Chapter Forty-Four

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I wander back up near the cottage and sit in a lawn chair facing the water, feeling dazed and confused. My phone rings; it's Sung-Ho from NORAE.

"Sung-Ho...."

"Lily, we have to talk. There are reporters camped out in front of our company, and the press is not good."

"Sung-Ho, I'm so sorry. The person that posted those pictures, he's not well!"

"I know, Lily, the team over at Big Hit let me know they are pressing charges against him for trespassing, but this affects our business and our reputation in a serious way. I'm going to have to let you go."

My breath sucks in as I feel my body lurching forward; I hear the regret in his voice.

"Lily, you're an amazing producer. I'm sorry it has to be this way."

"I....I understand," my voice cracks. "It was an honor working with you, Sir!"

As soon as we say goodbye, I feel myself sinking to my knees until I meet the hard ground, my cellphone sliding out of my hands. Now the tears come. I've lost my entire career in the blink of an eye. My livelihood is gone. My life as I know it is destroyed. All the thoughts drop on me like a concrete block that's drowning me in a sea of reality.

"Why, why is this happening?" I hear the words pouring out of my mouth, but only the chirping birds hear my cries. I feel ill, and I lay down in the grass, feeling the freezing earth underneath me. Nothing matters anymore.

I finally drag myself into the cottage and lay down in bed. My body can't take any more emotional trauma; I'm burnt out, and my stomach is killing me. Switching my phone to silent, I let sleep ravish my body.

Hours later, I awake feeling like I've been run over by a truck. I reach over for my phone and I find it overrun with notifications, as soon as I switch silent mode off on my phone, it rings.

"Lily!"

"Yoongi..."

"Lily, I was worried. I couldn't reach you."

"I'm sorry, I fell asleep," my voice comes out weak.

"Darling, you don't sound good. What is happening?"

"I think I finally got what Hobi had. I really don't feel good, but it's okay. I will be fine."

"Oh no, Lily......"

"Sung-Ho called, I've been fired," my voice cracks. "It's all over, my career, it's over...."

There is a long silence and Yoongi finally speaks, "Lily, I...I'm so..so..sorry...."

"My music has been ripped away. I....I....Yoongi....I have to let you go... I'm going to be sick..." Slamming the end button, I scurry to the bathroom, which only upsets my stomach more, and I make it to the toilet just in time to throw up.

The stomach upset comes in waves, and I remain on the bathroom floor for what feels like hours. The cold floor tiles are my only comfort as I drift in out of sleep; it almost feels like I'm losing consciousness, but I try to reason with my fear telling myself it's the flu as the room goes dark again.

I dream of flying high above the ground, looking down. I see my apartment, then my record collection slipping away. The front door of NORAE appears, but it quickly slips away as well. All seven of the members' faces appear, Yoongi's face standing out from the rest, but he vanishes when I reach out for him. Then I'm landing in what feels like a soft cloud, and everything fades away.

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"Lily, sweet girl, are you with me?"

I hear a voice, my eyes fluttering as I awaken, I'm utterly confused. "Uggh," my throat is dry, my eyes feel like they are rolling around my head. An arm slides under my neck and tilts me up on a soft pile of pillows, and I feel a bottle of water nudging at my lips.

"Lily, try and take some sips. You need to drink."

I take a few tiny sips, but the water hits my stomach like a rock, and I sink my weight backward towards the pillows.

A face appears; I reach out my hand weakly, "Hobi, are you really here?" I rasp.

"Lily, I'm really here."

"Where am I?"

"You're safe, Lily. I found you on the bathroom floor. I'm here, and I'm going to take care of you. Everything is going to be alright."

"I...I...was fired." I stutter, barely choking the words out.

"Yoongi told me, sweet girl. I've already had the flu, so it makes sense that I would be the one to care for you. I wouldn't let anyone else do it if they tried anyway," he coos as I feel his hand brushing my hair off my face.

"Here, swallow this pill," he directs softly. I take it weakly as he urges me to sip some water.

"What is it? I manage to ask.

"A fever reducer."

It's hard but I swallow only to be greeted with another pill.

"What is this one?" I strain to get the words out.

"Your birth control pill. I found them on your bathroom counter; I'm making sure you stay on schedule." He says matter of factly while my eyes widen. 

"Sweet, girl. I promised Yoongi I would take care of you, and I'm thinking you two are going to be glad I was this bold when you feel better," he smiles with a wink.

I smile weakly, but my eyes are starting to flutter shut again, and I hear him reassuring me that I'm safe and to rest as I slip away again.

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