Annyeong readers~~ Okay there will be some clarification of information here. This chapter is still in the present time of 2011. The next chapter will be in the past 3 years back. So it will be back in high school days for them.  In this chapter I will update the characters and their age for this present time. So if it's 3 years back, just do the maths neh.  I hope this will not be confusing for you guys.  Name in bracket is their maiden name. Last name of the female OC have no link or whatsoever that they're siblings or relatives. It's merely coincidental. You may ask why they get married so young, but well I have no reasons for it. It's ff anyway. Kekeke..


Characters' age in the present moment (2011)
Lee Jinki ~ 22 years old
Kim Jonghyun ~ 22 years old
Choi Hyerin ~ 22 years old
Kim Kibum (Key) ~ 21 years old
Lee Hongki ~ 21 years old
Choi Minho ~ 21 years old
Lee (Park) Jihyun ~ 21 years old
Kim (Choi) HyunAe ~ 21 years old
Lee Taemin ~ 20 years old
Park Eunmi ~ 20 years old
Kim Hyerin ~ 19 years old
Choi Siwon ~ 23 years old


Chapter 7


When I saw Jinki hyung laid on the stretcher that the nurses pushed, my heart was saddened greatly. He looked so pale. His lips parched. I quickly pushed myself up from the bench that I was seated and stared at Jinki hyung. Then Jihyun noona was following the nurses to Jinki hyung’s room. Without wasting any time, I followed Jihyun noona. I walked by her side and saw that both of her hands were gripped tightly together. I took her hand and held on to it. Giving her the support that she needed and to reassure myself that she was okay too.

She looked at her hand in mine then looked up to me, giving me her small smile that everybody loves. I guessed that was one of the things that made Hongki hyung likes Jihyun noona. We walked together behind the nurses and the rest of them were behind us following suit. Everybody kept silent. The only sound that was heard was the squealing of the stretcher’s small tyre and the shuffling of our feet.

At last the nurses stopped at one of the room. They went in with Jinki hyung. One of the nurses stopped for a while and turned to us who already gathered behind them.

“Please wait a moment for us to move the patient. I will call one of you to come in after we have finished setting up the equipments.” Said one of the nurses to us. “Please take a seat while waiting.”

We just nodded our head as a sign that we understood her. Then she turned her back to us to go into the room. I felt Jihyun noona’s body relaxed for a bit. I looked at her closely. To be honest, she doesn’t look good at all. With her tear streaked face and her worried face; she looked every bit as a dishevelled wife. If this is not a serious situation, I would’ve joke around with her at how ugly she looked when she cried. But this is as serious as you can get. Jinki hyung just barely come out alive from a meaningless fight that was triggered by Hongki hyung’s jealousy. Jihyun noona is pregnant with Jinki hyung’s child. We could have received the news in a better atmosphere, but it all end up like this. The tension when we were waiting in the waiting room to hear the news about Jinki hyung is very tangible. Anger, surprised, guilt, shame, disappointment, all lingered in the air.

I took Jihyun noona to one of the chairs outside the room and make her sit. She tried to protest, “It’s okay Taemin ah. I don’t have to sit. The nurse will be out any moment and I want to be by Jinki oppa’s side as soon as possible.” She said while trying to push me away.

I gripped her arms more tightly and look straight at her. “Noona, the door is not that far from the chair. Please. I know how much you are anxious to see Jinki hyung, but please remember your baby too. You need to take care of yourself. Do you think Jinki hyung will be happy to see you like this? Get a grip noona.” I shook her body a bit and unconsciously raised my voice at the end of my speech.

Hyerin quickly went to my side and laid her hand on my arms. Shaking her head slowly to remind me to take it slowly with Jihyun noona. I nodded to her and loosened my grip on Jihyun noona’s arms. Jihyun noona looked a bit surprised by my action. I have never raised my voice to her before. I shook my head and looked at noona. Hyerin still stood beside me. 

“*Mian noona. I didn’t mean to raise my voice to you like that. But I just want you to take care of yourself more noona. It makes me worry to see you like this.” I said to her gently.

She looked at me and smiled a genuine smile for the first time that night. She laid her hands on my cheek and said, “Mian Taemin ah. Noona had made you worried. You’re right. I should take more care of myself.”

Then she lowered herself to the chair behind her and patted the chair on both of her side to indicate me and Hyerin to sit with her. Hyerin went to sit at her right side while I sat at her left side. The rest of the group went to sit at the other available chairs outside Jinki hyung’s room.

Hyerin took Jihyun noona’s right hand and begin to squeeze it gently. Jihyun noona smiled at her then she laid her head on my shoulders. I wrapped my arms around her shoulders. We stayed like that all the time waiting for the nurses to come out and give noona permission to go in. While waiting I surveyed the rest of the people at the corridor. Abeoji and eomeoni are sitting together with Jonghyun hyung beside them. Both abeoji and Jonghyun hyung were comforting eomeoni in between them. I noticed that Minho hyung and Hongki hyung were not with us.

I wonder if Minho hyung approached Hongki hyung at moment. Truthfully, I didn’t expect it that Hongki hyung can be stupid enough and blinded enough by his emotion and went to Joon. He should’ve known better that Joon is forever out for Jinki hyung’s back. I am not so sure what he has been talking to Joon about but I guessed it must be to arrange a meeting where Joon can act on Jinki hyung by surprised. And what a surprise we had. Jinki hyung got a call from Hongki saying to meet him at that place to talk some things. Jinki hyung being worried all this while that Hongki hyung went out of the house for weeks and didn’t tell us the reason, straightaway agreed to meet him. Jinki hyung planned to just go and meet him with only a few of our men, but I insisted on coming too and secretly asked more of our men to follow us. 

It’s not that I don’t trust Hongki hyung. But I have noticed his strange attention to Jihyun noona all this while and him went out of the house after Jinki hyung and Jihyun noona got married confirmed my suspicion. I guessed Minho hyung picked up the puzzle too. So, I just prepared the rest of our men to follow us without Jinki hyung notice. I’m glad that Jinki hyung was worried enough at the time to not realized that there were a few other vehicle (the Blue Dragon’s to be exact) following us behind. Usually he was a person to always notice all these details. 

When we reached the old building, Hongki hyung was no where to be found. But what awaiting us was Joon...and his men. The Green Serpent. I cannot helped but felt dreaded by the scene. I don’t want to think that Hongki hyung was the one behind this, but it proves to be true isn’t it. Joon was really trying all that he can to get at Jinki hyung too. That is a mystery to us for a long time. It was since our school days that Joon always hounding us. Luckily I had our men stand by. I can’t bear to think what will happen if I didn’t ask them to come. In the realm of gangster, you don’t go out by yourself or with only a few men to a meeting place. That is one lesson that was embedded in my brain from abeoji. He always told us that. 

I hope Minho hyung can get some sense back to Hongki hyung’s head. If there is one person that Hongki hyung will listen to now, it is Minho hyung. I glanced back at Jihyun noona who still had her head rested on my shoulder. I hope Jihyun noona is strong enough to handle all this things that has happened.

A turned of the door knob grabbed all of our attention. Jihyun noona raised her head and quickly stood up and went to the nurse that just came out from Jinki hyung’s room. I slowly got up and went to the nurse too.

“Can I come in now?” Jihyun noona asked the nurse with a somewhat steady voice. I smiled seeing her able to pull herself up from her sadness.

The nurse turned to Jihyun noona, “Yes, only one of you can go in now. The rest can visit him tomorrow.” The nurse announced and went away. 

The rest have pulled themselves to Jihyun noona’s side too. Jihyun noona stood in front of the door to Jinki hyung’s room. Then she turned towards us.

“Go on sweety. Go and meet him.” Eomeoni said to noona while squeezing noona’s hand with a smile. “We’re happy enough that he is not in a critical condition. We’ll come back tomorrow.”

“But someone needs to take care of Jihyun unnie too. I think there should be someone here to accompany Jihyun unnie. I don’t think the nurses and doctor mind to have another person in the room as long as they didn’t bother Jinki oppa, right.” Hyerin voiced out her worries. “They won’t hinder it if they know Jihyun unnie is pregnant and needs someone beside her.” She continued.

Before I can volunteer myself to take care of Jihyun noona, Jonghyun hyung cut me to the chase. “Let me take care of Jihyun.”

“Are you sure Jonghyun hyung? I can take care of noona.” I said.

“Neh. I want to be there when Jinki awakes anyway. Just help me to contact Rin later and tell her I want to meet her. I don’t want her to worry too.” He said with sad eyes. I know that Jonghyun hyung won’t rest well if Jinki hyung is still unconscious and he won’t have it that Jihyun is all alone with Jinki hyung without anyone accompany her. Jonghyun hyung is really close with Jinki hyung, since they were at the same age and they always share with each other whether it is about how to manage our men, trained our people or about Jonghyun hyung’s business and everything under the blue sky. So I didn’t protest much when he wants to take care of Jihyun. But I don’t think Hongki hyung can meet Jinki hyung at the time being with Jonghyun hyung here. I know it will take some time for Jonghyun hyung’s anger to dissipate. 

“I’ll contact Rin later. Then take good care of them both hyung.” Key hyung patted Jonghyun hyung’s shoulder. Jonghyun hyung looked at Key hyung and nodded his head.

Then Jonghyun hyung took Jihyun noona by the shoulder and bring her in Jinki hyung’s room. We can see from the opening of the door that Jinki hyung lay on the hospital bed with all the IV tubes and other tubes connected to his body from all the machines beside him. The beeping of the heart monitor can be heard clearly from the silence that consumed us. Then the view was cut off when the door closed behind Jonghyun hyung and Jihyun noona. We stared for a moment at the door, then Hyerin cleared .

“I guess we should go home and get our rest before we come back to visit tomorrow.” Hyerin said. “I mean later this afternoon since it’s near 7am now.” She said while looking at her wrist watch.

“Yes. We should get our rest and we need to bring extra clothes for Jihyun to change on later.” Abeoji said firmly. “The rest of you should go back too. HyunAe needs her rest. The baby needs it’s mother to be healthy neh.” He said with a smile on his face when he looked at HyunAe noona and Key hyung. Then his smile faltered a bit. “I hope Jihyun and her baby going to be okay too. I hope Jinki will be well in no time. I know he is a very strong person.” He said again with a proud note in his voice.

Then his face change again. “I need to talk to Hongki.” He said. Eomeoni laid her hands on abeoji’s chest and he looked at her. They seem to be communicating with their eyes alone. “Not to worry Senna. I won’t do anything to him.”

Ah, eomeoni was worried for Hongki hyung. Well, I know abeoji can be scary when he loses his temper. But abeoji hardly ever lost his temper to us when we have grown up.

Abeoji turned to Key, “Thank you for always there to help each other out Kibum. I am proud of all of you. And I know you have been trying your best too right Taemin.” He said to us.

“Don’t mention it *samchun. We are one family of The Pack right. Why would you say that? It’s our duty and we do it willingly.” Key hyung said with a smile.

Abeoji just nodded his head. Then he turned to me. “Come on Taemin. Let us get back home. I’m sure Hongki will come back later too.”

I shook my head. “It’s okay abeoji. You can go back home with eomeoni first. I want to go some where before I go back home.” I said.

“With that bloodstain clothe? People will be wondering about it.” Abeoji pointed it out. 

“It’s okay samchun, I have some extra clothes in the car that I can lend to Taemin. Don’t worry.” Key hyung interrupted us. I looked at him and he just smiled at me.

“Okay, if that’s what you want Taemin.” Abeoji said.

“Yes abeoji. I’ll be home later.” I said. Then abeoji and eomeoni went back home leaving me with Key hyung, HyunAe noona and Hyerin.

“Thanks for the save hyung. I just want to be by myself for a while.” I said while looking at the floor.

“I know. You can take my clothes in the car. I’ll be going back with HyunAe and Hyerin.” Key hyung said. 

Before Key hyung can take a step with HyunAe noona and Hyerin, Hyerin suddenly said, “Emm, Kibum oppa. I think I’ll go back in a while. I will just stay here for a while.”

“But Jonghyun hyung will take care of Jihyun and Jinki. You don’t have to worry.” Key hyung said.

“I know. But oppa, please. Just let me stay here for a while. I have the other car anyway.” She pleaded to Key. I’m not so sure why she wants to stay here when Jonghyun hyung is here. But I didn’t think much of it when there are so many things on my mind to wonder about Hyerin too. 

“Well, if you insist.” Key hyung relented.


***


At the Han River

I sat on the bench that overlook the Han River. The river was so calm. The rising sunlight was reflected prettily on the glassy like surface of the river, sparkling like little diamonds. I leaned myself back with both of my hands supported me and raised my face up on the sky. Closing my eyes and feeling the gentle breeze blowing gently on my face. I love to come here when I feel that my mind was too cluttered up with a lot of things. The environment itself can soothe me.

I need the time to spend alone for myself from all that had happened tonight, or should I say last night? I hope Jinki hyung is alright and will be happy with the news that Jihyun noona would impart to him. Though I know the lingering thoughts of Hongki hyung’s action will always be hovering before us, I know for sure that Jinki hyung would not be mad at Hongki hyung. It’s just the way Jinki hyung is. Though he will want to know what causes Hongki hyung to act that way. I wonder how Hongki hyung will explain it to Jinki hyung. If it is concerning about Jihyun noona, Jinki hyung can be overprotective. Maybe they need Jonghyun hyung with Rin noona to be there. Those two can be very scary when they are angry. I think that’s a quality that Rin noona is similar with Jonghyun hyung.

Suddenly I felt the presence of someone sat beside me. I opened my eyes and turned to my right side to see her sitting there while gazing at the river in front of us. Slowly a smile crept up on my face. So she’s here today too. Truthfully, I’ve been spending my time here in the morning not only to have a time for myself but to have the chance meeting her too. I’ve met her a few months back when I was just sauntering along the riverside when she was jogging. Her mp3 fell off in front of me and I helped picked it up for her. After that, we came to talk with each other and met with each other here every so often.

Right now she has her eyes close to enjoy the warmth of the sunlight and the gentle breeze. Studying her profile now, she is nothing less than beautiful. Her long brown hair which is a shade lighter than Jihyun noona playing gently across her face blew by the gentle breeze. She has a sharp nose and small mouth. Then she opened her big eyes and turned to look at me.

“Have your fill yet Taemin?” she said while cocking her head to the side. Her face is the very picture of an innocent girl. But for the few months that I get to know her, she can be stubborn and sarcastic. A bit of a temper too. But she can be a very understanding person and optimistic too. Though we’ve known each other characters, we didn’t know the others’ background at all. I want to keep it that way for the time being.

I chuckled at her statement. I lowered my lashes then lifted up my eyes to look at her. “Not really. Maybe you need to close your eyes again for me to have my fill of your face.” I .

She just laughed her tinkling laugh that I came to love. “Hmm, I’ll think about it. You know you’ll have to treat me with a gigantic ice cream for that.” She said good naturedly.

“I’ll take that chance. So close your eyes now Eunmi.” I said to her. Yes, this innocent looking woman called Eunmi. Park Eunmi.

She studied my face for a while. I don’t know what she saw from my expression at the moment but she followed on my whim and closed her big brown eyes. After making sure that she has closed her eyes, I slowly lowered myself to rest my head on her lap. Laying down on the bench with her lap as my pillow. I closed my eyes and rested my right hand on top of my eyes. Then I felt her hand caressing my hair and then another hand wiped my cheek. I didn’t realize that it was wet because of my tears.

“Something happened to you right Taemin.” She said quietly and continued to caress my hair. I felt comforted by her actions and her quiet voice. All the tensions that I felt and other emotions finally caught up with me. I can still picture it in my head how Jinki hyung was shot. Anything that happened to Jinki hyung always has this effect on me. I look up greatly on him. I can’t imagine Blue Dragon and The Pack without him in the picture.

I stayed silent when Eunmi talked to me. I just snuggled closer to her and circled her slim waist with my arms. I was never one that will simply get close to any woman that I met, but with Eunmi, I always feel comfortable around her.

“Just let me hug you for the moment Eunmi.” I said with a muffled tone. She doesn’t say anything more but continued to caress my hair. We stayed that way for a long time.


***


At the hospital in Jinki’s room

Jihyun was seated at the chair beside Jinki’s bed, holding on to Jinki’s hand. Jonghyun was already asleep on the only couch in the room. For him to finally sleep on the couch is another episode. Jonghyun has asked Jihyun to rest on the couch and let him take care of Jinki but Jihyun won’t have any of it. She had stated adamantly that she will be by Jinki’s side until he wakes up. Jihyun can be very stubborn at times like this and no one can make her change her mind at all. She may not have the skills of combating but she sure does have stubbornness that can’t be shaken.

Jihyun just sat at the chair with Jinki’s hand held between her palms and she brought his hand to her cheek. She freed her right hand to caress Jinki’s pale face. Her hand travelled to Jinki’s bandaged head then she quickly snatched her hand away as if she just touched a hot coal. She bit her lower lip.

“Jinki oppa. Why do you have to end up like this? You really want me to die of a heart attack don’t you?” She said to no one in particular since the other two occupants in the room were unconscious.

“You know that I won’t have it if you’re hurt. And here you are wounded on the head.” She gripped his hand more tightly. “I can’t even say to you not to be involved in these things for this is your life.” She sighed heavily.

Then she lifted up herself and climbed up to Jinki’s bed to lie beside Jinki. She lifted the blanket that covered Jinki and covered herself too. She wrapped her left arm around Jinki’s chest and the other holding on to his hand.

“Oppa, do you still remember how we met each other three years ago?” She said tentatively. “You really are courageous even from that time neh.”

She snuggled closer to Jinki. 

“I have a secret to tell you oppa. I begin to fall for you from that time itself.” She said with a smile on her lips.


***


To be continued...


A/N:
*Mian = Sorry (Informal way)
*Abeoji = Father (Formal)
*Eomeoni = Mother (Formal)
*Samchun = Uncle


Tada... Jinki is going to be okay guys so not to worry neh. For now anyway. Kekeke.. *Evil laugh* Anyway, here’s another appearance of the OC’s. I think every OC have been introduced right. Though Rin was only mentioned but have not made her appearance yet. She will later.  For now enjoy another OC character which is Park Eunmi. What do you think of this character? Personally I like to write that scene of Taemin and Eunmi at the Han River and Onew and Jihyun in the hospital’s room. Hehe. Anyway, tell me about this update what you think about it neh. Hope you guys have a good time reading this update. Not much tension now right.  Thanks for reading and commenting. Annyeong~~