La Coincidence~ Chapter 19
Title: La Coincidence
Pairings: Changmin/fc with hints of yunjae and yoosu
Rating: G
Genre: Drama, Real life, General
Length: Chapters
Summary: It all started with a coincidence. One accident, one helping hand, one small step. And soon it leads to so much more. . .
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~CHAPTER 19~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Eu kyang kyang, see Min Ri ah, it’s not so bad picking up groceries with oppa is it?” Junsu laughs.
She laughs good-naturedly, “Ahh of course not!”
“Even though I lost to that rock-paper-scissors contest and I had to” Junsu pouts, looking down and hanging his head.
“Oh but this is fun! I like this! I get to talk to you and listen to you laugh and joke lightheartedly” Min Ri persists.
Junsu grins from ear to ear but then goes “Ahh, if that bag of groceries and stuff is too heavy, let me carry it!”
“No, no Junsu oppa! You’re already carrying three bags of stuff! I only have one! YOU should give some things to ME!”
“Noooo a man has to bear his burden…especially one lost to the art of rock-paper-scissors” Junsu lunges for the bag Min Ri was holding.
They bicker back and forth until they’re almost back at the apartment.
“Ah, I see our home there not too far away!” Junsu squints at the buildings.
“Our home hmmm…” she murmurs, filled with a warm feeling but quickly shakes it off, reminding herself it never was her home and never will be.
“I think the lights and doors of the balcony are on…probably Yoochun pulling a Titanic to get some inspiration for a song…either that or Jaejoong probably burned Yunho’s tongue and Yunho’s airing it out” Junsu laughs at his own joke.
They continue making small talk as they walk down the block.
It was dusk now and as the two walked down the street loaded with bags they suddenly hear a feminine voice say “Oppaaa~”
Junsu and Min Ri turn around and their blood runs cold. A handful of angry girls stand by, staring at them, mostly shooting daggers at Min Ri.
The girl at the front speaks again.
“Junsu oppa…we’ve been wanting to get your autograph but notice you’re talking and laughing with this girl! She doesn’t look like family…who is she?!?”
Min Ri stands shocked while Junsu fumbles with words. For once, he was unready with an answer.
“Oh, well…she’s…I bumped into her on the street!”
“Really?” the fans give them a look. “Why were you walking with her for so long and carrying the bags?”
“That-that’s because…” Junsu starts to lose it and starts rambling, “s-shebumpedintomeandIsawshewascarryingsomuch,andsothenIofferedtohelpsince~”
“I don’t like it” The girl turns to Min Ri and Min Ri notes her cheeks are red, from the cold and anger. “For shame you…you don't make a person like Junsu carry such a heavy load! Carry your own load yourself and leave oppa alone! AFTER HER!”
“RUN!” Junsu yells, grabbing her free wrist and pulling her along as they both take to their heels.
They both run as fast as they can, the group hotly pursing them. What’s worse, the heavy bags weighted both of them down so they quickly got tired.
Junsu turns to Min Ri and says, “You run ahead to the apartment, I’ll distract them!”
“What?! How?!?” Min Ri exclaims.
“T-trust me! Come on, GO!” Junsu yells and with one last “YA!” as he lightly kicks her to get moving, he screeches to a halt and turns around.
Taking a deep breath, he holds up a hand to the thundering group and says, “Wait girls, stop! STOP!”
As they get closer he gulps and stands his ground. ‘Do you all want autographs thaaaat much?” he says in his cutest voice.
The girls all halt and crowd around him cooing, “Really Junsu oppa?!? Thank you! Ahhh me first me first!”
Junsu starts frantically signing autographs, not hearing the one girl who was still riled up.
“Hey come on girls what happened to-come ON ah FINE I’ll go myself!” and takes off again after the still-running Min Ri in the distance.
Min Ri is trying to keep calm and praying for Junsu to be safe when she hears the girl’s patter of feet behind her. Panicked, she loses sight of the apartment as she ducks through a few alleys and then spurts to the park, already on her last adrenaline rush.
Once she reaches the park she doesn’t hear the patter of feet anymore but just to be safe, plunges into the thick dense pine trees and bushes and runs until she’s deep in the park. She hides for a while behind some bushes, waiting to hear any sounds and then crawls out and tries to find a path this way she could go back to the apartment.
Problem is, in this section of the park there are no paths around and now in the nighttime visibility was nil.
MinRi scans the park looking for the way she got in but every direction seemed to stretch on forever to her. She groans and sinks on her knees, holding her head.
“Omo what did I do?!? From one dilemma into another. Ohh way to go.”
Suddenly her eyes light up, “Oh wait! I have my cell…phone…” but just as quickly, the hope fades away as she remembers she never once asked for any of their phone numbers.
“I…I should just continue walking in one general direction then…” she mutters to herself, but as she gets up, her legs shudder and weaken so she falls back with a thump!
All the running made her feet numb and now they were cramping up.
“Geez maybe I should first…sit down a bit. My God so cold…” she quivers as she sits under a tree and hugs the bag to her chest. She wiggles her toes and feels the soreness in her feet and notes her breath turning into puffs of little clouds in the air.
It’s cold. Even with all the clothes on.
She shivers and closes her eyes, trying to relax before getting up and walking again. A lethargy spreads over her body as she becomes increasingly drowsy. And instead of getting up and walking to warm up, she sits there in the cold, getting sleepier and sleepier.
Meanwhile, Junsu finished autographing all sorts of things for the girls- from photos to clothing-and much to their protests and exclamations, bows low and picks up his bags and takes off again to their apartment.
Breathless, he opens the door and drops all the bags in the front hall before yelling, “I’m back, I’m back, is Min Ri ok too?”
“Min Ri? What are you talking about?” Jaejoong says, coming to the door.
“Wasn’t she supposed to be with you?” Yunho says, also approaching.
“What’s wrong? Why are you so out of breath?” Jaejoong says in concern as he swipes the back of his hand across Junsu’s forehead in one streak.
“No time to explain” Junsu says as a look of surprise and dread comes over his face, a feeling of alarm also spreading inside him.
“That means she’s still out there…” he says softly.
“What?!?” Yunho and Jaejoong yell as Yoochun and Changmin in the living room, jump.
“What’s wrong with hyungs?” Yoochun asks Changmin as he takes his eyes off the show they were watching to look at him.
Changmin shrugs.
“You mean to tell me she’s still out there…somewhere?!?” Yunho exclaims furiously.
Junsu groans.
“Could you please tell us what’s going on so we know?!?” Jaejoong asks Junsu.
“No time, we must find her! Fan-girls.”
Jaejoong and Yunho exchange glances, understanding Junsu’s statement at once.
“Ok Junsu yah, you stay here and get some rest. You ran all the way here so you MUST rest. Jaejoong and I will go put on a coat and find her.”
“No no no no on, I have to go as well!” and Junsu picks up all the bags and runs to the dining table, almost tripping over his feet in haste, and drops them with a BANG making Yoochun and Changmin jump.
The two in the living room watch Junsu’s frantic procession as he runs from the dining room to the doorway again. Exchanging inquisitive glances, they ask him, “Hey Xiah, what-”
“Not right now!” Junsu apologizes frantically as he runs back to the door out of breath.
“We have to find Min Ri!” Jaejoong yells, jamming his jacket on.
“She’s missing! You two stay here in case she comes back, ok?!?” Yunho orders.The three of them run out the door as Yoochun and Changmin again exchange startled glances.
“Ok, so where do you think she was?” Jaejoong yells to Junsu as a strong wind greeted them as soon as they set foot out of the building.
“I told her to run back here and by the rate she was running she could have beaten me by a lot!” Junsu squints his eyes and shakes his head. “Maybe she got lost and went back to the super market or went in that general direction?”
“I guess we’d better retrace your steps!” Yunho says as he pulls his collar up higher. “But let’s split up directions this way we get more covered. Come on!” And the three set out.
-For the two still at home~
Time passes.
Min Ri still hasn’t returned, nor have the hyungs called.
The two get restless and wander from room to room, helpless and useless.
“What if she’s really, really lost?” Yoochun wonders. “And it’s not like she knows her way around…”
“Especially since she admitted she can’t read Korean that well” Changmin muses.
The two let out a sigh simultaneously.
Yoochun collapses on the couch and starts banging his head on the arm, chanting to himself, “Ideeeaaas…ideeeas…come to Yoochun now…come on…”
Changmin walks towards the window of the living room, looking out at the lighted city below.
'Where would I be if I were alone and lost?' he thinks.
His gaze travels over the skyline, way off in the back skyscrapers mold into mountains, and brings his vision back into the city.
His eyes fall on the park and he sighs. Then his face lights up.
'Maybe?? That is where it all happened first' he reasons.
“Hey hyung!”
Yoochun runs over to him.
“What? What?”
Wordlessly Changmin nods towards the park and Yoochun gets his hint.
“You think the guys checked the park yet?” Yoochun says as his eyes scan it.
“Don’t know. But still it’s worth a shot, no?” Changmin says.
They both squint at the depressingly dim park, scrutinizing the treetops and bushes.
Most trees were bare but a few pine trees and evergreens scattered across the expanse of the park. Naturally there weren’t any people in the park, for who wants to walk at this time in such cold?
Changmin’s eyes dart to a small blur of white near a tree. He squints and a shiver runs through him as he realizes the blur was most likely a figure and that figure most likely Min Ri.
The blur was no bigger than his finger but he was sure that must be Min Ri. Nudging Yoochun, he goes, “There, that white dot, that blur over there, you see it?”
“Yeah, yes I do…you don’t think?” Yoochun gets excited.
“It could be”
“Ah! Wait then! I’ll go throw on a coat-” Yoochun’s already at the front door, has the door open and yanks his arms through his coat sleeves as his last yell to Changmin is “Stay put!!!”
“But…I saw her first…” Changmin says helplessly, but obediently stays, eyes glued on that figure.
On his trip down in the elevator Yoochun flips on his cell and calls the others.
“I think I know where she is! Try the park! She’s in the section with no paths. You know that big boulder that we once ate on? Near there!”
“Arraseo, we’re coming!” Yunho, Jaejoong, Junsu all answer as they hang up and turn around and quickly run back to the park.
Yoochun hunts around, trying to find his way by memory. Even he who was familiar with the park for years was having a hard time.
'Aishh this section always throws me off…it’s all trees…I just hope we get there in time' Yoochun thinks.
“Yoochun ah!” he hears a voice not too far off call.
“Yeah?? ....HERE!” Yoochun yells as Junsu suddenly appears, running to him at lightning speed.
“My God I just got off the phone with you, did you FLY over here? You poor baby you must be driven sick” Yoochun exclaims to the out-of-breath Junsu as he rubs his back.
Junsu ignores the concern.
“Find her yet?” he manages to get out.
“No not yet, let’s go to that boulder.”
“Ok...and the others should be here any sec now...we’ve passed the huge-ass boulder, now where?”
“She was under a pine tree, ermmm” Yoochun bites his lip.
“There, I see her!” Junsu points to darkness and runs over, Yoochun following, muttering to himself “I can’t see man, where?!? They should add more lampposts to this place!”
“She doesn’t look so good!” Junsu exclaims as he wrings his hands. “Her eyes are closed.”
Yoochun kneels down and pries the bag from her arms.
“Yoochun ah, Junsu ah, anyone hear us??” Jaejoong and Yunho’s voices pierce the air.
“Ah I hear them!” Junsu says to Yoochun who was still busy trying to get the bag from Min Ri.
“Over here! Look!” Junsu waves his hands frantically. The other two run over and kneel, panting.
“It took us forever to remember exactly where that rock was. This park is too damn huge!” Yunho says.
“This is bad…her face is cold to the touch…let’s go we’ve got to go guys~” Jaejoong says seriously.
“Ok, move!” Yunho picks up Min Ri with one swoop. She shudders, trying to hug her bag to her, only Yoochun was now holding it.
“Come on we’ve got to get back home!” Yunho says as they break into a jog towards their apartment.
'You’ll be alright you’ll be alright…' Yunho kept chanting to himself.
They finally reach the apartment, board the elevator, and then rush to their room number, seeing Changmin already waiting anxiously at the door.
“I’ve prepared more blankets and got a water pad ‘n everything…but should we really set her on the couch?” he asks
Yunho, without a word kicks off his shoes and runs to the bedroom where he puts her on his bed.
Now that there was actually some light, Min Ri’s pale face and blue lips were evident.
Changmin runs to the living room and runs back in with the blankets and water bag as Jaejoong takes off Min Ri’s coat and Yunho’s and Min Ri’s shoes. Changmin wordlessly takes the coats to the closet as Jaejoong and Yunho fuss about his bed. Junsu quietly sits on his bed in the corner, tears silently sliding down his face as Yoochun sits next to him.
“All my fault” Junsu admits softly.
“Shh it’s ok…come on…who’s that? who's that crying?” Yoochun says, trying to tease Junsu.
Junsu manages to crack a small smile.
“Ahh you two, thank you! It’s pretty late so wash up and relax. Go eat something. The food’s on the kitchen counter top, ok?” Jaejoong says over his shoulder to Yoosu as he fumbles with the blankets.
Yoochun and Junsu nod miserably and shuffle out of the room to get ready. Changmin comes back into the room and hops on his bed, directly across from Yunho’s.
Already changed, washed, and full, he sits pretzel style, holding onto his pillow tightly as he watches every move his two hyungs make, leaning over Min Ri.
“I think it’s best not to warm her up too quickly, hm?” Yunho asks Jaejoong.
“Yes, for now let’s just keep the water pad at her feet. Later take off the extra blanket if it gets too hot. You think we should dig out that humidifier we have? The air in this place has been kinda dry for the past few days,” Jaejoong says.
“Yeah that’s a good idea” Yunho goes to the closet behind his bed and starts digging.
"Has this ever happen to your sisters? It…it has for me…”
“Many times with my sisters…I remember you telling me about that time with Ji-Hye and how you were scared to death. I understand how you’re feeling…” Jaejoong says.
Yunho sighs, coming back to Jaejoong’s side holding the humidifier.
They hear a stomach growl.
Jaejoong laughs and lightly pushes Yunho to the door, saying “Silly you’re starving! Go eat! I’ll take it from here, it’s ok. We’ve done all that we could anyways. ”
“You sure?” Yunho asks. Jaejoong gives him a reassuring look as Yunho goes to eat since he hadn’t eaten since the morning.
Jaejoong busies himself with the humidifier and then lightly brushes the hair from Min Ri’s face and warms her face with his hands.
“Come on little one, wake up please. We’re all worried about you…”
Yoochun and Junsu both burst in, all fresh and clean in sweats and shirts. They clamber onto Changmin’s bed and watch Jaejoong sit next to Min Ri.
“…you guys aren’t going to eat?” Jaejoong asks the two.
They shake their heads. Junsu particularly lost his appetite.
He whimpers as Yoochun, Changmin, and Jaejoong console him, telling him it was alright, crazy things like this happen sometimes.
Jaejong goes to quickly get something. Yoochun and Changmin sit on the bed as Junsu walks over and looks down at Min Ri sadly.
“I’m sorry…I should’ve done a better job of myself”
“But Su, how exactly did all this happen?” Yoomin ask him.
Junsu recites the whole incidence.
“In my opinion, I think you did your best. I would’ve done the same thing in that situation since it was the best option.”
“And it’s not like you were free to wholeheartedly help her either” Changmin pipes up. “You were holding three bags of food so it’s a miracle you even brought everything back. Plus the girls weren’t chasing after her but mostly you. So you had to protect yourself as well as her.”
“By the way, did the girls show any suspicion, like did they threaten to bring this out into the public?” Yoochun’s furrowed brows said everything.
“No…they were so engrossed in autographs and photos they all forgot about the girl…”
“I think this has been a good lesson for all of us” Yoochun concludes solemnly. “We still have to be careful; we have a lot of avid fans out there and even if one of us is with her we still can’t fully protect her.”
A silence fills the space.
“But then…but then I wonder how she must feel about all this” Changmin says, closing his eyes.
“I mean, ever since she’s come here she’s made the point of being completely out of the way. You see how everyday she cleans the rooms, does everything. I’m sure she feels guilty burdening us and every time something happens to her it’s much more painful to her than for us. So being more protective around her, I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” Changmin finishes hesitantly.
“…so you suggest she goes out in the cold and whatnot alone?” Yoochun bluntly states. “Don’t forget, didn’t she say she can’t read Korean?”
“But that doesn’t mean she’s not trying” Changmin retaliates.
“It’s true- everyday I see her reading and studying hangul” Junsu points out.
“But alright then, say it has improved…then what? That’s not going to protect her in a situation like this. I still say we should be around her whenever we can; it’s not like it’s affecting our schedule or status or anything. She’s like our sister so shouldn’t we take care of her?” Yoochun
“But that’s what I’m saying. The reason she’s studying hard. The reason she tries to be invisible. The reason why we still haven’t completely opened up to one another. She’s trying to distance herself. She’s burdened with the fact that we’re covering up for her, possibly putting our jobs on the line.” Changmin
“So it all once again comes down to the fact that we’re well-known artists, right?” Yoochun exclaims dryly. He shakes his head. “This is why sometimes I wish we were regular human beings…”
Junsu pats him on the back reassuringly.
“We chose this path…" Changmin states firmly,"and it was through it that we met her…”
Yunho comes in after resting and gets ready to sleep.
“Guys, it’s late…we’d all better get some sleep and see where the day takes us tomorrow” he says.
The others nod and scramble off Changmin’s bed onto their own.
“Yunho hyung…later could we get Ri’s number this way we have it for future…situations?” Junsu asks as he wriggles in his covers.
“Yes Xiah, after she wakes up…”
“Where’ll you sleep hyung?”
“Right now Changmin, that’s the least of our problems…I’ll sleep on the couch, on the floor if need be, but right now you guys all go to sleep.”
Yunho sits next to Min Ri, watching her. He props his chin on his hand and sighs in thought.
“You’re not sleeping?" Yunho hears a soft voice behind him as Jaejoong returns into the room.
“I will…”
“…you’ll wake me up later on right?” Jaejoong asks.
Yunho smiles. Jaejoong always knows him so well. “First shift…”
“Arasseo. Wake me up as son as you feel the first signs of sleepiness…”Jaejoong turns off all the lights in the room and bounces onto his bed.
The door to the hallway was open and the hallway light was on, shedding some light into the darkened room.
Yunho outlines the shadows of Min Ri’s face with his eyes and the silhouettes of the other sleeping members. He sighs and rests his chin on the side of the bed as his hand lightly holds Min Ri’s.
He thinks of the day’s situation.
“Dammit…”
Time passes. Yunho’s body gets stiff, sore from sitting in the same position so long.
He finally gives in and crawls onto the junction of his and Jaejoong’s bed and lays down in between the two.
Jaejoong continues sleeping, undisturbed.
Yunho turns so he’s eye level with Min Ri.
'Ok…I’ll close my eyes for a MOMENT just to rest. Only…for…a moment…”
He sinks into a deep sleep.
Min Ri shifts in her sleep as she sees visions in her dream.
Pairings: Changmin/fc with hints of yunjae and yoosu
Rating: G
Genre: Drama, Real life, General
Length: Chapters
Summary: It all started with a coincidence. One accident, one helping hand, one small step. And soon it leads to so much more. . .
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~CHAPTER 19~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Eu kyang kyang, see Min Ri ah, it’s not so bad picking up groceries with oppa is it?” Junsu laughs.
She laughs good-naturedly, “Ahh of course not!”
“Even though I lost to that rock-paper-scissors contest and I had to” Junsu pouts, looking down and hanging his head.
“Oh but this is fun! I like this! I get to talk to you and listen to you laugh and joke lightheartedly” Min Ri persists.
Junsu grins from ear to ear but then goes “Ahh, if that bag of groceries and stuff is too heavy, let me carry it!”
“No, no Junsu oppa! You’re already carrying three bags of stuff! I only have one! YOU should give some things to ME!”
“Noooo a man has to bear his burden…especially one lost to the art of rock-paper-scissors” Junsu lunges for the bag Min Ri was holding.
They bicker back and forth until they’re almost back at the apartment.
“Ah, I see our home there not too far away!” Junsu squints at the buildings.
“Our home hmmm…” she murmurs, filled with a warm feeling but quickly shakes it off, reminding herself it never was her home and never will be.
“I think the lights and doors of the balcony are on…probably Yoochun pulling a Titanic to get some inspiration for a song…either that or Jaejoong probably burned Yunho’s tongue and Yunho’s airing it out” Junsu laughs at his own joke.
They continue making small talk as they walk down the block.
It was dusk now and as the two walked down the street loaded with bags they suddenly hear a feminine voice say “Oppaaa~”
Junsu and Min Ri turn around and their blood runs cold. A handful of angry girls stand by, staring at them, mostly shooting daggers at Min Ri.
The girl at the front speaks again.
“Junsu oppa…we’ve been wanting to get your autograph but notice you’re talking and laughing with this girl! She doesn’t look like family…who is she?!?”
Min Ri stands shocked while Junsu fumbles with words. For once, he was unready with an answer.
“Oh, well…she’s…I bumped into her on the street!”
“Really?” the fans give them a look. “Why were you walking with her for so long and carrying the bags?”
“That-that’s because…” Junsu starts to lose it and starts rambling, “s-shebumpedintomeandIsawshewascarryingsomuch,andsothenIofferedtohelpsince~”
“I don’t like it” The girl turns to Min Ri and Min Ri notes her cheeks are red, from the cold and anger. “For shame you…you don't make a person like Junsu carry such a heavy load! Carry your own load yourself and leave oppa alone! AFTER HER!”
“RUN!” Junsu yells, grabbing her free wrist and pulling her along as they both take to their heels.
They both run as fast as they can, the group hotly pursing them. What’s worse, the heavy bags weighted both of them down so they quickly got tired.
Junsu turns to Min Ri and says, “You run ahead to the apartment, I’ll distract them!”
“What?! How?!?” Min Ri exclaims.
“T-trust me! Come on, GO!” Junsu yells and with one last “YA!” as he lightly kicks her to get moving, he screeches to a halt and turns around.
Taking a deep breath, he holds up a hand to the thundering group and says, “Wait girls, stop! STOP!”
As they get closer he gulps and stands his ground. ‘Do you all want autographs thaaaat much?” he says in his cutest voice.
The girls all halt and crowd around him cooing, “Really Junsu oppa?!? Thank you! Ahhh me first me first!”
Junsu starts frantically signing autographs, not hearing the one girl who was still riled up.
“Hey come on girls what happened to-come ON ah FINE I’ll go myself!” and takes off again after the still-running Min Ri in the distance.
Min Ri is trying to keep calm and praying for Junsu to be safe when she hears the girl’s patter of feet behind her. Panicked, she loses sight of the apartment as she ducks through a few alleys and then spurts to the park, already on her last adrenaline rush.
Once she reaches the park she doesn’t hear the patter of feet anymore but just to be safe, plunges into the thick dense pine trees and bushes and runs until she’s deep in the park. She hides for a while behind some bushes, waiting to hear any sounds and then crawls out and tries to find a path this way she could go back to the apartment.
Problem is, in this section of the park there are no paths around and now in the nighttime visibility was nil.
MinRi scans the park looking for the way she got in but every direction seemed to stretch on forever to her. She groans and sinks on her knees, holding her head.
“Omo what did I do?!? From one dilemma into another. Ohh way to go.”
Suddenly her eyes light up, “Oh wait! I have my cell…phone…” but just as quickly, the hope fades away as she remembers she never once asked for any of their phone numbers.
“I…I should just continue walking in one general direction then…” she mutters to herself, but as she gets up, her legs shudder and weaken so she falls back with a thump!
All the running made her feet numb and now they were cramping up.
“Geez maybe I should first…sit down a bit. My God so cold…” she quivers as she sits under a tree and hugs the bag to her chest. She wiggles her toes and feels the soreness in her feet and notes her breath turning into puffs of little clouds in the air.
It’s cold. Even with all the clothes on.
She shivers and closes her eyes, trying to relax before getting up and walking again. A lethargy spreads over her body as she becomes increasingly drowsy. And instead of getting up and walking to warm up, she sits there in the cold, getting sleepier and sleepier.
Meanwhile, Junsu finished autographing all sorts of things for the girls- from photos to clothing-and much to their protests and exclamations, bows low and picks up his bags and takes off again to their apartment.
Breathless, he opens the door and drops all the bags in the front hall before yelling, “I’m back, I’m back, is Min Ri ok too?”
“Min Ri? What are you talking about?” Jaejoong says, coming to the door.
“Wasn’t she supposed to be with you?” Yunho says, also approaching.
“What’s wrong? Why are you so out of breath?” Jaejoong says in concern as he swipes the back of his hand across Junsu’s forehead in one streak.
“No time to explain” Junsu says as a look of surprise and dread comes over his face, a feeling of alarm also spreading inside him.
“That means she’s still out there…” he says softly.
“What?!?” Yunho and Jaejoong yell as Yoochun and Changmin in the living room, jump.
“What’s wrong with hyungs?” Yoochun asks Changmin as he takes his eyes off the show they were watching to look at him.
Changmin shrugs.
“You mean to tell me she’s still out there…somewhere?!?” Yunho exclaims furiously.
Junsu groans.
“Could you please tell us what’s going on so we know?!?” Jaejoong asks Junsu.
“No time, we must find her! Fan-girls.”
Jaejoong and Yunho exchange glances, understanding Junsu’s statement at once.
“Ok Junsu yah, you stay here and get some rest. You ran all the way here so you MUST rest. Jaejoong and I will go put on a coat and find her.”
“No no no no on, I have to go as well!” and Junsu picks up all the bags and runs to the dining table, almost tripping over his feet in haste, and drops them with a BANG making Yoochun and Changmin jump.
The two in the living room watch Junsu’s frantic procession as he runs from the dining room to the doorway again. Exchanging inquisitive glances, they ask him, “Hey Xiah, what-”
“Not right now!” Junsu apologizes frantically as he runs back to the door out of breath.
“We have to find Min Ri!” Jaejoong yells, jamming his jacket on.
“She’s missing! You two stay here in case she comes back, ok?!?” Yunho orders.The three of them run out the door as Yoochun and Changmin again exchange startled glances.
“Ok, so where do you think she was?” Jaejoong yells to Junsu as a strong wind greeted them as soon as they set foot out of the building.
“I told her to run back here and by the rate she was running she could have beaten me by a lot!” Junsu squints his eyes and shakes his head. “Maybe she got lost and went back to the super market or went in that general direction?”
“I guess we’d better retrace your steps!” Yunho says as he pulls his collar up higher. “But let’s split up directions this way we get more covered. Come on!” And the three set out.
-For the two still at home~
Time passes.
Min Ri still hasn’t returned, nor have the hyungs called.
The two get restless and wander from room to room, helpless and useless.
“What if she’s really, really lost?” Yoochun wonders. “And it’s not like she knows her way around…”
“Especially since she admitted she can’t read Korean that well” Changmin muses.
The two let out a sigh simultaneously.
Yoochun collapses on the couch and starts banging his head on the arm, chanting to himself, “Ideeeaaas…ideeeas…come to Yoochun now…come on…”
Changmin walks towards the window of the living room, looking out at the lighted city below.
'Where would I be if I were alone and lost?' he thinks.
His gaze travels over the skyline, way off in the back skyscrapers mold into mountains, and brings his vision back into the city.
His eyes fall on the park and he sighs. Then his face lights up.
'Maybe?? That is where it all happened first' he reasons.
“Hey hyung!”
Yoochun runs over to him.
“What? What?”
Wordlessly Changmin nods towards the park and Yoochun gets his hint.
“You think the guys checked the park yet?” Yoochun says as his eyes scan it.
“Don’t know. But still it’s worth a shot, no?” Changmin says.
They both squint at the depressingly dim park, scrutinizing the treetops and bushes.
Most trees were bare but a few pine trees and evergreens scattered across the expanse of the park. Naturally there weren’t any people in the park, for who wants to walk at this time in such cold?
Changmin’s eyes dart to a small blur of white near a tree. He squints and a shiver runs through him as he realizes the blur was most likely a figure and that figure most likely Min Ri.
The blur was no bigger than his finger but he was sure that must be Min Ri. Nudging Yoochun, he goes, “There, that white dot, that blur over there, you see it?”
“Yeah, yes I do…you don’t think?” Yoochun gets excited.
“It could be”
“Ah! Wait then! I’ll go throw on a coat-” Yoochun’s already at the front door, has the door open and yanks his arms through his coat sleeves as his last yell to Changmin is “Stay put!!!”
“But…I saw her first…” Changmin says helplessly, but obediently stays, eyes glued on that figure.
On his trip down in the elevator Yoochun flips on his cell and calls the others.
“I think I know where she is! Try the park! She’s in the section with no paths. You know that big boulder that we once ate on? Near there!”
“Arraseo, we’re coming!” Yunho, Jaejoong, Junsu all answer as they hang up and turn around and quickly run back to the park.
Yoochun hunts around, trying to find his way by memory. Even he who was familiar with the park for years was having a hard time.
'Aishh this section always throws me off…it’s all trees…I just hope we get there in time' Yoochun thinks.
“Yoochun ah!” he hears a voice not too far off call.
“Yeah?? ....HERE!” Yoochun yells as Junsu suddenly appears, running to him at lightning speed.
“My God I just got off the phone with you, did you FLY over here? You poor baby you must be driven sick” Yoochun exclaims to the out-of-breath Junsu as he rubs his back.
Junsu ignores the concern.
“Find her yet?” he manages to get out.
“No not yet, let’s go to that boulder.”
“Ok...and the others should be here any sec now...we’ve passed the huge-ass boulder, now where?”
“She was under a pine tree, ermmm” Yoochun bites his lip.
“There, I see her!” Junsu points to darkness and runs over, Yoochun following, muttering to himself “I can’t see man, where?!? They should add more lampposts to this place!”
“She doesn’t look so good!” Junsu exclaims as he wrings his hands. “Her eyes are closed.”
Yoochun kneels down and pries the bag from her arms.
“Yoochun ah, Junsu ah, anyone hear us??” Jaejoong and Yunho’s voices pierce the air.
“Ah I hear them!” Junsu says to Yoochun who was still busy trying to get the bag from Min Ri.
“Over here! Look!” Junsu waves his hands frantically. The other two run over and kneel, panting.
“It took us forever to remember exactly where that rock was. This park is too damn huge!” Yunho says.
“This is bad…her face is cold to the touch…let’s go we’ve got to go guys~” Jaejoong says seriously.
“Ok, move!” Yunho picks up Min Ri with one swoop. She shudders, trying to hug her bag to her, only Yoochun was now holding it.
“Come on we’ve got to get back home!” Yunho says as they break into a jog towards their apartment.
'You’ll be alright you’ll be alright…' Yunho kept chanting to himself.
They finally reach the apartment, board the elevator, and then rush to their room number, seeing Changmin already waiting anxiously at the door.
“I’ve prepared more blankets and got a water pad ‘n everything…but should we really set her on the couch?” he asks
Yunho, without a word kicks off his shoes and runs to the bedroom where he puts her on his bed.
Now that there was actually some light, Min Ri’s pale face and blue lips were evident.
Changmin runs to the living room and runs back in with the blankets and water bag as Jaejoong takes off Min Ri’s coat and Yunho’s and Min Ri’s shoes. Changmin wordlessly takes the coats to the closet as Jaejoong and Yunho fuss about his bed. Junsu quietly sits on his bed in the corner, tears silently sliding down his face as Yoochun sits next to him.
“All my fault” Junsu admits softly.
“Shh it’s ok…come on…who’s that? who's that crying?” Yoochun says, trying to tease Junsu.
Junsu manages to crack a small smile.
“Ahh you two, thank you! It’s pretty late so wash up and relax. Go eat something. The food’s on the kitchen counter top, ok?” Jaejoong says over his shoulder to Yoosu as he fumbles with the blankets.
Yoochun and Junsu nod miserably and shuffle out of the room to get ready. Changmin comes back into the room and hops on his bed, directly across from Yunho’s.
Already changed, washed, and full, he sits pretzel style, holding onto his pillow tightly as he watches every move his two hyungs make, leaning over Min Ri.
“I think it’s best not to warm her up too quickly, hm?” Yunho asks Jaejoong.
“Yes, for now let’s just keep the water pad at her feet. Later take off the extra blanket if it gets too hot. You think we should dig out that humidifier we have? The air in this place has been kinda dry for the past few days,” Jaejoong says.
“Yeah that’s a good idea” Yunho goes to the closet behind his bed and starts digging.
"Has this ever happen to your sisters? It…it has for me…”
“Many times with my sisters…I remember you telling me about that time with Ji-Hye and how you were scared to death. I understand how you’re feeling…” Jaejoong says.
Yunho sighs, coming back to Jaejoong’s side holding the humidifier.
They hear a stomach growl.
Jaejoong laughs and lightly pushes Yunho to the door, saying “Silly you’re starving! Go eat! I’ll take it from here, it’s ok. We’ve done all that we could anyways. ”
“You sure?” Yunho asks. Jaejoong gives him a reassuring look as Yunho goes to eat since he hadn’t eaten since the morning.
Jaejoong busies himself with the humidifier and then lightly brushes the hair from Min Ri’s face and warms her face with his hands.
“Come on little one, wake up please. We’re all worried about you…”
Yoochun and Junsu both burst in, all fresh and clean in sweats and shirts. They clamber onto Changmin’s bed and watch Jaejoong sit next to Min Ri.
“…you guys aren’t going to eat?” Jaejoong asks the two.
They shake their heads. Junsu particularly lost his appetite.
He whimpers as Yoochun, Changmin, and Jaejoong console him, telling him it was alright, crazy things like this happen sometimes.
Jaejong goes to quickly get something. Yoochun and Changmin sit on the bed as Junsu walks over and looks down at Min Ri sadly.
“I’m sorry…I should’ve done a better job of myself”
“But Su, how exactly did all this happen?” Yoomin ask him.
Junsu recites the whole incidence.
“In my opinion, I think you did your best. I would’ve done the same thing in that situation since it was the best option.”
“And it’s not like you were free to wholeheartedly help her either” Changmin pipes up. “You were holding three bags of food so it’s a miracle you even brought everything back. Plus the girls weren’t chasing after her but mostly you. So you had to protect yourself as well as her.”
“By the way, did the girls show any suspicion, like did they threaten to bring this out into the public?” Yoochun’s furrowed brows said everything.
“No…they were so engrossed in autographs and photos they all forgot about the girl…”
“I think this has been a good lesson for all of us” Yoochun concludes solemnly. “We still have to be careful; we have a lot of avid fans out there and even if one of us is with her we still can’t fully protect her.”
A silence fills the space.
“But then…but then I wonder how she must feel about all this” Changmin says, closing his eyes.
“I mean, ever since she’s come here she’s made the point of being completely out of the way. You see how everyday she cleans the rooms, does everything. I’m sure she feels guilty burdening us and every time something happens to her it’s much more painful to her than for us. So being more protective around her, I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” Changmin finishes hesitantly.
“…so you suggest she goes out in the cold and whatnot alone?” Yoochun bluntly states. “Don’t forget, didn’t she say she can’t read Korean?”
“But that doesn’t mean she’s not trying” Changmin retaliates.
“It’s true- everyday I see her reading and studying hangul” Junsu points out.
“But alright then, say it has improved…then what? That’s not going to protect her in a situation like this. I still say we should be around her whenever we can; it’s not like it’s affecting our schedule or status or anything. She’s like our sister so shouldn’t we take care of her?” Yoochun
“But that’s what I’m saying. The reason she’s studying hard. The reason she tries to be invisible. The reason why we still haven’t completely opened up to one another. She’s trying to distance herself. She’s burdened with the fact that we’re covering up for her, possibly putting our jobs on the line.” Changmin
“So it all once again comes down to the fact that we’re well-known artists, right?” Yoochun exclaims dryly. He shakes his head. “This is why sometimes I wish we were regular human beings…”
Junsu pats him on the back reassuringly.
“We chose this path…" Changmin states firmly,"and it was through it that we met her…”
Yunho comes in after resting and gets ready to sleep.
“Guys, it’s late…we’d all better get some sleep and see where the day takes us tomorrow” he says.
The others nod and scramble off Changmin’s bed onto their own.
“Yunho hyung…later could we get Ri’s number this way we have it for future…situations?” Junsu asks as he wriggles in his covers.
“Yes Xiah, after she wakes up…”
“Where’ll you sleep hyung?”
“Right now Changmin, that’s the least of our problems…I’ll sleep on the couch, on the floor if need be, but right now you guys all go to sleep.”
Yunho sits next to Min Ri, watching her. He props his chin on his hand and sighs in thought.
“You’re not sleeping?" Yunho hears a soft voice behind him as Jaejoong returns into the room.
“I will…”
“…you’ll wake me up later on right?” Jaejoong asks.
Yunho smiles. Jaejoong always knows him so well. “First shift…”
“Arasseo. Wake me up as son as you feel the first signs of sleepiness…”Jaejoong turns off all the lights in the room and bounces onto his bed.
The door to the hallway was open and the hallway light was on, shedding some light into the darkened room.
Yunho outlines the shadows of Min Ri’s face with his eyes and the silhouettes of the other sleeping members. He sighs and rests his chin on the side of the bed as his hand lightly holds Min Ri’s.
He thinks of the day’s situation.
“Dammit…”
Time passes. Yunho’s body gets stiff, sore from sitting in the same position so long.
He finally gives in and crawls onto the junction of his and Jaejoong’s bed and lays down in between the two.
Jaejoong continues sleeping, undisturbed.
Yunho turns so he’s eye level with Min Ri.
'Ok…I’ll close my eyes for a MOMENT just to rest. Only…for…a moment…”
He sinks into a deep sleep.
Min Ri shifts in her sleep as she sees visions in her dream.