*YOUR POV*

 

“Yaaawwwwwwwn~” I stretched my hands to the sky, waking myself up from my sleep.

Today’s the day I’m finally going to leave the hospital! I’ve been here for… three days? Four days?

Aish, the boring days blurred together for me. It was only fun when people visited >.<

I slowly raised myself up out of bed, wincing now and then at the pain I still feel. I collected my few items and stuffed them in a plastic shopping bag. Pleased that I was done, I took my last shower at the hospital. Finally done readying myself, I plopped down on a couch by the window and slowly dozed off, basking in the rays of the sun. 

“________,” someone called my name, shaking my shoulder gently. “Wake up, ________.”

I cracked my eyes open blearily and started when I saw Gikwang peering down on me.

“Gikwang-ssi, anneonghaseyo!” I rubbed my eyes. “Is it time to go?”

He nodded, his gorgeous eyes crinkling into a smile. I grabbed my bag and we left the dreary white building. He led me to the van and opened to door for me, letting me slide in before closing the door. He reappeared on the other side and got in with his manager driving us home.

“It feels like forever since I’ve been in this van,” I said in wonder. “How long was I in the hospital?”

He thought for a moment. “About a week maybe.”

“A WEEK? THAT LONG?!”

He bobbed his head up and down.

Man. I couldn’t believe how time would betray me like that and fly by so quickly!

“How’s work been?” I inquired, trying to break the silence.

He paused. “… Stuff has been happening. None of it’s good.” He gave a bitter laugh.

“Yoseob told me that some female celebrity blackmailed you into announcing that you guys are going out,” I noted carefully.

“Yeah. Secret’s Hyosung.” His answer was blunt. He looked at me, sadness circling around in his eyes.

“How’d she blackmail you?”

“She… used someone I care about a lot against me.”

“Who?”

“This amazing girl that I know.” He smiled, lost in his thoughts. “Somehow Hyosung managed to get her hands on pictures of me and this girl…”

Pain flashed through my chest for some unknown reason, as I understood the two meanings that his sentence held. “And she said she’ll release the pictures to the public unless you go out with her.” He loves this girl. Why is my chest hurting like this?

He wrung his hands fretfully. “Yeah.”

“Is the girl that against the pictures being released?”

“I guess you could say she doesn’t know about it. And if those pictures are released, I’m sure that it’ll hurt her reputation.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Idols are allowed to be in love, too.”

He let out a breath of irritated air through his pursed lips. “Not all fans understand that. Nowadays fans have crossed the border of being fans to being obsessed without realizing it. If we’re caught having a girlfriend, they get so upset. If our fans are upset then we’re upset, because they mean so much to us.”

“So in other words you guys in Korea can’t have relationships?” I couldn’t believe it. In America… relationships were headlining every magazine on the grocery store rack.

“We can. It’s just hard to maintain a healthy relationship in secret. There are some brave couples who tell the world. Some of them receive support and survive… but some are hated and have to retreat into darkness.”

“Dang man. Being a idol in Korea sounds hard.”

He flashed me a smile. “It’s all good. I love my fans.”

The next couple of minutes were spent telling jokes and by the time we were a block away from our destination, we were both holding our aching stomachs, bursting with laughter.

When we arrived at our house, I eagerly jumped down without waiting for Gikwang’s help. He anxiously held my arm when my leg buckled and carefully escorted me to the house, opening the door for me yet again.

“Gomawoyo,” I looked him in the eye, genuinely thankful for the assistance he gave me.

“No problem,” he responded, completed with his usual eye smile. 

“DONGSAENG-AH!” Yoseob flew across the room and tried to tackle me. Gikwang interfered at the last moment and threw his body before mine, protecting me. He picked himself up off the floor, dusting his clothes off, and glared at Yoseob who was acting innocent.

“She’s hurt.” Gikwang took my hand and helped me sit down on the ground, away from Yoseob.

“Hmph.” Yoseob stuck out his tongue at him and situated himself on the other side of me. “How are you?” He poked me cheek, making me giggle.

“I’m so glad to be ba-”

“YOU’RE BACK!” Dongwoon dashed through the door and hugged me, squeezing the life out of me before Gikwang pried his arms away and threw him on the ground. Gikwang stood up and placed himself in front of me like a bodyguard, bracing for the impact the remaining two members will make.

BAM! BAM!

Hyunseung and Doojoon joined Dongwoon on the floor, rubbing their sides.

“She’s hurt and off limits,” Gikwang explained again.

I looked up at him, grinning. I leaned forward and hugged his leg, thanking him for being my knight in shining armor.

He froze for a minute when I called him that, a goofy smile washing over his face as he bend down and hugged me back.

“GET A ROOOOOM!” Yoseob yelled, fleeing behind Doojoon before Gikwang could clobber him.

I didn’t have to look into a mirror to know that my face looked as if someone had set it on fire.

I cleared my throat, getting rid of the awkward silence. “So…”

“HEY GUYS!” The director of the show suddenly appeared, showering smiles over the room. “We’re filming today! And we have three special guests coming over.”

“Three? I thought it was only two?” Seohyun unnie and Fany unnie … and ?

“Seohyun called yesterday and said she’s bringing a special guest.”

“The special guest is bringing a special guest… which means that girl is a super special guest!” Yoseob danced across the room in delight.

“They’ll be here any minute now,” the PDs warned us.

We scrambled to get ready and within five minutes, the seven of us were sitting down in a circle, waiting for the doorbell to ring.

Soon it did.

I rose to go open the door, but Gikwang caught my arm and made me sit down again. Yoseob darted off, yanking the door wide.

“________!” Seohyun and Fany greeted me brightly while the boys beside me instantly stood up and bowed in awe.

The third person made her way in and turned to face me.

“________, haven’t seen you in a while,” she grinned. Her eyes traveled from me to Gikwang and back again, noticing how our hands were still entwined.

“NO WAY?” I gasped, shocked at seeing this person standing in front of me.