Seokjin planned on coming clean with Eri today.

Not just about the whole teaching her a lesson and the medical expenses but also telling her the truth about the misunderstanding in the past. He realized last night that if his uncle and her mother hadn't arrived, he wouldn't have stopped at just a simple kiss. He would definitely have made love with Eri. But he doesn't want it to be the same as what they experienced back in high school. Back then she looked cute under him, but last night while he had her in his lap, she didn't look cute, she looked centerfold hot. He tried to shake the images away. It's too early in the morning for such thoughts.

Just yesterday when his brother warned about him and Eri being a thing, he was still able to shrug it off. It was the furthest thing from his mind. But now, now that he knows, things are different. He is determined to untie the knot between him and her that had been there for eleven years.

Eri, Sangwoo and Sunhee looked at Seokjin expectantly. They were sitting around the dining table, the same position as they had last night.

"Seokjin what's going on?" Sangwoo asked.

Eri would like to know too.

When she got out of her room this morning, Seokjin was sitting on the kitchen steps as if purposely waiting for her. He told her to eat breakfast and that her mother and his uncle are on the way. He had called them to drop by before going to work because he wanted to talk about something he wasn't able to last night. She didn't know what was going on and since she can only function properly after eating breakfast, she did just that.

So now here they are.

Seokjin placed the pot of coffee on the table along with sugar and cream. He handed them each a cup, then sat beside Eri. "Uncle, auntie, this is about Eri. The episodes she's having are not caused by her heart, it's called anxiety attack."

Eri released an outraged gasp. "What are you talking about?! I have a heart condition!"

"I'm not saying you don't." He said. "I assume your heart condition is mild because if it was severe your doctor would've suggested surgery already but I didn't hear anything like that from auntie."

"You don't know anything! I'm not emotionally unstable or overdramatic, or else I wouldn't be able to work with the job I have now."

"Listen Eri, I'm not dismissing it nor not taking it seriously, I'm just saying that what you're experiencing everytime isn't a heart attack but an anxiety attack."

"My symptoms are real. You don't know how it feels. My heart races, and I get dizzy and weak. I can't breathe and I have tingling in my arms and get all sweaty. Those are symptoms of heart attack, aren't they?" Eri cast a look both at her mother and step-father.

Sunhee sent Seokjin a helpless, sticken look.

Sangwoo got up from his chair and patted Seokjin's shoulder on his way to crouch by Eri's side. "Eri, honey, Seokjin's right. I have been thinking about it for a while now. An anxiety attack can mimic symptoms of a heart attack. You have been doing well in Seoul for years now, if all those times it was a heart attack, you should've been sent straight to the ER and it should've taken a toll on your heart already. What you're experiencing is an anxiety attack that is triggered by something. But it doesn't make what you're feeling any less real or frightening."

Her chin quivered, and she wrapped her arms around her waist. Is this what Sangwoo meant when he had looked over at her during the engagement party? Was he observing her? Was he concerned? But why? How would he even know? "I'm not making this up."

"Of course you're not. And I'm sorry I didn't pick up on this earlier, despite all the things your mother said you went through back then. They even took you to Seoul to have you undergo tests until you were diagnosed."

She bowed her head. Her hair falling across her pink cheek as she murmured. "They said I have a defective heart."

Sunhee gasped. "Oh darling, I didn't know you heard that. Why didn't you tell us?... But then again you never complained. You never told us you were scared, not even once. But I'm your mother, I should've known that you weren't alright everytime you told us that you were. I just went along and let you do what you want, to not cause you stress. But MyGod I should've known! All this time..." Her mother started to cry.

Eri glared at Seokjin. "Now look what you've done."

===

"I know you're awake sleeping beauty, I'm coming in." Seokjin announced, then opened the sliding door of the guest room slowly. He sat down on the floor beside her futon. Before coming clean to her, Seokjin had wanted to address Eri's health with her mother and uncle. It was his priority. "I'm not leaving so might as well open your eyes and talk to me." 

Eri felt the gentle brush of his lips over her ears and smelled the cool, minty freshness of his breath. She kept her eyes closed and remained stiff and unresponsive. She felt like an idiot early this morning and it was all his fault. He'd ambushed her in front of her mother and step-father. Now everyone