“Just explain,” HyeSu said as were walking back to the room. “Tell him everything.”

“I can’t!” I was still crying as I walked blindly down the corridors. “I can’t face him. I can’t tell him.”

I knew I was being a coward but I was too scared. I wanted to ignore my problem and hope it would leave me alone.

“Minjae you can’t just ignore it, there’s a strong chance you could get ill!” HyeSu grabbed my arm, forcing me to come to a stop. “Look if you don’t want to tell him I will-”

“NO!” I screamed, making her jump. “No don’t tell him, look I’ll do it, I’ll tell him. Just not today, I can’t do it right now. He can’t see my like this, he’ll know already.” I was working myself into a state, my head was spinning my body was burning up. “I just need some time to get myself together. Please just give me a moment.”

“You don’t have a moment!” HyeSu implored me to listen. “You’re already getting ill.”

“I’m not, I’m fine,” I begged. “Please just leave me alone.”

“Minjae?”

My head swivelled around. JR stood up ahead from the corridor. He was walking towards me.

I loved him so much and I was about to lose him.

 It became hard to breathe and I found myself panting for breath.

“Minjae?” HyeSu said in alarm. I clutched a hand to the wall, trying to breathe properly. I knew what was happening, that I was getting ill. I tried to fight it, tried to make my head stop swimming. Before JR could reach me, I pushed a hand off the wall and ran.

I could hear HyeSu and JR calling my name as I pushed through the crowds. My heart was pounding loudly in my head, echoing throughout my body. Sweat ran down my face and I felt so hot, it was so hot in here, I just needed to get out.

I ran out of the doors of the school and on to the field. I had the bizarre idea that if I could just find a quiet spot, I could curl up and wait for the illness to pass.

I stumbled into the basement of the school. There were boxes and carts full of food and clothes. It was a cramped, dark, musty place, with rafters along the ceilings. I could barely see in here once I shut the door. I fell to the ground, too exhausted to move anymore. I was shaking and I dimly became aware that I was in the grasp of a high fever. I crawled to a space behind a box and curled up into the fetal position. My throat was so sore I could barely swallow. I knew I wasn’t thinking straight, but at the moment I didn’t even know what straight was. I had one thought running through my head:

I couldn’t lose JR.

Inside the basement it was even hotter since it was near the boiler. My temperature rose so high all I could do was lie there, crying and rocking back and forth.

In an effort to cool myself down, I took of my jumper and top, just leaving on my bra. The pain in my throat was growing and that, together with my high fever became too unbearable for my body to handle.

Behind a box, deep in the school basement, I lost consciousness.

---

HyeSu’s point of view:

“Minjae!” I screamed, running out onto the field.

“MINJAE!” JR roared, pulling at his hair in frustration. He turned to me.

“What the hell is wrong with her?” He demanded. “Why did she run away?”

“I don’t know,” I said desperately. But I did know. “Come on, we need to go and look for her!”

Together we ran along the field, looking everywhere. A student came up to us.

“If you’re looking for Minjae then I saw her running down there.” She said.

“Thank you so much,” JR grasped her hands. The girl’s cheeks tinged pink.

We clattered towards the far end of the field, around the edge of the school. All that was down here was the door to the basement.

“She’s not here,” I said, running a hand over my hair anxiously.

JR was looking at the floor beside the door to the basement. Slowly, as if in a trance, he walked over towards it.

“What is it?” I said hesitantly.

Bending down, JR scooped something silver and shiny off the ground. I peered around his shoulder to look.

Cupped in his hands was a necklace, with a delicate crown attached to the end. I recognised it; I’d seen it swinging around Minjae’s neck all the time. JR gently brushed the dirt off the necklace and clutched it against his chest.

We both looked at the door to the basement.

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

“Why would anyone go in the basement?” The care taker grumbled. “There’s nothing to see in there.”

“We don’t know but she’s definitely in there,” JR said firmly. We were walking back from the caretaker’s office to the door of the basement.

“This better not be a prank.” He warned, looking at us shrewdly.

“It’s not ahjussi!” I protested. “But we have to hurry, we think she might be sick. So kaja!”

Still grumbling, the caretaker followed us to the door of the basement. Once there, he stood fiddling with his keys, selecting one and rejecting it.

“Ahjussi!” I shouted. “You’re the caretaker! How can you not know which key it is?”

“Now listen here young lady,” the caretaker frowned. “For all I know, you could be playing a joke on me. It wouldn’t be the first time.”

“Give them to me,” JR snarled, snatching the keys. In no time he had selected a big brass one and fitted it into the lock.

Inside the basement it was dusty and dirty. I ran my fingers along the walls, searching for a light switch and flicking it on when I finally located it.

“No, turn it off,” A voice mumbled. I dashed around a cart, following the source of the voice and finally found her.

“Oh my God,” I whispered. She was in such a bad state. Her skin was flushed and she was sweating with the fever. She was curled up in a tight ball, her hair sticking to her poor red face. When I saw how she had tried to take her top off to cool herself down, I nearly cried.

“Have you found her?” JR’s voice sounded. Minjae’s eyes widened with panic. I could see she wasn’t thinking straight, she was in the grip of a fever. With enormous effort, she tried to crawl away.

“He mustn’t find me,” She said, but it was too late. JR came running round the corner and clattered to a stop.

“Oh my God.” He said in a low voice. His first instinct was to bend down and pick her up but she flinched away. “It’s me JR,” He said reassuringly.

“HyeSu help me,” Minjae begged. “Take him away.”

“Take me away?” Confusion and hurt rang in JR’s voice. “But why? What have I done?”

“It’s not what you’ve done.” I said my voice cracking.

“What are you talking about?” JR said. “Listen, let’s get out of here and then you can all explain.”

Bending down he picked her up.

“What the-” So shocked, he nearly dropped her. “She’s got a fever! I think she’s ill! We need to get her to the medical ward. Maybe it’s glandular fever, maybe she hasn’t had it before and she caught it off sharing a glass or something with Ren.” He looked at me. I couldn’t hold his gaze and I had to look away.

“I’m sorry JR,” Minjae was mumbling. “I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry, please, I’m so sorry.”

JR’s face went deathly pale.

“Why?” He whispered. “Why is she sorry HyeSu?”

I bit my lip and focused on gathering up Minjae’s top and jumper.

“HyeSu I’m asking you a question,” His voice was rigid. “Why is Minjae sorry?”

I tried to ignore him. I’d told Minjae I wouldn’t tell.

“ANSWER ME!” He screamed.

“Do you really want me to?” I shouted back. “Do you really want me to answer that question?”

“What are you saying?” He had a tortured look in his eyes.

“I’m not saying anything.” I replied. I didn’t need to. I could see from the way he was looking at her.

He knew.