Kim Jongin and Everything in Between

“What? You tell me what, Hyung? Someone to replace Taemin? Hyung, how could you say that when Taemin was just buried yesterday?!” Minho yelled really loud inside the living room of the Jungs. Sooyeon, Yunho, and Donghae were sitting close to each other with pale and confused face. What was happening to Soojung kind of make the family shaken and lost on what needed to be done.

“Sit, Minho” Yunho calmly said, even though he’s having a hard time also to accept what he said earlier to his younger cousin. Minho sighed, but following Yunho’s words. He sat on the couch and crossed his hand on his chest, looking angry. Jonghyun and Kibum were also there and they truly had no idea who to agree on, Minho or Yunho.

“Listen, I know this is as absurd as it sounds, but this is the best we can do now for Soojung” Yunho started to speak. He breathed heavily, but before he continued, Donghae tapped his shoulder slowly, signaling him that he’ll be the one who explained this.

“Soojung… She was having a brain damaged due to the accident last week. Her brain somehow couldn’t process fully the memory she had earlier about Taemin. Why him? Because he’s the last person she’s staying with and I didn’t exactly know what was happening, but Mr. Kim, the one who helped her, is now being recognized as Taemin by her”

Kibum slowly shook his head, while Sooyeon could only close her eyes. She’s tired having to explain to Soojung that the past 4 days, “Taemin” was having a medical checkup in different hospital and he’s still not yet coming back to Seoul. So far, Soojung bought the idea of it but sooner or later she will ask more about Taemin. Previously Yunho was about to tell her the truth right when she woke up after the incident but Donghae didn’t allow him.

“You see, she’s not having a permanent amnesia, but I think what cause this was the bump she had when the car was flipped. Her head was getting the trauma and damaged her memory. I still didn’t understand why Mr. Kim involved in her memory, but maybe, it was because she’s staying with him after the accident” Donghae explained.

“And now, you’re telling us that Mr. Kim is going to be Taemin?” Minho cut before Donghae continued his words.

“Temporarily, until we think that Soojung is being stable again, back to her normal state”

Jonghyun shook his head, couldn’t believe what was happening. First, Taemin was dead and now, Soojung recognized another person as him. How things went ridiculous like this?

“Does he agree already?” Jonghyun spoke, making everyone looked at him. “I mean, Mr. Kim. Does he agree to be Taemin? You know, he had a life and why would he act to be Taemin? That’s just weird”

“He hadn’t responded” Yunho said as he leaned his back to the wall. It was crazy to have this kind of things suddenly just in a week, where everything was confusing and Soojung was the only one who knew nothing.

“Can’t we just be honest to her? Sooner or later, she will have to know that Taemin is already dead” Kibum added. “What if she’s awakened one day and realized the things that happened?”

“Oppa…” Sooyeon nudged Yunho. He understood what Sooyeon meant, earlier she said that things also. She loves Soojung so much that she didn’t want anything bad to happen to her.

Donghae cleared his throat before answering. “It’s because… if we told her now, things could get worse. Her memory was not in perfect shape now and her emotion also having a fluctuation. Once she learned that Taemin was dead, in her current condition, it won’t just affect her emotion but also her brain. She could go crazy if she couldn’t get hold of herself, and I don’t want this to happen. Later on, if she remembered the truth, it would be easier for us to calm her down”

Minho covered his face with both palms and sighed. His favorite junior was dead suddenly and her cousin was having a hard time not remembering her beloved boyfriend. All he wanted was just things back to normal before they got into the accident, but he knew, that was impossible.

“I want to see Mr. Kim” Minho said as he stood up from the couch, making everyone putting their attention to him.

“Minho…” Yunho called his name softly, afraid that the younger one did something terrible to their current last resort, Kim Jongin.

“At least I need to know him, Hyung”

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“Ouch!” Jongin hissed at the pain he felt around his forehead. The nurse touched his wound and checked on the stitches he got from the accident.

“Does it hurt?” Naeun looked at him in worry as she watched the nurse reapplying some medicine to his wound and covered it with the new band aid. She couldn’t bear the hurt face that Jongin made during the checking. She knew him to well; he’s a man who hides everything for his own, even when he’s hurt. She touched his fingers, holding it for a while.

Jongin closed his eyes, trying to ignore the pain but it’s so hard because the wound was not fully recovered yet. He could felt Naeun’s fingers in between his, and somehow, a warm feeling filled his heart. He peeked using one of his eyes and found Naeun was totally immersed on how the nurse treated him; he creped a smile towards the scene.

It was just like ten years ago when he’s having himself falling to the ground after playing basketball. His legs were somehow had a cramp that he couldn’t stand well, making him falling with his head first. It’s all blood that day and he couldn’t forget how worried Naeun was when she accompanied him to the hospital. They’re still in junior high school that time, but she felt like a mother to him. And Jongin felt grateful to have someone like Naeun by his side.    

“Please do not open the cover until tomorrow. For daily care, you can remove it and covered it with the band aid that I prepared. Please stay clean, you don’t want your handsome face to be rotten, right?” the nurse smiled warmly once she done treating Jongin. She left him with Naeun when she’s done examining him.

The two young couple waited for the prescription, sitting on the long couch in front of the locket.

“What is that? Was she seducing you? Oh God!” Naeun commented as she rolled her eyes. Jongin smiled and chuckled.

“Don’t get easily jealous like that, Stupid” he lazily said.

“I’m not jealous. I’m complaining. You’re considered younger than her and she seduced you on working time!” she replied, still using high tone.

Jongin flicked her forehead and leaned his head towards her shoulder. “Shut up, you’re so noisy. I’m sleepy, and I want no sound heard when I sleep” he said as he breathed her scent; a bit of lilac, his favorite smell of Naeun.

“Sleep at home, please?” she responded, but Jongin already off to the dreamland. She took a peek of him and found that he’s sleeping peacefully like a baby. She slowly put her left hand under his chin up to his left ear, positioning his head better. The two of them was leaning to the wall and she tried to make him feeling more comfortable, by keeping his head in the right position. She’s later on tilted her neck and placed her head to his, leaning on each other.

She heard from his mom that Jongin was having a hard time to sleep due to his wound. His hand was still covered and his waist also under treatment, so it was hard for him to sleep in comfortable position. And Naeun felt more than happy to be able to make him sleeping at ease just like now. Right when she felt his head was about to fall down from her shoulder, he woke up and looked at her with his half asleep face. She couldn’t help but laughing, because his face was just so cute.

“What?” he said as he rubbed his eyes.

“Sleepy face” she said as she pinched his cheek.

“I was having a good nap, I guess” he replied. She was just smiling to herself, and as she’s about to fish her cellphone from her bag, Naeun felt warmth on her cheek.

“My gift for you, for helping me to sleep” he said, smiling after he left her cheek.

It’s happening again, him kissing her on the cheek. It’s been a while since Jongin developed a new habit, leaving a kiss on her cheek. Well, they used to hold hands whenever they’re together, but kiss on the cheek was something new.  It was like he’s naturally leaned on her and then made her heart went crazy with his kiss. And even though she felt like she’s being electrified, Naeun couldn’t help but feeling happy for his action.

Jongin is Naeun’s first love. They’re same age friends; their parents knew each other for they were friends in college. Plus, they grew up together in same neighborhood. His house and hers was backing each other, making a date at the rooftop as excited as it sounds. Jongin played with her brother, Chanyeol, but since Naeun is the youngest and have no other friend in the neighborhood, she’s then joining her brother and Jongin whenever and wherever they went.

But just like in any other teenage romance, Naeun never showed his love for him. Being like Helga to Arnold, Naeun often treated Jongin a bit cruel so he wouldn’t find out her true feelings for him. Of course Chanyeol knew this, but Naeun swore she will screw his drum stick collections if he ever told Jongin about her feeling. And Chanyeol bought it.

Naeun never knew what was her to Jongin, because Jongin, being treated badly by her, always showed different reaction. He never got angry towards her; he was playful but still charming. He made her falling in love deeply that she could ignore any other guys that tried to ask her out. Naeun never had a boyfriend because of Jongin, but he has girlfriends. Up until they graduate college, he had 3 ex-girlfriends and Naeun could never understand why Jongin dated those girls. She played the role of mischievous best girl friend and of course, wishing him to break up with his girlfriend at any time, because she’s obviously in love with him.

“What are you thinking about?” Jongin asked her while softly tapped her shoulder with his right hand. They’re walking now, about to leave the hospital.

Naeun quickly snapped around and flashed a bright smile on him. “Mmm. Just thinking about the exhibition next week, for the runway… I don’t know what song to play and I’m not sure if the whole event will go well… So…” Naeun shrugged and rolled her eyes. Well, she partially lied; she’s busy thinking about her first project as runway stage director in the fashion company but of course, 70% of her brain filled with this dreamy man in front of her.

“You’ll do great. I believe in you” Jongin said as he smiled towards her. She pouted her lips and that’s truly… cute.

How to put it, Jongin was still not sure, but he surely had a spot for Naeun. She’s not the little girl he used to play with anymore. From the girls with freckles, acnes, and brackets, she turned prettier every year. She’s now a mature woman who grew up together with him and he’s lately feeling more into her. They’re never separated, always flocking together except when he’s having a date with his girlfriend, which was very rare. Up until now, he’s still need to figure out what does he has for her but one thing for sure, he knew what she felt for him.

“If you ever heard her telling you that you’re an idiot, that means she likes you”

That’s the clearest scene he could ever get about Naeun. She was always making fun of him and never stopped playing a prank on him, which left him clueless on what she actually felt. Of course, knowing that Chanyeol is another prankster just like his sister, he didn’t believe on what he said. But then one day, when she’s all feeling tired and alone because of her final project and found Jongin picked her up from the college in the middle of the night just because he felt bored and couldn’t sleep, she cried and broke a smile, and whispered “you’re an idiot” to him. And somehow, he felt like he’s the happiest man on Earth to get her saying that to him.

Maybe he likes her too.

“What do you want to get for lunch?” Naeun asked Jongin once they walked around the lobby of the hospital. They’re about to leave for the hospital. She’s having a day off and she decided to accompany Jongin to do the checkup for his health after the accident. He’s still not allowed to drive, so she’s volunteered to be his driver.

“Hmm. I don’t know. Anything?”

“Always like this…” she commented. “Ok, Chinese, American, or Japanese food?” she made options.

“Ermm. Japanese then, it’s been a while since I ate Japanese food” he decided.

“Ok, off we go!” she excitedly said. “And after that, do you want to accompany me to the music store? Let’s look for some old or classical song or maybe-“

Naeun stopped talking for a while as she realized that Jongin stopped walking, looking at one direction: the corner of the park in the hospital. She called his name several times but he still didn’t reply. She walked to him and followed the direction he’s been looking for. There she found a girl sitting on the wheel chair with her left leg being wrapped, seemed like she suffered fractured leg or so. She’s closing her eyes and let the sun shone her.

“Jongin…” Naeun called him.

“Hmm?” he mumbled, still looking at the girl on the wheel chair.

“Is there anything wrong?” Naeun asked.

He slowly shook his head and looked at her deeply; she tilted her head trying to understand him. He faked a smile, mouthing “Let’s go” and holding her left hand, intertwined their fingers together. He walked, more like half dragged her, leaving the hospital. Naeun felt curious but then she just followed him in silent, carefully helped him to walk.

Naeun opened the car door for Jongin and once he’s settled, she sat on the driver’s seat, ready to drive them for lunch. Jongin sighed, as he looked out and played with his fingers. He ignored Naeun who fully aware and glanced at him every now and then, but he’s just suddenly not in the mood for talk so he kept silent as he watched the view outside the car. She realized something bothering him, but then she chose to wait for him to be opened to her by his own will. Being understood, she turned the CD player and a jazz tune filled the car, letting the two of them drown in their own thought.

The girl on the wheel chair slowly opened her eyes once she felt something blocked her from the sun light. She found him there, standing tall as he flashed his bright smile.

“Hey” he called her.

“Oh, hi Oppa” she replied, smiling back to him, weakly.

“Why? Aren’t you excited to see me?” Minho said as he ruffled her long hair. She shook her head.

“I miss you, of course” she added. “I just… I just thought that you’re Taemin”

Minho gulped once he heard his cousin called his name again. Taemin. How he’s dying to tell her what’s happening to her boyfriend but he held his will, for he knew that it will only hurt her.

“I miss him, Oppa. It’s almost like 5 days already and he didn’t even call me once. What happened to him?” she ranted.

Minho didn’t know what to answer so all he told her was explanation about him being fine doing his health examination. She didn’t look like she’s satisfied with his answer, but still, she accepted it.

“Do you want to go back to your room?” he asked her and Soojung nodded lifelessly.

When Minho drove her wheel chair to go back to her ward, they passed the side of the park and Soojung couldn’t help but looking there. Earlier, she felt like someone was watching her. Like there’s a person fully aware with her presence. Deep down inside, she really wished that it was Taemin. Even though she knew that it was not possible, but she still have a faith in him. Her heart clenched at the thought of him, still, she could do nothing.

Taemin, I miss you.

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Hello again, guys.

Thanks for reading and commenting and subscribing. I got a lot of support from you, I felt really happy and energized to write the story ;)

Chapter 3 is more like the thing happened after the incident. I think I'll play a bit with time, so I hope you could notice when I put the present or the past :)

Once again, thank you for all of your support! :) Love you, guys! ;) 

# apology, I change Jiyeon to Naeun because in my plot later on there's some character that will fit Naeun better so yeah... :)