HeeYeon went to meet the facilitators for Super Junior's show that day. She had to know the arrangements before she submit it to JaeEun and RaSeul for encoding purposes. After returning, she planned to meet and report her input to any of SJ’s managers present in the premises.

"Oppa," she called, running after a co-worker. "Where can I find Manager Lee or Kim now?"

"They might be in their office in the 3rd floor,” said he.

"Thank you very much."

 Along the corridor, she found Heerin tired as she was.

"Let me help you," Heerin offered. "Our work is draining our strength. We have to run here and there."

"Ha-ha. At least, we got to see them often."

"Right—here we are.”

"Girls you're both exhausted. After giving this to the members please take a break,” Seunghwan said, concernedly.

“Yes.”

*  *  *

In the Staff Room:

Heerin sat down slowly on a chair, while holding firmly onto her upper abdomen. “Ouch, my gastritis is striking once again.” Her face, especially her lips had already turned pale.

“Missing breakfasts for two consecutive days, skipping meals and a stressful management workload are sure enough triggers.” HeeYeon stated as a matter-of-factly. “I called them already. Just wait for us; we’ll go buy some food. Also, give me your prescription. I know that you run out of those—you can’t be missing them if you don’t want your gastritis to be a real ulcer, you know."

"Be back at once, please.” Heerin uttered, guarding her abdomen.

With a nod, HeeYeon left. Heerin called Eunho, but he's out-of-reach. Helpless, she pressed a random key in her speed dial, which happened to be Donghae's number.

“Hello? Heerin?”

When the phone hanged up, Donghae became worried. He ran right away from the lounge area to the staff room to see what had happened. When he reached there, he found Heerin lying on the floor unconsciously, face pale.

"Heerin, hey wake up. Can you hear me?" he shook her face lightly, starting to panic. Getting no response, he carefully carried her onto the couch. "Now where’s your boyfriend? He should have been here," he thought, feeling sorry for her.

*  *  *

Few minutes passed, and Heerin woke up finally.

"Yeon-unnie…” she moaned, grasping tightly onto the couch.

"This is Donghae,” he looked at her and sighed of relief.

Rubbing her eyes, Heerin’s hazy vision became clearer. Her heart skipped a beat when her eyes meet with his.

"Oh, am I dreaming?"

"No, you're not," said his sweet voice.

Feeling ashamed, she threw herself seated bolt upright forgetting about her pain. "O-Ouch!" she tightened her grip on her abdomen, her face painted with excruciating pain. “I-I’m sorry, Donghae-sshi…I’m alright now, don’t worry.”

Infuriated all of a sudden, Donghae clenched his fists on top of his thighs.

“If you don’t want me to worry, then you shouldn’t have let yourself be this way!” He blurted, voice raised. “How could you work if you abuse your body? You even fainted and made me worried sick!”

Speechless, tears started to poise on the corners of Heerin’s eyes.

"Hey, I didn't know I was going to faint, okay? And if I made you worried then I'm sorry. But, is this how you treat a sick person?"  Heerin bit back, breathing heavily.

Realizing what he had just said, Donghae eased his fists and gazed at her, apologetically.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to raise my voice on you…I just don’t know why I did it.”

Before having the chance to respond to him, HeeYeon entered the room with JaeEun and Raseul following after. They stood still for a moment when they saw Donghae seated on the couch beside their friend.

"Sorry, we only arrived now. It is rush hour and the streets are heavily loaded with vehicles and people going in and out."

Seeing them, Heerin calmed down. “It’s alright.”

"Rin, why didn't you take your breakfast earlier? You see, this happened," JaeEun scolded her, despite seeing the said SJ member.

"Okay, it was my fault."

Placing their take-out food on the table, Raseul shook her head. "Stop blaming her, unnie. Let's just eat, before all of us develop ulcer," she added, giving Donghae a small smile.

“I’m just concerned, you know. Heerin’s like a real sister to me, so I worry about her a lot,” JaeEun explained, sitting on the couch beside the latter.

HeeYeon also neared them and gave the younger a white packet. “Here are your meds. Take them first.”

Taking her antacid, Heerin immediately drank the glass of water given by Raseul. Standing up, Donghae cleared his throat.

"…I'm going to leave now since you guys are already here," he uttered, looking at the four girls, especially longer on Heerin.

“I’m sorry about what I’ve said to you and…thank you.” She said, regretful.

Donghae smiled, nearing her for a moment to pat her head.

“It’s nothing. Take care of yourself, Han Heerin.”

*  *  *

“Rinnie, are you really okay now?" Raseul asked, worrying.

“My medicine already took an effect so the pain already subsided…No need to freak out," Heerin answered, smiling as if nothing happened. "Let's eat!"

"You're weird," RaSeul uttered, opening her can of soda. "And by the way, why did you call Donghae instead of Eunho?"

"By any chance, have you two split up?" HeeYeon hypothesized a bit too exaggeratedly.

"No. It just so happened that I accidentally pressed his number. Besides, I couldn’t reach Eunho," she rationalized, picking up some kimbap with her chopsticks.

Putting her chopsticks down, HeeYeon shoved some bowl of chicken soup towards the latter’s direction.

"If I interpret Donghae’s reaction, I could say that he really cares for you. You said that he almost blew off and told you that he was worried sick—only those who are truly concerned about your welfare would be mad because of what happened to you." she stated, looking at her younger friend. “Maybe he likes you—I mean, we’ve only been working for a couple of days. You’re not even friends to begin with.”

"Now, that’s impossible" Heerin countered, sipping her soup after. "He's concerned, yes, but that’s it. Period."

"You are probably just rejecting a potential fact Rinnie," JaeEun responded. "Nothing's impossible.”

*  *  *

"Lee Eunho-sshi," Donghae called out, seeing him upstairs. "Heerin passed out earlier."

"W-what?" the other guy stammered. “Why? Is she okay now?”

"You should always check your phone. You never know who might be needing you," Donghae uttered, looking straight into the other guy’s eyes, before leaving.

No more words were heard, only the latter’s fading footsteps.

*  *  *

"Rin!" Eunho blurted out, panting. "I heard you fainted."

"Yes, but I'm fine now."

"That’s a relief.”

The other girls went out for a moment to allow the two to talk about the matter.

"Lee Donghae-sshi helped me," Heerin told him as they sat on the couch. "I called you, but I can’t reach you."

Eunho didn't manage to answer as he recalled the said man’s words.

‘You never know who might be needing you.’

"Looks like something’s wrong between them," JaeEun uttered, leaning onto the wall beside the door.

"It's their problem. Let them talk about it," HeeYeon said with a sigh, chancing a glance at the nearby lounge area.

"Who are you looking at?" RaSeul asked out of curiosity. Following the direction of the latter’s sight, she turned around and found Yesung sitting on a couch, holding a score sheet in one hand. "Oh, that is why,” she nodded, a knowing smile on her lips.