dara smiled widely while hiding the phone back her pouch and sleep with happy self even when she’s with fever.