"RiIn? Are you alright? You don't look well."

"Huh?" She jerked her head upwards to see all pairs of eyes looking towards her with worriment. She smiled apologetically, "Y-Yes. I'm fine. Sorry." 

"Are you sure?" Mr. Lee asked again. "You're awfully pale, my dear."

I watched as she shook her head in disagreement as she continued to tell him she was fine. But she wasn't. And I knew it. She was easy to read, she couldn't fool anyone, especially me.

I felt a slight squeeze on my hand and looked down. 

"Tae," I whispered when she didn't look at me, instead she kept squeezing my hand.

"Your hands are cold," Jaejoong commented, suddenly pulling my attention back to RiIn. "Rinnie?" My breathing hitched when he called her by her nickname.

That was the nickname I gave her when she first debuted. Since when did he start calling her with that?  

"She's burning," BoA suddenly came up to the two and felt her forehead. 

Changmin and Yoochun had also stood up and checked her temperature. Although Yunho hyung stayed seated, he couldn't hide the concern that was in his eyes. My insides twist as I watch them care and shower her with concern. Before, I was the only one who did that. It felt sickening that I couldn't do something to help her without making things awkward.

"Spring flu," I blurted, causing them to turn towards me suddenly. "She has the flu. She...always gets it," I hesitated.

Everyone became quiet as they occasionally looked back and forth between me and RiIn.

"I'll take her to the hospital," Jaejoong broke the uncomfortable silence. 

"Give her to her manager, Jaejoong. He'll take care of her from there," Mr. Lee commanded gently.

"What happened? Did you go outside again?" Hyung continued to ask, ignoring Mr. Lee.

"No..." She pauses and takes a look at him before bowing her head in shame. " Y-Yes. But I didn't stay out too long--"

"What were you doing outside at night?" He demanded. I felt my right fist tighten. Why does he ask as if he were her boyfriend?

"T-Thinking. Thinking about things. That's all, oppa."

"Jaejoong," BoA calls out as she placed her palm on his shoulder. "Let's bring her to her manager. Come on."

I watched as he took hold of RiIn's hand and gently guided her to the exit with BoA and Mr. Lee, leaving Taeyeon and us four members at the meeting room.

"She gets sick easily," Taeyeon suddenly spoke up, our gazes drifting towards her. "I remember when we lived together at the same dorm. We all know that though, right?"

"I knew she was fragile, but not fragile enough to get sick easily. What a careless girl--"

"Hyung," I interrupted, not pleased with what he was trying to say.

"Let me finish Junsu. She's always smiling and laughing, anyone would think she's not delicate at all. Of course, we all know that too, right?" Yunho sighed as he looked directly towards me, as if he was trying to say something.

"Why was she out last night?" Changmin pondered, not bothering on listening to the eldest.

I glanced at Yoochun who was staring at the entrance, lost in his trance.

"Yoochun hyung," Changmin called. "Yah."

He turned towards us slowly before burying his face into his hands. He groaned.

"I think it was my fault why she's sick."

"Oppa, wipe that expression off your face," I joked, hoping it would lessen the tensing atmosphere. He only looked at me with such cold eyes and remained quiet, obvious of the fact that he was angry with me. What a child he is.

"Jaejoong, you worry too much," I murmured, hoping that he would hear me even though I knew I was bursting his bubble. "You should have stayed at the company."

"Stop it, RiIn!" He hissed, annoyed, only to realize he came a little too harsh as I loosened my hand from his firm hold. "Just...just please stop saying that. You know how I am when it comes to these matters, telling me off is not going to change anything." He lowered his voice until it came out as a whisper.

"It's just a small fever," I convinced. "And I'm not telling you off."

"RiIn, I'm in the van with you already, could you just let it go? We're nearing the hospital." His eyes became softer as he looked at me, they were pleading.

I smiled slightly, giving in to what he wanted.

"Okay."

"Noona, how's RiIn?" The youngest immediately asked as BoA came back into the meeting room.

"She's on her way to the hospital."

"Where's Jaejoong hyung?"

"As usual, when he gets too worried, you can't stop him," she chuckles. "He's with RiIn. They'll be back soon though, no worries. It's RiIn after all, she'll make it through."

My chest suddenly felt heavy, and I had unknowingly balled my fist. So many questions ran through my head. I bit the inside of lip to stop myself from blowing up. Why was Jaejoong with her? 

"Yoochun, don't you have to say something?" Yunho asked. "Why did you say it's your fault why RiIn's sick?"

I immediately turned my attention to Yoochun, thankful that Yunho was able to distract me for a bit.

"Why would it be Yoochun's fault?" BoA questioned.

All eyes shifted to the said member, waiting for his response. 

"I...I took her out for ice cream, you see. And it's still early spring so it was cold outside and...and yeah," he reasoned. But he couldn't lie. 

We knew he was lying. All except for Taeyeon knew that Park Yoochun stammered and hesitated when he tried to lie. 

"Then maybe it is your fault," BoA blamed, chuckling towards him. 

Yunho, Changmin and I looked at each other before turning our attention to the goddess. She didn't actually believe that, did she? She knew him longer than anyone in the company.

"Ice cream in early spring, really? You know how delicate she is--"

"Stop," Taeyeon interrupted softly. Our eyes led to her, confused as to what she just said. We almost forgot she was in the room since she decided to stay silent most of the time. "Is RiIn all we're going to talk about? What about the project? She's going to be fine, right? Why are we so concerned then?"

BoA looked at her in disbelief while I caught Changmin glaring at her. Yunho sighed and shook his head, Yoochun sat in shock and me...

I couldn't believe what I heard.

"Tae..." 

I gulped when she looked at me with eyes full of disappointment, telling me to side with her.

"Taeyeon, I know you really want to do this project, and we will. But RiIn--"

"RiIn is our fellow labelmate. She is part of our family, so it's only right to worry for her," BoA interrupted, trying hard to hold back the increasing volume of her voice. "And this project includes all eight of us, we can't discuss it with two others missing."

"Right," Yunho and Changmin agreed.

As if everyone was going against her, she shrunk back and looked at her hands. It was only right to side with her since we were together, but I couldn't. For some reason I couldn't defend her. My mouth stayed shut, and refused to let any comforting words leave my lips.

Instead, I held her shaking hands, hoping that it would tell her that I was on her side...

Even though both my mind and heart said I wasn't.

"Thank you, doctor," I watched Jaejoong as he bowed towards the doctor who was exiting the room.

"See? I told you it was a small fever," I chuckled, putting on my coat. 

"I've been meaning to ask you this," he announced, turning towards me as I got off the examining bed. I shot him a 'go' look for him to continue. "What were you thinking about, that it was needed for you to be outside?"

I stiffened at his question as my blood ran cold. 

"Home," I answered, almost too fast then it should be. "I was thinking about home."

"Liar," was his immediate reply. "I know when you lie, RiIn."

I sighed, getting a little irritated. It's not like I wasn't planning on asking about it anyway. I had so many questions that I wanted to ask that he could only answer, I just needed to find the right time. But since a while ago, he kept on shooting me with his 'oppa-ness' and demanding answers to his silent questions. His eyes said everything. He didn't need to say what was running in his head. He knows me too well, and sometimes, I hated it.

"Oppa, please. Let's go back to the company," I made my way towards the door, but he grabbed my arm, causing me to stop. "Kim Jaejoong."

"Jang RiIn," he mimicked, cold eyes boring into mine. "I told you once before, didn't I? That I didn't like it when you wore a mask. I didn't like that you kept things to yourself, because it only doubled the mask you were wearing. You think I didn't notice? The minute you entered the meeting room, I knew."

I stayed quiet, mind boggling to find the right words to say. Looking up, I stared into his dark orbs, finding answers to the questions that lingered in my head.

Why didn't you tell me?

Why did you keep it to yourself?

How come no one told me except Yoochun?

Did you mean to keep it from me forever?

Did you know I was eventually going to find out?

Why did I hear it from Yoochun instead of you?

Why?