Chapter 9

THE sound of awkward, uncomfortable silence apart from the clattering noise their forks made was all they could both hear. Mal sighed and sent her husband a glance, just to see what he could possibly be feeling.

He had tears welling up in his soft, chocolate brown eyes. His cheeks turned light pink, just enough to show how embarrassed and ashamed he really was. His heart raced and pounded between his ribs.

And all he could think of was how much nobody loved him.

How nobody wanted to be with him.

How nobody tolerated his existence.

How everybody believed the rumors about him, even his wife.

His wife.

Why couldn't she give him a chance?

He already made a promise to himself that he would try to please her whenever he could. He wanted to make her happy.

Why couldn't she stop believing in those rumors and ask him about his story? His real story?

If she sat down to talk to him, to find out what really happened to him- would that have been too hard?

Nobody loved him. Not his parents, not his friends, not his wife.

No one.

"Hey-" she spoke, causing him to turn his attention to her while trying to not break down at her voice, "are you okay?"

It took him a while of hesitation. He stared back at her beautiful face, blinking twice to try and understand the question.

At last, he barely nodded, despite the voice in his head telling him to say no.

"Yes."

She nodded despite how doubtful he sounded. Sighing, she turned to him once again.

"We need to go grocery shopping," she informed, her voice cold yet inviting, "would you like to come with me?"

It took him another moment to absorb the question.

Was she really asking him to go out with her?

For grocery shopping, yes. But at least it was something.

"Okay..."

She nodded, heat rushing to her cheeks to turn them light pink as well.

His lips quivered, the tears in his eyes threatened to stream down his face, and his heart ached, along with his muscles.

"I-I'm full. I'll go to my room, okay?" He muttered, his voice weak and trembling. Sweat began pouring down his forehead, and his muscles ached again.

"You haven't even touched your food. Are you okay?" She repeated, taking in the sight of his almost untouched plate, then took a good look at his weak frame. How he lightly grasped his stomach and lightly hunched over his back to protect his frail body.

Something was wrong.

She could almost feel it.

She eyed him as he gathered his energy to stand up from his seat, then took a few steps away from the table.

"Hyunjin?" She called out, worried.

He didn't answer. Not because he was ignoring her, but because he couldn't.

His eyes were warm. His body trembled. His lips were pursed together. He tried to swallow the lump in his throat but failed. Hot tears streamed down his face.

His knees buckled and shook beneath him. His body weakened.

And soon enough, his body hit the floor with a loud thud.

Mal got up from her seat and dashed towards him, her mouth agape in pure shock.

"H-Hyunjin?!"

She hurried to his side and stretched her hand out to caress his cheek. He barely reacted. His eyes were half open. His vision was blurry. His heart raced for a brief moment before his heartbeat eventually slowed down.

"J-Jagiya..." he whispered as a few more tears escaped his eyes.

"Hyunjin, baby, what's wrong? I'm going to call for help." She exclaimed as she wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling him towards her. She leaned in and planted a small kiss on his soft skin, just above his forehead.

His skin was burning up. In fact, his entire body was.

Her voice echoed through his mind. His vision focused on the ceiling above them. His body trembled gently, ignoring the heat that rushed to his cheeks.

"P-Please stay with m-me..." he whispered finally before he was engulfed by the darkness.

Mal swallowed as she held his body closer to hers, trying to reach for her phone in her front pocket to dial the emergency number.

"Baby... Stay with me, okay? I'll call help." She whispered in a soft, caring tone before planting another kiss on his forehead. Then, a kiss on the corner of his soft lips.

Her heart raced. She stared at his peaceful face as his chest heaved up and down, his body still trembling slightly. She sighed heavily and brought his body closer to her, hugging him while enjoying his existence ever so close to her.

"You're going to be okay." She promised to him, but mostly to herself.

"I love you so much," she whispered again, this time directly in his ear.

For the first time ever, she wanted him to know.

And she knew that she was too shy and ashamed to tell him that to his face.

She had to admit that she hated the fact that she was forced to marry him. But now that her feelings were clear, she knew that it wasn't his fault. And she couldn't deny that she grew fond of him every second.

Now that she was sure of it, she wanted to tell him that she loved him until her throat bled.

She loved him.

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