First Love

Chapter 42

Yoongi reached home in the evening after touching down from Hong Kong. The trip from the airport was short but after the rigorous work that they had done for weeks, he just wanted to rest. The airport was packed as they went through from the arrival gate to their cars. Journalists and fans were clamoring each steps that they took. Cameras were shoved to their direction, flashes of lights accompanied their walk and questions were bombarded throughout the way. That short trip seemed to go on forever.

Yoongi couldn't wait to see Jae. Looking at the clock, Jae should be at the restaurant now as it was close to opening time. He was thinking of pulling a surprise for her there. He wasn't able to call her since before his performance at MAMA. When he was done with the show, he was too tired and crashed straight to bed. The last message he sent her was before his plane took off. She replied it with the usual 'Take care and safe journey'.

He went to the restaurant to find out Jae didn't turn up for work. From what Ki Tae told him, she took a day off the day before and she called Ki Tae again today for another off.

"Something's not right here," said Ki Tae.

"Is she sick or something?" asked Yoongi concerned.

"I don't know. She rarely asked for a 2 days off," Ki Tae paused. "Did you just get back?"

"Yes. I just got home."

"Did you see her somewhere in that airport crowd of yours?" asked Chan Ri, joining in the duo.

"I don't know. There were too many people," answered Yoongi. "Did she tell you anything about Chin Hwa?"

"Just about his oxygen level. She didn't tell me anything after that," replied Chan Ri

"It's the same for me," said Yoongi.

"You'd better check up on her. I have a bad feeling about this," said Ki Tae.

"I'll call her straight away," replied Yoongi and he quickly dialed her up.

"Jae?" called Yoongi as she picked up the phone.

"Oppa," she replied, forlorn. She sounded like someone who had lost all the energy to speak.

"What's wrong? Where are you?" Yoongi was alarmed. Ki Tae and Chan Ri looked at him with concern.

"At home," she replied shortly.

"Are you okay?" asked Yoongi.

Jae just sighed. "I'm not okay."

Yoongi was stunned. Knowing Jae, to hear her admit she was not fine meant something was really wrong. "Hold on. I'll be there soon," he promised.

"Oppa," called Jae again.

"Yes, Jae?"

"I need you," she said. She sounded defeated.

Yoongi drove to her place straight away. He sprinted up the stairs and keyed in the passcode to her door.

"Jae?" he called as he entered her house. The front light turned on automatically as he went inside. It was starting to get dark outside and so was inside the house. He spotted Jae, sitting on the bed with her back leaning against the book rack. He could only see half of her as her head was on top of her knees.

Yoongi turned on the lights and removed his jacket. "Jae, what's wrong?" he went to the bed, sitting in front of her. Her face was puffy and she looked completely devastated and haggard. How long had that been going on?

"I... I have to decide on Chin Hwa oppa's life," she broke out.

"What happened?"

"Few days after I told you about his oxygen problem, his condition got even worse. He's now on life support. And yesterday... Yesterday I had a meeting with the specialist. Chin Hwa oppa is dying and they are seeking for my consent to get him off the life support. His body is shutting down and there's nothing the medical team could do."