Chapter 15

When All Is Fair

“You did what?” Myungsoo asked in shock. “How, what…I don’t even know what to say right now, L.Joe. What did Maddie say about this? Did you guys talk about what happened? Were you guys drinking?”

            “Whoa, slow down there,” L.Joe said with an awkward chuckle in hopes of lightening the atmosphere that was growing more serious by the second. “And quiet your voice, people around here could hear you.”

            “Seriously, L.Joe, this is something serious, do you not know?”

            “I know, I know,” L.Joe said nodding his head. “You don’t think I know that? I’ve been holding in these feelings for Maddie ever since my hyung first brought her to the house for us to meet.”

            “I’m assuming your hyung doesn’t know about it then,” Myungsoo slowly said as he attempted to take in everything that was going on.

            “No,” L.Joe said shaking his head.

            “But what happens now? This matter shouldn’t be taken lightly, you know that, right?”

            “I know, I know.”

            “You should have a talk with Maddie about this whole thing, have you?” Myungsoo questioned.

            “I think I have…” L.Joe said as he thought about the morning. “I mean…I told her that it wasn’t a mistake, that I’m serious when I say that I love her. That’s enough, right?”

            “But you have to talk about her feelings as well, did she say anything in return?”

            “I…” L.Joe began as he thought about the morning when his phone started to ring. “Hello?” he asked when he picked it up.

            “Byunghun,” his mother said on the other line, “are you busy now?”

            “A…a little bit, why?” L.Joe asked as he gave a glance to Myungsoo who silently asked who was on the phone.

            “I’m at the hospital right now and I—”

            “Mom, why are you at the hospital, are you hurt?” L.Joe worriedly asked.

            “No…it’s not me.”

            “Then who?”

            “It’s…Maddie…”

            “Mom, Mom, what’s wrong with her?” L.Joe frantically asked.

            “I don’t want to keep you from your studies, Byunghun,” his mother began.

            “I’m coming right now, don’t worry about me. I’m going to the hospital right now,” L.Joe said as he quickly got off of the chair and grabbed his backpack before hanging up the phone.

            “Is your mother alright?” Myungsoo asked.

            “It’s not my mother, it’s Maddie, I don’t know why she’s in the hospital, but she is.”

            “Here, here, let me give you a ride,” Myungsoo said as he also quickly gathered his things and ran out the library doors behind L.Joe. “What do you think could’ve happened to her?” he wondered as they were already in the car.

            “I have no idea,” L.Joe sighed. “Everything seemed normal this morning…”

            “Are you sure everything was normal this morning? Did everything seem like they normally would?”

            “Yeah,” L.Joe said as he racked his brain in an attempt to think of something out of the ordinary, but there wasn’t. There wasn’t one thing L.Joe could think that would have been strange. “When we go inside, though,” L.Joe said as he looked at Myungsoo, “neither my parents nor my hyung know anything about me and Maddie, so don’t say anything, alright?”

            “I won’t say anything,” Myungsoo sighed.

            Within no time, L.Joe and Myungsoo found themselves in the hospital. Thankfully L.Joe’s mother was standing near the entrance by the time they came so it was easy to find her. “Byunghun, you’re here. Hello, Myungsoo,” his mother said once she saw the two of them.

            “Hello,” Myungsoo politely greeted.

            “He gave me a ride,” L.Joe said looking at Myungsoo before looking back at his mother. “What’s wrong with Maddie? Why is she here?”

            “I went over to the house today,” his mother said as she remembered the incident that didn’t happen that long ago. “And thankfully your brother gave me the password to the apartment before just in case anything ever happened, but I went in and she was nowhere to be found.”

            “So you’re saying you found her?” L.Joe asked in disbelief.

            “I found her in the bathroom…she was…there was…all this…” his mother said as she attempted to form the words.

            “Mom…” L.Joe slowly whispered as he reached out to help support her.

            “Mrs. Lee, why don’t I go get you something to drink,” Myungsoo offered as he ran off to find a vending machine.

            “Mom…where is she?” L.Joe cautiously asked.

            “She’s being watched and put under surveillance until she wakes up,” his mother softly said.

            “But she’s going to be okay, right?”

            “From what the doctors say, I think she’ll be alright physically…but I don’t know about mentally, Byunghun.”

            “Where’s hyung? Did you call him?”

            “I was left with voicemail, so I explained the situation to him.”

            “Oh,” L.Joe sighed. Honestly, he was disappointed with his brother’s actions. Surely he couldn’t be that busy that he couldn’t pick up a phone call from their mother, especially when it was regarding such news about Maddie.

            Still, though, L.Joe couldn’t comprehend what would make Maddie do something like that, to take her own life. One thing he could comprehend, though, was that he was grateful his mother was going to the house and finding her before the unspeakable could happen.

            “Do you know how long she has to stay here?” L.Joe wondered.

            “No,” his mother said shaking her head. “They may want to keep her here under surveillance, but I don’t know. I don’t know anything…”

            “Where is she right now?”

            “She’s resting in bed.”

            “Have you talked to her?”

            “I was waited for your brother to arrive,” his mother honestly said.

            “Can…can I talk with her?” L.Joe slowly asked. He wanted to speak with Maddie, but he also didn’t know. Would she even want to speak with him? Was he the cause of what happened with her? L.Joe wasn’t sure about the reason, but he knew he didn’t want to cause Maddie any more trouble. If he was the cause of what happened to her, then he didn’t want to put her life at any more risk.

            “I think it’d be best to let her rest right now,” his mother slowly admitted. “I don’t want to overwhelm her.

            “I understand,” L.Joe said nodding his head. “Then do you need anything at home? Should I bring some of Maddie’s things? That way you can stay here and the doctors can tell you things if need be.”

            “Should I?” his mother asked as she turned the other way to look in the general direction of where all of the hospital rooms were.

            “I think that’d be best,” L.Joe said nodding his head. “I’ll be back, don’t worry. Myungsoo-yah!” L.Joe called out to him as he was returning with drinks. “Can you take me to Maddie’s house?”

          “Sure,” Myungsoo said as he handed out the drinks. “Mrs. Lee, are you going to be alright here by yourself?”

            “I’ll be fine, I can survive,” she calmly said as she looked at them. “Return soon, alright?”

            “Okay,” L.Joe sighed as he looked at Myungsoo. “Let’s go.”

            “Does your mother know the reason why?” Myungsoo asked as he began driving to Maddie’s house.

            “No,” L.Joe said shaking his head as he leaned his head back on the seat. “I thought things were going well…she seemed happy… Is it because of me?”

            “Don’t blame yourself,” Myungsoo said, his eyes never leaving the road. “Did she call your brother?”

            “She did, but she got the voicemail. He makes me so mad sometimes, you know? First you go off and cheat on your fiancée numerous times and then you don’t even answer an important call. He can’t be that busy, unless he’s that busy with his other girlfriend.”

            “Let’s just calmly get some things and return to the hospital, alright? We don’t want your mother being anxious,” Myungsoo said in attempts to calm L.Joe down.

            “When did she have time to clean?” L.Joe muttered to himself as he walked through the house. The smell of strong cleaners hit him once he walked through the door and he was positive that it was his mother who cleaned up the house.

            “So they lived in a nice apartment,” Myungsoo hummed as he looked around.

            “The bedroom is this way,” L.Joe said leading the way.

            Quickly, L.Joe began packing a few essentials that he would be able to take Maddie while she stayed in the hospital. Since he wasn’t sure how long she would be staying, he packed for at least three days. If it turned out to be more, L.Joe was certain he or someone else would be able to go back to the house to get more things.

            “Here are some essentials,” L.Joe said handing the bag over to his mother.

            “Thank you, Byunghun,” his mother said as she reached out and lightly touched his face. “You’re such a good brother-in-law to her, you know that, right? Whether she and your brother are getting married or not, you’re still a good friend.”

            “Yeah,” he sighed.

            “Ah, Chunji,” his mother suddenly said as she saw her eldest son enter the hospital doors.

            “I should get going then,” Myungsoo quickly said hoping to escape the fight that would probably ensue.

            “Hyung,” L.Joe said as he stared at him.

            “I’m sorry I’m late,” Chunji said as he looked at their mother. “I was working and didn’t notice my phone ringing. I’m so sorry. How is she? Is she alright?”

            “She’s fine, at least we’re hoping she’s fine,” their mother said as she quickly grasped Chunji’s hands. “Thank goodness you’re here.”

            A moment passed before Chunji slowly looked over at L.Joe who just stared at him. “Mom, if you don’t mind,” Chunji slowly began, “I’d like to have a word with my younger brother outside.”

            “Sure, go ahead,” their mother said.

            Hesitantly, L.Joe followed Chunji outside and braced himself for what was to come. He was positive that it was going to be about Maddie and the broken engagement, but L.Joe wasn’t entirely certain what Chunji wanted to talk to him about.

            “What do you want to talk about?” L.Joe asked as he crossed his hands over his chest.

            “What happened with Maddie?”

            “Mom just told you. Why are you asking me?”

            “Because I’m pretty sure there are things going on that Mom doesn’t know, right?” Chunji asked. “That’s why I’m asking you about what happened with my fiancée.”

            “Are you sure you don’t mean ex-fiancée?” L.Joe wondered. “How am I supposed to tell you anything different than what Mom said? I’m not the one that found her like that.”

            “But are you sure that you aren’t the one that caused that?”

            “Why would I cause that?”

            “Because like I said before, you’ve been pining after her ever since I brought her home,” Chunji said. “I’m pretty sure you’ve tried to make a move on her now that our wedding is falling apart.”

            “I’m not making a move on anyone,” L.Joe said shaking his head.

            “So then it was a mutual move?”

            “It wasn’t like that, there’s nothing like that,” L.Joe said shaking his head. He didn’t know why his brother was throwing accusations at him, but if there was something L.Joe knew, it was that he couldn’t deny what his brother was saying. If things were going to end swiftly and silently, then Chunji had to know. It just wasn’t going to be easy telling him, though. “Look, hyung,” L.Joe slowly began again, “you know nothing about what’s been going on.”

            “So there has been something going on,” Chunji said giving a knowing nod. “So you are leading three people on then…”

            “I’m not leading anyone on.”

            “Really? You’re not leading one single person on?” Chunji asked. Honestly, he found it hard to believe.

            “Hyung, why are you doing this?” L.Joe questioned. “Why are you trying to criticize me when you could be fighting for Maddie yourself? You’re not doing anything to try and repair your relationship, are you?”

            “So that means you’re going after Maddie then,” Chunji said fitting the pieces together. “Or actually…that means that you two have already established a relationship then.”

            “And what if we have?” L.Joe questioned. “If you wanted her before, you would’ve kept fighting for her.”

            “But let me just tell you that starting right now, everything changes,” Chunji said as he left L.Joe standing outside of the hospital.

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What happens now that Chunji knows about L.Joe and Maddie's budding relationship? Will Maddie be okay? Will their family ever find out about L.Joe and Maddie?

 

Here's Chapter 15. Hope you enjoyed :D

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alejandra12 #1
Chapter 15: GO mad die and l.Joe ship both
xchessthebest
#2
Chapter 15: I honestly dislike Chunji now. ._.
Maddie why would you try to take your own life?! :(
xchessthebest
#3
Chapter 13: Oh my God they kissed!!!!!
LA<KRJTKJMFN.
I ship them, hehe.
On another note, I hope Myungsoo can forgive L.Joe. :/
MissCrayon #4
Chapter 13: omg i ship maddie and ljoe ♡ please let jaerin just stick to myungsoo dont fall for ljoe again
nari-anna
#5
Chapter 13: i'm definitely on team ljoe. and jocelyn is so cute! i really hope that jaerin doesn't fall for ljoe again
kworld
#6
Chapter 12: OMG... secret is out! what happens now??
update soon!
MissCrayon #7
Chapter 10: What's going on with Chunji, and Maddie, and L.Joe what. Is Maddie developing feelings for L.Joe omg this doesnt seem right :o
xchessthebest
#8
Chapter 10: Urgh, I'm so confused now. aslkdfm
xchessthebest
#9
Chapter 9: Chunji you jerk. ;_;