Chapter 9

            The Chrome recovery room was somewhat large with pale walls and a spotless, grey tile floor.  Cheap lights hanging from the ceiling gave little illumination to the room.  The near darkness was accompanied by a very peaceful quietness that was interrupted only be Ellin’s slow and steady heart beats playing on the electrocardiogram. 

            Gummi sat next to Ellin’s bed, holding her hand firmly and counting each precious heartbeat with sincere hope.  The last twenty-four hours had been one of the most difficult times of her life.  These medical rooms were becoming far too familiar to her and she was beginning to despise them.

            She felt her heart stumble over itself as she felt Ellin’s fingers begin to twitch in her hand.  Stirring in her bed, Ellin fought the grogginess that had so effectively consumed her.  Her movements were sluggish and difficult to interpret.  Gummi leaned closer to the bed and stared pleadingly at her young friend.

            “Ellin?” she whispered.  “Ellin, Gummi unnie is here.  Ellin?”

            Ellin’s eyes opened with strain and frustration.  “Unnie?  Unnie, where am I?”

            Gummi sighed despairingly and felt tears begin to well up in her eyes.  This was the fifth time Ellin had awoken, and each time her question had not changed.  “Ellin, you’re back at HQ.  You’re safe now.”

            “What happened to me?”

            “You were poisoned with a neurotoxin,” Gummi explained.  “It was rather easy to fight with medicine, but you seem to have some trouble remem-“

            “Are the girls okay?” Ellin asked suddenly, her voice still slow and nearly unintelligible.

            “What?”

            “They were standing right in front of us.  We…We had to push them away, right?”

            Gummi watched Ellin in awe.  “Y-Yes.  Do you remember where we were?”

            “We were at the Seoul Music Awards,” Ellin confirmed.  “I remember walking past the B.A.P oppas…”  Ellin giggled lazily and blinked her eyes.

            “You’re remembering more!” Gummi exclaimed happily.  “Ah!  Ellin, we have to keep you awake!  Here, drink some water.”  She took a cup of water from Ellin’s bedside table and helped her take a few sips.  “They were quite handsome, I agree.  Which one is your favorite, Ellin?”

            “It may be…Himchan.  His smile is very sweet.”

            “That’s wonderful.”  Gummi’s excitement made her forget what Ellin was even talking about.  “Ellin, can you feel your fingers?  Your toes?  Is anything numb?”

            Ellin smiled as she wiggled her fingers weakly.  “Everything is working fine.”

            “Let me take your temperature.”

            Gummi spent a few moments searching through the drawers of a desk in the room.  She had learned enough in her follicle separation college education to earn the title of Chrome Nurse.  Though a few employees were skilled in certain medical procedures, few had the patience and bedside manner that Gummi possessed.

            “But you never answered my question, unnie.”  The thermometer hung loosely from Ellin’s mouth as she spoke.  Her fatigue had nearly disappeared entirely, and she acted rather restless in her bed.  “How are the girls?  Were they okay?”

            “All nine of them are absolutely fine,” Gummi answered, taking the thermometer from Ellin’s mouth and checking the results.  “The shooter was behind us on the scaffolding of the stage.”

            “Did you guys get him?”

            “Soyuli went after him.  He escaped in a van, but she managed to shoot a tracking device.”

            “So, you just haven’t found him yet?”

            Gummi’s stomach turned as she thought of the answer.  “Actually…Kiu found the van and the tracker…But it appears they switched vans.”

            “They?” Ellin interrupted warily.  “Are you saying there were more people involved?  This was an organized attack?”

            “We haven’t been able to identify them at all.”

            “This is ridiculous.”  Ellin struggled to remove the IV needle from her hand as she sat up in her bed. 

            “Ellin!  Stop!  Don’t do that!”

            “Unnie!”  Ellin sighed angrily as Gummi readjusted her IV and pushed the blankets over her arms.  “We’re one member short while an organized unit is out to destroy Soshi!  And you’re here taking care of me.  We can’t put them in danger like this!”

            “Aish, relax,” Gummi instructed.  Ellin yelped loudly as Gummi continued to fix her IV needle.  “Just a few hours ago, you couldn’t remember your own birthday.  You’re still recovering.  We can manage without you for right now.”

            “Ah, unnie.”  Pain and frustration overwhelmed Ellin, and she obediently leaned back down on her bed.  “It’s not only Soshi.  You’re more likely to get hurt when you’re missing manpower.”  Her eyes suddenly filled with dread.  “Where is Soyul?  Did she get hurt going after that guy?”

            “Soyul is fine as well.  Look, Ellin, if you become permanently paralyzed by rushing your recovery, things will be even harder for us.  Just take some time to get better.”

            Only Ellin’s rapid heart rate could be heard as Gummi continued her work.  Ellin stared at her angrily, folding her arms and breathing heavily.  Gummi finally rolled her eyes and put her medical equipment away.

            “It’s 9:30,” Gummi yawned, checking the clock on the wall.  “I have to watch Sooyoung at the Han River.”

            “The Han River?”  Ellin’s stared with wide eyes.  “This late at night?  Does she not understand the danger?  And is it not winter?  She’ll freeze to death before anyone can try to kill her!”

            Gummi laughed quietly and patted Ellin’s flushed cheek.  “She’s going to meet Kyungho.  You know how it is.  This is how they’ve been meeting for the past few months.  She’ll be fine.”

            “Unnie.”  Ellin’s eyes glimmered faintly with tears.  “Unnie…”

            “Ellin, what is it?” Gummi asked gently, pushing Ellin’s hair away from her face.  “Are you okay?”

            “Unnie…Please be careful,” Ellin whispered shakily.  “I don’t want anything to happen to you or the others.”

            “Ellin-”

            “Can I admit something?”  Ellin took Gummi’s hand and squeezed it tightly.  “I’ve always thought Earman Kim was a little crazy.  I never truly believed the prophecy.  Sure, the girls have had crazy fans who posed threats that we’ve had to take care of.  But I never thought we’d be up against neurotoxins among other things.  You have to be careful.  I…I’m a bit scared.”

            Never had Gummi heard Ellin express such fear and concern.  She now appeared more young and fragile than ever before.  In the same way, Soyul and Choa were just as children last night when Gummi wiped the tears from their faces.  A terrible weight fell upon Gummi’s heart as she tenderly pulled her hand away from Ellin.

            “Unnie will be careful,” she promised, backing away towards the door.  “I won’t let anyone else get hurt.”

            Ellin turned away and bowed her head.  As soon as Gummi left the room, she could hear Ellin begin to weep softly.  She stood by the door and wished she could stay with her only a few moments longer.

            “Gummi,” Earman Kim called, entering the hall with his cell phone in his hand.  “How is Ellin?”

            “She’s awake now,” Gummi informed with an unsteady voice.  “Her temperature is fine and the antidote seems to be working.  She needs a little more time to recover.”

            “Of course.”  Uncertainness filled his eyes.  “Listen, Gummi.  I know this is a very hard thing to deal with.  I knew we would face this opposition at some point, but it was impossible to predict our own reaction to it.”

            “It’s been…difficult.”

            “Ellin’s health takes top priority right now,” Kim assured.  “We’ll take good care of her here.  But I’m afraid I still need you to go out tonight.”

            “I understand.”

            “It would make sense for one of the guys to go with you tonight,” he explained, frustration in his expression.  “You’ll be less conspicuous if you have a date.  But with Ellin out, G. Low is going to have to leave right after he escorts Sooyoung to the river.  There are a few other things we have to deal with tonight.”

            “I’ll…I’ll figure out a way to blend in.”

            Earman Kim carefully examined Gummi’s pale, expressionless face.  She was not the same tonight; perhaps she would never be the same on any future night.  The carefree, glamorous life they had lived for the past year had come to a harsh close that mercilessly reminded them of their true purpose. 

With nothing left to say, Earman Kim handed her a small syringe of neurotoxin antidote.  “The team made this to be effective against this specific neurotoxin.  All five of you will carry this with you from now on.  Use it immediately if you are ever shot in the future.”

“Okay,” she replied blankly, slipping the syringe into her pocket. 

She rushed away and grabbed her heaviest coat and a scarf from the wardrobe department.  As soon as she left the building, she pulled her cell phone from her pocket and selected the newest number in her contacts.

“Jaejoong oppa?”  She sighed crossly.  Sunbaenim.  Why didn’t she say Sunbaenim?

“Gummi?”

“…Are you in Seoul?”

*          *          *

            Cold wind blew over the Han River that late Friday night.  With the fresh powder covering the ground from last night’s snowfall, few people ventured out to the river to socialize.  The only people brave enough to endure the cold were lovers who had each other to cling to whenever a terrible breeze blew through the park.  There was only one individual at the edge of the river who had no one to keep her warm.

            Gummi’s eyes peered carefully over the field of snow, observing each and every person.  Her eyes finally rested upon a certain couple making their way to a bench in the middle of the riverside park.  Sooyoung and her Kyungho sat down and cuddled closely together.  G. Low, watching from the street on a dark motorcycle, gave a quick salute to Gummi before speeding away.

            Her attention shifted momentarily to a tall, slender man walking towards her.  His bright blond hair peeked out from his black beanie, and his face could hardly be seen from behind the collar of his dark heavy jacket.  A small satchel swung loosely at his side.  She slowly moved in his direction as she kept her eyes on Sooyoung.  When they finally met, she stared at him silently and tried to return his smile.

            “Thank you,” she started shyly.  “I appreciate you meeting me like this.”

            “This was very sudden and strange, I’ll admit,” he grinned. 

            She felt her cheeks heat up as she began to regret her former gracelessness.  “I’m sorry.  This is certainly out of the blue and out of the ordinary.  And I’m very sorry for failing to address you properly over the phone.  I wasn’t in my right mind.”

            He shook his head quickly.  “Didn’t we agree to be friends at the theater?  Besides, you are doing me quite a favor by asking me to see you tonight.  Do you know how hard it was to function without a beating heart?”

            “I…what?”  She let out a loud laugh and tried to hide her embarrassment.  “Do you practice these lines?”

            “Honestly,” he smiled bashfully.  “I planned to say that ever since I saw you last.  Aren’t you cold, Gummi?”

            She looked down at her attire.  Though her jacket was particularly heavy, she wasn’t wearing anything warm beneath it.  So often she had been out late at night to endure the cold for one of The Nine, she had grown used to the cold.  She tied her scarf a bit tighter and shook her head.

            “I’m fine.  Would you like to walk?”

            They started to make their way along the river.  Gummi looked back often at Sooyoung to assure her safety.  She knew Jaejoong would make her seem less conspicuous in this field of couples.  But she also knew that this wasn’t the only reason she invited him.

            “How have you been?” he asked. 

            “I’ve been well.  It’s been quite cold, don’t you think?”

            “Oh, yes.  It’s been extremely cold.  Too cold to be at the Han River, don’t you think?”

            “Maybe.”  Her eyes shifted to Sooyoung as she thought the very same thing.  If no one attacked Sooyoung, she could certainly develop frostbite.  “I just…I needed to be here.  I hope you don’t mind.”

            “Of course I don’t mind,” he assured kindly.  “You must have an important reason for being here if you are willing to endure these conditions.  But I worried about you.”

            He stopped for a moment and reached into his satchel.  Gummi stared in wonder as he pulled out a small package of freshly baked cookies.  They were the most flawless cookies she had ever seen.

            He pressed his glove against the saran wrap covering the cookies.  “They’re still a little warm.  Here.”

            She hardly noticed as he suddenly took her left hand.  It was so cold and numb that she could not feel the touch of his glove.  He placed her hand onto the package and pressed it gently.

            “Where are your gloves?” he questioned, his soft voice so full of concern.  “Your hand is like a stone.”

            Her gloves were the only things she had forgotten.  The modest warmth of the cookies barely helped her, but Jaejoong’s gentle hold of her hand was beginning to return the feeling in her fingers. 

            “…Thank you.”  She had taken care of the people around her for so long that his concern for her seemed foreign and overwhelming.  “I’ll be fine; don’t worry.”

            He smiled reluctantly at her, put the cookies back into his satchel, and grabbed her left hand tightly.  “Why don’t we find a place to sit down and eat these?”

            Barely able to comprehend his chivalry, Gummi let Jaejoong lead her towards a bench a few meters away from Sooyoung and Kyungho.  After a few moments of walking, his warmth and consideration compelled her to reach over and let him hold both her hands.  She was becoming somewhat addicted to the heat.  He pulled her closer and scowled at the cold wind.

            They sat very close together on the bench, attempting to retain warmth between them.  He took the cookies out of his satchel and unwrapped them carefully.

            “I go to this bakery often,” he explained.  “These are chocolate chip cookies with walnuts.  I think you mentioned they were your favorite back at the theater.”

            His memory was astounding.  She could hardly recall revealing such a detail that night.  “Wow.  That’s very thoughtful of you.” 

            He took her left hand again and held it snugly.  “So, Gummi.  Why in the world are you here at the Han River this late at night in this weather?”

            She gazed over at Sooyoung and wondered if he had noticed her presence.  “I…I needed to be away for a little while.”

            “Is the company working you too hard?” he asked with a smirk.  He looked at her curiously and noticed her lack of response.  “Is that it?  Are they seriously working you too hard?”

            Her attempted laugh was choked by a sudden whimper.  She shivered slightly and looked up into his anxious eyes.  “Oppa, you were the eldest, weren’t you?”

            “What do you mean?”

            “In…In TVXQ,” she stuttered.  “I’m sorry.  I don’t mean to bring up painful memories, but-”

            “It’s fine,” he replied quietly.  “I was the eldest, yes.”

            “Well, did you ever feel like…”  She timidly wiped a tear from her cheek and gave a dispirited grin.  “Didn’t you ever feel a sense of parenthood when around the dongsaengs?”

            “It’s inescapable, I think.”  He smiled and wiped a few more tears from her face.  “Something tells me you feel this same parenthood more than others.”

            Her soft weeping became uncontrollable sobbing.  “It’s so hard to watch, oppa.  Didn’t you ever feel like your members were under too much pressure?  Didn’t you ever think they were too young to endure some things?”

            “Of course.  SM Entertainment is merciless in training and preparation.  Every aspect of a person has to be perfect in that company.  Gummi-ah, is that why you’re so upset?”

            “I just don’t know if they can handle…everything.”  She stared at him helplessly, wishing she could tell him everything on her mind.  “I’m sorry, oppa.  I didn’t mean to be this way.”

            He squeezed her hand securely.  “It’s okay, Gummi-ah.  I don’t want you to feel so powerless.  I’ll always listen to you.  Remember, we’re friends…”  The word seemed to leave a bad taste in his mouth.  His frown grew into a humorous smile.  “Is that what we really are?”

            She grinned shyly.  “How long have I known you?  I’ve spent nearly four hours of my life with you.  Why do you think we’re anything more than friends?”

            “Only four hours?” he asked.  “Really?  Honestly, it feels like I’ve known you far longer.”

            “I…feel the same.  I’ve never known a man as caring as you.”

            “You are the caring one,” he insisted, staring down at the ground bashfully.  “I have an idea.  Certainly you can’t trust a man you’ve only known for four hours of your life.  But, since we’ve both accused each other of being caring, why don’t we agree to take care of each other?  What harm could come out of that?”

            Adoration welled up from deep within Gummi’s heart.  She stared tenderly at this mysterious man who had so quickly become a loving friend.  Nodding her head enthusiastically, she let out a joyful laugh.  “I will agree to that, oppa.  Let us take care of each other.”

            “Good,” he replied merrily, taking a cookie from the package and biting off a large mouthful.  “Dearest Gummi-ah, I promise to take care of you; in sickness and in health.  For richer and for-”

            “Aish!  Why do you do this?”