Calamity [✓] [EDITING]

7. Autumn Leaves

With one fist covering his pursed lips, he remained firm inside the vehicle.

SeokJin has already heard her frantic screams come from a mile away. He watched her drunkard state struggle to fight against the police dragging her out from the aforementioned club. He observes all these events happening from a few meters away.

There were a few pairs of eyes staring at the commotion. A few paparazzi stood by to snap pictures that would grant worthy of a headline, as well as arbitrary citizens going on about their day stopped for a moment to share words of gossip.

Sunmi is a well-known figure as a model. She even took deals with his grandmother, which upgraded her from the lower echelon to the elite. This would cause a dent in her career for the time being, but SeokJin felt she deserved the punishment for neglecting Henry.

A distant pair of footsteps reaches his ears and the car door swings open. Breathless pants reach his ears, yet he doesn't stray his gaze from the side mirror.

"I'm sorry for taking long. The queue was unexpected—" she explains, only to drawl out into silence.

MinYoung glances up at SeokJin's stern gaze – the way his crescent eyes were hooded and thick brows drawn over in mere silence made her heart almost stop. He had never been this quiet, aside from the occasional contemplating.

After settling the plastic bag on the middle seat, which was only a few snacks and beverages for the two, brought from the nearby supermarket, she waits for a moment before placing her palm on his fist; therefore, easing the irregular fidgeting of his knees.

"SeokJin?" she asks.

He slowly turns away from the mirror, finally acknowledging her presence and of her warm hands in his large ones.

"I'm sorry. I was lost in thought," he mutters, before pressing a light kiss on her palm in apology.

Her chest flutters at the affectionate gesture and she rubs her thumb on his hands.

"What were you thinking about?"

SeokJin wraps his fingers around hers and switches the gear to drive. Once again, her chest flutters, as if they have performed somersaults around and about her ribs. She hopes he did not feel the erratic heartbeat pounding travel through her limbs and in contact with his palms.

"Just about my cousin," he said.

He makes a smooth turn to the main intersection with one arm and firmly grips on the steering wheel.

"Is everything okay with him? Or her?"

The vehicle revs lightly under the slightest press of the pedal. She is still not used to sitting in a sports car as a passenger and neither did it occur to her to be a driver.

"Him, actually. We're paying him a visit to the hospital,"

"Oh no, what happened?"

He turns to the next avenue, which led them out of the crowded city and into the next city. The bridge connecting the island gave her a vast view of the clear blue sea, filled with fishermen in their boats and millionaires in their yachts mingling around the river.

"You'll see,"

"But, I didn't bring anything, not even a get-well-soon gift," she mumbles.

"You don't have to,"

By the time they reached the hospital, SeokJin made sure that both of them were wearing shades. She understood instantly, seeing as how a small crowd has formed at the front entrance.

Were they perhaps waiting for their arrival? Were these people so starved and deprived of juicy news that they were waiting in front of a hospital?

"Don't worry. They're not here for us," he remarks, after noticing her worried expression.