Chapter 58: Baby, Baby, Baby

“Heya!” he smiled as he walked in, with Jun Jin oppa behind. Notice that I don’t refer to Min Woo as oppa. It’s because I find him a little too playful to look up to. But I have to call him oppa, or he’d be sulking for the entire day.

“Min Woo oppa, Jun Jin oppa,” I smiled.

“Oh, Yun Ho, waseo?” Jun Jin smiled as he patted Yun Ho on the back.

“Yea,” Yun Ho replied. “I’m here to keep her company until her husband comes,” he laughed.

“I’m here, aren’t I?” Min Woo winked.

“I am not married to you,” I said as I stuck my tongue out at Min Woo.

“Is that so? Then why do you tell me you’re mine when we’re alone,” Min Woo teased.

“Oppa!” I wailed at Jun Jin oppa to stop Min Woo from antagonizing me.

“Shuddup, Min Woo,” Jun Jin oppa said. Jun Jin oppa was younger than Min Woo, actually. But why Min Woo behaved more like a child was beyond me. “So how are you feeling?” Jun Jin oppa asked.

“Better,” I replied.

“Not having you onstage with us was weird. They played a voice track for your parts and we’re always like looking around, thinking that you were there,” he laughed.

“I’ll be back soon. I promised myself that I’ll be there for at least the last award show of the season.”

“Think you can just jump on stage and do it when you’ve been sitting in the hospital for 2 weeks?” Min Woo asked.

“I’m gonna try.”

“You don’t have to, you know. You don’t need to be there. Your fans understand,” Yun Ho said.

“I just don’t want to miss it all.”

“I’m sure your manager will make the best decision for you,” Jun Jin oppa said, “whether or not you’re fit to perform.”

“Is there a party I wasn’t invited to?” Jae Joong said as he walked in.

“Jae Joong,” I smiled. I’ve not seen him for a whole day. He was stuck in the studios yesterday, recording.

“Hey there,” he said as he leant down to kiss me lightly on the lips and Min Woo started making coughing sounds.

“What’s for dinner?” Yun Ho asked.

“Ch’uk for her, and bibimbap for us,” he said. “Sorry hyung, I didn’t know you guys were coming.”

“It’s okay, we’ve eaten,” Jun Jin said.

“You know, you and Yun Ho can go out and eat. Who eats bibimbap on Christmas? It’s depressing.”

“Who eats ch’uk on Christmas? We’ll be fine,” Yun Ho said as he took out the containers from the bag Jae Joong brought and laid them all out on the table.

“I think we’ll just go now,” Jun Jin oppa said.

“Stay, help me with my ch’uk,” I said.

“No thanks,” he said.

“Yah… you want Jae Joong to beat us up for eating your food?” Min Woo asked.

“I wish he would beat you up,” I smiled sweetly.

“You’re a heartless woman, you know,” Min Woo said as he shook his head.

“Let’s go,” Jun Jin oppa said as he put his arms around Min Woo and turned him around.

“Bye!” we waved at them as they walked out.

While we ate, Yun Ho and Jae Joong filled me in on what had been happening at SM, during their rehearsals and recording sessions, and during the awards.

“You should’ve been there,” Yun Ho said. “You missed out on all the fun.”

“Don’t remind me,” I said. “I seriously hate my body now.”

“Don’t say that,” Jae Joong said.

“But my body’s so screwed up. I can never understand why it’s always acting up on me like this.”

“You can’t help it if you’re sick. At least you didn’t die,” he said.

“Yea,” Yun Ho said. “You’re safe, and that’s the most important thing.”

Sometimes I marveled at how the two of them can sit with me in the same room and chat as if there were nothing going on between the 3 of us. I guess the both of them were so close that they trusted each other. Am I just being petty now? Should I just brush off the awkwardness I feel? I don’t even know who am I feeling guilty towards these days; Yun Ho or Jae Joong. I’d betrayed Yun Ho even before we broke up, though he doesn’t know it. And now that I’m with Jae Joong, Yun Ho starts acting weird with me, like he can’t let go of our past.

“I think I’ll go now,” Yun Ho smiled. “You guys obviously want some alone time.”

“It’s okay,” Jae Joong said, and I glared at him. Why was he always so nice?

“It’s obviously not okay with Sierra,” Yun Ho laughed. Only then did Jae Joong notice that I was glaring at him, and he laughed nervously.

“See you at home,” he told Jae Joong.

“Take these with you,” Jae Joong said as he thrust bag containing the empty food containers at Yun Ho.

“You take care,” Yun Ho said me as he walked out, and I nodded.

As soon as Yun Ho left, Jae Joong came to sit on the bed next to me and he put his arm around me.

“Why didn’t you sit with me just now?” I asked him.

“Yun Ho was here.”

“Does it make a difference?”

“I was just being appropriate,” he said.

“Whatever,” I sighed.

“How are you feeling today?” he asked as he stroked my arm.

“Better,” I smiled. “How’s that cold?”

“It was gone since last week,” he laughed.

“I was just making sure it didn’t come back.”

“Okay. It didn’t come back.”

“Good,” I said, and I adjusted myself so that my head lay on his lap.

“Is that a new stud?” he said as he pushed my hair back.

“Yea, Yun Ho gave it to me as a Christmas present.”

“Which reminds me,” he said and he started digging through his bag, which was on the chair by the bed. “Here,” he said as he handed me an envelope.

“What is it?” I asked him.

“Your Christmas present. Open it.”

I ripped open the envelope, inside was a card.

Sierra…

S – Sexy, sweet, sophisticated Sierra
I – I love you
E – Endlessly
R – Roar ^^
R – Racing... my heart is racing
A – And I still want to marry you

Merry Christmas! ^^

I laughed hysterically as I read the card. It was lame and yet cute.

“Pabo,” I said softly as I tapped the card on his head.

“I spent a whole hour on it!” he pouted.

“Araso…” I laughed. “I love it, okay?”

“At least it made you laugh,” he smiled.

“What’s this?” I said as I pulled out a little booklet from the envelope.

“That’s the real present,” he said.

I opened up the booklet and inside was a plane ticket. I read the destination of the ticket and I turned to look incredulously at Jae Joong.

“Prague?”

“Yep… Prague,” he smiled.

“How can we go now?”

“I’ve talked to the management. After the awards season, we get a short break before we started recording again.”

“You’d be out of the hospital by then, and it’ll do you good to go on a short holiday.”

“Are you serious?” I asked him again.

“Yes!!!” he laughed.

“Omigod… Prague,” I said.

“Are you at least happy?” he asked me.

“Of course I am,” I smiled. “Komawo,” I said, and I kissed him on the cheek.

“Is that all I get? The ticket wasn’t cheap you know,” he grumbled.

“This is a hospital. I’ll make sure you get what’s coming when we get to Prague,” I winked.

“I’m holding you to this promise,” he said in mock seriousness.

“Yes, yes… hold me to it… whatever,” I laughed.

“Saranghae,” he said, and he kissed me softly on the lips.

“Saranghae,” I replied.

The next day, I had an unexpected visitor, Hae Rin. She was back.

“Onni,” she smiled as she walked in. She had a bouquet of flowers in her hand, and she placed it on the table in front of me.

“Hi,” I smiled.

“These are for you,” she said, indicating to the flowers.

“Komawo,” I said. “Did Skye come with you?” I asked her.

“He did,” she smiled. “He stopped by at the cafeteria to get a snack.”

“That boy is eating way too much,” I laughed.

“So how are you feeling?” she asked me.

“I’m better now.”

“Where’s Jae Joong oppa?” she asked me.

“He’s busy. He usually visits me at night.”

“Oh,” she said. And I could’ve sworn she looked a little disappointed.

“How’s your album coming?” I asked her.

“I’ll have my debut single out in 2 months,” she replied. “I was thinking… I’ve asked my manager. Would you like to sing a duet with me on one of the songs in my album?”

“I’ll need to check with my manager. If my schedule is open and if your manager is fine with it, I’ll probably have no problems.”

“Great!” she smiled.

“Nuna!” Skye exclaimed as he walked in through the door. “Feeling better?” he asked me as he slung his arm around Hae Rin’s shoulders.

“I should be. After sitting around for more than a week.”

“Great,” he laughed. “Oh… I heard about your Christmas present from Jae Joong hyung.”

“What did he give her?” Hae Rin asked him.

“They’re going to Prague once nuna gets out of here.”

“Prague?”

“Yes,” I smiled at Hae Rin. She looked a little taken aback.

“Wow… The tickets must be expensive,” she said.

“I’m sure Jae Joong got them at a good deal,” I said.

“Wow… Prague,” she said, then turned to smack Skye on the arm. “When are you taking me anywhere?”

“Excuse me, Miss Debuting Trainee. Do you think you have the time to go anywhere?” he asked her.

“True,” she sighed.

“By the way… I hadn’t pegged you as a materialistic girl. We’ve only just begun and you’re asking for such expensive presents?” he said as he shook his head at her.

“Dump me then,” she said as she stuck out her tongue at him.

“Come on, baby,” he quickly changed his tone and put his arm around her, rubbing her arm affectionately. “You know I’d buy you diamonds… if I had the money,” he winked.

“Hmmph!” Hae Rin huffed, and I had to laugh at their antics. They were adorable as a couple.

“We need to go, nuna,” Skye said. “Hae Rin needs to get back to the recording studio.”

“Okay,” I smiled. “Drive safely.”

“We took a taxi here,” Skye laughed.

“Right,” I laughed. “I keep forgetting that you’ve not gotten your license.”

“That’s alright. You’re aging. I forgive you,” Skye said and I glared at him.

“Mwo?” I said, threateningly.

“Bye nuna!” Skye quickly said and started to walk out.

“Bye onni!” Hae Rin said, and she followed him out.

After they’d gone, I sat there and fingered through the flowers Hae Rin had brought me. She seemed to genuinely like Skye. I could tell. But is her liking for Skye enough to help her forget her obsession with Jae Joong. I saw the flash of sadness, or was it even jealousy, in her eyes when she heard about the tickets to Prague. I just hope she’ll get over Jae Joong soon. I don’t want Skye to get hurt, and I don’t want anyone to try and come between me and Jae Joong.

I closed my eyes and lay back on my pillow. In a few more days, I’ll be out of here. I might as well enjoy all the sleep I can get for now.