How beautiful is it that someone could make your heart beat so fast when you don’t want it to beat at all.

10^th December 2014

In the long corridoor of Seoul National Hospital, security guards could be seen guarding at the 2 ends leading to the only ward in this level. At the same time, loud arguments could also be heard.

“Where did you find her?” Sunye asked angrily.

“At.. at the carpark.” Yoonhee bit her lower lips and lowered her head at the older lady.

“What was she doing at the carpark?”

“She.. she…” Yoonhee stole a look at Jieun but was being shouted by Sunye.

“Look at me! What was Jieun doing at the carpark??”

“She was eating with Sehun.”

“Eating with Sehun… Hmmm..” Sunye nodded her head and turned to look at the other girl beside her. “Kim Jieun, what were you doing with Sehun? Care to explain?”

“Noon…” Sehun, who had been sitting on the bench attempted to open his mouth but it was being covered by Suho. The older one just shook his head, asking him to remain quiet.

“We.. we were having lunch.” Jieun muttered.

“Tell me whose personal assistant are you?” Sunye took a step nearer to the girl and she lowered her head further.

“K…kai..”

“Then?!” The older lady screamed and Jieun jumped. “What are you doing with Sehun in that open carpark?!”

Grabbing her chin, Sunye forced the girl to look at her. “Were you seducing Sehun?”

“N… no…no.. it’s not like that Unnie…” Jieun stuttered as she shook her head frantically, “I.. never seduce Sehun!”

“I… we… were just…”

“Shut up!” Silencing the girl with a tight slap as Sunye screamed to shut the girl up, everyone watched in silence as the older one gave her another slap on the other side of the cheek. Nobody could react in time as they watched Jieun held her both of her cheeks and sobbed.

“No! Sehun.” Kyungsoo held the younger one down as he hissed. Suho grabbed his shoulder, pressing him down with all his might, stopping him from saving Jieun. It wasn’t hard for them to see that their maknae had fallen in love with Jieun. From his phone’s wallpaper to the way he puts in effort in his dressing everyday, they knew he wanted to impress her. It was till just then that his whole body started shaking when Sunye landed her hands on Jieun then they realize how much Sehun likes Jieun.

“Let me go.” Sehun tried to struggle out but he couldn’t beat two of them. There was no way he was going to sit here and watch Jieun get slapped. He needed to make it clear that Jieun wasn’t seducing him, it was him who was after her. She didn’t deserve this slap at all. He needed to bring her away as fast as he could, who knows if Sunye would slap her another time.

“Sehun, if you go now, Jieun will get it worst!” Suho reasoned. “It will only prove Sunye noona right!”

“You listen properly.” Sehun watched Sunye grabbed Jieun’s chin roughly with pain in his eyes, his fist tightly clenched as he was being held down to the chair firmly. “It’s all because of you that Kai landed up like this.”

“If you hadn’t neglect your job and go on your date with Sehun, this wouldn’t happen.”

“You are liable for every single thing, even his delay for comeback.”

“Don’t you dare let me catch you with Sehun or any other member again, you heard me?”

-

Jieun sat in the ward, listening to the sound of Kai’s IV tubes dripping as she watched his sleeping face. She couldn’t help but to sob softly at the sight of him lying among the white sheets. The way he was furrowing his eyebrows even when he was asleep ached Jieun’s heart; just by thinking how much pain he was in.

Like what Sunye Unnie said, if she hadn’t had lunch with Sehun then maybe, the man before her wouldn’t end up like this now. It was her fault for causing him to be like this now, it was all her fault. She truly deserved the two slaps that was still stinging with pain since just now.

“St….op…. cry…ing.” Before Kai opened his eyes entirely, he could already hear Jieun’s soft sobs that was echoing throughout the empty room. Just like what he had guessed, it was her sitting beside him crying.

“Why.. are you still… crying?”

“I’m… sorry Jongin..” The very first thing that Jieun choked out was the apology that she had planned in her head. However, her guilt did not lessen with that one apology. It still made her chest feel so heavy and suffocated as tears fall from her eyes. “It’s… all my fault… I’m sorry…”

From Jieun’s swollen eyes, it was obvious that she hadn’t stop crying since earlier. A sudden realization then hit him; how beautiful it was to find a heart that revolved around him, without asking him for anything, but to be okay.

Shaking his head slowly, Kai had a smile on his face despite the excruciating pain on his waist. To him, it strangely feels good to have Jieun always showing him that she cares. He wasn’t used to opening up to others. She was opening up to him but he couldn’t really do the same, something held him back.

“It’s my fault.. I should have taken my painkillers.”

“No… it’s mine..” Jieun continued to sob as she inhaled sharply so she could talk properly, “

“It’s mine. Really.”

Shaking her head stubbornly, Jieun wiped off her tears and said. “It’s mine.”

“No, it’s mine.” Kai fought back, not wanting her to cry anymore.

“No… it’s mine…”

“Fine. It’s yours.” Kai watched how the girl before him stopped sobbing suddenly and blinked at him with her teary eyes, he couldn’t help but to let out a small laugh at her shock expression. Her eyes are captivatingly beautiful not because of the colour but because of the words she held within them; the amount of concern she had for him. However, he immediately winced at the sudden pain coming from his lower back as he let out a soft cry. “Ahhh…”

Upon seeing his scrunched up face, Jieun stood up immediately. “I… will go and call the doctor!”

“No…” Holding her hand, Kai stopped her in time. “Is okay Jieun. I’m okay.”

“Okay…” Jieun nodded obediently, sitting on his bed as they fell into silence. With their hands still intact, Kai flinched a little when he felt her soft hands. It didn’t mean that he didn’t like her touch. It was just that there was nobody before her who was as gentle as she was. The way she held his hand, squeezing them to give him support.

When he collapsed earlier, he was so scared that he would never be able to dance again. Unknowingly, he curled his fingers and held onto her hand for support without realizing that his life had started to move forward when all he wanted to do was to hold still.

“Do my parents know about it?”

Nodding her head, Jieun wiped away the last few drops of tears that were coming out from her eyes with her other free hand. “They are on their way here already.”

Just as she finished her sentence, the ward’s door was pulled open and Kai’s parents came in with his sisters. Jieun stood aside immediately, giving space to her aunt who hugged her son tightly as she cried hard.

“Omoni.. please don’t cry…” Kai bit his trembling lower lips when he heard his mother’s cries. It wasn’t helping when he saw how his father was holding his tears and his sisters were frantically wiping their tears.

“I’m okay.. I’m really okay..”

“Stupid boy…” Hyein turned around to hide her swollen eyes after scolding her brother. However, it brought a smile to Kai’s face. He was beyond glad that his second sister was talking to her again. “Can’t you stop.. using so much energy to dance??”

Saein reached out to hug her crying sister as she watched her brother nodded his head obediently.

“Your stupid liar. You always promise that but you never do it!!” Hyein reprimanded him while she sniffed.

“He promised he would Hyein. I’m sure he would do it from now on.” Turning to Jieun, Hyein beckoned the crying girl over. She hadn’t stop sobbing the moment they entered the ward. When Jieun entered her arms, she patted the girl’s head gently as she hugged her 2 crying sisters tightly.

“I’m… sorry. It’s all my fault… I didn’t do my job properly…”

“No Jieun..” Saein hugged her tightly as she shushed the crying girl. “Please don’t blame yourself.”

“It’s my stupid brother’s fault. Not yours.” Even Hyein put her arms around the crying girl as the 3 girls hugged one another and cried, making the rest of the family cry harder than before.

“Stop making Jieun cry.” Kai wiped away his tears, “She had been crying since I fell.”

“Jieun, don’t cry anymore.” Aunt Kim went over and cupped her cheeks, wiping her tears as Jieun nodded.

Patting her head like his own daughter, Uncle Kim comforted her. “Yeah, Jongin is fine now. Don’t cry anymore.”

“I’m fine now. Really.” Kai looked away from the touching scene as he swallowed the lump at the back of his throat. “You all should go back and rest.”

“I.. want to rest.”

“Shall we go for dinner? We haven’t had our dinner yet. Let Jongin nap, he must be tired.” Saein knew her brother wanted some time for himself.

Nodding their heads, the family agreed. Aunt Kim held his son’s hand tightly, “We will be back later. Do you want to eat anything?”

Shaking his head, Kai declined. He had no appetite for anything. His tears were about to fall, he just needed them to leave the ward as soon as possible so he could bawl his eyes out. The last thing he wanted was to cry in front of them and make his family worried, or make Jieun cry again.

“I will stay with him.” Jieun offered immediately.

Before Kai could open his mouth, Saein beat him to it. Looking at her brother, she smiled at him. “Let her stay. I’m sure she will feel better if she stays with you.”

“Okay.” Kai soften at her words right away, and his one word made Jieun stop crying.

“Let’s go.” Saein pushed her family out of the ward, giving them some ample space. She was quite sure that if there was anybody that could have save her brother, it would definitely have to be Jieun.

“We will buy fried chicken for you!” Hyein told her brother with a smile. Whatever unhappiness she had with her brother, it vanished the moment she learnt that he was admitted to the hospital. At the end of the day, she still love Jongin with all her heart irregardless of what he had done.

Shaking his head, Kai rejected her offer to buy him his favourite food.

“Buy us Jjampong instead.”

That night, he saw Jieun smiling for the first time.

And in her smile, he saw something more beautiful than the stars.

Happy New Year everyone!! I'm feeling happy because I ended one of my fic yesterday. I will try to update as much as possible because school is starting on Monday. I'm dreading school seriously.

I can't wait to start writing on my other fics actually.

Enjoy!