A/N: Another rainy day here means I couldn't work on my house. My sister will be visiting in a couple of weeks and my dad has given them the okay to stay at my house. But it has to be ready. It's not.
I've been watching Star Trek again. So I go between American, Korean and Chinese television shows. It's amazing I keep my head.
Another month had passed since meeting his father-in-law, and Woo Bin had been bombarded by various invitations to different social gatherings he hadn't ever gone to. He'd been invited to the Blue House with First Lady Kim Jung-sook who had been Do Hwan's late mother's friend. They had gone to college together, and Park Min Hee - Do Hwan's mother - would have named their third child after her had she lived.
One of the most prestigious social invitations had been to a luncheon of three of the biggest pharmaceutical companies; Johnson & Johnson, Roche and Sinopharm. They had discussed how everything was going in their parts of the world, and Do Hwan had gotten recommendations of where and how to get the ingredients needed to create an antidote.
Woo Bin had been pleasantly surprised and a little impressed by how Do Hwan conducted herself with the foreigners. She had been brash and straightforward with them, but her tone was completely different with her guests. She had been cordial and gentle, but had known exactly what she had needed and had asked the questions to get her answers. It had been her knowledge of English that had impressed him the most. She hadn't needed a translator or anything, conversing easily and happily.
Jun Pyo and Jan Di's anniversary rolled around, and they had been invited to the dinner. Usually Jun Pyo would have a huge affair, but in light of the current situation, they had decided to have a small dinner with their closest friends. It had been the first big event Do Hwan had attended with Woo Bin. She had been nervous because she hadn't met the wives of Jun Pyo or Yi Jeong, and she had even said she wasn't the best with other women.
It had gone well. Once they had found out about the baby, Jan Di and Ga Eul had turned to mush. They had started talking all things baby including nurseries, doctors, nursing and so on and so forth. Do Hwan had been overwhelmed but she had listened intently to the other mothers since they had more experience.
Jun Hee had come in, and she had scolded Do Hwan for not telling her sooner about sleeping with Woo Bin. The man had come to his wife's defense almost immediately, something that the other's had admired. Woo Bin had never been the type to defend someone who he considered beneath unworthy. In a few short months, he had married her and was waiting on the birth of their child. She was now worthy of his defense, and the others were certain she would always be.
After the parties, Woo Bin had gone with Do Hwan to her doctor's appointment. They had done a virus test on both of them which had come back negative, and then gone to see Doctor Hwang. The doctor was a little older than them but she had been gentle and professional. She had done blood work to make sure there was nothing else wrong with mother or child.
He had respectively waited until Do Hwan was changed and on the exam table. Though they were married, since that night Woo Bin hadn't touched Do Hwan. They were still getting to know each other and he didn't want to jeopardize that. He wasn't sure if they would remain married, but he didn't want to be the reason they broke up.
When Doctor Hwang began the sonogram, Woo Bin had been amazed. It was his first time seeing the womb of a woman, and this one was carrying his child. The wand went over the lower regions of Do Hwan's belly, and there the size of a lemon was his child. He could clearly see the head, eyelids, and feet. The heartbeat was steady and even.
He looked down at Do Hwan as she stared at the screen. She had given him something he had never thought would happen. He had always wanted children, but the thought of marrying someone just for that had always seemed out of his character. He had always just wanted to be loved, just like Yi Jeong and Jun Pyo.
Do Hwan looked at him, and he saw exactly what he felt on her face. For a moment, they just looked at each other as Doctor Hwang wiped Do Hwan's stomach. She left the two alone to write some paperwork, and Do Hwan dressed again. When they finally met with the doctor again, she told them what they should expect going into the second trimester and expressly told Do Hwan to stay away from people who could be sick. Things were so tense right now they didn't want an expectant mother getting ill and dehydrated.
A week after that day, Woo Bin had been happy. His little family was safe, and his child was growing healthily. That's all he ever wanted.
That all changed when he woke up that morning with a massive headache and heaviness in his chest. He had called his assistant to tell him he wouldn't be making it to the office that day, and he'd asked Mrs. Hwang to call a mobile doctor for a test. He wasn't panicking, but he wanted to be certain nothing was seriously wrong.
He picked up his phone and dialed Do Hwan's number. She had gone to work early to finish up some reports before they were scheduled to meet again the next day for an update on their testings. She answered on the third ring.
"Shouldn't you be at work?" she asked.
He smiled as he watched her scribble her signature onto a few documents she had been working on. "I had planned to go in, but I'm not feeling well. I called for one of the testing doctors to come give me a test. I think it's best if you go back to your apartment for the time being."
She stopped writing and looked at him. "Are you telling me to leave or asking?"
"I don't want anything to happen to you or the baby. We don't know what this virus will do to you, so please just listen to me."
Do Hwan looked at him, scrutinizing him. "Find Mrs. Hwang and give her the phone." She waited as he called for the housekeeper. His screen blurred as he tossed the phone to her. The housekeeper's face was drawn when she looked at her. "Put the young master in quarantine. Once you give the phone back to him, close his door and sanitize the entire house. You may use the shower in my room and some of my clothes while yours wash. Do not under any circumstances go into his room. All food must be on disposable dishes."
"Yes, ma'am. Will you be home tonight?" the housekeeper asked.
"Yes, I will. He wants me to go to my house, but I won't leave him if he's sick."
"I will do what you ask."
Once again the phone went flying through the air and she focused on Woo Bin's face. He wasn't happy, but he was too tired to argue.
"I'll call Ji Hoo and one of my scientists. We'll have to draw blood. It's the first time we've had a patient we know," she said.
He laughed then coughed when the pressure in his lungs became too much. "Sure, I'll be your guinea pig. Will it help to find a cure?"
"I hope so. I'm sorry for doing it this way."
Woo Bin shook his head. "Don't be. We all want to find a cure. I'll have some cleaning products delivered so Mrs. Hwang can sanitize the house. I don't want you here, but you're too stubborn to listen to me."
"I don't play when it comes to someone I care for."
They stared at each other for a long while, neither one moving to say anything or hang up. Woo Bin was seriously tired, which was unlike him because he had infinite amounts of energy. Was this what it meant to get truly sick?
"I'm going to finish this up, then I'll be home," she said. "Please don't do anything."
"I won't. I'll be right here in this bed. I don't think I can move right now."
Do Hwan cut the call then immediately dialed Ji Hoo. She knew the doctor was at work since it was his work to work doubles in the CCU. He didn't answer his cell so she dialed the hospital. The receptionist almost didn't page him, but after some persuasion she was finally patched through.
"This is Doctor Yoon," he said. He sounded tired and completely drained.
"Ji Hoo-ya, this is Do Hwan. Woo Bin is sick at home and the symptoms sound like this new virus," she said.
The usually quiet doctor cursed. "I'll contact Jan Di. I'm swamped here currently. She'll do the test for him. Where are you?"
"I'm at work, but I'm going home soon. Mrs. Hwang is sanitizing the house so we can quarantine Woo Bin."
"I'm guessing asking you to go to your apartment is out of the question?" She hummed her answer. "All right. Woo Bin's just as stubborn as you are so I think it would benefit him to have you there. I'll send you a list of things to do while you're there. Please don't go to the office while he's sick. Just work from home."
"That I will do."
They hung up. Do Hwan finished all of her paperwork, then asked Ah Ra to schedule all of her meetings from in person to virtual the next day. Her assistant asked how things were going to run while she was out, and her boss answered like they normally would. She could have anything delivered with no contact or emailed. She would be in the loop always.
Do Hwan got in her car and headed home. Her mind raced as to what she would walk into. She hoped Woo Bin would be all right.
Jan Di and her team were waiting outside when she pulled up. They fitted her with an N95 mask and scrubs to wear over her clothes. She changed her shoes and stuffed them into a bag to be sanitized. Jan Di drew some blood to be on the safe side and did a rapid test out on the street. It would be done by the time they got to Woo Bin's.
Do Hwan showed them up to her house and punched in the code. She stepped back to let the medical team enter to help her husband. Mrs. Hwang came out and the two women stood outside quietly. To her credit, the housekeeper held the young mistresses's hand the entire time.
Fifteen minutes later, Jan Di emerged from the house. She smiled at Do Hwan.
"Sunbae does not have this new virus, and neither do you. He just has a severe sinus infection and the flu. Your tests also came back negative for it. Just to be on the safe side, keep him in quarantine due to your condition. I'll send over some medications for him to take for the next two weeks. We'll run some tests on the blood samples and see if we get a hit to help fight this," she said.
Do Hwan's face lit up with recognition. "Do you think someone used other illnesses to create this new virus? Almost as if it was forced together?"
"I was beginning to think that as well. I won't have any information until I get this to pathology. I will have it sent to your team once we are done."
"What should we do, doctor?" Mrs. Hwang asked.
"Keep him comfortable and keep an eye on his temperature. If it gets over one hundred, call me. Do Hwan has my number."
"I'll program both numbers in Mrs. Hwang's phone," Do Hwan said. "Jan Di, thank you."
The doctor smiled and nodded. "When it comes to the members of F4, you tend to get involved in ways you don't understand."
Jan Di and her team left the building, and Do Hwan and Mrs. Hwang went inside. They immediately changed their clothes and put them on to wash. Do Hwan gave some of her clothes to the housekeeper who went to make a stew for Woo Bin.
Do Hwan knocked on the door of his bedroom then stepped back. He opened it and stepped back as well. They stood six feet apart with the wall and door between them. Do Hwan looked him up and down.
"You look worse than you did the day I woke up in your bed," she said. He laughed then started coughing and she felt guilty instantly. "Sorry. Jan Di said you're clear of the virus but you have the flu with a sinus infection."
Woo Bin sighed and coughed. "I do things with pizzazz. Do you have to go to your house?"
She shook her head. "I'm not leaving you. You're not leaving your room, but we're not leaving you here alone. Mrs. Hwang is making you some stew. I'm sure she'll help me around here while you're laid up. I'll be working from home, and once it's sanitized, I'll be using your office."
Her husband shook his head. "I understand. Please take care of me."
"I'll do my best." He closed the door to the bedroom, and she stared at the wooden structure for a few long moments. She ventured into the kitchen where Mrs. Hwang was cooking. "I'm worried."
"Don't worry too much, mistress. You'll upset your baby. Sit and eat. It will help."
Do Hwan did, but that didn't stop her from worrying about a lot of things.