Mee Yoon walked back and forth outside of the ICU. She’s been waiting for five hours. Daewon has an ongoing surgery and she couldn’t stop panicking. Youngsoo came over and showered her with a genial embrace.
“What happened?” he asked while caressing her hair.
“Someone tried to stab me. Daewon intervened. It should have been me,” she said and sobbed in his chest.
“Sh. It’s not your fault. I’ll investigate this case. Daewon will be fine. That kid is tough.”
He pulled his face and gazed down at her puffy eyes.
“Listen, he will make it. That jerk can never leave you.”
Mee Yoon hugged him even more.
“I know the surgeon. He is my friend and he’ll receive a beating if Daewon won’t make it. Trust me.”
After a few hours, Mee Yoon fell asleep on Youngsoo’s lap. Sun hee arrived later that evening.
“Hey, is she alright?” Sun Hee asked and sat beside him.
“Physically, yes. But mentally, no.”
Sun Hee sighed.
“Poor thing. I mean the both of them. Daewon just came out of the hospital and now he’s back in a swift.”
Youngsoo lay his head against the wall.
“Isn’t it weird? I looked back at the incident, and it made little sense. Why would a car lose its breaks at the shooting area? And at the exact spot where Mee Yoon is standing? Now, this. Mee Yoon is being followed by an unknown man. Everything isn’t coincidental.”
Sun Hee turned to him.
“Don’t tell me…”
“Someone is trying to kill her.”
Sun Hee gasped.
“Don’t conclude such a terrifying thing,” she said.
Youngsoo gritted his teeth as she pierced his sharp sight to the ceiling.
“I hope my suspicion is wrong. But I am 90 percent sure of it. I saw Mee Yoon’s record. Her vital statistics suit the serial killer’s target.”
He clenched his fists.
“Fuck. I’m so dumb to notice it this time.”
Sun Hee rubbed his back.
“I’ll watch over her. Okay?” she said.
“No. I’ll protect the two of you.”
Sun Hee placed her head on his shoulder and held his hand.
“It’s alright. I’ll be a good girl.”
Youngsoo patted her head.
“You should be.”
They fell asleep with heads clinging to each other. A sweet picture of siblings and dearest friends attached to one another when words were not enough to comfort them.
“Ms. Seo?”
Youngsoo woke up when the doctor called. He gently shook Mee Yoon and Sun Hee. The surgeon explained what happened to Daewon and the process they underwent. But Mee Yoon was still dizzy to digest all of it. The only thing that rang through her head was “the surgery went well.”
***
A male’s perfume awakened Daewon. He sniffed the scent of Egoiste by Chanel, so close to him. It strikes a rare but satisfying intensity. Daewon squeezed the fingers in his hand. He smiled and knew it was Mee Yoon’s. When he opened his eyes, three faces with anticipation written on them greeted him.
“Am I hallucinating? Or Youngsoo is really here?” Daewon said in a cracked voice.
“It’s me in the flesh. I’m here to kill you in case you wouldn’t wake up.”
Daewon coughed.
“That’s nonsensical.”
“Oppa, you must tie him. Don’t make him come close to me or I’ll put his life in danger,” Mee Yoon said. Daewon squeezed her hand.
“Since someone is targeting you, the more I want to stick with you,” he said.
“Hey, Do Daewon. Don’t be stupid.”
“If this is stupidity, I’ll never want to be sensible.”
Sun Hee clapped her hands in slow motion.
“Look at that! Am I watching a movie right now? Youngsoo, buy some popcorns.”
Youngsoo folded his arms.
“Hey, Cha Sun Hee. Are you jealous? Do you want to hear some of my poetic verses?” Youngsoo winked.
“Geez. I’m out of here.”
“No. You stay here. I’m going out in a bit,” Mee Yoon said.
“You are not going out without me,” Youngsoo said and clang his hand around her arm. Sun Hee sat beside Daewon.
“How are you?” she asked.
“Still breathing,” he chuckled.
“How’s your relationship with Mee Yoon? Is there any improvement?”
Daewon gestured her to come closer.
“We are going back together,” he whispered.
“What? For real? You got to be kidding me.”
Sun Hee’s eyes widened. Daewon nodded with a bright smile.
“I told you she loves me. Her eyes say it all.”
“Is she that weak? Gosh!”
Daewon grinned.
“I am that handsome.”
“That’s the most mind-blowing news I heard this year. Congratulations.”
“I’ll send you an advance wedding invitation,” Daewon added.
***
It was four in the afternoon. Sun Hee was checking the profiles of her new clients. Meanwhile, Mee Yoon stayed with Daewon in the hospital. Sun Hee stopped flipping the pages and reminisced about Daewon’s expression while telling her the shocking news. For the first time in six years, his glow was different. His aura was overflowing with radiant colors.
“I can’t believe it. Mee Yoon is being impulsive again. But at least, she is not afraid to love again. Not anymore,” Sun Hee said.
She scanned the papers on her desk when a brown envelope caught her attention. It came from one of her professors in New York. She took a glimpse of the profile inside it, and she froze after seeing the picture of a man. It was identical to someone close to her. She tilted her head and was about to pull it when her phone rang.
“Hey, what’s up?”
“Where’s my brother? He left her coat here.”
“Youngsoo is at the firm. He’s going to pick me up later so we’ll come by.”
“Great! Buy me some Samgyeopsal, please.”
“Fine. By the way, I heard you and Daewon are in a relationship again. I’m happy for you,” Sun Hee said in a sarcastic tone.
“What? Don’t tell me you believe the rumors?” Mee Yoon laughed.
“What do you mean?”
“Yesterday, we had a serious talk. He confessed his feelings to me as if I didn’t know. He’s been showing his interest in me since forever. But I rejected him for the third time. I made things clear, and we are friends.”
Sun Hee paused for seconds. There, she knew something was wrong.
“Sun Hee? Are you there?”
“Oh, yeah. What do you mean you are friends? You can’t be friends with your ex for four years of relationship.”
“Come on, doc. I’m not lying.”
Sun Hee shrugged.
“Alright. I get it. See you later.”
Sun Hee pulled the profile that made her fingers quiver.
“Do Daewon. Obsessive Love Disorder…”