Seungho’s POV

“Are you sure about this?” My manager hyung asked after I stepped out from the examination room.

“Sure about what?” I asked, feeling a little exhausted from the endless tests.

“Donating.” He said.

I looked up at him.

“Don’t you try stop me.” I said.

“I’m not trying to stop you, Seungho. For goodness, would you stop thinking of me like as thou I am some heartless idiot?” He said, sounding annoyed.

“I…” I could not think of anything to say.

“I did some research of the transplant just now. It’s going to take awhile for you to recover. You’re going to be in pain for a few weeks. As much as I want to let you lie down and rest, I don’t think that can be possible. There are schedules coming up. I am concerned about your body.” He said.

“I know all these, hyung.” I smiled.

“I wouldn’t bring MBLAQ down because of my personal reasons. Even if I am in pain, even if my stitches tear apart, I will complete whatever I have to do before collapsing. I promise you that, hyung.” I said.

“No, I don’t want that. If you’re hurting, if your stitches tear apart, for goodness sake, let me know right away so I can send you back here.” He laughed.

“Hyung, sorry about just now. I… I was just… brainless.” I said.

“I understand, Seungho. I have been in a relationship before. I know how it is like to want the best for your girl. I totally understand your worries, your actions. And I know you well enough to know that you aren’t some rude jerk, except at times too straightforward that it is pretty hurting.” He said.

“Sorry.” I hugged him.

“Don’t be. While you take care of her, you cannot forget you’re human too. You run on oxygen and blood, not batteries.” He said.

“How about food?” I asked.

“You wouldn’t forget to eat that.” He laughed.

“WHAT!?” I tackled him from behind playfully.

***
“You were supposed to be resting in your room. Aren’t you tired after all the tests? If you fall sick now, we can’t operate on you.” A voice said as soon as he entered the room.

I turned to see who it was. Her doctor friend.

“I just wanted to be with her.” I said, caressing Minji’s hand as I watch her sleep.

She seemed so peaceful when asleep. No pain, no blood, no stress, no argument, purely peace.

“You can be with her later after the surgery. You will technically be a part of her.” He said.

I was a little confused at his statement, and then I think I got it.

“Is it suitable? My liver, is it suitable for her?” I asked, hopeful.

He smiled and gave me a slight nod.

“YES!!! MINJI AH!!!” I kissed her all over her face.

“This is the first time in the years of my practice I’ve seen a donor happier than the receiver.” He said.

“When can we do the surgery?” I asked, feeling excited.

“This is very unprofessional, but I kind of cut queues and scheduled the surgery to be at 8 in the morning tomorrow.” He said.

“Can’t we have the surgery like now?” I asked.

“Come on! Be grateful! Even your tests, I cut queues to get the results, or else it might take up to weeks!” He said.

“Ouh…” I looked back at Minji, who was still asleep, oblivious to the world.

“You need ample rest before the surgery.” He said.

“What if… her body rejects my liver? What happens then?” I asked.

“Then… there’s pretty much nothing we can do. But, it’s your liver we’re talking about here. Have some confidence in yourself and in her. You know Minji, she’ll do anything to make things go her way. If her body rejects your liver, she’ll make sure her body surrenders and accepts it anyway. She would never let you go through pain for nothing.” He said.

“My only hope is that she doesn’t flare up and demand for the liver to be returned to me when she finds out.” I said, caressing Minji’s cheek.

“Well, if she does, then… you got to reflect on yourself. What is it in you that makes her so unwilling to have a part of you inside her.” He said.

I looked at him, my smile fading away.

“I WAS JUST KIDDING! COME ON! OH MY GOSH!” He shook me and laughed.

“It’s not funny.” I said, making faces at him.

“Get some rest~” He laughed before heading out.

I turned back to Minji and held onto her hand. I had a lot to say to her, but for some reason, I could not seem to get anything out of my throat. I could only stare at her.

***
“Seungho~ Seungho~ Wake up~” I felt someone shake me.

I opened my eyes and sat up, feeling the soreness in my lower back.

“You were here all night?” G.O asked.

“Huh?” I looked at him, confused.

“You were here all night?” He asked again.

“Here? Where?” I looked around, still confused.

“Oh. Yes.” I said when I saw Minji asleep on the bed.

“Tsk~ You are supposed to be resting in the room. What are you doing sleeping in such a position? Do you think the surgery you’re going to be doing later on is just to remove a splinter from your finger?” He asked.

I giggled at his ‘mother-like’ lecture.

“Is it very funny?” He asked, sounding annoyed.

“No. Sorry.” I said, but could not help smiling.

“Are you prepared?” He asked, arms crossed, leaning against the wall.

“I guess.” I said, turning back to look at Minji.

I miss her voice. I wish she was awake, but the doctor made her sleep to let her body recover.

“You sure about this?” He asked.

“Very sure, Byunghee.” I said firmly.

“Very well then, we’re with you.” He said, squeezing my shoulders.

“Let’s go.” He said.

“We’ll see each other later, my love. Be strong, okay? I’m here for you. I love you, I love you, I love you.” I whispered to Minji before planting a kiss on her forehead.

***
“I think I’m by far the only one who walks up to the operating theater on his own.” I panted.

“In future, it would still just be you.” Mir said.

I turned to make faces at him.

“Are you scared, hyung?” He asked, slinging his arm over my shoulders.

Because I still could not take the lift, I had to take the stairs, and the boys insisted to do it with me despite my protest.

“Scared? Sure I am. I’m afraid Minji’s body would reject my liver. What is going to happen? What else can we do? What…” He cut me off.

“I’m talking about you! Are you afraid for yourself?” He asked.

“To say I’m totally not afraid, I would be lying.” I said.

“Hyung, the only thing we expect to be missing from you after the surgery is just half your liver, do you get it?” Joon said in a stern voice.

“Yes, sir.” I laughed.

“We’ll be outside waiting and praying for both you and Minji.” Cheondong said.

“Minji needs the prayers more.” I said.

“Both of you need it equally.” G.O said, punching my stomach lightly.

“Ahh! What was that for!?” I frowned.

“I can’t hit you for the next few weeks. I have to do it now.” He said as a matter of factly.

“Right! We can’t hit you or play rough for the next few weeks! We have to do it now!” Mir yelled.

And out of a sudden, they were all over me, tackling me with tickles and playful punches.

Before we knew it, we were outside the operating theater. The nurses were already there waiting for me.

“See you later.” G.O punched my arm lightly.

“See you later.” I smiled, punching back.

“Hyung~~” Mir hugged me out of a sudden, snuggling his face into my chest like a child.

“What’s wrong? I’ll be okay, I promise.” I coaxed him.

“You promised, huh.” He said.

“Yes.” I smiled.

We gathered like how we would before a performance. We stretch out our hands and placed them above each other’s.

“Seungho fighting! Minji fighting!” G.O yelled.

We could hear chuckles coming from the nurses behind. Of course, who does a ‘fighting’ before a surgery but us?

“See you guys later! Be good!” I said before letting the nurses push me into the operating theater.

Unlike outside, the operating theater was cold and quiet. It had an eerie feeling to it.

“Don’t worry.” A voice said suddenly, startling me, honestly.

“I’m the doctor who would be operating on you today.” He said.

He had a mask over his mouth, but from the way the corner of his eyes crinkle, I could tell he was smiling.

“O.. okay.”I stammered.

I heard him laugh before he turned back to me after arranging the scalpels and other surgical tools. The entire surrounding together with him smiling like that made up a really creepy picture.

“I know what you’re thinking. It’s not the movies. Don’t worry. Just relax.” He laughed.

I blame Minji for this. It was her who made me become such an imaginative person.

“I know. Just..” I muttered.

“It’s creepy, I know. Plus it’s cold. I’m dressed in all green. The scalpels and all other sharp objects capable of murdering someone lying around here.” He said.

“Enough, enough.” I stopped him.

I was reminded of the time I got abducted, although I know it was not him.

He laughed and shook his head.

“So sorry. It gets boring when all you face are these all day long. Alright, let’s get started.” He said, picking up a scalpel.

“ARE YOU GOING TO OPERATE ON ME WITHOUT ANAESTHESIA!?” I yelled in shock.

“Anaesthesia? We don’t practice this here.” He said, lifting up my shirt with his free hand.

“WHAT!?” I was really feeling scared now.

He dropped the scalpel and laughed.

“You’re really scared, aren’t you?” He asked.

I looked at him, doubting his abilities already.

“Alright, alright. I shall not fool you further, or else if Minji finds out, I’ll be on this operating table and she will really cut me open without anaesthesia.” He said, winking at me as he removed his mask.

Her doctor friend.

“You idiot!” I yelled.

“Calm down! It’s not my fault you’re so… naïve, you know.” He said.

“Me? Naïve!?” I frowned.

“Have you never gotten any surgery before? Okay, scratch that. Have you never watched dramas on surgeons before? How is it possible that the surgeon does not have any nurses to aid them?” He asked.

I looked around. He was right. There were not any nurses around. It was just him and me.

“That does not give you an excuse to play a prank like this.” I said.

“I just wanted to relax you. You seemed so worried.” He said.

“Alright, let’s be serious. I’m the assistant surgeon for your operation. What is your name?” He asked.

“Yang Seungho.” I replied.

“Do you know why you’re here?” He asked.

“Live donor liver transplantation.” I said.

“Good. Anything you want to ask before I knock you out?” He asked, holding up an oxygen mask lookalike thing in his hand.

Knock me out? What strange choice of words. But then again, he look like he would knock me out with a bat. He just has that tendency to do so. Somehow, he reminds me of Haneul and Junhyung’s friend, Jace. That permanent playful smirk on their face, as cocky as it may seem, they had this charm in them that made people cannot seem to stay mad at them for more than five minutes despite whatever nonsensical thing they may do.

“Where’s Minji?” I asked.

“In the operating theatre next to this.” He answered seriously, for once.

“She’ll be okay, right?” I asked.

“As a doctor, I cannot give you the definite answer. But as a friend of hers, I would say, of course she’ll be okay. It’s Minji we’re talking about here.” He smiled.

"Take as much liver as you need from me so that she could live, okay?" I said.

"It seems to me like you're fascinated with the idea of dying." He said.

"I'm not. I... I just want her to be well." I said.

"We'll take as much as we need from you so you could save her and not die too, okay?" He said, sounding as thou he was hushing a kid.

“Alright, knock me out.” I said, closing my eyes.

I felt him put the thing over my mouth and nose, and then even before I could reach ‘five’, I was out.

Minji, Minji, all I ask for is for you to be okay.

***
Seungho: YES!!! MINJI AH!!!

***
P.S. For those of you who did not read 'I'm Different', Jace is Haneul's close friend, who after that became Junhyung's friend as well. He has the personality of an , but he is very charming too, just like Minji's doctor friend.