Sick Obsession

6 Hours Ago

"JiU-ssi!" a familiar voice is calling out her name. A voice she knows all too well.

Soohyun-ssi was about to turn and address the man when she noticed an oncoming car speeding her way. She froze as she watches the car gets closer. Even when her brain tells her to jump out of the way, her body refuses to do so. Yet, she felt someone pushing her with force into the open van right next to her. And as she lands inside the van, she turned just in time to see Soohyun took the hit for her. His body flies backwards from the car after taking the full force of the impact. And the car that just caused such a life-threatening moment fled the scene, leaving JiU in shock in her van.

"Minji!!" She could hear Tiffany calling her in shock and fright.

JiU is in sheer shock after the near-death experience as Tiffany approached. Her best friend pulled her from the van to check on her body, "Minji-ah," Tiffany called out in a rather frantic tone. But one thing flashed in her mind.

"Soohyun-ssi," she stood abruptly, surprising Tiffany, who was checking on her.

JiU looked to her left, finding Soohyun's motionless body on the hard concrete. She ran for the man, hearing Tiffany gasping behind her. Heart beating in both shock and worry, she reached Soohyun face-first on the hard floor.

"Soo...Soohyun-ssi, " she dropped to her knees beside Soohyun and turning him slowly to face her. Her breath hitched, seeing half of his face covered in blood. Out of her reflex, she cradled his head on her lap.

"Fany-ah," her tone calm yet urgent, "Call 11, this is a critical emergency."

Tiffany, who saw the bleeding man, became silent and rigid. "Hwang Miyoung!" JiU's raised vocal shocked her friend back to consciousness. Once she gained Tiffany's attention, she repeats her instruction to her best friend while still cradling the man's head on her lap.

Just as she holds him, Gray came rushing from an open elevator. His face horrified, witnessing his best friend in such a state. "What happened?" He rushed to JiU's side.

JiU couldn't tell the story to Gray right now since the situation was too shocking and nerve-wracking. Her life flashed before her eyes and might have ended if it wasn't for the man on her lap. Right now, he is the one holding on to dear life.

'Why?' She cradled his head and looked at his blood-covered feature, 'Why did you save me?'

************************************

JiU

Now

The hospital's VIP lounge seemed as quiet as the moment when JiU had to wait for her father's doctor to come out and break the news for her. Tiffany, Gray, Soohyun's family, and her own family are all present but silent as a tomb. Everyone was frantic when they arrived that they crowded JiU with a barrage of questions. But thankfully, Tiffany took charge after recovering from the horrifying sight she had seen hours ago. In so doing, JiU was able to gather herself from utter shock.

Soohyun's voice calling out her name just before he took the hit for her still echoes in her head. Her hands were trembling, and her mind couldn't stop thinking about the man in the operating room. The red light on top of the said is not making things better on JiU's mind.

"Hey," Tiffany takes a seat right beside her best friend to give her a bottle of water, "You should drink."

"Thank you," JiU almost timidly smiles at her friend and took a big swig from the bottle, then letting out a soft sigh.

Tiffany gently placed her hand on JiU's back to soothe away the tension off her shoulders. Out of all the years she spent with JiU, what happened hours ago was an occurrence next to never. Her best friend's life was on the line while she was on her phone. Tiffany had placed herself partially at fault for what had happened. If I had just followed her without stopping for my phone, maybe things would be very different; Tiffany had thought that way ever since the ambulance took Soohyun away.

"I'm sorry," Tiffany's two-word phrase envoys emotions choked her breath as soon as the words leave her mouth.

JiU was wide-eyed at the sudden apology her best friend just uttered, "Sorry? For what?"

"If I hadn't been on my phone, things would have...." JiU cuts off her friend's words just before she finishes.

"No, no Miyoung-ah," JiU wrapped her arms tight around her childhood friend to soothe her instead, "Nobody had seen that coming, so please don't blame yourself."

Just as those words leave her mouth, the Doctor who operated steps out of the operating room. He looked at JiU, who stood almost automatically the moment she sees the doctor. "Is there any relative I can talk to concerning Kim Soohyun-ssi?"

"I'm his girlfriend doctor," JiU steps in front of the doctor before anyone else did. "How is my boyfriend?" Her tone was with no hesitation and sounded very genuine concerning her status, making Gray and Tiffany exchange brief eye contact.

All eyes turned to the doctor in anticipation. Both families rushed for the doctor, but the moment JiU stepped forward, everyone stayed their ground. However, everyone is still agitated and anxious about his answers.

"Uh..." The doctor seemed hesitant after seeing the small crowd gathering around him

"They are both family and friends of my boyfriend, so you don't need to worry, " JiU noticed the predicament and took charge.

"Alright," the doctor took a deep breath before beginning to explain, "Kim Soohyun-ssi suffered quite a severe trauma to the head along with five fractured ribs and a broken leg. He had to undergo blood loss; if he was a little too late, he might not have a chance. We tried our best to help him pass his critical state, but right now, he's in a comatose state. I'm afraid; there's not much I can say, but right now, it's all up to him. Only he can survive this fight."

The news hits everyone like a tidal wave. Soohyun's mother collapsed right in her son's arms while his father fell back to a seat behind him. The rest was in shock and speechless.

"Thank you, doctor," JiU conveys her thanks to the doctor just before he leaves.

Out of everyone, she's the most composed and calm. But deep down, her heart feels heavy. She has no words to say. And soon, a couple of nurses moved Soohyun to the VIP critical ward with everyone following close behind. After everything was ready and in place, the nurses left.

JiU approaches Soohyun's family first of all. "Abeoji," she bows her head towards the older Kim, "I will stay here with Soohyun, please go back home to get some rest along with Eomeonim, she must be in shock."

Soohyun's father from his seat and sighs deeply before looking at JiU, "Alright, but please let us know if anything happens," he agreed almost immediately. He finds it sweet that his son's girlfriend would go through the trouble of staying with him despite looking very tired herself.

After their brief conversation, Minho stepped beside her while carrying his mom in his arms. "Please take care of him noona," his tone full of concern as he relays his words.

JiU gave a small yet assuring smile towards the younger man, "I will don't you worry."

After bidding her farewell to the family, she approached her own family. All are equally concerned for her, even though she seemed alright. "Chungha-yah, you should take eomma home. It's getting late," she embraced her little sister with a soft hum.

"Are you sure?" Her mom expressed her worry by placing her gentle and warm hand on her daughter's cheek, "Will you be alright?"

"Neh, eomma I will be, don't worry," JiU once again assured her mom and sister with a soft and small smile, "You should go home and rest."

JiU had also taken the liberty to call her father when her mother and sister arrived at the hospital. It took a while, but she could finally comfort him and assure him that she is okay. "Tell abeoji I'll be home soon when everything is alright."

And soon, she too bid her farewell with her mother and sister. "You both should go home too," JiU quickly addressed Tiffany and Gray, who remained behind.

"Look, I'll take first watch, okay?" Gray noticed how tired JiU looked and wanted to take over, "You look exhausted already."

"No, I'm fine," JiU nodded with a smile towards Gray, "Besides, I have a favor to ask you."

"What is it?" Gray replied, a bit confused.

"I need you to take Tiffany home; she came with me in my car, but I sent my car home already," JiU's suggestion seemed to spark a little something from Tiffany as her face lit up.

"But..." His tone cut short when Tiffany stepped in.

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Tiffany hugged her best friend and sighed softly.

"Mhmm, I will be, don't worry," patting Tiffany's back gently before pulling away.

On that note, Gray and Tiffany leave JiU with four bodyguards who her mom insisted should stay with her. And another four from Soohyun's father. Now eight people are surrounding her. "Get something to eat, it's gonna be a long night," her tone firm and straight to the point just as she enters the room to see Soohyun.

Her heart almost stopped at sight. No longer she sees the mischievous and overly excited man. Now, with tubes and machines, right my bedside, he stays quiet. Only the beeping sound of his monitor echoed in the room. But directly before she takes her seat next to him, her phone buzzed.

The caller ID identifies the caller as Unknown, but thinking that it might be something important, she picked up the phone. "Hello?"

An eerie spine chilling cackle echoed in her ear as the caller responds, "Hello there, my baby," a voice all too familiar to her.

"Ji Hoon," her tone hushed and filled with rage.

The same laugh rings through the phone, "Aww, baby, I love it when you call my name."

"Why are you calling me? How did you get this number? Talk," JiU, now enraged, rushed her question when she is too tired of his game.

"Ooo... Feisty, aren't we?" His disgustingly playful tone keeps ongoing, "it's not important how I got this number baby, what's important is that I'm sure I got my point across. Suppose I can't have you, no one else. Well, at least he can't," she can almost see that smug plastered on his face as he talks.

"You did this?!" Anger boils as she moves to the far side of the room to continue the call, "You sick bastard!"

"Haha.. Bingo!" A clapping sound fills the background as Ji Hoon laughs, "No baby, the term is Obsessed? Or whatever it is they say these days, but you're mine, and you're meant to be mine. So don't you dare change your number again, okay? Or things will get worse. Bye. Bye, baby."

"What?" That was all she could say before the call went dead. She stood there looking at Soohyun and felt her heart sink.