“Ji Hyun, you’re having a fever,” Ga Yoon exclaimed and added, “Your wound must have infected and caused the fever. Look, you need a doctor.”

Ji Hyun laid on the couch of the waiting room, motionless like a statue and probably only half conscious, “I just need a break. Just a short break…”

“No, you’re going home,” 4 Minute’s manager ordered, “I’ll tell the producers you’re feeling unwell. I’ll take you home so you can rest. No ‘buts’.”

“But…”

“Didn’t you hear what I say?”

Ga Yoon left the room and bumped into Yo Seob, “Ah, I’m sorry!”

Yo Seob was shocked to see Ga Yoon’s terrified expression. She did not even greet him. “Ga Yoon, what’s wrong?” He asked.

“Ji Hyun’s having a fever, I’m getting some medicine for her,” Ga Yoon waved and said, “I should be going. She’s really weak now and she’s heading home soon.”

Ji Hyun’s sick?

Yo Seob froze in his position and realised his mind had gone blank.

-

Ji Hyun heard the doorbell rang. She was nearly going towards her bed but she had to answer the door. She opened with much effort and was surprised.

“So… Ga Yoon told me you’re sick.”

Yo Seob scrutinised Ji Hyun from head to toe and confirmed that Ga Yoon was not lying to him. In fact, she looked worse than being sick. She was way beyond sick. Her face was unusually white and her lips were quivering non-stop.

Ji Hyun did not manage to stand up properly and held onto the door for support. Finally, she was able to say something to Yo Seob, “So what?”

“I don’t want to come over,” Yo Seob was still holding onto his pride and reached out his hand to give the food he made to her as he looked away from her, “But since Ga Yoon was pestering me to cook some food for you and I will feel bad not accepting her request. So here’s some.” He gulped as his face was turning red for no reason.

Ji Hyun was still angry over the past issue with Yo Seob and his nonchalant attitude towards her was not making the situation any better. She pushed the food away and Yo Seob’s hand dropped down. She stared at him with effort and managed to say something again, “If your heart doesn’t want to come over, then don’t come over. Your behaviour like this makes me worse. Go away; I don’t need anything from you.”

“Yah, I’m here because of Ga Yoon… not because…” Yo Seob was starting to lecture her again out of habit but he paused immediately when Ji Hyun fell onto his chest.

“Ji Hyun! Ji Hyun!” He called out with anxiety and shook her. He held onto the unconscious Ji Hyun as he carried her up effortlessly. He closed the door with his leg and placed her down carefully on her bed.

Yo Seob felt a little regretful for picking a fight when she was already so ill. He smacked his forehead as he thought of his action just a while ago.

Was it so difficult to just apologise to her? Look what you had done to her, Yang Yo Seob!

He placed his food on the dining table and got a wet towel to put it on her forehead. It was burning hot as he touched her forehead lightly. He panicked and scanned the surroundings. “Ji Hyun, where did you put your medicine? Ji Hyun…” He asked her softly, not wanting to touch her fragile body again.

However, Ji Hyun was too weak to respond. She groaned and went back to sleep. Yo Seob knew he couldn’t get anything from her so he decided to search for it himself. Ji Hyun’s room was very neat so perhaps he could find it fast. He searched the cupboards and her closets but to no avail. He went over to her table and searched everything on the table.

And then, he chanced upon something familiar – a pack of beige coloured envelopes sealed together. He took out one of the envelope and touched it. That was it. It felt exactly the same. No doubt it was the smooth but unique texture of the envelope – the one that N.J always used.

“This can’t be.” Yo Seob tried to convince himself, “That’s right, there are millions of people using the same envelope!”

He tried to search again to find something lying on the table – a box of stamps. The stamps were of the same type and picture. The ones that N.J always used. “No way, it’s just a mere coincidence!” Yo Seob shook his head vigorously.

He tried to place the envelopes and letters in the original position but he hit onto the mouse which activiated Ji Hyun’s computer out of the sleep mode. The first thing he saw on the computer screen was Yo Seob’s picture. It was a picture of him during the Mnet Asian Music Awards 2011. He was singing to Fiction. Out of curiosity, Yo Seob used the mouse and looked at the folder the picture belonged to.

The folder was named as ‘;)’.

It was the emoticon that N.J always used in her letters for him.

He clicked on the folder to find more than 1000 photos of him. Some of the pictures contained her and him together. The very first picture she had was Yo Seob during his pre-debut days with Daniel from Dalmatian. And followed by the pictures of him during the days he trained in CUBE. There were a couple of videos of him as well.

“This… This can’t be…” He let go of the mouse and sat down on the chair. He found something at a corner of her table. It was a small book. It had a lock to it but it was unlocked. Maybe she had just read it not too long ago. He opened it and read the recent writings of hers.

Dear Diary,

Yo Seob found out my feelings for him. As what I have expected, he does not feel the same way as I do. My heart is hurting so badly. He said he has someone else in his heart. Of course, the person is her. I am struggling with myself.

A part of me wants to tell him the truth but a part of me is holding myself back. I am afraid. I am afraid Yo Seob will be traumatised by the truth. Then, I realised she and I are two different persons. We may be the same but the feelings aren’t the same for him.

The person who he likes is N.J.

Not Nam Ji Hyun.

The handwriting.

It was exactly the same – cursive but still neat.

Everythine about him was penned down. He also found out the person who gave him the coffee at the park was also her. The mysterious stranger who offered a cup of coffee.

Yo Seob dropped the book out of shock and stayed frozen for a minute. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. The person he was always in love with… was actually Ji Hyun? The person who he thought was his first ever fan… was Ji Hyun?

He turned the chair and looked at Ji Hyun who was already deep asleep in her dreamland. Her cheeks were now flushed red and her lips were still as white as a ghost. Her hands were placed on her tummy.

He was expecting himself to feel angry. However, he felt warmth on the inside. Ji Hyun had been caring him for so long and knowing the truth made it way better.

Yo Seob went over to her quietly and brushed his fingers across her cheeks, “Ji Hyun, why are you so foolish?”