When Jackson finally came to, it was 5 o'clock in the morning. The sun had yet to rise. Mark and Bam Bam sat stiffly at either side of his hospital bed. Mark on the right and Bam Bam on his left.

Jackson groaned awake. Mark and Bam Bam were relieved to see that Jackson was ok.

Jackson's squinted eyes, crusted with the residue of sleep, landed on the two boys at his side.

"Did I win?"

He sounded like he had a few too many glasses of soju. His half-lidded eyes occasionally drooped closed.

It was the pain killers talking.

"Heck no. You ate my dust" Bam Bam said matter-of-factly. Realizing he was with company, aka Mark, Bam Bam cleared his throat. "I mean, how are you feeling, Jackson?"

Jackson's left arm was in a sling around his neck. He leaned forward, reaching with his right arm towards Mark.

"Mommy?" Jackson's head was bobbing up and down drowsily.

The meds had officially taken over.

Alarmed, Mark leaned away from the bed, avoiding Jackson's arm as best as he could. He looked over at Bam Bam for help, but Bam Bam merely shrugged his shoulders in confusion.

"I think I'm dying, Mom" Jackson continued, slurring his words. His right arm was currently tugging at the collar of Mark's shirt.

Mark looked at Jackson, then at Bam Bam, then back at the hospital room door.

At that moment, he supposed it would be wrong to refuse a "dying" hospital patient, so he sighed and leaned forward, allowing himself to be pulled closer by Jackson.

Jackson's arm coiled around his neck in an awkward embrace.

"Mom...If I die" Jackson, still half-asleep, unconsciously tightened his headlock on Mark. Jackson's bicep pressed against Mark's windpipe.

Mark figured he should say something.

"You're not gonna die" Mark choked out. He was losing oxygen due to Jackson's death grip. For someone about to die, he sure was strong.

"If I die" Jackson continued, "Tell Bam Bam..."

"Yes?" Mark encouraged.

"Tell Bam Bam... he owes me twenty bucks"

With that, Jackson relaxed his hold and slumped back into bed. He was sound asleep and snoring lightly.

Mark sat upright in his seat again and massaged his neck. 

"He told me to tell you--"

Bam Bam glared at Mark. "I know, I heard"

The door opened and a nurse walked inside. "Oh, you boys are still here? Visiting hours are over. Mr. Wang will be alright, he just needs some rest now"

"We were just on our way out" Bam Bam assured her while guiding Mark out the door by the elbow.

"I swear, Jackson doesn't have a serious bone in his body" Bam Bam's smile turned into a thoughtful frown as he examined Mark's face. They were standing outside of the door that closed behind them.

"What?" Mark subconsciously touched his face. Did he have something on his face?

"You're in danger" Bam Bam's words were simple and to the point.

Mark swallowed. His throat was dry. He couldn't get used to Bam Bam's 180 degree changes in personality. 

"Wha-What do you mean?"

Bam Bam darted his eyes down at Mark's pizza delivery uniform.

"Look, Mark-If that's your real name-I don't know who you are or what you did, but you must have done something to upset somebody"

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying someone has a hit on you" Bam Bam grazed his index finger across his own neck in a slicing motion. "Someone's trying to kill you"

"What? That's crazy" Mark scoffed.

"Say what you will, but accidents like that don't just happen" 

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP--

Bam Bam dug into his pocket and checked his phone.

"Aw shoot! I gotta get ready for class" Bam Bam shook Mark's hand. "It was nice knowing you pizza dude." Bam Bam released his grip on Mark to make air quotes with his fingers. "I mean 'Mark'"

Mark could only stand by dumbly as Bam Bam exited the hospital through the sliding glass doors.

After exiting the hospital himself, he couldn't stop thinking about what Bam Bam told him.

He was in danger? But why?

Mark couldn't think of any one who would want to kill him. He was just an idol-trainee dropout turned pizza-boy.

Only people with power and money were assassinated, and Mark had neither. 

It was also likely that he wouldn't even have a job either.

Mark neared the roundabout in front of the hospital and began his trek home on foot.

After the paramedics dragged Jackson away, his only method of transportation was towed away.

In the corner of his eye he could see a black SUV moving slowly next to the sidewalk. It was following him.

Mark could hear his heartbeat in his ears. He quickened his pace. If he could just get himself on the nearest bus, he would be safe for the time being.

The SUV honked.

Mark broke into a run. He didn't get very far before he heard a shout.

"Mark! Slow down!" a familiar voice called out behind him.

Mark looked back and saw the only other 7Pizzas employee waving from the car window.

Approaching the vehicle, Mark breathed a sigh of relief, "Oh Yugyeom, it's just you"