You feel a little lightheaded and you sit on the couch. Kai, concerned, sits down next to you and puts his arm around you.

“You…you’re going to be okay, though, right? You’re not going to leave me again, are you?” you ask sadly and timidly.

“No, I’d never leave you,” Kai says with conviction. You sadly rest your head on his heart and sigh.

“When are you getting your new heart?” you ask, softly, terrified at the thought of your husband in pain or unable to go about his daily life.

“I don’t know yet. Someone who has decided to donate their organs has to die first, plus I’m not at the top of the waiting list. I’m towards the top, but not number one. For now, I have to take it easy. No more dancing…” he looks at the wall, eyes empty of the usual Kim Jongin sparkle. You hug him and hold his head to your chest, gently running your fingers through his dark hair.

“____________, my heart beats for you.”

Kai traces little circles on your leg and you melt a little.

“Your heart isn’t allowed to stop beating again,” you command. “Because that’s not acceptable. You’re gonna stay with me, and we’re gonna get you a new heart and that one’s gonna beat for both of us, okay?”

“Okay,” Kai whispers. “I love you in case you didn’t know.”

“I love you too, Jongin-ah.” Kai lays his head in your lap, and you start watching a movie together. You continue his hair, and he breaths slowly and calmly. You decide to dedicate your life to making sure Kai will be okay for the time being.

--------Three Months Later---------

You spend your days bustling around the house working with household chores and going to school. You’ve also picked up a job at the local makeup store to earn some extra cash. Kai’s parents, of course, send you money monthly as does your own mother, but it’s not enough for everything. You don’t want Kai to have to get a job because he has to be very careful. Your EXO friends try to help out too, and they often come over to help with household maintenance.

Kai has become a little withdrawn, but you understand. The fear and terror you feel must be nothing compared to what he’s going through. You’re very patient with him, and always understand when he needs some space. You’re stressed out about school, always tired from work, and run down from all the household chores. Kai still goes to school and helps as much as he can, but a lot of the time gets tired and can’t help as much as he wants to.

You’ve also gotten closer and closer with Taemin, and are happy to hang out with him and Key when you do have the free time. Taemin has matured a lot, but not so much as to not be the spunky and easily excited kid you first met. You and Taemin take weekly ice cream runs, and you learn a lot about him. He’s also very smart and helps you with homework a lot. You feel so at ease and happy with him, it helps you take your mind off of the new stress of everyday life.

You arrive home after a pleasant ice cream snack with Taemin but an especially stressful day at work. Some rude old lady wouldn’t leave you alone about marrying so early, and it really pissed you off. You’re still really frustrated when Taemin drops you off.

“Bye Taemin-ah! Bye Key-oppa!” you shout as you run up the steps to your apartment.

Kai’s in the kitchen reaching up for a cup when you walk in. He doesn’t turn around.

“How was your day?” you ask casually.

“Same as always,” says Kai sounding annoyed. You’re sort of peeved about that because you ARE working a job and going to school and working around the house for him, after all. You don’t really appreciate his tone of voice. You think about the fun you and Taemin had today, and remember what it was like to have fun times like that with Kai. Your mind is snapped back to reality when a glass shatters on the floor.

“Really, Kai?” you groan, seeing the glass all over the ground. He glares at you with a look you’ve never seen in his eyes before. You don’t even recognize your sweet and caring Jongin in the eyes piercing through you.

“Really, ________? You’re going to get mad at me for accidentally breaking a glass? I’ll clean it up, so just get over it.”

You stare at him, furious that he would talk to you and look at you like that. You’re stressed out, and if it weren’t for Taemin’s help, you’d be failing all your classes.

“I didn’t get mad at you for breaking a glass,” you spit. “But I AM, however, mad at you NOW for snapping at me after I’m sacrificing so much of my time to help YOU.”

“I never asked you to do that,” Kai says in a deadly quiet voice. “I never told you to give up ALL YOUR TIME to help me. I don’t need your help.” His eyes are narrowed and he’s looking at you in a way you never expected him to.

“Someone has to pay the bills, Jongin.” You can feel yourself about to cry. It just hurts so much, Kai being so cruel all of a sudden.

“Okay, but I didn’t MAKE you do anything. Don’t pretend like I forced you to go out and get a job, or go out with Taemin.” He says, voice like poison in your bloodstream.

“G..go out with Taemin?” you sputter, shocked.

“People talk,” he replies simply yet sourly.

“Yeah…apparently not you though. I can’t remember the last time you said something nice to me. And I’m not ‘GOING OUT’ with Taemin, we’re friends.” You glare at Kai, absolutely livid.

“Yeah. I don’t talk because you’re always too busy out with Lee Taemin. You’re rarely home,” he sneers at you. You feel as if your heart is being ripped to shreds. The one person you care about most in the world is stabbing you with words after you’re getting home from a hard day at work because you’re trying to provide for BOTH of you. He’s making unfair accusations and being just…mean.

“I just get ice cream with Taemin sometimes…that’s all.” You don’t know what’s gotten into him,

“Yeah you never want to go anywhere with me,” Kai snarls. All you want is to get the Jongin you know and love back and for him to give you one of those hugs that would make all the trouble in the world fade away.

“You’re supposed to be being careful…” you say tears starting to form in your eyes.

“I’m not a cripple,” Kai growls. “I can walk. I can eat ICE CREAM. Do you even want to be near me anymore?” You take a step back.

“Not when you’re like this…” you say.

“You haven’t acted like you care about me the past three months,” Kai stares straight through you. You take in the full sight of the person in front of you. He looks more like a man, but he doesn’t look well. He looks exhausted and like he’s in pain 24/7.

“You haven’t been the most affectionate person in the world, either,” you snap back, defensively. “I’ve been working. I’ve been busy, and I’ve been working my OFF, in order to help us live and for you to be able to get your heart transplant. Please. Don’t be like this. You haven’t said you love me in three months. What happened to always and forever?” you ask, tears finally spilling over.

“Apparently forever isn’t as long to you as it is to me,” he says bluntly.

“ME? I didn’t even do anything!!!” you yell at him.

“Exactly. You don’t care anymore. You call Key and all of my friends “oppa,” but you’ve never called me that. Sure, go out with Taemin, but last time I checked, I was your husband, and all of my friends were not,” Kai says, voice quiet and filled with contempt.

“Last time you checked?” you yell. “Last time you checked was a very long time ago, so how would you know!? You haven’t cared in a really long time, and don’t act like you’re the saint, because you’ve been even less responsive than I have. I come home from a hard day at work, make one frustrated remark about a broken glass, and you attack me with all kinds of mean accusations! I never yelled at you, I was just frustrated about a glass breaking, and you BLOW UP at me! Maybe the people and the statistics were right. Maybe marriage isn’t for us. Maybe we’re too young. Maybe getting married was a bad idea,” you regret all of your words immediately, but the next three words out of the man who used to make everything better shock you.

“Maybe it was.”