Pain

❋

---

My conversation with Minho is going so well that I didn't realize I haven't touched my meal since it was placed in front of me. I find out that Minho and I share the same taste in music and we each went abroad to study for a year. He tells me stories of how he studied in China for six months and Japan for another six months in order to pick up new languages. I share with him my experience in living in the US when I was in high school because my parents wanted me to study english faster. 

"By the time I came back to Korea," I start, "my parents had already enrolled me in a cram school."

"Haha! It's so weird because my parents did the same thing!"

"What's your cram school?"

"High Class Academy."

"Are you kidding? That was my academy, too!"

"No kidding! Whoa!"

"Isn't it strange? Such a small world."

"It's not strange at all. Maybe it's destiny?"

Destiny? I don't know if it's destiny but it surely is a huge coincidence. After he said that word, I notice that he hasn't taken his eyes off of me since we sat down. I wasn't paying attention to it at first but now I realize he always keeps eye contact with me. Now I'm trying to avoid his eyes and sipping my water while facing the side.

"Hey, did I say something wrong, Junmyeon-sshi?" he asks.

I gulp my water and clear my throat.

"Ahem--no. Nothing's wrong."

"Was it something I said?"

"No no no," I reply while waving my hands.

"Do you not believe in destiny, Junmyeon-sshi?"

"It's not that I don't believe in it... but maybe it's more of... a coincidence?"

"But what happens when there is more than one coincidence? How are you sure the universe isn't telling you something?"

"That's the thing... I don't know what the universe is telling me."

"Maybe it's telling you that there are people meant to be in your life."

I pause for a moment. What he said makes me think that everything that has happened--Sehun telling me about the job offer, working under Yifan and becoming his lover--has led me to where I am. Is the universe telling me that I'm destined for Yifan? I ponder on this for a while...

"Junmyeon-sshi, does your phone have a crack?"

I snap back to reality and ask Minho-sshi to repeat what he had just said.

"Your phone has a crack on it," he says.

"Oh~ Yeah... I dropped it accidentally."

"Your phone is an iPhone 5s right?"

"Yes. Why do you ask?"

"Hold on. Can you wait here?"

"Uhhh... sure."

Minho steps out for a while leaving me alone with my bowl of bibimbap which I haven't even finished. I use the time to check my phone and see if there are any new hot topics on naver that I'd like to see. I scroll through different topics and click on one about 'PRODUCE 101'. I wonder what it is. I read that it's a survival show for 101 girl trainees-- one-hundred and one?! What are they thinking? I can't even imagine a group with more than 10 members! While I'm reading the article, Minho sits down again on his seat with something in his hand.

"What's that?" I ask him.

"Here you go," he reaches his hand out to show me a cellphone case.

"Eh?" I take it from him and look at it.

I thought maybe he's asking for my opinion on the case which looks to be made of aluminum alloy. It's black in color with straight smooth edges surrounding it forming an intricate shape that. It would fit my 5s perfectly.

"This looks awesome. Okay, you can have it back."

"No no, it's not mine, It's yours."

"What?! No, I can't take this..." 

I try to give it back to him but he refuses to take it.

"I don't need it anymore. I already switched my phone for a new model so I don't need the case. You can have it. The case is waterproof and shockproof."

"Still... I can't take it. I didn't buy it with my own money."

"Okay then. How about you buy it from me?"

"That sounds fair. How much?"

He leans back on his chair, shakes his head and haves his index finger as he clicks his tongue. 

"I don't think this case is worth monetary value," he explains.

"Okay... what is it worth?"

"It's worth one date."

"...excuse me?"

He props his forearms on the table, supporting his shoulders and leans forward. He makes eye contact and smiles.

"I want to get to know you better, Junmyeon-sshi. I'd want you to accompany me on a date in exchange for the case."

"Uhm... I don't..."

"If you reject my offer, then I guess you'll have to pay for the case. It's one-million won."

"What?!?! ONE MILLION?!? The case is not that expensive!!"

"But that's my price. Either that or a date with me. Which do you choose, Junmyeon-sshi?"

Did he just threaten me with an ultimatum? I can't afford a million won case. That's crazy talk! Hmm... I guess one date isn't that bad, right? And technically, I'm not doing any harm. I'll just go on this one date with him and it's all over. Yeah. I don't need to continue to date him after that. It's just one in exchange for the case.

"Fine. I'll go on a date. ONE date."

I argue with myself wondering if I had made the right decision. It's only a phone case. Why did I have to bargain with a date? Ugh. I always put myself in situations I can't get out of. Why, Kim Junmyeon, why?!

"Are you free tomorrow?"

"Uhm..."

I remember Yifan mentioning he wants to see me tomorrow but he didn't say what time. Maybe it's the evening? I'll just assume it's the evening.

"I'm free in the morning. But I'll need to leave after lunch. I hope you don't mind."

"I don't mind at all! All I need is you tomorrow."

, how are you able to be this corny, Minho-sshi? That line just makes me cringe. 

"I have to go..." I say nervously while I stand up and ready my things.

"So soon?"

"I-I just remembered... uh..." I make up an excuse, "I have a presentation I need to finish! Yeah!"

"I see. Then, I'll call you tomorrow."

"Okay..."

He stands up like he is about to walk me out of the restaurant. I beat him to eat and leave money on the table for my share of the food and sprint out the restaurant door like I've committed a serious crime. Which I believe I did. I think I made a deal with the devil.........

❋

I'm inside my apartment. I don't know from when did I invite Sehun and Tao inside my room but they're seated beside me and asking so many questions that my head is about to burst. Tao is munching on a bag of chips on my right and Sehun on my left is popping one question after another and counting each one with his fingers.

"What's his name? How old is he? Does he have money? Why were you eating with him? Is he important? Does he like you?"

"SEHUN-AH!!!"

I startle Sehun making him fall back on the bed with his hand on his chest. Aren't you overreacting a little, hm? But maybe he's not doing that because of me but for someone else. The moment his back falls, Tao drops his bag of chips (making a mess on my floor, I might add) and rushes to the bedside to check on him.

"Sehun, what happened? Were you surprised?" 

"Ung~~" Sehun replies with aegyo¹.

Tao starts to pat Sehun's head and holding his hand saying things like 'Don't worry I'm here' 'It won't hurt anymore'. I want to throw up. Why are they doing this in my room. I want to kick them out but I'm too tired to even force them. As soon as Sehun sits up and Tao sits next to him on his left side and continues to hold his hand, Sehun starts asking questions again.

"Hyung, tell me who the guy is please?"

"..." I sigh, "Fine. I'll tell you. I won't tell you twice so listen."

I explain to him that I met Minho at the hotel we stayed at in Jeju. I returned his ID case to him and he paid me back by picking me up from the airport and eating a meal with me. I also tell him about my date tomorrow.

"A DATE?! REALLY?"

"WELLY?" Tao exclaims with his slight accent.

I nod in reply. The two get giddy and excited and ask me if I'm interested. I shrug my shoulders. They're disappointed.

"He sounds like a total catch! And he looks really handsome when we stalked you earlier."

I turn to throw a look at them that reads 'you were stalking me?!' on it. 

"What Tao meant to say was--we were innocent bystanders observing our environment and managed to witness a handsome man in the pressence of another, even more handsome man. Hehehehe"

"You're saved this time, Oh Sehun... ak--" The headache is back. "I think you guys need to go. This headache is not going away."

"Okay, we'll leave. Take care, hyung. C'mon, Tao-yah~"

The two disgustingly adorable couple walk out my apartment hand-in-hand and hear my door close and lock. I let my body fall on the bed and shut my eyes. I feel as if there are nails drilling and hammering on my temples. I also feel a cold shiver rush down my spine. Am I catching a cold?

❋

I wake up to my body weighing almost 100 kilograms and my head on the receiving end of multiple nails being screwed into it. I've never felt this much pain in all my life. I'm breaking in a cold sweat even underneath a warm woven blanket. I try to sit up with as much energy as I can gather and wrap myself in my blanket before standing up. I take a step and hear crackling noises below my feet. I look down and see the crumbs of chips that Tao had left behind. Groaning, I continue walking to the window to close it. The air outside is sharp and piercing on my skin. 

"C'mon c'mon c'mon close..."

After my struggle, the window finally shuts and my room temperature... is the same. I let out another groan and my throat is dry. As I walk over to my mini-fridge, my phone rings. I want to drink first but...

"Ello..."

"Suho-yah~"

"Yifan..."

"Your voice is hoarse. Are you sick?"

"Urrnn..." 

"HOW CAN YOU LET YOURSELF GET SICK? WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT TO YOURSELF?!"

My ears nearly bleed out from the sceaming that I had to keep my phone at arm's length... and I can still hear Yifan. 

"ARE YOU AT HOME? I AM COMING OVER THERE NOW!!!"

Before I can even reply, he's already hung up the phone. After all the screaming, my headache returns and I whine over the pain. It's digging deeper and deeper into my skull that I can't take it. I lie down on my bed and hug the pillow close to my head. I fall deeper and deeper into a sleep that I pray helps get rid of my headache. 

❋

My ears twitch to the sound of faint knocking. One knock and I hear my name. Two more knocks and I hear my name again. The knocks grow louder and louder and I can hear a familiar voice.

"Kim Junmyeon, are you there? Suho-yah, open the door!"

The doorknob shakes and the banging continues. I get up and my body feels like jelly. I take a few steps and I catch myself by propping my hands on the door wall. I turn the door knob and my body just falls forward. Someone catches me but I don't know who it is. My eyes are heavy and surroundings blurry. I hear multiple voices talking over me.

"Junmyeon, wake up! WAKE UP!"

"I don't think Hyung's waking up... he's burning!!"

"Should I call 1-1-9²?"

"I'm taking him to the hospital. Help me get him to my car."

That is the last thing I hear before I completely black out.

❋

Beeping, creaking wheels, muffled voices... unfamiliar sounds and an unfamiliar atmosphere. I slowly open my eyes but the fluorescent light stings my vision for a moment. I bravely open my eyes more and attempt to clear my vision. I see a couple of faces emerge above me and their voices echo in my head.

"Hyung! Hyung, it's me Sehunnie~" "Neighbor, how are you?"

They may be one of the most annoying neighbors ever but I'm happy to see them when I wake up. I grumble and struggle to speak and I taste a pair of fingers on my lips. I peer left and Wu Yifan appears before me seated and holding my hand. 

"You shouldn't talk. Not until the doctor comes back..." his voice is soft yet attentive. 

I nod to him and he smiles, compelling me to return the same smile. His hand grips mine tighter and I do my best to hold his hand but my hand is too numb for me to tell if I am gripping his hand or not. I hear the curtain spring open and a woman in a long white coat walks towards us. Yifan lets go of my hand instantly, emptiness swiftly returning.

"Kim Junmyeon-sshi?"

I want to speak but Yifan interrupts.

"Yes, that's his name," he responds.

"Ah... are you a part of his family?"

"Do neighbors count?" Sehun asks with such innocence.

"Haha, humourous. First off, I'm Kang Moyeon, the resident doctor that received you upon arrival. We examined you and diagnosed you have Aseptic Meningitis due to your symptoms."

"Will he be alright?" Yifan's voice expressing his uneasiness

"I just want to know if he recently came from outside and maybe exposed himself to many people?"

"He's my executive assistant. He meets more people than I do everyday."

"I see. There is a high risk of Aseptic Meningitis when in contact with many people and not taking enough vitamins to boost the immune system."

"What should he do?"

"We advise bed rest for at least a week. Plenty of fluids and fever medication. He'll be fine. But if symptoms still persist after a few days, please come back to the hospital."

"Thank you."

The doctor leaves and the 3 men surround me, suffocating me. I show my discomfort and Yifan tells the two teenagers to back off for a while. 

"Hey, kids, why don't you get your Hyung something to eat," Yifan orders them.

"But we don't have money" "And we're not kids!"

Yifan takes out his wallet and gives it to them.

"Here, take whatever's in it and buy us all food to eat. I'll stay here."

"Whoa is that an LV wallet?" "Whoa... I want one..."

"What are you kids doing? Go!"

The two boys dash out like happy school boys. I watch as Yifan stands to close the curtain for privacy. He sits back down and holds my hand and places it on his cheek. A couple of kisses and he gives me that 'you got me worried' look.

"I'm fine, Yifan..."

"Stop. It's my fault... I should have stayed with you..." 

"Don't blame yourself."

"I should have never abandoned you yesterday."

"Jinah is your wife... you have no choice."

"I do have a choice. I married her out of protecting my image and an obligation but... I can't keep pretending."

"What are you saying?"

Yifan adjusts his chair to come closer to the head of the bed and he curves to reach me.

"I'll file for a divorce. I promise."

My eyes widen out of sheer shock. 

"Yifan, you--"

"I know what I'm doing. I don't love her. I thought I did... maybe I was in the beginning but... that's not who I am. I don't want to keep secrets, Suho-yah."

He leans in and our lips touch and brush against each other. I feel the hairs on my skin jump and electricity travel from my lips down to the tip of my toes. But he shouldn't kiss me! He may contract what I have. I put my hand on his chest and push him to stop.

"You might get sick, too," I warn him.

"I don't care."

His one hand slides to the back of my head and his other hand caresses my cheek. He leans and our lips piece together perfectly. I'm unable to raise my head and so Yifan adjusts to me. He his head to the side to deepend the kiss. I could stay like this forever but all good things must end some time. I hear Yifan's cellphone ring and he releases me. Before he takes out his phone he pecks my nose and smiles. He takes the call and answers.

"Hello? Huh? I didn't read your message. I'm out. Is it an emergency? Okay... I'll meet you there."

He looks at his phone momentarily and although I can't see what's on his phone's screen, I know it's his wife because the caller ID picture is of a red devil. He set it up like that on purpose.

"What did she want?"

"Ah... Oh it's nothing. She just says she wants to meet me later. The usual."

He sits back down and holds my hand again. He reaches for my head and brushes the hair strands away from my sweaty forehead. We just stare at each other with no words to share. We enjoy the peace and quiet until my phone also rings. It vibrates on the table almost making it fall over the edge. Yifan catches it and checks my phone.

"Choi Minho? Who's Choi Minho?"

Oh my god! That's right!

"He's sent you text messages and has missed called you... eight times?!"

"Yifan--"

"Who is this?"

"He's just a guy I met in Jeju."

"Just a guy? Why is he calling you if you just met him?"

"I returned his ID case and wanted to return the favor..."

I see Yifan boiling in anger and ready to burst until my phone starts ringing again. He slides the icon and answers the phone.

"Yifan, don't!"

"Hello, who the f-ck are you?"

I can't hear what Minho is saying on the other line. I can only make out a few words but--

".........I'm Choi Minho........who are you?"

"I'm Kim Junmyeon's lover, that's who."

"Lover?.....................is he?"

"Where he is is none of your business."

".......speak to him........"

"You're not allowed to speak to him. EVER! F-ck off!"

He presses the red button and tosses my phone onto the bedside table. With arms crossed, he sits back down with eyebrows slanted and lips frowning. 

"I never knew you were the type to flirt with other men."

"What? I didn't flirt--"

"You're not allowed to speak to that Choi Minho again."

"...Who I speak to is my business. He's my friend."

"You said you just met him!"

"Yeah. And we became instant friends. You can't control my social life, Yifan."

He abruptly rises from his seat and angrily storms out. A few seconds after, Sehun and Tao reappear with plastic bags on hand.

"Where is Rich Gege³ going?" asks Tao.

I grumble and cover my face with my hands. This is not what I wanted to happen. We were so happy just a few minutes ago and now Yifan's jealousy is getting the better of him. He thinks he can just control what I do and who I meet. This isn't what a man in love should do. That's what a control freak would do! I ignore everything that Tao and Sehun say at this point. I just want to sleep... and forget everything that had just happened.

❋

Epilogue:

❋

To be continued...

.n.e.x.t.

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Author's Notes

1. Aegyo - cute act.

2. 119 is Korea's emergency number. 

3. Gege - Chinese word for big brother

hello there~! hehe. Aren't you glad there's another update and I'm not actually making you wait for months for another one? hahahaha!Okay bad joke. OTL. Did you all see the comment of Suho about a group having more than 10 members? It's a joke relating to EXO being 12 and then becoming 9.... get it? Cuz it's not more than 10 members now! [long pause] /sigh/ I still miss those 3... BUT ANYWAYS!

The reappearance of Sehun and Tao. I missed those two <3 I hope you liked their little comeback. 

Were you surprised with the pregnancy announcement? Yifan didn't read the message because the entire time he was focused on Suho. That's why over the phone, he didn't know what Jinah was going to say. As soon as he left at the end, that's the time he read the message. So the "EPILOGUE" is you reading the message as Yifan. 

Will the divorce happen? What is Yifan's next move? How will he explain it to Junmyeon? :O

SO MUCH IS GOING TO HAPPEN. AND WHAT ABOUT CHOI MINHO? OoOoOOoOooOhhhhh~~~~~hehe.

I spent quite some time writing this. It's 5:23AM now and I have to be awake in 2 hours. HAHAHAHAHA. #Priorities

Comment~ Subscribe~ Please give my fic a lot of love and share it with the world. If you guys comment, it may motivate me to write another chapter again soon! <3 Until the next chapter. SEE YOU!