Chapter 12

Present time 2011...

The hospital building seemed like a maze when you want to find a certain someone specifically. The person that she wanted to find was not where the rest of the group left them previously. She looked around the area of the waiting operating theatre if the person was still there, but it seems that they had moved to some other place or maybe even out of the building altogether.

But Minho oppa would not just abandoned me here, right? Hyerin thought.

She sat on the bench that Taemin, Key and HyunAe had seated themselves while waiting for Jinki’s surgery result. She crossed her arms on her chest.

But then again, he might think that I will be going home with Mr and Mrs Lee, since I came with them.

She sighed. She thought she would be able to meet up with Minho for a while before she have to go back home. If she lingered too long in the hospital, Key would certainly nag at her. However, she was a person who would not give up that easily. That’s the trait of most of the women in The Pack. Be it she was a direct line to the family or the partner of the boys, they seem to have that particular characteristic of a hard determination and strength.

She took out her mobile phone and dialled Minho’s number. After a couple of ring, Minho picked up the phone.

“Yobeoseyo.” Minho said tentatively. A scratching of chair and muffled tone of chatters could be heard from the background.

“Oppa. Where are you?” Hyerin asked.

“Hyerin ah. Mian. I was with Hongki just now.” He said in a low tone.

“Ah. I see.” A pause. “I thought I could meet you for a while before I go back to the mansion. But, if you are with Hongki oppa, then it’s okay. We can meet some other time.” Hyerin said in a controlled voice.

Truth be told, Hyerin would really want to meet with Minho and be comforted by the older boy for what had happened to them in just a short span of time. The news of one of them was shot on the head had shaken her. The few seconds that she thought it could be Minho had really shaken her. No matter how used she was to this mentality that a gangster never would be safe, it didn’t mean that she would not be afraid or worried about it. So yes, she was worried, anxious and would really need Minho’s reassurance that everything would be fine.

The fact that Jinki was now safe from any complication didn’t mean that everything would be fine. There was still the fact that everybody tried not to think of; which was Hongki had made a grievous mistake. So Hyerin knew that it was essential for Minho to be beside Hongki at the moment. Minho was the only person that was level headed and won’t rise to anger as quickly as Jonghyun. In any case, Minho was closest to Hongki anyway.

Minho paused for a few seconds at the other hand of the line. 

“No. I want to meet you too Hyerin. Wait for me at the park near the hospital building neh. I will be there in a few minutes.” Minho said.

Hyerin felt that her heart lightened by a couple degrees with the thought of her able to meet with Minho. She smiled a little through the phone.

“Yes oppa. See you in a while.”

“See you.” Minho said and ended the call.

With that, Hyerin rose from the bench and made her way out of the hospital building in a brisk walk to the park near the hospital. Eager to meet Minho, her love.

***

“Hongki, I need to go now. I hope you would consider what I have talked to you about. Don’t blame yourself too much.” Minho said and patted my shoulder firmly.

That was the last thing that Minho said before he left me alone in the hospital’s cafeteria. I was still holding on to the coffee that Minho gave me in a paper cup; which had gone stale. Many things went on inside my mind that I felt it could blow off if it could. I couldn’t believe at what had happened and could have happened. 

I had been thinking seriously at what had Minho talked to me in the cafeteria. I know I should settle this matter as soon as possible and not leave it as it is. I didn’t plan it to end up like this at all. 

That was why I was standing right in front of Jinki hyung’s room at this moment. The coffee that I hardly drank was abandoned at some corner on my way here. I kept on staring at the door with Jinki’s name on it. I couldn’t find the courage to knock on the door and went in. What if Jinki hyung and Jihyun would not even look at me? Don’t even mention if they are going to forgive me or not. Even Jonghyun hyung was so mad at me. I could understand his rage. Who wouldn’t be? 

I am a fool. I really am.

Just as I gathered my courage to knock on the door, I heard the clicking sound of a pair of heels at the end of the hallway. I turned to my left side and saw the silhouette of a person at the corner of the hall. 

No, I don’t want to be seen by anybody right now. 

I quickly took a step away from the door and ran to the other corner of the hallway; pinning myself on the wall from view. The clicking of the heels came nearer and nearer and it finally stopped. I peeked from the wall and was surprised to see Rin, Choi Hyerin, Jonghyun hyung’s girlfriend in front of Jinki hyung’s room. They must have contacted her. I know that the rest of the group had already left and Jihyun must be in the room with Jinki hyung. That meant Jonghyun hyung was inside the room. I took a deep sighed of relief. 

I wouldn’t want to meet with Jonghyun hyung at the moment, when he was still filled with anger. He wouldn’t even want to listen to me. I placed my hand on my jaw and winced at the pain that was inflicted by Jonghyun hyung earlier. I gritted my teeth. Well, I deserved to be punch anyway. At least with Jonghyun hyung punched me, I only felt the physical pain. But if Jinki hyung were to punch me, I know I would not only felt the pain physically but also emotionally. I have betrayed his trust just because of jealousy. 

I am really a despicable person.

I heard the soft knock and the turned of knob. I peeked at Rin again and saw that she had entered the room. From the small opening of the door, I could see Jonghyun hyung sleeping at the couch. Then I saw Jinki oppa lay on the bed with Jihyun snuggled beside him. I turned my back from the view. It still hurt me that the one that I love was with my own brother. But I know that there was nothing that I could do about it. If I try to have Jihyun for myself, I know it would not end in the way that I wanted. The incident tonight was proof of that. 

I glanced back at the now closed door of Jinki hyung’s room, then turned back from it. Walking away from the persons that I love. I need to be somewhere else. A place that I could be alone and think carefully of my next step. I know that abeoji would be waiting for me at home. Waiting for my explanation on the whole fiasco. But I just couldn’t deal with it now. I couldn’t.

So I walked to the nearest bus stop and took on the next bus that stopped in front of me. Not even bothered to know where the destination would be.

***

The knock on the door made Jihyun opened her closed eyes. She saw Rin entered the room with her signature 4 inch heels boots that added height to her petite figure. Rin is a very beautiful lady with long silky black hair that reach her mid back. Her eyes are hazel in colour with flecks of dark brown in them. A small and pretty face with the perfect body line that anybody would like to have. Most people’s impression on her if they met her on the street would be that, she is a pretty sweet lady. But Jihyun knows better. Underneath that small figure was a really athletic body that could outrun most of the people. She always outrun everybody when we played baseball together with the rest of The Pack in their leisure time.

Rin walked with a poise towards Jihyun and Jinki on the bed. Jihyun raised herself to a sitting position on the bed beside Jinki.

“You finally came.” Jihyun said with a small smile.

Rin smiled warmly at Jihyun. “Yeah. Sorry it took me quite a while to come. I was held back for a bit of work.” She held Jihyun’s hand and squeeze it gently. “I’m glad that Jinki is safe.”

Jihyun looked back at Jinki’s pale sleeping face. She took a deep breath. “Yes. I am really glad that he is safe. I don’t know what I am to do if...” Jihyun couldn’t bring herself to finish her sentence.

Rin who understood what Jihyun was trying to say just gave her a hug. “It’s okay Jihyun ah. It’s okay.”

Jihyun hugged Rin who rarely displayed her warmness to anybody. She always appeared cool and collected whenever she was with all of them.

Rin let go of Jihyun and asked her, “Is Jinki going to wake up anytime soon?”

Jihyun shook her head. “I’m not so sure Rin. The doctor didn’t specify when Jinki oppa is going to wake up. I will ask Dr. Kim later when he check up on him.”

“Alright.” Rin said.

Jihyun turned to Jonghyun who was still out on the sofa with his arms crossed on his slowly rising and falling chest. 

“Rin, do me a favour and take Jonghyun oppa back to the mansion. I know he is tired. But he kept on saying that it’s his responsibility to take care of me and Jinki oppa. I am okay here. Besides, if anything happened there’s doctors within reach.”

Rin turned to look at Jonghyun with a tender smile then shook her head slightly. 

“I know what you mean. He could be very stubborn but I bet he could not beat my stubborness.” She said and smiled reassuringly at Jihyun. “Don’t you worry Jihyun, I'll take him back no matter what.”

She walked to Jonghyun who was still sleeping soundly on the sofa with his eyes opened a bit. That indicates how deeply asleep he was. She smiled slyly and sat beside him. She lowered her face towards Jonghyun and began to kiss him passionately. Jihyun who was still sitting on the bed unconsciously laughed through her sadness. The thing about Rin was, she was a bold woman and wouldn’t care at what people would think of her word or action if she deemed it to be right.

Jonghyun was kissing her back and his hand slowly went to Rin’s nape. He felt that the kiss was too real and slowly opened his eyes. He was surprised that he was actually really kissing Rin. Rin pulled back from the kiss and smiled a wicked smile at Jonghyun which made Jonghyun smiled back. That was the first smile that he had after all the incident that had happened.

“Baby, you’re here.” Jonghyun said languidly.

“Yes. I’m here to move you away from this room and let Jihyun be alone with Jinki. Come on now.” Rin said while pulling at Jonghyun’s hand to pull him to a sitting position.

As if he just realized that he was in the room with Jinki and Jihyun in too, he became sombre again. “No Rin. I want to stay here to take care of Jihyun.”

“Look now Jonghyun, I know you are tired and your body really needs the rest. Jihyun can take care of herself. If you are worried that she wouldn’t have the place to sleep, then you can rest assured she is in bed with Jinki now. You know that Mr and Mrs Lee would come back to visit anyway.” Rin tried to reason with Jonghyun.

Jonghyun who was still unsure looked at Jihyun. As Rin said, Jihyun was indeed in bed with Jinki.

“Jonghyun oppa, go on. Take your rest. You can come back later when you have your rest neh. If there’s any changes with Jinki oppa, I will make sure to call you first before anyone else.” Jihyun said with a sincere smile. “I promise.”

“See. Rest assured Jonghyun ah. Everything is under control. You don’t want Jinki to wake up and saw his best friend was half dead with tiredness do you?” Rin chipped in with a witty remark.

Jonghyun chuckled from Rin’s remark. “Yes lady boss. I get it. I will go back and have a rest and come here again later in the day. Are both of you satisfied now?”

“Yes.” Rin and Jihyun said simutaneously. Then both laughed at their vehement reply.

“Now go both of you. Drive safely. Emm, well, as safely as you can.” Jihyun said with creased brow. She knew well that neither one of their driving skills was as safe as any normal person is. Reckless and super fast. The only persons that Jihyun could bear their fast driving were Jinki and Hyerin. Although their driving was fast, but it was done with precision.

“Oh don’t worry Jihyun. We always drive safely. Well, if you only count us being safe.” Rin said with a grin. She quickly pulled Jonghyun up and walked out of the room; leaving Jihyun worried at their safety.

***


To be continued...

A/N:
Hi everybody. How are you all? Now we are back to the present moment. Another jump on the years. Still able to keep up? 
This is a contrast of the previous chapter which is a light, fun, and funny update. Although this chapter is quite short but I hope it explains things after all that incident. 
Finally the last OC is here. The Choi Hyerin, Rin which most people confused with Kim Hyerin, the sister of the Kim brothers. Hehe. She was finally revealed on this chapter.. *Paksuk* Hehe. Now every OC has come up. The past story is not complete yet. You know the drill. This fic will be jumping around on the past and the present time. Just make sure to read the first line after the chapter which time line it is you are reading neh.  If I posted A/N up there, then read it before you proceed on to the chapter to avoid confusion. 
Oh, are you curious to Minho and Hyerin’s moment? Or maybe what Hongki’s step may be? Kekeke. Have patience with me neh. You will surely know about it soon.  Anyway, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed this short chapter. Please give me your feedback neh. That will totally lift my spirit to write and encourage me a lot.  Annyeong~~