That night, Minwoo trembled. Hearing the loud thud from the inside of the café, he rushed from out of the kitchen to find Junmei lying on the cold stoned floor. He knelt down beside her, worryingly, shaking her body with such pressure hoping she would respond to him. He checked her temperature and found out that she was burning up fast.

“Hyung! Hyung! … Junmei hyung!!!” he cried. “Ottoke?” Still he trembled.

Minwoo search for his cell phone, but wait, he left it in Youngmin’s bag and he had already left. They early party left with Donghyun who he wished to call but he can’t forcing Minwoo to think up another plan.

“Junmei hyung… does she have a cell phone?” he asked himself. He looked around Junmei’s body. “Erm… Mianhe hyung…” He dug her pockets hoping to find it. Yes, he did find it and he flipped it open.

Minwoo opened Junmei’s contacts to search for any familiar numbers only to discover… “Hyung… Why don’t you have any of our numbers?” He wanted to giggle about it but this wasn’t the right time to be making jokes. Junmei was at stake! So he kept on searching for a person suitable to call…

Ah… This person should be alright… Minwoo quickly dialled the specific number.

“Hello… Junmei?” said the receiver.

“Mian, this isn’t Junmei,” replied Minwoo. “Please! Can you help me? Junmei is in deep trouble.”

“Wh –what?” the receiver answered in dismay. “W –wait… Who is this?”

“Minwoo imnida.”

“Minwoo ah?!” the receiver, Kanna couldn’t believe it. A member of Boyfriend had called her?

“Yes, Kanna unni. Please come to the café right now! I need your help at once! It’s Junmei!”

“Junmei…? What happened? I’ll be right there…”

X3

[[Chapter 7 – The Heart Speaks As Well]]

X3

On the dark quiet streets, Minwoo was carrying Junmei on his back to her house with Kanna’s help. This was Minwoo’s first time going outside without the Boyfriend members and asking for somebody else’s help. He thought calling Kanna, Junmei’s so called girlfriend or in Minwoo’s other interpretation, best friend since Junmei is a girl can actually lend Minwoo a big helping hand. At least he can trust Junmei’s safety to her after sending her home to her house, which Minwoo doesn’t really know where, it is. Another first time, ‘I’m actually going to Junmei’s house!’ Minwoo cried happily in his own heart.

Kanna steadily leading Minwoo from the front, slowly searching in the darkness and limping since she was bringing both Minwoo’s and Junmei’s bags, searched for Junmei’s house. She had only visited Junmei’s house twice. But she couldn’t remember vividly where it was since on the way to her house, Junmei was leading and she could only blabber on and on… Now she could only regret for not paying attention to Junmei and her surroundings.

“It is this way…”

After a few more miles, they arrived at Junmei’s house. Minwoo couldn’t get any more grateful. Kanna quickly searched for the house keys in Junmei’s bag, took them out and opened the door. They both entered the house with Minwoo still carrying Junmei inside. As soon Kanna could settle the bags somewhere in the living room, she quickly assisted Minwoo carrying Junmei with taking one of her arms and putting it on her shoulder while Minwoo did the same for Junmei’s other arm. She was still passed out.

Minwoo and Kanna brought Junmei to her bedroom. Junmei was placed carefully onto her bed making sure he wasn’t startled.

“Kanna unni, I’ll get a bowl of water and a napkin. Meanwhile, you can try changing his sweaty clothes,” said Minwoo to Kanna.

Kanna’s conscious jumped. “Changed Junmei’s clothes? Minwoo ah, are you sure to let me change his clothes even if he’s a guy?”

Minwoo felt as he was being tested by Kanna, calmly said, “Well, I trust you to do what I say since girls do not take advantage of a helpless guy. But, if it’s vice versa… I don’t think you need to know the rest.”

‘Is he trying to be so smart?’ thought Kanna. “Very well then.” Kanna agreed, and Minwoo quickly went downstairs to do what he said he would. So did Kanna. She took out a new shirt from Junmei’s wardrobe and changed her shirt. She was confused to decide whether Minwoo was conscious of Junmei’s gender that he actually asked her to change Junmei’s clothes because definitely, Minwoo cannot see her body in any consequences.  She had to keep Junmei’s gender a secret.

Soon afterwards, Minwoo knocked the door and Kanna granted him permission to enter after it was safe that Junmei was fully dressed. “Here, he needs to be taken care of.”

Eventhough Kanna dislike the idea; continuously being irritated that she, herself decided but it could benefit everyone, she asked of Minwoo, “Minwoo ah, I think you should take care of Junmei. He needs you more than me right now.”

Minwoo taken aback sat beside Kanna abruptly, putting down the bowl of water with the towel and looked at Kanna’s serious face. “What do you mean? Stop joking. I can’t take of Junmei.”

“Of cause you can. You are both guys!”

Minwoo gulped. ‘Ani! Ani! Aniya!!! Junmei unni is a girl! I’m a guy! We shouldn’t be under one roof!!’ thought Minwoo hiding his agony. “But you’re his girlfriend.”

“Minwoo ah…” Kanna started to talk in a girlish tone. “Please understand… I have school tomorrow. We have a big event very soon and we have to prepare for it. I can’t stay up all night and take care of Junmei and I don’t think his fever is going down any time soon. So, if you can at least help me by taking care of him, I’d be very greatful Minwoo ah…”

Minwoo shivered to Kanna’s pleading voice. He cannot resist a girl’s request like this and Kanna truly looked like any typical girl to him; unlike Junmei. So he nodded and say he would take care of him.

Kanna smiled, her plan was set into action. She wondered how would the Boyfriend members would react after knowing Minwoo and Junmei were brought together under one roof for tonight –Minwoo not returning back and Junmei missing without any report. ‘This is going to be really interesting,’ thought Kanna, leaving Junmei’s house.

Minwoo wetted the towel in the cold water and put it on Junmei’s forehead to cool it down. He sat there on the floor beside Junmei’s bed keeping a close eye on her. He brushed a little of her hair aside to remove any of it from tickling her cheeks. “Junmei unni, please get better soon…” for a while, Minwoo too fell soundly asleep.

The next day… Donghyun went extremely worried when Minwoo didn’t return to the dorm that night threw a fit when he entered the Boyfriend coffee shop early in the morning. He found the café empty. It was quiet with nobody around. He sighed frustrating. He was completely being overwhelmed by so many negative thoughts. “Where is Minwoo!”

“Aigoo yah!” Jeongmin cried when he entered the café which the door was half opened. “Minwoo isn’t here? Why don’t try calling him?”

Hyunseong started speed dialling Minwoo’s number but a faint ringing tone was heard coming directly from one of the twins. They all looked at Youngmin who was carrying a sling bag took out whatever was ringing inside his bag. “Ah! Minwoo’s cell phone…” Hyunseong cancelled the call.

All hope was lost.

Then Donghyun remembered, “What about Junmei?”

“She should be at school right now,” answered Jeongmin optimistically.

“That’s true,” replied Kwangmin.

Then Minwoo’s phone rang again. Startled Youngmin answered the phone, he noticed an unknown number but he was afraid of Donghyun’s short temper by that moment answered it to distract himself. “Hello?”

“Hello, Youngmin ah? Is that you Youngmin?”

“Minwoo?! Minwoo ah! Where in the world are you?” asked Youngmin excitingly after hearing Minwoo on the other end of the line. The other members hurried hurdled around Youngmin and Youngmin had to put it to loud speaker.

“Um… Yea, about that… I…”

“Minwoo goon! Where are you?! You get back right now! You are scaring the hell out of everyone when you disappeared!” said Donghyun.

Minwoo shocked by Donghyun’s voice pulled away his ear from the phone and continued what he had to say.

“Actually, you’re scaring Donghyun out of his mind,” said Hyunseong.

The other members laughed making Minwoo laughed as well. “Mianhe hyung. I got a little problem over here.”

“What problem? You aren’t kidnapped, are you? No one’s keeping you captive because you’re too cute, isn’t it?” asked Jeongmin throwing so many fits over the phone.

“Hyung! I won’t be calling if I’m kidnapped!”

“Minwoo ah… So noisy…” said Junmei under her breath. Yes, Minwoo was calling through the phone which was in Junmei’s room.

“Minwoo goon, who’s that?”

“Aniya,” laughed Minwoo nervously. He wasn’t in a mood to tell the others he was sleeping over at Junmei’s house last night. The members would make a big deal out of it.

“Minwoo! Tell me, where are you?” asked Donghyun seriously. Only the members at the café knew how much Donghyun looked furious about Minwoo. Scary, enough said.

Minwoo, no matter how much he’s worried how the others would react to him staying at a girl’s house, Junmei’s house, he had to do something to help Junmei’s sick condition. “Hyung, I need your help.”

The members noticed the sudden change in Minwoo’s voice stop making nervous assumptions.

“Minwoo, what’s going on?” asked Kwangmin.

“Junmei fell sick. I’m at her house right now,” he mentioned her in a very whispering voice. “So could you get some groceries, so we can feed Junmei? I checked her kitchen, and it doesn’t have much and I think we need to clean up around here.”

“Is Junmei’s house a mess?” asked Youngmin curiously.

“Seems so,” replied Minwoo.

There was an awkward silence.

“We’ll be there, Minwoo. Take care of Junmei while we get prepared,” said Hyunseong. In a flash, he took out his cell phone and dialled the manager’s number. “Manager Jung, where’s Kim Junmei’s house? Can you mail his home address to me?”

Donghyun and the other members could only give surprising reactions towards Hyunseong’s quick responses towards the situation.

X3

X3

Donghyun and the others arrived at the address given by Manager Jung which supposed to be Junmei’s house; the place Minwoo had stayed the night taking care of Junmei.

“Minwoo has been staying here all night here right?” asked Jeongmin. “Oh! I’m so jealous of him... That lucky guy.”

“Jeongmin hyung, you’re not thinking…” Kwangmin interrupted.

Hyunseong knocked his head slightly as a response to his thoughts. “Don’t be silly.”

“B –but! But still, Minwoo and Junmei together in the house!” Jeongmin cried.

“We should trust Minwoo, no matter how awkward it may seem,” said Donghyun.

Donghyun then rang the doorbell. It took a few long minutes until somebody answered the door. From outside, the boys could hear voices.

“Hyu –hyung! Wait! You can’t walk around so much!”

“Sounds like Minwoo,” said Youngmin.

“What does he mean by that?” asked Kwangmin.

“Let me get that hyung!”

The door finally opened seeing tired Minwoo who was so glad to see his hyungs at the front door. “Everyone! You’re finally here! Thank goodness!” he act fainted into Kwangmin’s arms.

Donghyun and Hyunseong poked their noses over Minwoo to see a half spirited person, looked like Junmei trying to walk but actually swaying through the living room. She was trying to get to the kitchen.

“Junmei!” called Donghyun helping himself into Junmei’s house. Hyunseong followed behind with the members slowly making enterence.

Junmei looked behind her, noticed figures approaching her, “Donghyun-shii?” she was about to fall but Donghyun caught her and pulled her into her arms.

“Dammit girl… What are you trying to do?” asked Donghyun.

“Mianhe,” was all Junmei could respond. Her stomach was growling.

“Pabo, you should stay in bed,” said Donghyun. He looked at Hyunseong who looked terribly irritated somehow gave new orders. “Hyunseong, take the groceries and the dongsaes to the kitchen. Work out something to cook and maybe… Do something about the living room.”

It was true. Something must be done about Junmei’s messy house. It looked as if it hasn’t been cleaned in centuries.

With small squinted eyes, Junmei opened to say something, “Don’t… Don’t trouble yourself. Don’t clean up the mess. I can do it sometime soon.”

“Junmei, let us do the work today. You go to bed and get some rest. That’s an order,” said Hyunseong.

Junmei was feeling very tired; feverish still could only obey what he said. So, Donghyun picked her up and carried her bridal style up to her room. All the members just abide.

“Hyung, thanks for coming over here,” said Minwoo to Hyunseong.

“Why didn’t you called earlier?” he asked.

“It was already late, and I fell asleep.”

“Oh…” was all Hyunseong replied.

“Hyunseong hyung?”

“Nevermind…” he said and went to the kitchen to start working on the food. The other members started to pick up objects lying around the living room; tidying the place up. Jeongmin couldn’t help but to assist Hyunseong in the kitchen, or did he?

“Hyung, you’re OK?” asked Jeongmin.

“Did you see the expression on Donghyun’s face?”

“No. Why?”

“Do you think, if Donghyun might have…?” he turned to look at Jeongmin.

“If what Hyunseong?”

A long silence… Hyunseong was afraid to ask if Donghyun really had something going on from the start. If he asked, it would be the same as admitting what he’s feeling was true as well.

“Aigoo! Hyung! Let’s just make something good for Junmei to eat OK? She can’t get better on an empty stomach,” said Jeongmin taking out the ingredients for Junmei’s meal and put them on the kitchen counter.

Hyunseong felt uneasy still, he had to see it with his own eyes.

In Junmei’s room, Donghyun carefully place Junmei on her bed. Tucked her into her blanket and wiped her sweaty forehead with a towel. He noticed how damp the bed was with the towel being so crumpled. ‘So Minwoo has been really taking care of Junmei last night.’ “Junmei, let’s take your temperature, shall we?”

Junmei could only nod and took the thermometer from Donghyun when he lent it to her. After a few seconds, the results showed that Junmei was still slightly feverish.

“It’s not so bad now, is it?”

“Minwoo, stayed up all night, didn’t he?” murmured Junmei between her lips.

“I guess he did. You should thank him later,” said Donghyun putting the thermometer away. He got up with the bowl of last night’s water when suddenly he felt something gripping on his wrist. It was Junmei.

“Donghyun-shii, where are you going?”

‘This girl… is such a kid…” thought Donghyun. “I’m just going to change the water and wash the towel. I’ll be right back.”

“Donghyun-shii, kamsamnida,” said Junmei. Donghyun couldn’t help but stare at the helpless girl who was slowly fading into sleep as she repeated what she said, “Cheomal kamsamnida.”

Donghyun kneeled back down beside her. Putting the bowl and towel aside and learn closer to Junmei. He thought how precious and pure this girl was. He knew now, how important Junmei was to him now. How did Haeun got easily jealous when he mentioned about Junmei. He finally understood everything. Junmei was really something to him. He leaned closer until he could pick up Junmei’s scent, observing her pale soft cheeks, just like her weakly pale pink lips. ‘It hasn’t been touched, has it?’ he thought.

Hyunseong took a peek from the door was utterly shocked by his hyung’s action. ‘Is he going to do that?!’

Donghyun’s own lips was about to meet Junmei’s but then he moved upwards to her forehead and kissed her there. Somehow, Hyunseong was either relieved or still a bit irritated.

“At least, I wanted to do this for you. Please get well soon.”

Hyunseong saw Donghyun got up hurried downstairs. He doesn’t want to get caught by Donghyun for knowing what he did.

Downstairs, he joined the maknaes in the living room which looked cleaner than before. Minwoo went up to Hyunseong bringing a blue paper bag which looked awfully familiar.

“Hyung, take a look at this. It’s Junmei’s Birthday present we gave her last year,” he said showing the package.

“It seemed like she hasn’t opened the gift we gave her,” said Kwangmin.

Hyunseong bit his lip. That particular gift could explain everything they knew about Junmei, almost. About Junmei being a girl and all… Inside, was an evening gown. Yes, very feminine for a girl like Junmei who was unlikely feminine.

“Kwangmin ah!!!” called Jeongmin from the kitchen. The rest heard and everyone reacted to rush to the kitchen. They saw Jeongmin having difficulties with the soup he made.

Kwangmin asked, “Jeongmin hyung, what is it?”

“This soup, doesn’t feel right at all.”

As they look, the rice looked over cooked, the taste by Kwangmin’s test, was salty and the carrots and other vegetables in the soup looked unevenly cut. Jeongmin’s attempt to cook something didn’t turn out as it should be.

“Why didn’t you asked for help earlier hyung?” asked Kwangmin turning off the stove.

“Well, I wanted to impress Junmei with my cooking, that’s all,” said Jeongmin.

“You don’t need to go that far. Junmei could get killed with this kind of food,” said Kwangmin.

“You’re so rude!” cried Jeongmin learning against Minwoo. Minwoo patted Jeongmin’s head.

“Well, what now?” asked Youngmin to his twin. “I guess you have to cook it again?”

“We don’t have much a choice, do we?” replied Kwangmin the master of cooking, among the Boyfriend members.

Hyunseong could only observe all his dongsaes. How each of them tried their best to support Junmei. He thought so too, he would like to do anything, just anything to help her get better. He slowly noticed that they too cared for her but he couldn’t forget how much Donghyun cared for Junmei to the extent he did ‘that’ to her.

Kwangmin being the expert he is, cooked up something simple and edible for Junmei’s liking within a few minutes. Everyone else was amazed by him and could only help with everything else in the kitchen. Setting up the dining table, washing the dishes left in the sink, organizing the kitchen counters until it was almost time for them to eat. Kwangmin and Youngmin served the food on the table and asked for Hyunseong to call Donghyun to bring Junmei down.

Hyunseong with low spirits went to Junmei’s room where Donghyun redundantly wiped Junmei’s forehead with the wet towel. He knocked the door before entering.

“Hyung, let’s eat together. Junmei must be hungry.”

“Alright…” said Donghyun. “Has the living room gotten cleaner?”

“Check for yourself, even the kitchen is cleaned,” said Hyunseong.

Junmei slowly got up from her bed in a sitting position. “Sorry for the trouble.”

Donghyun patted Hyunseong’s shoulder and left them together for some privacy to join the dongsaes. Hyunseong starred at the weak-looking Junmei who was looking blurry right at him as well.

Hyunseong slowly approached her and lent her and hand. Junmei took his hand and got up slowly. She was surprised when Hyunseong suddenly touched her forehead.

“You’re feeling better,” said Hyunseong.

Junmei felt her face getting hotter. If it wasn’t for Hyunseong, she couldn’t feel coldness from his palm. Like electricity, it flowed from Hyunseong’s touched, to her body. “Hyunseong…”

“Hmm…?”

“I wish I can stay like this forever,” said Junmei. This made Hyunseong jumped.

“What are you saying? Stop joking around.”

“If I’m sick, you will be nice to me right?”

That was true. Hyunseong had been nice to her. He even called the manager immediately for Junmei’s house address when Minwoo said his was lost where he got to Junmei’s own house. He never raised his voice to Junmei at all, or even picked a fight with her.

“Like this, you still are taking care of me right? How long has it been, since someone visited my own house? I’m sorry to be in this state. I should have been a better host.”

“Don’t say such things. It can’t be helped.”

“Hyunseong ah…”

“Bwoh?”

“Gomawo…”

“…”

“I like you a lot…”

Hyunseong was startled. Those words – those particular words which he had forgotten since that darkest hour of his life as a member of Boyfriend. That girl; that time; that car; that accident… Everything on that day haunted him!

Junmei who was leaning peacefully on his supporting shoulder said to him, “You’re so warm, just like my father.”

‘Is that what she meant? Pabo Hyunseong. Don’t get worked up about nothing, ever again! Pabo Junmei, why do you have to give us a lot of trouble and worry us? Get well soon…”

Junmei’s lips curved a smile. He was definitely warm… His gentle heart was very comforting. It wasn’t him only, but all of the Boyfriend members who filled her home with life again. Somehow like magic, Boyfriend has finally reached her heart.

To be continued… Ppyong!