The door creaked open and Yunho entered Joohyun’s quarters. Not surprisingly, Changmin was on the sofa sleeping. ‘Thank you, Changmin.’ Yunho quietly walked to Joohyun’s bedroom and opened the door. Joohyun was sleeping in her bed. Yunho walked over to her and bent down. He saw the used tissue paper on her bedside table. “Mianhae, Joohyun-ah,” he said softly.

Joohyun’s eyes opened and she looked at him. “Were you awake all the time?” he asked.

She slowly nodded before sitting up. “I thought you were Changmin oppa so I pretended I was asleep.” Her voice sounded so tired and hoarse. “I didn’t want him to worry too much.”

Yunho gazed at her with tearing eyes. “You’re sweating. How long did I leave you out in the cold?”

“Not long,” she replied weakly.

His hand moved the wet fringe from her face. “How long are you going to keep lying to me, Joohyun-ah? I’m not worth it,” he said softly. “I don’t want to see you constantly in pain because of me.”

He curled into a ball on the floor. He tried to suppress his cries so that Changmin wouldn’t wake up. Knowing the heartbreak he felt years back, he couldn’t believe he put her through such pain. A woman he knew to be a silent sufferer. “I’m sorry I hurt you, Joohyun-ah.”

Joohyun sat, with her eyes gazing at her lap as Yunho cried and calmed down. She got off the bed and bent down to Yunho. She lifted Yunho’s head from his knees. “Oppa, one can only be upset about something for so long. For both of us, let’s move on. I’m so tired, oppa. I just want to be able to smile genuinely right now,” she said calmly as she wiped his cheek. “Yunho looked at her as she wiped his other cheek. “You know that I’m happy when my family is happy, so please just make me happy by being happy.”

Yunho’s heart fluttered with gratitude and admiration. “Seo Joohyun, what did I do to deserve a friend like you?” He gently pulled Joohyun into a hug. “I’ll do my best to make you happy, Joohyun. Everything it takes. But let’s get you back in bed. You’re burning up.”

Yunho lifted Joohyun up and placed her back in bed. “I don’t want to sleep. I’ve slept enough.”

“Then I’ll just stay with you, in case you need something. Changmin can rest,” Yunho said, getting under the blanket