Chapter 30 – Sasaeng

"Ehem. Ehem."

The intentional coughing woke me up. I even forgot where I was, but remembered when I saw Young Hyun beside me still sleeping soundly.

"Ehem. Ehem."

Another coughing. Just then I realized we were not the only ones in the room.

I immediately sat up, but regretted it the moment sudden dizziness hit me.

"Gwaenchanh-a?" (Are you okay?) The voice was Sungjin's.

My gosh. I could not lift my head and look at them directly!

Young Hyun finally woke up and saw the visitors. "Yeogineun eojjeon iliya?" (What are you doing here?)

He still had the guts to ask them?

"Why? We're here to visit a patient, but it seems you don't need us here," teased Jae.

Yep, DAY6 was there and I just wanted to get lost.

When I felt my nausea finally subsided, I got up.

"Eodie-gayo?" (Where are you going?) I heard Wonpil asked. I still wasn't looking at them.

"I'll leave."

"Leave to where?" Young Hyun already sat up.

"To wherever you won't see my embarrassment," I said it quietly, but apparently they still heard. Their laughter followed me to the comfort room where I locked myself because of utter embarrassment. My goodness!

…

That morning, I was immediately discharged from the hospital. Since DAY6 had a prior schedule that day, Young Hyun was not able to accompany me home. Good thing, So Eun arrived and checked on my condition. She also told me that I was given a three-day vacation, which was what I really needed.

So Eun brought me to my apartment in her own car. On the way, we talked about my upcoming schedules and the next project I would be working on.

I no longer asked her to come up to my apartment because she had to go back immediately to the company, so I went up alone. On the stairs, I met a man on a black jacket, wearing a black cap. I became suspicious, my imagination getting unto me. Having watched many Korean action dramas and even filmed one, I could not help, but suspect.

Still, I just shrugged it off. However, I must have been correct to follow my instincts.

The door of my apartment was ajar and when I entered, I saw that it was trashed. The first thing that came to my mind: the man I met on the stairs.

I quickly went out, down to the first floor and out of the building.

"PD-nim, you left your phone." So Eun had not left yet.

I took my phone from her and asked, "Have you seen the man who went out from here? He's wearing a black cap."

She frowned, but her face suddenly lit up. "Ah, yes. He went that way."

"Call the police. My place was trashed." I told her and ran towards the direction she pointed. She called me several times, but I ignored her.

I saw the man a block away, walking as if he did nothing. I ran as fast as I could towards him, but he noticed me, so he began running as well. As I was not in the right condition, I was not able to catch up to him.

However, when we reached the highway, he bumped into a car which came into a halt. The man collapsed on the ground, twisting in pain.

"PD-nim!" The car was So Eun's. She had followed me, probably using the other way to get to the highway first.

I pinned the man down, though it was no longer necessary as he was already in so much pain to be able to get up. Still, I wanted to make sure.

The police arrived in no time and took the man to their station. So Eun and I went back to my apartment first with the two police officers deployed to investigate there.

So Eun informed the company about what happened and I begged them not to let the media know. I did not want another issue haunting me. I also asked So Eun not to tell Young Hyun because I did not want him to worry.

I checked if I lost any valuables, but it seemed not. Nothing was missing, but they were damaged. My laptop was dripping with water, my DSLR was broken and battered, some of my clothes were ripped and my books were soaked. He only ruined my personal stuff, but the appliances and furniture did not even suffer any scratch. It only meant that he intended to ruin me personally, which he did. I cried over what happened to my belongings. Years of hard work and they were all just ruined by a psychotic bastard.

After checking my place, we went to the police station to confront the man. I was sobbing non-stop and So Eun was trying to comfort me, but it was so sad. Some of my files on the laptop were not backed-up. How could I salvage them?

At the police station, the police officers ushered us to the officer-in-charge of the case. The man who trashed my place was also there.

I noticed him wincing, so I asked So Eun. "Won't they bring him to a hospital first?"

So Eun stared at me, surprised, then glanced at the man. His head was bent low, but he looked at us when he probably heard me talk.

"Ask the officer to have the guy treated," I told So Eun. I was no longer sobbing, but my heart was still aching.

She was hesitating, but she still told the police officer what I requested. The officer gave me that same look of disbelief.

"He said that he will be treated after the investigation."

I sighed and looked at the man. He looked away when our eyes met.

"I just wanted to know why he did that and if he was the same person who threw the bricks on my window."

So Eun translated again, but she hadn't even done yet when the guy answered in English.

"I did both. I'm also the one who sent you the gifts."

He must be referring to those boxes with gross, annoying stuff.

"Why? Did I wrong you?" I was on the verge of crying again.

He shook his head, but it took a while before he answered. "It's for my sister. She has been depressed when she learned you and Young K are dating."

WHAT?!

I couldn't help, but stare at him with wide eyes. Was he for real?

I shut my eyes and massaged my temple. I felt another headache coming.

So Eun told the officer what it was about and I was just glad she was there.

"We'll file a lawsuit against him," she said.

I shook my head. "Don't. I just wanted to talk to his sister."

The man finally looked at me. The three of them were actually staring at me.

"Why..."

"I hate any hassles and this can just be talked over," I told them.

He still couldn't believe me. "But I ruined your things. I made a mess on your place."

"THAT...is true. I'm actually angry and disappointed right now. But if you really wanted to pay for what you did, pay the same price. Replace what you ruined even just the laptop and the camera. I really need them at work. But if you like, the books too. They are precious to me."

He didn't answer. I also waited until So Eun finished translating what I said.

"You...sure?" The police officer asked me.

I nodded. "And, oh, I'm serious about talking to your sister," I told the man.

I took out my call card and place it on the table in front of him. "Call me when she is ready to talk to me." I turned to So Eun. "Tell the officer to bring him immediately to the hospital. He might be seriously hurt. I'll wait for you outside."

I stood up and went out of the police station. It was suffocating inside.

My phone rang, so I fished it out of my pocket. I saw Young Hyun's name on the screen and I remembered what the man said about his sister.

As a fan, I understood her issue. I once got mad back when speculations about GOT7's JB dating circulated online. However, as the other half of the couple on the issue, I felt like I was the antagonist in every fan's fantasies. And I wanted to change that. I wanted them to know that I was a good person, someone who only loved.

I answered the call after a minute of hesitation. "Hey."

"Jjang!"

I smiled upon hearing his voice.

"Are you not busy?" I asked. I saw So Eun approaching and showed her I was on the phone.

"We're on a break." He was eating. I knew there's food in his mouth. "Have you left the hospital already?"

"We did." I lied. "Park So Eun-ssi is driving me home."

But I realized we were outside and it probably didn't sound like we're in a car. Stupid! And I called myself a film director.

What's worse was Young Hyun noticed it.

"Why does it sound like your outside?"

"Uhh..." Think fast! "We stopped to buy food. We're famished."

Whew!

"Okay." I just hoped that he believed me. "By the way, we don't have a schedule tomorrow morning. You want to go out?"

I smiled at what he said. "Sure. It's been a while."

From the police station, So Eun drove me back to my apartment. I took some stuff with me and we went to her apartment in Gangnam. I would be living with her for the meantime until I find a new place.

…

"Where do you want to go?"

I was on my way to meet Young Hyun. He was supposed to fetch me from my apartment, but since I was temporarily staying at So Eun's place, I told him that we could just meet in a restaurant in Gangnam. I had not told him what happened to my place yet. I did not actually know how to tell him.

"Can you accompany me to the hospital?"

"Why? Are you still unwell?" I heard worry in his voice.

"No, no, no. I have to visit someone."

I actually had to visit Lee Min Ki, not the actor but the man who trashed my place. He told me that he was brought to the hospital after the investigation. He also said that his sister agreed to meet me. It turned out better than I expected.

"Okay, but we'll eat lunch first."

I laughed and teased him. "You're always hungry."

We ate first in the restaurant. I even ordered takeout for Lee Min Ki and his sister, but I wondered why Young Hyun did not ask who we would be visiting.

Even until we reached the hospital, he wasn't asking. It worried me actually. He only asked me when he saw the name outside the hospital room.

"Lee Min Ki? The actor?" He frowned.

I smiled at him and shook my head. I entered the room first.

There were five beds in the ward. Three were occupied and the patient I needed to see was on the far corner.

He tried to get up when he saw us, but I told him to just stay put.

"How are you?" I asked.

But before he could answer, someone called out, "Oppa."

I turned around and saw a girl, probably aged between 15 and 18. She was pretty, an actress material, but I could see in her eyes the same sadness I often saw in the mirror years ago.

"Min Hee-ya." Min Ki tried to sit up again.

"Hi," I greeted.

"Annyeong hasaeyo," she greeted back. Then her eyes widened when she took notice of my companion.

Young Hyun was wearing a facemask, but die-hard fans would still know it was him even with the mask on.

He removed his mask and smiled at her. "Annyeong hasaeyo."

She covered her mouth with her hands and suppressed a squeal.

I turned to her brother. "I brought lunch for the two of you." I placed the food we brought on the bedside table.

"Does she speak English?" I asked referring to his sister, who was still ogling on Young Hyun.

Min Ki nodded. "We lived in LA for three years."

I nodded and turned my attention to Min Hee. "Min Hee-ssi, can I talk to you outside?"

She finally gave me her attention. The excitement suddenly turned to a guarded expression. It had always been the same expression I often received when I demanded a lot of things. It was hatred masked by a blank expression. Funny.

We left the ward and went to the botanical garden just outside the hospital.

It took me a while to arrange my thoughts. When I was ready, I turned my body slightly to face her. "Tell me honestly; are you the one who sent me the boxes?"

I noticed her hesitate, but she nodded.

"With the plastic cockroaches, a dead rat, human hair, pig's blood, toy snake and the satanic spell?"

She looked up to me. "I'm not the one who sent the last two, though they're pretty good ideas."

Really? "Hey!"

She just laughed at me.

"That's why the last two didn't freak me out at all." I actually had so many haters then. "But how did you even know what I hated the most?"

She shrugged and didn't answer my question. Instead, she took her eyes away from me and bent her head low. "Why Young Hyun?"

I smiled at the unexpected question. "He's my white knight. He said so himself. That's probably why."

Another long silence came between us.

"I'm really sorry, eonnie." She said out-of-the-blue. "It was childish of me to do that. It's just…DAY6 is really important to me. They help me get through the hard times with their music. For me, they are everything."

"More than your brother, who has to commit bad deeds just to make you feel better?"

She didn't answer.

"I understand you. I also love DAY6 as a whole. I love GOT7, too and Stray Kids and Harry Potter and Percy Jackson. But more than them, I love my family and friends. I value them more than anything, so whenever I think of doing anything that might harm anyone, I just remind myself that whatever I do would affect those I care about."

She began to sob quietly.

I continued, "I had already been on the end of a jealousy-gone-wrong." I smiled sadly upon remembering those dark times. "So this is not new to me and you already said you're sorry."

"I really apologize, eonnie. I promise I won't do that again." She continued to cry.

I reached for her face and wiped the tears on her cheeks. "I accept your apology, so hush now. Your eyes will look puffy."

Min Hee began to quiet down and her interest was piqued by something else. She was staring intently on my hand that it became uncomfortable. I brought my hands down, but she held onto my right hand.

"Eonnie?" She looked at me questioningly.

I smiled at her and tried to pull my hand from her, but she held on. I sighed and decided to let it be.

"It's…a reminder of what I went through back then."

She let go of my hand finally, but she began to tear up again. She raised her sleeves on her left arm and I was stunned of what I saw: two similar scars, one which obviously was new.

Without a word, I pulled her to me and hugged her.

There we were; two damaged people who tried to end everything, but we're still fighting to live. Thanks to the people who loved us.