WARNING: Not a very cheerful chapter.

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I heaved a sigh of relief after finally completing an Algebraic equation, while Yumi, on my left, was still struggling, cursing under her breath. Classes had resumed and we were sitting in our Maths classroom for the last hour. It hadn't been complete 24 hours since my date and I kept dreaming about it every free second I found. And weirdly, I was kind of trying to avoid Jinyoung. I don't know why. I should have been more comfortable now but I guess I am too new to this dating stuff to know how to react after a date. Thankfully, he gave me space too.

A crumpled piece of paper bounced on my desk and fell in my lap. I turned towards its source and found Chanyeol leaning on the desk on my right, I raised my eyebrow as my fingers disentangled it. In a sloppy handwriting it said,

So, how was it?

I gave him a confused look and mouthed 'What?' He gave me a 'Don't-give-me-that-'  look. After a minute or two it finally dawned on me.

Oh, um my date? Yeah it was pretty good.

He read it and shot me an exasperated look, and hastily wrote back. Oh Lord, I hope we wouldn't be caught.

That's all I get? No details?

I smiled at his nosy behavior. 

Nopes. You didn't expect me to film the whole day to show you, did you?  I threw the pape ball back and he caught it effortlessly.

Come on, Mirae. Don't be such a freak.

I chuckled lightly and rolled my eyes. 

God, you're worse than Yumi when it comes to pestering.

He pouted after reading what I wrote and scribbled hastily. Wait, how come she gets to know and I don't?

I wrote back looking around anxious that somebody might notice. Well, I don't know if you have noticed yet...but she's a girl and you're not. I think that should explain  ;)

Chanyeol rolled his eyes once he read it making me I grinned. 

Either the date went really bad and you're lying to cover it up. Or it was really good and you don't want to share. He swiftly passed me the piece of paper back.

My face broke out in a wide smile instantly with an embarrassing red tint appearing on my cheeks once I read that. I tried to hide my crazy face from the professor be holding my test book a little high cause we're going be in real trouble if he caught us. Chanyeol who was already observing me closely and upon seeing my reaction, he leaned in closer and whispered, "So, it's the second one?"

I opened my mouth to reply when our professor exploded with anger. I braced myself for a big lecture or maybe a detention I was shocked to find out that it wasn't us who was the target of his outburst.

"Oh Sehun! Why are you spacing out again? I've been watching you for half an hour and all you've done is doodle. Have you seen your last quiz? Do you want me to announce your grades in front of everyone? See me after class in my office." He gritted in his teeth.

The poor boy who was unfortunately sitting on the second bench flinched with a scared expression. Sehun's head bent low in embarrassment and I could see him gripping the edge of his seat tightly. My heart pained at seeing him so pitiful and helpless. What's going on? Is he worried about his father again? I glanced at Chanyeol who, too, had a confused and curious look. The class ended in a few minutes with our professor rushing out and Sehun at his feet timidly.

"Is everything alright with him?" Yumi asked as we gathered our books and shoved them in our bags.

"I hope so," I replied quietly. I need to do something, what kind of friend am I?

"Did everything go well yesterday?" Junmyun asked wiggling his brows as his other friends appeared on my side. I nodded in reply and he raised an eyebrow at the lack of response.

"I introduced you both. I deserve a documentary at least." Chanyeol whined.

"Fine." I gave up. "You sneaky little minx."

He grinned in victory. "And if you leave out any detail, I'm going to know because Jinyoung owes me a full report too."

"He owes you?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Of course, if it hadn't been for me, he would have never met you." Chanyeol sounded confident when he said that, so boastful. "Jinyoung used to follow me around after practices asking about you, you know."

Yumi's eyebrows furrowed and I'm sure she was disappointed at his reply because it clearly negated her theory about the two of us. Although being my best friend, Yumi was pretty happy about me finally dating and squeezed every piece of information about how it went but I'm sure in the back of her mind, she still thinks that....never mind. I don't want to think about it again and again. It's absurd. "Oh, so you're the matchmaker here?" She confirmed.

He shrugged. "Yeah, you can say that." He fixed me with am emotionless stare. "I only believe that if a guy likes a girl that much, then he at least deserves to be given a chance. To prove himself." 

With an ending smirk he shoved his hands in his pocket after slinging his bag on one shoulder and left with the other two trailing behind him. His gestures somehow reminded me of the old days when he would strut around so arrogantly as if the school was his father's property. But I decided to let it go, maybe it's just my overloaded brain.

Shrugging, I turned to Yumi while she stood there smiling triumphantly. "What?" I asked.

"Why do I feel like he was talking about himself just now?"

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Busan St.Mary's Hospital

Striding past the many green-tinted glass windows and doors, and trying not to collide with anyone specifically not a patient, I halted at the reception desk still panting. As my breathing rate controlled, I spoke to the women who was looking at me expectantly.

"Where can I find Oh Seungmin?" I asked. "Um... he has TTP and has been admitted here since more than a year now and-"

"Yes, I get it." She replied while hastily clicking on the monitor in front of her. 

"Family ward, right? The one on the third floor?" I asked hopefully. Sehun's father had been shifted there the last time I visited him. I figured if I wanted to understand anything going on Sehun's life, the first step was to feel the pain he felt, at least be under the same roof as him. I tapped my fingers impatiently on the desk cause I didn't have much time. I meant to reach here earlier but the damn cab got stuck in traffic.

She made some final confirmations and faced me again. "No, he was shifted to emergency ward two weeks ago. On the second floor, turn to left. Room 5. Visiting hours end after half an hour. You might want to hurry." She ended with a smile. I nodded as my brows furrowed in worry. Emergency room? That's not good news.

I raced once again to the elevator. Upon finding that it was packed, I took a deep breath and made a run for the stairs. I'm sure anybody watching me would have thought that I some robber running like I snatched a woman's purse. I know I shouldn't be doing this since Sehun forbade me to come here but my curiosity got the better of me. I hope he doesn't catch me here or I will be gone for good. I was panting heavily when I stopped at the door of my destination. I braced myself for the worst while my heart still hoped for the best. I entered the ward looking for his room. 

As I pushed open the door, I gasped. I became momentarily immobile and turned to stone. He... didn't look like the person I used to know. Ajhussi was always a strong and burly man and I have never in my life seen him so weak. I couldn't even recognize him. There were unlimited tubes entering and leaving his body. Tubes that I didn't even know what were for. Food? Oxygen? Dosage? He apparently seemed to be dosed heavily considering his closed eyes and light breathing. Encouraging myself to go forward, I took small steps. There were large screens surrounding him, indicating his heartbeat and breathing rate on the oximeter. Things seemed as if he was alive only because of the machines around him. My breath hitched in my throat as I read the slab above his head.

Patient: Oh Seung Min

Diagnosed with: Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP)

Duration: 19 months

Date of admittance: 14 Dec

Tears were threatening to spill but I tried to hold up for some more time. I covered my mouth with my hand. His disease was rare but since it was diagnosed in its early stage, recovery was possible. But we all knew that it was a lifelong blood disorder and all we could do was prolong his time left. Sighing, I neared him standing by his side. I touched his hand lightly not wanting to wake him up. His pale skin was covered with purple bruises and his lips chapped. There were deep dark circles under eyes and fatigue was obvious from his face. No wonder Sehun was always so distracted and lost. Who could even study when the only hope of your life, your only remaining family member was living his last days with no sign of recovery? I wanted to hug him for going through so much all on his own.

I shuffled through my bag and pulled out the lily bouquet I had bought for him on the way. Lilies had always been his favorite and said they refreshed his mind and reminded him of Sehun's deceased mother. I placed them in the small vase beside his table. I was hoping to find him conscious but now I'm thankful he wasn't. I don't think I would have been able to take it.

I wiped a stray tear from my cheek, not being able to take it anymore but I was careful not to so loudly. Ajhussi had always been like my father. From picking Sehun and I after school to buying us street food on the way. With a sense of humor that matched his smiley face, he won every heart. 

"Ajhussi." I sobbed lightly. "Look who's here. Your Mirae is here to see you." 

He remained unaltered. I sighed. "You have to get well. Don't you remember your promises? Our plans for Sehun's wedding?" I smiled slightly at the happy, old memories. When Sehun and I used to be best mates, I used to be pretty close to his father too. "How we used-"

"Time's up." I turned around when a nurse interrupted us, entering to room. I nodded, leaning in his ear. "I'll come to see you soon, ajhussi. Take care." I wiped the few left tears with my sleeve. Taking in his image one last time and turned around. My had was on the doorknob when an idea occurred to me. Facing her, I asked.

"Are you the one in charge of him?" 

She nodded her head. "Yes."

"Can you do me favor?" I questioned hopefully. Seeing her positive expression, I continued. "I wouldn't be able to visit to him regularly and I want to be updated if something mention-worthy happens." A sign of recovery, for example. "Can you please take my number and inform me?"

She smiled. "I get that request a lot. Sure, I can." She took her phone out. "Tell me your number." I smiled in relief and gave her my number and left. My mind was still occupied by the terrifying trio as I walked back to the main lobby. I tripped on my shoelace just as I exited the emergency ward. Groaning, I bent down to tie them up.

"What do you think you're doing here?" A stiff voice demanded. Holy . 

I jumped at the sight of Sehun's image hovering over me. His face was twisted with a displeased expression.

"Why ask when you already know?" I gulped and decided to ignore his glare turning back to my untied laces.

He bent and grabbed my wrist pulling me up. "Why come when I already forbade you?" He responded with a question.

I looked in his eyes with a demanding look. "How could you hide all of this from me, Sehun? Do you think I don't care for him? I kept asking you and you didn't say a word. You could have a shared." I said indignantly.

"I just didn't want to upset you anymore. But you shouldn't have come here when I told you not to." He whispered.

Only one sentence made all of my anger and complains vanish. I looked at him sympathetically and tiptoed wrapping my arms around his torso. I haven't hugged him since a long time. I missed this feeling. This protective brotherly embrace. The fact that he felt so skinny didn't go unnoticed by me. Sehun didn't hug me back but I could sense his tensed up muscles relaxing somewhat. After a minute, his hands patted my back hesitantly. "Please don't think like that. I care about him too." I mumbled in his ear.

He nodded and I pulled back. "I know you cried. I can see it on your face. That's what I feared."

I shook my head. "I'll be happier knowing what's going on in his life rather than being kept in the dark," I responded. "What are you doing here anyway? Aren't visiting hours over?"

"I ain't visiting. I'm staying the night." It was at that moment I realized he was carrying a backpack probably filled with night supplies. "I want to spend every minute in his presence. At least every minute he's got left."

My heart pained at the way he was so openly talking about it. Something I couldn't even imagine. Sehun had grown so strong, as compared to the time when he had first find out about the condition.

"No, don't lose hope. He'll get better, Sehun." I exclaimed though my heart was filled with doubt. "He will."

"Bye." I added and left quietly thinking all the way back about how the people I loved were diminishing. Everything had changed so much. How I wished to wave a magic wand and bring back the carefree sunny days in his life and remove these dark nights.

------------

"You're avoiding me."

I looked up from my sprawled position in the library. Jinyoung stood there with arms folded. He looked more amused by the fact than angry though I didn't know which was worse. I smiled sheepishly because he was true. I had avoided being in his presence all the week. My place of escape would either be my room or some deserted corner in the library.

"Er." I started intelligently. "How am I supposed to answer that, anyway?"

"Why?"

"Because, well...you know." He just raised an eyebrow. "I mean I don't know whether we're umm... like... are we dating now?"

Jinyoung laughed right at my face as he seated himself on the table in front of me. "Of course, idiot. Well, that was the motive behind me asking you out. I mean that is the general idea when a guy asks a girl out."

The little was teasing me and I said as much. "I don't appreciate your humor on my lack of confidence. Don't mock me, I get enough of that from your captain."

He groaned in annoyance. "Oh please, don't mention him. I'm hiding from him." 

I grinned. "Why?"

"That guy is crazy. I mean I'm not exaggerating or anything but Chanyeol's been driving us nuts with long, tough hours of practice everyday. My bones are cracking into two with all the running and practicing."

I laughed and placed my hand over his, caressing it lightly. "Now you know how passionate he is. I've been opposing it ever since the start."

"Literally. All I want to kick right now is his , not a football." I clapped a hand over my mouth to stifle my laughter at his tired confessions.

"I wonder what's so huge about this match. I mean it's not a semi-final or anything. He's never acted so insane before. I swear we could win a FIFA Tournament with this amount of practice." I burst into laughter. As I thought over his words for a second time, my eyes widened. I gasped as I was reminded of Chanyeol's text during the holidays.

Come to our match. It's on the 18th of January against Yongsan International School.

"Is it against Yongsan International?" I bit my lip.

"Yes." He answered, looking shocked. "How do you know anyway? The match was postponed to February and I was happy that I'll be able to study for my exam but Chanyeol has other plans." He explained making a face. I felt bad knowing that I might be the reason for his turmoil. But how's that possible? Chanyeol's passion about football has always been there, it doesn't have anything to do with me, right?

"Should I talk to him? To relieve you guys a little?"

"What? No, don't do that! I don't want him to think that I'm using my girlfriend to ease my way."

My eyes bulged out when he said 'girlfriend' and blushed red. To my despair, Jinyoung noticed that too.

"What? Don't tell me you thought dating me didn't already make you my girlfriend." He teased me already knowing the answer.

"Okay, I know I'm pathetic. I don't know why you want to date me." I whined as my head fell in my hands.

"That's why."

"Because I'm pathetic?" I raised my head and asked skeptically.

"No, because I find your lack of experience in dating very attractive." He smirked with a flirty wink.

"Oh, now you're underestimating me," I answered and pouted.

Jinyoung laughed again and prevented any further complaints by kissing me. He must have learned not to ask me before doing that because I can turn very embarrassing. Closing my eyes, I melted in his lips though my mind was raising its eyebrows at this response. It was a rather inappropriate place to carry out such sessions but hey- I wasn't going to object although part of me knew that I certainly didn't want to be caught. Especially not by-

"Careful, Mirae. Or I might have to accuse you of hypocrisy." Chanyeol commented all-too-pleasantly from my right. What's he doing in the library, I thought he never came here! We broke the kiss with my face turning redder than it already was. 

The little tease continued. "Somebody once told me to get a room with my girlfriend because I was somehow violating the 'rules' by kissing her in public. What does that somebody has to say for herself?"

I opened my mouth and then closed it again like a fish, unable to form an excuse. Thankfully he removed his gaze from me and landed it on Jinyoung who was equally displeased on being caught.

"Ah... Rookie!" Chanyeol exclaimed. "I've been looking for you. But I wouldn't take long. Practice at 6 pm sharp. Don't take long. Bring a water gallon if you can because I'm not letting you off early because of your dehydration excuses again. Arasseo?" He ended with a bright smile.

Jinyoung rolled his eyes and nodded. Chanyeol tipped an invisible hat flashing me another blazing smile. As soon as he left, Jinyoung groaned in despair.

"I'm so going to fail my exam."

------------

I decided to start the rounds from the ground floor. I felt especially lonely tonight because Junmyun was staying the night in the hospital wing on the campus due to the seasonal flu circulating these days. Almost half of January had passed and things continued like they were. I'd occasionally catch glimpses of Sehun leaving in the dark of night, knowing where he was going. I've tried to seek him out sometimes after my hospital visit, if he ever wanted to vent out, but Sehun was intent on keeping his emotions under check.

 Things were steady with Jinyoung who would come back with a throbbing pain in his back or legs every night and complaining about literally everything in the world. I didn't have enough courage to ask Chanyeol about the reason behind him driving them mad so I kept quiet. As I turned from the corridor I heard a voice that I recognized too well. It sounded like Chanyeol talking on the phone but his tone was more annoyed and strained than normal.

"Please, why can't you just consider this once? For me?" He said to the other person on line. After a few seconds I peeked to see him gripping his hair tight and a pained look, explicit on his features. 

"Eomma, we've argued a hundred times about this. I don't want to go over it again. Have you-"

"What? No! I swear I won't-"

"Fine. You know what? I'll talk to unnie, I'm sure she'll understand me better." 

He hung up the call without hearing another word and punched the wall in aggression, making me jumped a little. As my feet tapped on the concrete floor, his head whipped at me, to my dismay, and I swear I wouldn't be lying if I said I was a little frightened to bear his reaction. Here I was eavesdropping on his conversation, especially when he was on the edge.

"How long have you been standing here?" He narrowed his eyes, raising his head.

I gulped my fear down. Pull yourself together, girl. Park Chanyeol is the last person on the planet you need to be scared of.  I put on my confident look trying to restore my dominating aura.

"Long enough to know that you're too pissed off right now," I replied, holding my chin up.

He let out a large breath. It came out as a growl. "It's nothing."

I closed the distance between us and placed a hand on his tensed shoulder. "Is everything fine, Chanyeol?" 

He looked in my eyes for a minute or maybe more, I don't know, I was too drawn in, staring in his chestnut brown orbs that seemed to be gazing back in mine.  He cleared his throat pulling me out of my trance. Slightly nodding, his voice came out raspy as he dismissed, "Nothing to worry 'bout."

"You can share when you feel like it. Perhaps... I can help, you know." I offered with a smile. Never in my life have I considered that even Chanyeol, the great multi-talented, oh-so-perfect Park Chanyeol might be facing any issue too. But witnessing this just now, makes me realize that he's no different from any of us. He's probably just like Sehun with his sick father or Baekhyun with a drug addict of a brother or even Junmyun whose father is a blacklisted businessman. 

Chanyeol chuckled humorlessly, bringing me back from my thoughts, and messed up my hair with his hand like I was a small child asking him about something I was too young to know about.

"What can you give me, Mirae? You don't even know what I want." He smiled in a very strange way. Like he was enjoying a secret joke inwardly. 

He had obviously been asking his mother for something, something that she perhaps didn't have or didn't like, I could not tell. But one thing was certain: it seemed important enough to him to get in a sour mood. I wonder what a spoiled child like him didn't have.

------------

"Yohooo...!!! Weekend's finally here!!" Baekhyun cheered loudly, a bright smile plastered on his face as we sat down for dinner in the main hall. He whistled as a short, pretty girl passed by, whom I suppose is a new student because I haven't seen her around. Her pretty little head turned towards us and rolled her eyes when she saw Baekhyun. Although I can swear, I saw a smile creeping up her face as she turned her back on him.

He ducked his head and let out a large, sigh. "Ahh...girls these days. Feisty, aren't they?"

"Sure they are," Chanyeol replied, a smirk hanging on his face.

"I've been thinking of asking her out," Baekhyun stated after a few seconds. "Anybody here knows her?"

"Good for you." Yumi approved with a nod, slurping on her banana milk.

 "Though I haven't seen her before," Junmyun said with a frown.

"Don't you think you should gather some information about her before making a move?" I suggested generously.

He laughed shaking his head. "My dear, only you believe in learning the whole biodata of a guy before saying yes. It doesn't actually have to work like that." Everyone (including Jinyoung, to my annoyance) broke into laughter.

"What, I should know what I'm getting into before sealing a commitment." I countered defensively.

"Which makes me wonder how long it will take you to get married." Chanyeol snickered making others chuckle.

I narrowed my eyes. "Oh, don't you worry. I'll get married on time. And with the perfect man. You just watch." A smug smirk marked my lips.

Chanyeol raised his brows. "Of course dear, I'll be around to see who's the poor, unlucky guy." He turned back to his plate. This whole conversation could have been very light but I felt like there was some silent tension between Chanyeol and me. I was expecting Jinyoung to say something, anything, in my defense but I hadn't known that he didn't have the nerve to challenge his captain. I narrowed my eyes and opened my mouth to shoot back but Baekhyun quickly placed his hand on my shoulder.

"Geez girl, fine! I'll look for some stuff about her. Calm down!" He shushed me from saying anything. I shot one last glare at Chanyeol and shoved a spoonful of lasagna suddenly finding that I wasn't hungry anymore. 

I stayed quiet the whole dinner while they made conversations about recent matches and assigned essays, with me participating a little in the latter topic. After a while, Baekhyun again turned to face me with a mischievous, flirty wink. 

"Hey, I've been meaning to ask you something." He whispered lightly.

"What?"

"How was it?"

"What!?"  I asked, confused.

He rolled his eyes. "The kiss." He said wiggling his brows suggestively. My eyes widened as my mouth dropped for a loud gasp. He grinned wickedly and I wanted to slap the smirk off his face. I am 100% sure that there was no other soul in the lobby except Jinyoung and I. Unless....

"Where were you hiding?" I snarled in a dangerously low voice.

"That's for me to know and you to find out!" He exclaimed looking pleased with himself.

"No I'm serious, tell me!" I said a little louder this time. But the little piece of kept grinning to himself without letting out a word. 

"You didn't stalk us the whole day too, right?" I asked hoping that my supposition was wrong.

Grinning, he winked again. I gasped. His silence meant a big fat YES to my question. But he didn't leave me hanging. "I might have... or I might not have..."

I stood up from my seat pointing my index finger at his face. "Yah! Byun Baekhyun how dare you to follow me around on my-"

I was unable to complete my threats by a large commotion from the other side of the long table.

"IT'S HIM!" A student cried out pointing towards us. "I told you guys I saw him!"

My eyebrows furrowed in confusion. What? Who was he referring to? If it was a girl I'm sure she would have been pointing at Chanyeol but what does a boy has to do with us?

"Kim Junmyun?" The girl beside him asked in surprise. "The prefect?"

"Yes! He was there at the court with him, he's his son !"

I looked at the man of the topic. The look on his face was priceless, his eyes wide in fear and his small mouth dropped in shock. Baekhyun involuntarily scooted closer to Junmyun and Chanyeol's hand wrapped around his friend's shoulder supportively.

"Yah, you! You act like a goody-two-shoes when you're the monster's son!" The boy accused, pointing at him directly.

 Junmyun gulped as most of the population in the hall quieted down. I could hear a wave of gasps and murmurs fill the room. Kim Youngmin surely was a hot topic but finding out that he was related to one of us was too much to take for everyone. Their gaze fixated at him, their questions bursting out filled with menace and shock with no one considering his state.

"What? You mean Kim Youngmin?"

"He is his father?"

"I can't believe it!"

"They do look alike!"

"Oh my god, I can't believe I used to be his  friend!"

"Is it true, Junmyun?"

"WTF! Is he seriously your father?"

"What a shame!"

"ENOUGH!" A loud voice bellowed which belonged to none other than his own friend. "Mind your own business, you fools! What if he is his son? He's still better than all of you!" Chanyeol spat giving one last glare which quieted down everyone. 

A guy from another bench scoffed, "What? You still believe in his goodness, huh?

"Bloody hell, I do! I believe in him. Anybody else who's got a problem with Junmyun?" The taller guy's burning glare quieted down most of the people, such as the influence he had on others, but that doesn't mean it can change their mind, their opinion of Junmyun.

Chanyeol, then, grabbed the still-shocked-Junmyun's hand pulling him up, and dragged him out of the hall. There was silence for a moment except for the sound of Baekhyun's shoes tapping on the floor as he hurriedly followed them. As soon as they left, all the students once again broke into whispers and murmurs gossiping about the hot news.

Jinyoung who had sat there confused the whole time, raised an eyebrow at me for an explanation and I closed my eyes and shook my head mouthing, 'Later.' I let out a large sigh, sudden;y feeling down.

Junmyun's little secret was out. And he was surely going to pay hell for it.

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