Chapter Ten: of Red Haze and Walls

Gum Jandi was snuggling with her fiancé on the couch of his living room after enjoying the most delicious meal she ever tasted. She smiled in contentment as he kissed the top of her head.

A loud ring came from her phone at the same time her beeper made a loud beeping noise. Junpyo groaned in annoyance, why must his fiancé choose a career as doctor?

"I thought you had a break tonight?" he pouted while tightening his arms around her not willing to let her go.

"I do. Let me go you stupid, I have to take the call, what if it was some emergency?"

"But I'm also in emergency now!" he said not letting go at all.

"… and what might that be?" Jandi managed to cross her arms and glared at him while her phone kept on ringing in the background.

"I think I'm sick and right now in dire need of some love from you." He dived to kiss her fully on the lips and rolled over so she was underneath him. She couldn't help but giggled at his childish act and returned his kiss with the same fervor.

Her phone rang again. Junpyo sighed and finally let loose his arms so she could climb out of the couch to pick up the stupid phone. He watched her crawled on the thick carpet to reach for her bag beside the coffee table. She was wearing his shirt and it looked like a dressing gown on her petite figure, he thought she looked ravishing and ready to jump her as soon as she finished the call.

His imagination was cut off as he heard her tone changed. She stood up quickly and went to find her clothes as she shot rapid questions to the caller. 'There goes my romantic Christmas night' he thought in annoyance.

"I'll be there soon." She clicked the phone off, by then she had pulled up her jeans and was reaching for her coat.

"Gu Junpyo! Come on! Move your ass! No! Call Yi Jeong, call Woo Bin." She was pacing and mumbling as she looked for something. "Arrgghh where is the car key?!"

"Jandi, what's wrong? Hey… hey, shhh calm down first." He reached to hug her and saw tears in her eyes.

"It's Grandfather..." she took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

"That… that was the hospital, the nurse called me because Grandfather had a major heart attack and is currently in the operation… Ji Hoo… sunbae, he.. he…" Jandi took another breath and few tears dropped. By now Junpyo had reached for his coat and took her hands as he dragged her out of the house.

"What about Ji Hoo?" he asked worriedly while starting the car engine.

"The nurse said no one dared to touch him. He has been sitting in front of the operation room, they said he is in some kind of shock and lashed out at anyone who dared to approach him…" she continued.

Junpyo quickly made calls to Woo Bin and Yi Jeong informing them of the situation while driving as fast as he could to the hospital.

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They arrived roughly at the same time and rushed to follow Jandi for she knew the way around the Hospital. A group of worried nurses greeted them as soon as they stepped out of the elevator.

"Dr. Jandi!! Dr. Yoon, he… we don't know what to do. We are afraid to resort to the extremes…"

Jandi knew, 'extreme' meant knocking him out forcefully. She followed to where a nurse pointed her to and saw the most heart-breaking sight. There on the floor sat Yoon Ji Hoo, his head in his hands, even from the distance they could see how his whole body trembled. He was only wearing a sweater and khaki pants, although the hospital has central heat system it was still in the middle of a winter night.

Woo Bin approached him first and tried to touch his hand, Ji Hoo looked up, eyes bloodshot and wild, there was no recognition in them and he growled, scooted backwards and tried to kick him.

"We think that he was in extreme shock, if this continue we must take extreme actions. Dr. Jandi, we thought you might be able to calm him down. If you cannot then we must do something soon." The head nurse whispered brokenly. This man was the head of the hospital although he often time seemed distant but they all knew of his kind heart and he had always been polite, even caring, to all the staff.

"Let me try…" Gum Jandi wasn't even sure what to do but she knew she had to do something. She crawled to him so not to surprise his already frayed nerves.

"Sunbae… Ji Hoo… it's me, Jandi." He visibly stiffened and tried to move away.

"It's ok. Grandpa will be fine. He is a strong man; remember you always call him Stubborn Old Man? He will be fine… you have to calm down." She spoke so softly almost whispering.

She was only an arm length from him now; tentatively she moved her hands and touched his shaking hands. His wild eyes snapped up, she thought he was about to hit her. She heard Yi Jeong held Junpyo back.

"I know you wouldn't hurt me, Sunbae… it's me, Jandi… Ji Hoo, don't you know me?" she smiled gently as she took his trembling hand and placed it on her cheek. His eyes were confused though a slight recognition came, "Jan… Di…?" he whispered softly.

"Yes, yes, it's me… I'm here. Don't be afraid, Ji Hoo." Slowly she knelt in front of him and wrapped her arms around his shaking body.

"Jandi… Jandi…" she felt his arms moved to hug her to him with a vice like strength but she let him because he needed her, for once she felt she could do something for him. His ragged breathing sounded so loud in her ears as he pressed her further to his cold body and she wondered how long has he been sitting here in the hallway. He kept on repeating her name like it was some kind of lifeline.

She slowly and gently guided him to take a few deep breaths to calm his racing adrenaline. It seemed to work somehow though he hasn't let her go at all. She felt his muscled loosening and the trembling lessened.

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Ji Hoo felt the red haze that covered his world lifted slightly as he heard the soft gentle voice in his ears. He thought he saw Jandi, his Jandi, but he wasn't sure. He thought he was dreaming. The image of his Grandfather with blood kept on replaying in his head mixing with the shout of his parents when their car crashed. The images kept on flashing and it made his head pounded hard. He thought he was about to loose his mind.

He felt someone warm in his arms and looked up slowly. His eyes met the gentle and loving eyes of his love, Gum Jandi. Her eyes shone with unshed tears. For him? He thought… but why? His fingers automatically moved to brush the threatening tears away.

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Junpyo couldn't stand it anymore; he just couldn't accept the scene in front of him. His best friend, Yoon Ji Hoo was hugging his fiancé so tightly and now he was staring at her like there was no one else in the world matters, their faces so close. It was such an intimate moment that he felt like he was the outsider not him. He had to do something.

"Ji Hoo!" he took a step forward.

Yoon Ji Hoo stiffened and turned his head so fast he almost knocked Jandi off. He saw Gu Junpyo standing a few meters away, his childhood friend, his brother, realization hit him hard in the gut, who he was holding so tightly right now. He saw the concern mixed with anger and jealousy in his brother's eyes. He was visibly holding back his emotions.

His eyes moved farther and saw for the first time, Woo Bin, Yi Jeong and Ga Eul. A few nurses were also there, staring at them, some with concern, some with strange gleam in their eyes like they were watching something interesting. Those must be the nurses who love to gossip. Oh he knew how the nurses talked behind him about his life (or love life) but he never put much thought in it. In fact, he couldn't care less as long as Jandi was not dragged into it.

But now…

But this…

He looked away and saw the red light of the operation room and felt suffocated. The walls seemed to close down on him and the red haze came back rapidly. He thought he heard someone hyperventilating and suddenly too many hands were touching him. He needed to get away. The walls were suffocating him, he couldn't breathe! He had to get out. Now! Now!

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Junpyo and Woo Bin were thrown back as Ji Hoo suddenly stood up and pushed them back with a sudden burst of strength. His eyes were wild once again as he ran away from the hallway. The nurses tried to hold him back but their strength were no match to him especially with adrenaline in his condition. Ga Eul held Jandi back afraid of him hurting her unconsciously.

"Sunbae!!"

"Ji Hoo!!"

Junpyo and Woo Bin quickly got up and ran after their friend leaving the ladies behind. Jandi and Ga Eul were crying softly. Not only for Grandfather who was fighting for his life in the operation room but also for their friend.

That night, Christmas seemed to be suddenly far away from everyone's mind.

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