Second Arrangement

CHAPTER 18 - AVOIDANCE

ELLIE

"Lap! I said more lap!"

The nurse beside me nudged me and I was brought back from my reverie. I hurriedly grabbed a new pack of gauze and opened it up.

"Where's your mind at? I need you to focus!" he scolded me and I apologized. I really needed to stop worrying about Jackson and focused on the surgery. But it wasn't like him to go radio silence for days. Even when he was in Beijing while I was still in Korea, he would text me the moment he arrived in Beijing. And every time he got free time, he would call me. But now? It has been almost two days since our last encounter. That unfortunate night when he had to pick me up in front of Jasper's apartment complex. I thought we agreed to not letting Jasper come between us, so why did he go MIA?

I dumped my mask into the bin and went to my locker to check on my phone. I was never the type of person who got attached to her phone, but now, I have become one. Ever since Jackson went MIA on me, I checked on my phone more frequently. I thought nothing when he didn't text me nor call me yesterday. But today as well? I started to worry about him. I've sent him numerous texts. I've called him every time I went out of surgery and when I've already at home. I even messaged him on his SNS, but nothing. I scrolled through my contacts, trying to find someone that could help me with Jackson's whereabouts. I regretted now that I didn't ask for his manager's number the last time I met him. I came to the letter J, and I was seriously thinking about asking Jaebeom or Jinyoung about it. Would they know his whereabouts? I decided to screw it and texted Jinyoung if he knew something about it.

[Can you get hold of Jackson?] Several minutes later, my phone vibrated. It was Jinyoung.

[Yes, do you need to talk to him?]

[Do you know where he is right now?]

[He's here. At the studio.]

I was stunned when I read his text. Jackson was at the studio with Jinyoung? Did that mean that he was already back in Korea? Why didn't he tell me that he was going back to Korea again? I thought he would be here for a week since last time he told me that he hasn't finished recording with Panthepack? I was confused because I didn't know what to say to Jinyoung.

[What is it? Don't tell me you guys get into another fight again?]

[No. I don't even know what's happening.]

My mind was a mess right now. Why would Jackson go back to Korea without telling me? I thought we agreed to update each other, so why didn't he tell me that he was going back to Korea? It wasn't like I was going to stop him. I knew that he had to go back and forth from Korea to China, so was it some emergency? Or did something happen after he left me? Did he encounter Jasper again? Did Jasper say something to him? I was so lost in thought that I didn't realize where I was going until a hand appeared in front of my face, stopping me from walking.

"Ellie! I was about to find you," I turned to see Jasper in front of me. I wanted to roll my eyes but I resisted. "Sorry about last time, how about I make it up by buying you lunch?"

I sent him a death glare since I doubted his motive, "After last time, do you still think I want to do anything with you?"

He shrugged, "I believe you'd come to your senses one of these days, so lunch?"

I was doubtful about his rather cheerful attitude, whether it had something to do with Jackson missing? "Did you, by any chance, meet Jackson since the last time I saw you?"

He didn't deny nor confirm it, "What if I did? What did he tell you?"

I had a bad feeling that he did meet Jackson and it had something to do with his disappearance, "What did you say to him?"