Jong Kook was at home, resting on the coach channel surfing. Nothing seemed to suit his mood. From one show to another, he kept pressing on his remote until a familiar figure caught his attention. He sat up, eyes focused to the screen, watching his love right before his own eyes.

The drama had just started and Eunko, played by Jihyo, was on the bed, part of her clothes was off, thrown aside by the bed. Jong kook frowned and he leaned closer. He knew he should be paying close attention to his girlfriend’s work but he himself was also busy with his album. It was his first time watching her latest drama and he was caught off hand at what is coming next.

The male actor came onto her and forced a kiss while tears slowly leaked down Jihyo’s cheeks. Her lips were shut tight. Jong Kook didn’t notice it but he was clenching onto the remote. Any stronger and he might just break it. But the scene ended there and the man got up and left, noticing how stubborn Eunko was.

Jong Kook leaned back, relieved. He was not ready to see his girlfriend acting in a hot scene but he was more surprised to fall for her acting. He kept on watching and now Eunko was entering a shed to see another man.

“Man, I really need to keep myself up to date with all the actors’ name. Then I’ll know who Jihyo’s still in contact with. Hmph!” He grunted, eyes glued to the television.

Once again tears formed in Eunko’s eyes, no… Jihyo’s eyes. Jong Kook’s faced soften as he realized how hard it must be for her to be pouring out her feelings over and over again. 

“What… What did I do to you hurt you so?” She said.

“It must be a dream...” The male co-star said. “Don’t go. Don’t leave me. I can’t let you go.”

It was always what Jong Kook wanted to say to her. That he can’t let her go, that he wants to be selfish – that he wants her for himself.

“We can’t.” She said simply. “You are not mine alone….”

Without warning, tears formed in Jong Kook’s eyes and they too slowly slipped out of his eyelids, down his face. When he felt the wetness against the warmth of his face, he quickly wiped them away and he closed his eyes then rubbed them with his hands.

“Are you really crying watching a drama? You’re more sensitive than….” Gap Jin entered the living room teasing him but stopped almost immediately. “Hyung, you’re not crying because of that drama, are you?”

Jong Kook sat up straight and kept his eyes on the show, concentrating hard while trying to avoid more tears and also his manager’s question.

Gap Jin walked away, not wanting to be involved in any emotional mess when his phone beeped. He looked at it and cursed. Jong Kook looked up at him, his face annoyed at Gap Jin for using such words when he was feeling his lowest. He was about to nag at him but Gap Jin made his announcement first.

“Hyung…. Don’t panic. But Jihyo…”

Jong Kook looked seriously at Gap Jin. What was wrong with him? No. What is wrong with Jihyo? Could it be that she has finally picked a wedding date for herself and Changjoo? That would finally break him, he thought. He braced himself for the news.

“Jihyo…”

“Spill it out already! Jihyo WHAT?” Jong Kook shouted at him.

Gap Jin was even more scared to tell him the news now. On top of that, he also felt guilty. He had accused her, framed her and sent her out of her house. The past few weeks he saw nothing but sincerity coming out of Jihyo. She was focused on her work, making Changjoo happy and making her parents happy. He even saw how tired she was when she passed him at times at the running man sets. He knew that part of it was because he had forced her to leave Jong Kook. Jong Kook made to stand in front of Gap Jin, demanding to know what news will drop upon him.

“Jihyo’s in the hospital. She collapsed at her set today. Changjoo… Changjoo just told me.” He had finally said it.

Jong Kook who was prepared to be angry at the news Gap Jin was about to tell him suddenly froze. He face had nothing but worry on it.

“W… What? What did you say?” He could not believe it.

“Hyung. It’s my fault!” Gap Jin fell to his knees in front of Jong Kook, rubbing his hands together, hoping, and begging for forgiveness. “I said bad things to her. I accused her of being similar to her ugly roles. I told her to keep away from you. Forgive me hyung! Please let her be ok.”

Jong Kook grew speechless by the minute. He could not accept what Gap Jin did. If he knew about what he had done on another occasion, Jong Kook would have landed a punch to his face. But at that moment, all he wanted to know was Jihyo’s condition.

“Hyung….” Gap Jin said once more. “What should I do?”

“Don’t ask me what you should be doing. And don’t apologize to me. It’s Jihyo’s apology that will make you be at peace with yourself.” Jong Kook grabbed his phone and dialed the person whom he trusted most.

“Owh… Jong Kook ah. What’s up?”

“Hyung. Have you heard? Jihyo collapsed at her drama set. She’s in the hospital now. I need to see her now.”

“WHAT? SHE’S IN THE HOSPITAL? IS SHE OK? Jong Kook ah. Don’t do anything rash. The media will be all over this. You might attract unwanted press.”

“But I need to be with her. Help me, please.”

There was a pause. It stretched for a while as Jaesuk thinks of his next move.

“Please…” Said Jong Kook once more.

“All right. I’ll meet you at the hospital lobby in 20 minutes.”

Gap Jin stood up as Jong Kook made to leave. His face was resolute. He was going to be by Jong Kook’s side. They drove quietly to the hospital, Jong Kook worrying over and over again about Jihyo. He kept checking the news feed for update even though he himself knew it was useless as Changjoo would have prevented the reporters to come near her. He would have done exactly that too.

“Why did you do it?” Jong Kook asked as his mind wandered back to when he wasn’t able to see Jihyo. “Stop Jihyo from seeing me?”

“I couldn’t stand seeing her being in between two guys. One of it my hyung, the other, my own friend… She should have picked one and let go of the other. But… I should have let her choose, given time for her to break the news on her own. But I forced it on her to leave you, since I thought you have your fans to explain. It’ll hurt your career. I wasn’t thinking of her at all.” Gap Jin said it all slowly and as if he did regret it all.

“She’ll forgive you, you know that right?” Jong Kook sighed heavily. If only he knew earlier the cause of all his agony, he could have prevented all of this.

Gap Jin nodded, eyes set on the road. That fact itself made him even guiltier. Jong Kook closed his eyes and rested his head back on the headrest. He could hear himself praying to himself. Please let her be all right. Please let her be all right. And he kept chanting till he reached the hospital.

Upon reaching the hospital, he saw Jaesuk and caught up to him. They saw a couple of reporters but slipped passed them easily. Now Jong Kook was dreading to approach the ward. He can’t bear to see the state of his loved one. Changjoo who was on his cell dropped the phone call and approached the trio that walked towards him. He too was shaking out of disbelief.

“Let me see her, please.” Jong Kook looked into Changjoo’s eyes, making his meaning clear.

For clarification, Changjoo looked at Gap Jin, then to Jaesuk. Gap Jin hesitated for a moment. He still felt sorry for his friend, for going to break the news to him that way. He held one of Changjoo’s shoulder with his hand and looked at him.

“Just let hyung see her, please. I owe it to him.” Changjoo’s mouth opened slightly at his confusion but he opened the door to let Jong Kook in.

“She’s still unconscious. And Hyung… Don’t touch anything.” Nobody knew when the atmosphere got heated up but it did. Changjoo seemed to finally realize that Jong Kook had feelings for Jihyo and he was just marking his territory. Jaesuk being the most mature out of the people there held on ChangJoo’s hand and shook his head and looked down. All of them understood. Jihyo wouldn’t want this. So Changjoo stepped back and looked into the window of the room as the door closed.

Jong Kook closed the door softly behind him and when he finally saw what was in front of him, he could not stand it. His never knew that his knees could grow weak and he just started sobbing, kneeling by the bed. Jihyo had a huge machine stuck around her, to help her breathe. Her lips were cracked and pale white, and her chest kept rising up as if the oxygen was not enough and it hurt to breathe. Her eyes were slightly open but only whites could be seen. He couldn’t touch her for fear that he would knock into any of the machine.

So he said a silent prayer. Still kneeling, he prayed. He prayed hard for her to be awake, to feel better, to be away from pain. No one knows how long he was in that position but Jaesuk entered quietly. Not wanting to startle him. So he softly placed his hand on Jong Kook’s shoulder.

“I need to go. So that means you too. I know you want to stay longer but there’s nothing we can do about it now, except hope for the best. But Changjoo said that the report is coming soon.”

“Then can we leave after hearing the report?” He looked up at his hyung with hopes.

“Of course we can.” And he too joined Jong kook at staying by Ji hyo’s side.

Meanwhile outside, Changjoo was still looking at Jong Kook. “You knew about this?”

Gap Jin who had not expect anything less braced for the blow. “Of course. I tried to be by your side. I did. I even told Jihyo to stay away. But chingu ah… It’s Jong Kook. That’s her choice.”

“Her choice?” Changjoo’s voice went up one octave higher. “HER CHOICE?!” And out of anger he rammed Gap Jin to the wall.  

Jong Kook and Jaesuk went outside to see what had caused the loud noise. Several doctors and nurses also came to the scene. Jong Kook pulled both of them out to emergency staircase. Changjoo was livid while Gap Jin was shocked beyond words. Jong Kook and Jaesuk were unsure of the situation but each of them were standing by each man, preventing them from causing injuries to the other.

“You know what? I should have warned her against you instead. You never cared for her once. Her schedule is too packed. If you loved her, you would not have done that.” Gap Jin hissed at his friend.

“It was a mistake! She understood it.” Chang Joo retorted.

“You could have changed it! You could have discussed with the producers. What use are you as a manager? Don’t even bother calling yourself her boyfriend!”

Changjoo smiled. “I still win. Jihyo is mine. All mine.”

And he left the three of them at the staircase as he headed to Jihyo’s ward once more.