[Current timeline: 111008]

I took a couple minutes standing in front of this white door to calm myself down. If I were to meet him, I had to at least look stronger than the ill him.

Gulping down my saliva nervously, I knocked on the door twice. Enough for the people inside to know that they had a visitor.

I knew that things like this would happen sooner or later. Well, it is happening now… My heart ached thinking about it. An avoidable headache attacked my poor skull. He... really gave me too much pain sometimes.

The doorknob turned and the door soon opened. A man with tired face standing behind it, trying to force a smile. “______-ah,” he said as he stepped outside the room and closed the door quietly. He held my elbow and led me to sit on the chairs in front of the door. Cold hospital chairs... “I just thought that I needed to let you know about it.”

“Junghoon oppa...,” my voice broke a bit. “Is he fine? Is Jung Soo fine?”

This Super manager gave me an encouraging smile and nodded. “He had been worse than this. IV therapy, several hours of sleep... You know, just normal procedure.” The man stretched his stiff body in pain and growled a bit. “He should’ve trusted us more. He should’ve told me that he needed to get to the hospital. I had to carry him when he passed out just like that, shocking the younger members. Hhh...”

I unconsciously bit my lip while listening to his explanation. “Can I see him now?”

“Ah! Yes, yes. He’s alone, sleeping inside. The others are in their own schedule.” Junghoon let out a very heavy, regretful sigh. “Can you do me a favor? Please keep an eye on him. I need to make some calls and clean up some mess.”

Junghoon looked exhausted and I bet he could conk out like Jung Soo any minute now. “Get a meal and drink vitamin, Junghoon oppa. Don’t push yourself.”

He wore a broken smile. “Thanks, ______-ah.”

I carefully opened the door, making sure that I would not wake Jung Soo up while Junghoon headed toward another direction, busy with his cell phone.

--

He was lying on the bed, sleeping. 18-gauge IV needle was stuck to his arm. The view reminded me a lot of how I was there, in his position, two weeks ago.

I walked to him and my heart just died a little every time I glanced at his skinny figure. Brushing my hand carefully against his forehead, I mumbled in low tone, “You made me so worried...”

Jung Soo... Jung Soo... Jung Soo... When I received a call from Junghoon, telling me that this man collapsed and was sent to the hospital, I got so shocked and scared and hurt. A lie automatically came out of my mouth when Ye Eun asked me where I was going, alarmed that something bad clearly had happened.

Now, with a mind more rational than before, it was hard to still really care about him, when I knew...clearly knew that this was the consequence of what he had been doing. Who told him to overwork? Who told him to do everything by his own? No one, nobody did. He always voluntarily took part in this even, in that show. It was not like I never warned him about this before. I told him so many times; don’t work too hard, you don’t always have to be freaking everywhere, TV can live without you... But Jung Soo... my stubborn kid just laughed it off, lightly saying that he did not have so much time left to do this, thus he must not waste any chance that was coming to him.

I sighed heavily as I took a seat beside his bed and watched him soundly sleeping. Hhh... Jung Soo hardly thought of the people around him before making a decision. He did not think that were some people out here who broke down because he got hurt or fell sick as a result of working way too hard.

When will you be less ignorant, huh, Jung Soo?If you were not to do it because of the worried people, then at least do it for your own body, your health! Taking numerous medicine and vitamin would not really help you, not without a change in your lifestyle. Ha... change in lifestyle. Sure there was; he only became even busier than he already was.

On one side, I felt really bad and worried, but on the other side, I was mad, you know? This kind of thing was something that could have been prevented from taking place. Jung Soo was such a fool... Keeping everyone happy and entertained, while he himself was suffering, mentally and physically. Especially, physically.

Around an hour later, I found Jung Soo stirring in his slumber. Slowly yet sure, his eyes opened. I immediately fixed my seating position. “Jung Soo-ssi, you’re awake? Can you hear me?”

“You...,” Jung Soo sighed. “Where are we?”

I rubbed my temple. “Hospital. Where else would it be?”

Gradually gaining his consciousness and strength back, Jung Soo raised his voice, “I don’t need to be here!”

I mentally scowled. Is he always annoying when he’s sick? “Don’t be hard, okay?” I continued, “Cooperate, please. People are worried about you. Stop being so stubborn. At least, for right now.”

Jung Soo turned his body around, unwilling to face me. Is he angry? Tsk, is he turning to his bothersome side while being sick? I should have asked Junghoon. First time dealing with sick Jung Soo, I should have asked his manager how he would be like.

“The problem with you is that you do everything you want to do without considering other people around you. They scream, they beg you to stop or at least, give your poor, worn out body a single break. But you barely listen, if not never... until you lose all your energy, and in return, you only trouble those people.”

“Shut up,” Jung Soo hissed. “You’re lecturing me right now? You think you have the rights to do so?” His voice saddened for a split second and he tried to straighten his position.

I felt slight pain watching him struggling just to sit down, yet I tried so hard to brace myself. His pride would not like me helping him. Besides, Jung Soo needed to know that he made a mistake; he sometimes made a very terrible one. He needed to learn that not everyone agreed on what he did. Deep down, people were hella worried of him.

“I’m not lecturing you. I just want you to see a matter from another point of view. What’s the point in doing so many activities, attending so many events, if in the end, those all made you sick?”

Jung Soo stared at me skeptically. “What if the problem with me right now is not the crappy schedule, but you? What if the problem with me right now is not my body, but my mind?”

“So you’re blaming me right now?” I scowled in disbelief. “Don’t be irresponsible. Act your age, Jung Soo-ssi. I’ve warned you many times before; you are not a robot. It’s not usual for human to get only two hours of sleep in a day, and you clearly know that you don’t have to do all that.” SERIOUSLY, JUNG SOO?!?!

“That’s my way of life. I’ll die if I do nothing,” the man coldly stated.

I messed my hair in frustration. “That’s what you think! Nobody dies because they do nothing.”

“Just shut up, okay? If you don’t like being here―darn, you’re probably forced by Junghoon or Donghae to watch over me―you can leave. I don’t need a girlfriend who keeps nagging without even knowing my real problem is.”

That hurts. A lot. “Jeez! What is your problem? What made you fall sick like this?” IS IT WE GOT MARRIED SHOOTING? IS IT SO TIRING THAT YOU EVENTUALLY COULD NOT STAND THE FATIGUE ANYMORE?!

OMG. _______, hold yourself. Brace yourself. Don’t explode in anger. Not in front of a sick man.

“You.”

Me? Yeah, right. “Elaborate.”

Jung Soo snorted. “The world is a small place, you know. Everything that you do, even though you hide it perfectly, will eventually be discovered by me. I do not even need to try. The stuff I never want to hear, never want to know, never want to see... They willingly appear before me.”

I furrowed my eyebrows, still confused.

“Yesterday, Paju, Woohyun of Infinite. Were those enough to remind you?” I was going to ask how he knew that, when he distantly, I repeat; distantly, continued, “Don’t be surprised. They were my guests in Sukira yesterday. Infinite, just like other normal guys, unsurprisingly love to spazz over their dates.”

He was sick because I went out with Woohyun?! And he really expected me to believe that?! “You’re blaming the wrong party. Besides, it was not like what you think it was.”

“Yeah. Of course. ‘He’s a friend just like Minho... We only go to a city outside Seoul when he’s actually busy but he doesn’t really care about his schedule because he’s with me... And we’re friends... We only do little skinship, I swear...’ Is my hypothesis right?” Jung Soo said. “Who cares about the boyfriend who accidentally heard of that and had to struggle another sleepless night thinking about his girlfriend and her new fling? Who cares about me being mentally sick of finding out everything from other people, not from my own girl?”

, that hurts more than it seems. “Don’t play innocent.”

“Don’t play innocent?!” Jung Soo repeated in higher tone. “Don’t play innocent, you said?!”

“Yes. Don’t play innocent. I know. You are hiding something from me too.” Stop! Stop! Stop! Don’t continue what you want to say, ______! Don’t!

His expression changed for a millisecond, I swore I saw Jung Soo look unsure and guilty, but he still insisted to stay in the game. “Oh really?”

DAMMIT HIS INNOCENT LOOK. “JEEZ! You’re being disgusting. Stop, okay? I knew it. Your devilish friend told me two days ago.” I could not control myself anymore it was scary. “We Got Married? Yeah of course, who wouldn’t have thought?!” Jung Soo did not say anything. He was glaring at me fiercely but his lips remained closed. “Surprise!” I shouted in exaggeration. “Your stupid, foolish girlfriend knew! Huh, Kyuhyun was so happy when he told me that. I had to deal with his mocking smirk and utter embarrassment. But most importantly, I had to deal with the fact that you did not even bother to tell me that you’re taking part in that show.”

“Childish,” was the only word that escaped Jung Soo’s mouth.

CHILDISH? “Childish? Then tell me why you aren’t telling me that. Tell me why you’re joining that show. Tell me. I need reasons. You are by far the most ridiculous person I have ever met.”

“I don’t need to explain every goddamn thing I do to you.” He defended himself.

Okay. Tears, please work together with me. Please. Don’t fall. Don’t fall now. “Excuse me. You probably hit something and lost your memory or what, but I am your girlfriend, Mr. Park Jung Soo. I did not have to face such humiliation your nasty member brought to me if only you told that to me earlier. And who says you can join that goddamn show?”

“Well, I don’t need permission from you to join that goddamn show. And you, who says you can go out with another guy even though you insist that he’s your friend?”

“BECAUSE HE IS ONE!” Ugh. “Don’t use that as a reason why you’re here, dependent to that IV drip. You are sick because you kept pushing yourself, not because of Woohyun and me. Oh, you’re probably sick because you joined We Got Married! That just served you right, then!” How did such mean thing go out from my mouth? How?!

 “Are you glad that I am sick?” Jung Soo looked at me in the eyes, challenging me. “Are you glad because I am sick right now, ______-ssi?” He repeated.

A drop of tear rolled down my cheek and I quickly wiped it away. “Why are you like this?! We’re both not in better position than the other! You have lots to explain!” I said that, with tears already freely streaming down. “You don’t know how hurt I am because of you! You lied to me! You got sick! You accused and judged me! You are a difficult person and I don’t know why I still want to go out with you, you stupid aging man!” I did not have the guts to still look at him. My eyes were fixed on the ground.

Out. Out of here. I needed to get out of here. Taking my bag, I quickly said, “We’ll talk later. Get well soon.”

“Wait,” his tired voice held me back. “Wait.”

I turned around and with fear, faced him. “Not now,” I shook my head. “Not now.  I need time.”

Jung Soo gulped. “Sorry.” His voice was hoarser than ever.

“I know. But I still need time.”

His eyes apologetically looked at me. “You need time... But I need you now.”

I approached Jung Soo and gave him a light kiss on his cheek. “I am so angry at you right now. I am afraid that I can’t control myself and might hurt you in the end.” Before a tear escaped my eye again, I left the room whispering, “Get well soon, baby.”

AFF ate this chapter. so i reposted it~