Worry is clear in the woman's eyes as her fingers hurriedly comb through her smooth brown hair. Pumps clack loudly against the hospital linoleum floor and soon enough, the only nurse occupying the front desk is facing a frantic, but still impeccable young woman. The lawyer's cheeks and nose are a bright red from the snowy weather, but otherwise, she looks like she walked straight out of a Nordstrom catalog.

"Patient Kim Jongdae." she demands.

The nurse doesn't even have to look at her records. Jongdae is the only child patient the local hospital received today.

"Room 102, down to your right and go straight."

A hastily 'thanks' echoes through the nearly empty hallways as the young woman breaks out in a half-jog, half-walk down to the room. Her eyes glimpse at the windows, where the first light of the sun has just barely broken through the night sky. The silver watch on her wrist says 4:24 AM and she suddenly aches for her warm bed.

The door creaks open before she can get to it and the family attorney almost bounds into the young man stepping out of the room. It takes a of luck and Joonmyeon's fast reflexes to stop Chorong from falling over from the sheer power she was walking with. Joonmyeon internally thanks his friends for dragging him out to soccer practice to keep his reactions sharp as he grabs the woman.

"Good morning," Chorong coughs as she awkwardly steps out of the other's grip, "where's Jongdae and his brothers? Are they alright?"

The expression of amusement on his face quickly shifts, a sigh spilling from his lips.

"Jongin...had an episode. He was erm...delirious? I don't know how to explain it. He just lost it and he attacked-"

Chorong's eyes grow wide and she grips the man's covered forearm harshly. Joonmyeon winces as he feels the untreated scratches rubbing against the coarse material of his jacket.

"What do you mean attacked, Mr. Kim?" the lawyer whispers, "what do you-Let me see the kids."

She pushes past the other and into the room, where an unconcious Jongin is settled in the sofa and Jongdae is asleep on the bed, whimpering painfully, as the eldest pats his hair in comfort. Jongdae's arms are bandaged, but faint outlines of blood is visible and there is a brutal bruise forming on his right eye. Chorong's hand clenches around the door knob and her other hand lets go of Joonmyeon weakly. When Minseok looks up, his eyes flash with something akin to relief and the woman immediately snaps out of her trance to wrap her arms around the teen.

"Chorong, I'm fine," he murmurs as she pulls away slightly to thoroughly look him over, "really. I'm okay."

A furrow appears between her eyebrows and a pale hand ghosts over the severe discoloring on his cheekbone. Chorong's eyes clench shut as Minseok lets out a low groan of pain. She slowly moves to focus her glare on the guardian of them all and Joonmyeon nearly cringes at the utter disappointment in her dark orbs. It reminds him of the way that his father looked at him when he quit law school.

"How could you let this happen?" she nearly growls at him, "they were with you for one day, Mr. Kim. How can I trust you to take care of them if you can't ev-"

"Wait, wait, wait, you're saying that this is all my fault? How could I have prevented Jongin from going psycho?" Joonmyeon retorts at the venom in the other's voice.

"He's a traumatized young boy. How could you have left him-or any of them-alone?"

"You don't even know what's going on with us. You don't know us at all. You're a stranger, counselor. How dare you preach to me about raising my own nephews? You know nothing about us."

By this point, both of them are seething with rage, facing each other, and Minseok's mouth opens then closes as he debates jumping in. The lawyer huffs before biting her tongue at the insults that fill her mind. She goes forward, dangerously close to the taller male, and narrows her eyes at him.

"You're the stranger here, Kim Joonmyeon," she hisses with hate in her eyes, "while you were gone, ignoring your duties to your brother-to your family, I was here to watch the boys grow up. I saw them take their first steps and say their first words. You're the one that knows nothing about what's going on, so don't go acting like you're the righteous uncle."

Chorong pushes past him with force and steps toward the door. Right as the knob turns, she halts.

"Do you even know when Minseok's birthday is?" is all that is whispered before she disappears outside.

For a moment, everything is still and Jongin's soft snoring is the only sound. The eldest child leans against the wall and takes a deep breath.

"March," he says quietly, "my birthday's in March, uncle."

Joonmyeon gapes at him, and then buries his face in his hands, slumping against the shut door.

~~~

The hospital is still quite empty as Chorong takes a seat on the bench in the hallway. She doesn't look up as a steaming cup of coffee is in front of her.

"It's black. I didn't know what you'd like." Joonmyeon mutters.

His companion lets out a small 'thank you' and he takes the seat next to her as she sips the coffee. Both of them let out a sigh.

"I met Joonhyuk during my last year of highschool. Right before my college decisions," Chorong starts softly, "he was the new attorney at the firm I was interning in and the rookie that everyone loved. I admired him so much. He was my role model."

Joonmyeon swirls some of the scalding hot coffee in his mouth before swallowing, not saying anything. It was a silent agreement.

"Right after graduation, Joonhyuk took me under his wing. He taught me everything I would ever need to be where I am right now. Your brother let me be his friend and family. You know, I was one of his bridegroom maids?" she hums, "ah...right. You weren't there. But yeah, we were close. I watched him fall in love, get married, have children. I was there when Minseok first cried and when Jongdae first smiled. My name was Jongin's first word. Your brother gave me an invaluable friendship...and a family to cherish."

"Did you..."

Joonmyeon hesitates.

"Did you love him?"

Chorong smiles at her coffee bitterly.

"Yes. So much," she says almost inaudibly, "I loved him too much and it wasn't something I expected him to reciprocate. He never knew."

Suddenly, all the guilt breaks through and the man facing her feels more horrible than he already did. The two words that have been lingering on his tongue are blurted out and Chorong just looks at him.

"What are you sorry for?" she asks with genuine curiosity, "is it for the argument? Or is it because you pity me?"

"The argument. You aren't someone I have the right to pity," Joonmyeon chuckles, "I can't pity someone that is better than me at everything."

Chorong looks shocked for a moment, and then she smiles gently.

"You're not in this alone, you know. You called me today because you were panicked and you can do that anytime you need to. These kids are my family and I'll do anything to help you raise them. I promise."

With a tentative grin, Joonmyeon stretches out his hand.

"Team?"

Chorong takes his hand, nodding.

"Team."