A/N - hey everyone! This is a bit of a transition chapter while I sort out computer issues and try to recover my hard drive. Sorry for the lack of fluency and overall crappiness of it. *bows deeply* I promise the next few chapters will be much better. Thank you for sticking with me throughout all of this! As always, comments are much appreciated, but feel free to do whatever you're most comfortable with. <3

<3 mei

“JiYoung ssi, wake up, your ride is here.”

I rolled over in my hospital bed to face the nurse in the doorway.

“My ride?”

“Yes hun, your ride. You’re being discharged now and your ride is here. We just need you to fill out some paperwork and you’ll be set.”

I sat up and rubbed my eyes. The 72 hours of perceived hell turned out not as bad as I thought. I fiddled with my necklace in search of my new pendent…yup, it was still there. I hastily changed and gathered my belongings and headed to the foyer and filled out my discharge paperwork, expecting either Haruna or Jinhae to be waiting for me.

“JiYoungie! JiYoungie it’s me! I’m here to pick you up!”

I whirled around and instead of Haruna or Jinhae stood Min, full of energy and eager to leave. I just stood and stared.

“Well isn’t this place full of surprises.”

“What was that?”

“Oh, nothing.”

“Well if it’s nothing, let’s get going! I’m faking sick to get out of a schedule to get you, ya know.”

I rolled my eyes and followed after the idol, questions bubbling in my head. We got into her car and started driving, my mind racing as fast as the car trying to figure out how and where to start.

“Min…how did you know I was here?”

Without missing a beat Min responded.

“Oh JiYong told me. He was supposed to come but couldn’t make it at the last minute, so he called me. He also told me to tell you to take care of yourself and that if he has to visit you in a hospital again, he’ll go crazy and end up next to you.”

My heart flip flopped at her statement. JiYong was going to come for me. Even the feminist in me couldn’t help but fall for the idea of being rescued from that place by him.

“So you played hookie just to pick me up?”

“Mhmm.”

“You didn’t have to do that, I could have called - ”

“I knew you were going to say that. Look JiYoung. He wanted to help. I wanted to help. You’re not a charity case by accepting someone else’s help. So just leave it, mmmaky?”

I sighed and nodded. If there was one thing I had learned through my talks with Min, it was that she drove a hard bargain. Had I been in better form, I would have argued right back, but in my current state of health I decided to let it slide as I curled into a ball and fell asleep for the remainder of the ride.

“Wakey wakey sleepyhead. You're home.”

I slowly blinked open my eyes to find myself outside my apartment building. Min was standing outside the door with my bag in hand, the other outstretched for mine.

“C’mon, are you just going to sit there and admire it or do you want to go inside?”

I shook my head, trying to regain some sense and to make sense of the entire morning, grabbing her hand and jumping out the door. We ascended the few flights to my flat where I was handed my keys from Min (she was holding my purse) and opened the door. Inside was a bouquet of flowers, a basket of fruit, and a teddy bear.

“Looks like someone is popular.”

Min smirked and leaned against the doorframe. I motioned for her to come inside, and she did, following me into the kitchen as I went to make two cups of tea.

“Not gonna look at your gifts?”

I shook my head.

“They can wait. I’d rather spend time with you anyway.”

Min smiled and gave my hand a tense squeeze. I turned and set the kettle and grabbed two mugs, moving about in silence until Min’s voice broke out in a hoarse whisper.

“What was it like there?”

I whirled around to face Min who was idly drawing circles on the kitchen table.

“How…how do you mean?”

Min sighed and leaned back in her chair.

“The hospital.”

“…which one?”

Min shrugged.

“Both I guess.”

I sat down with the two cups of peppermint tea, trying to gather my thoughts (and see where Min was coming from too, because I had a pretty good idea of her slant).