The Crystal Bracelet

Are you getting Sick?

Yi Din called up his dad on the phone a week before Lily's birthday. The older man was still very involved in Yi Corporation. New cosmetic lines were coming out in the fall just before Mid-Autumn Day. Many cities all over the country would hold fairs and events during that time period. And women, as a whole, generally would dress up and entertain family and friends or they would be attending someone else's event. In any case women always bought new clothes and new cosmetics to look their best for these celebrations. Yi Seok was sitting in his office with all the directors around the conference table strategizing about the latest ad campaigns. They were on a tight deadline and these ads needed to be approved now so they could run starting this Saturday. When Seok's phone rang and he saw it was his son he stood up and stepped out of his office. The Directors all knew if Seok took a call and stepped out it was one of his children.

"Hello." Seok answered

"Dad. You busy?"

"Never busy for you. What is going on?"

"I was wondering what are the plans for Lil's birthday and for National Day this year." Din was truthfully making sure his Dad didn't forget Lily's birthday. Although he was a loving devoted father, he sometimes got caught up in business, especially this time of year.

"Oh! Why does this always sneak up on me every year?" Seok looked guilty just then. His lovely wife always took care of these things in the past. His face had started to show the sadness he wore the last few years.

"Its ok Dad, I'll take care of it. It's her 21st birthday. She may want friends over this year." Din advised thoughtfully.

"21. Already. Where has the time gone?" Seok shook his head. Seemed like yesterday his little Lily was born. "ok, you just tell me how much money you need. Oh and send me a text of what I should get her as a present. You know I am terrible at buying stuff for women."

Din laughed and remembered the time his Dad bought his mom a blender because that is something she had mentioned she had wanted to make smoothies for her diet. Women always dieted even when they didn't need to. Although his mom graciously accepted it and smiled lovingly at her husband for his thoughtfulness she secretly thought he was dumb.

"Ok Dad. I'll let you know." Din hung up at that time.

Yi Seok returned to his office and they were finishing up the final decisions. They had hired a new model for the cosmetic ads and she was pretty and young, but she wasn't very glamourous. Seok felt like this year the ad wouldn't be as big of a hit and their sales may not be comparable to years past. But it was too late to make any changes and they had to put out what they had. After all the Directors left Seok's office his young secretary came in. "Gloria, what do young women really like for their birthdays?" Seok asked her.

"Depends, some like flowers, chocolates, jewelry.... You can never go wrong with jewelry." Gloria smiled sweetly at her boss. She knew his daughter had a birthday coming up. Seok seemed to be mulling over what she had just said. It was his only daughter's 21st birthday. What could he get her that would be special to her? He sat at his computer and pulled up a local jeweler and browsed through pictures. He just didn't know what her style was. Din was definitely going to have to help him with this one.

Lily was having her usual tea with Sue for lunch. She opted for a bowl of soup instead of the biscuit she normally got. She wasn't in the mood for the biscuit. Sue asked her if she was ok after seeing she ordered soup.

"Yeah Im fine why?" Lily looked at Sue strangely.

"You just only order soup when you are coming down with a cold."

"No I just felt like soup."

"Have you heard any more from Playboy Sun?" Sue asked with a sparkle in her eye. Lily laughed. They had both started calling him Playboy Sun.

"He tried to have the scary scarred man give me a gift today. But I told him to tell his Master to give it to me himself." Lily was proud of herself.

"WHY!" Sue was exasperated. "Why are you like this? You have a gorgeous sexy RICH man sending you gifts and you refuse them! There are women all over who would die to be you right now." At the mention of "women all over" Lily wrinkled her nose and shook her head.

"That is precisely why! 'women all over' He has too many." Lily hated thinking about all the women he had. It soured her stomach. She didn't even want her soup now. Was she actually a little jealous? She shook her head as if to reset her thoughts and pushed her soup away. "Maybe I am getting sick."

Lily left school a little early because her stomach had actually started to not feel well. She walked back to her apartment and decided to take a quick shower and lay down to rest for a while. She made sure she locked the door today. She had been extra vigilant about this since Din pointed it out. After her shower she drank a few sips of tea but her stomach was so unsettled she felt she was going to throw up. She laid down on her bed and quickly fell asleep. When she woke up she felt like she was freezing. She looked at the time and it was just after 6pm. She had slept for over 3 hours. She got up to go to the kitchen and she felt sick to her stomach. She hadn't eaten anything other than some porridge that morning. She overall just felt sick. She wondered if she had a fever. Her phone rang and she saw that it was Din calling.

"Hey brother." She said with a hoarse voice as she answered.

"Hey, you don't sound good." Din sounded worried.

"I'm ok. Just have a sour stomach." Lily tried to reassure him.

"I'm coming over."

Before Lily could argue Din had hung up the phone. She knew it was pointless to try and argue anyway.

Din arrived 15 minutes later and tried to open the door. It was locked so he knocked harder than normal. She opened the door and looked up at him like he was crazy.

"I can hear you just fine no need to be so loud!" She scolded him.

"You don't look good." Din saw she had bright red cheeks and her eyes were puffy. She looked sick.

Din reached out to touch her and she was burning up hot.

"We have to get you to a doctor Lil." Din started grabbing her things as if to take her out of the apartment right then.

"Din, I'm in house clothes. I am not leaving to go anywhere." She argued. She felt terrible and the last thing she wanted to do was go out.

She walked sluggishly to the kitchen to fix some tea. She felt so sick to her stomach and her head was dizzy. She sat down in the chair at the table and rested for just a moment. Din watched her and grabbed her raincoat and began putting it on her.

"Come on, you are going to the hospital to reduce this fever." Din wasn't arguing any more. He was very stern with her.

She stood up to go with him and the room went black. She passed out. Din barely caught her before she fell to the floor. He lifted her in his arms and carried her out.

When Din got to his motorcycle her realized the predicament he was really in. He had no way of taking her on the bike unconscious to the hospital. Just then a black Mercedes pulled up and young Master Sun jumped out of the car. "What happened to her?" he asked and tried to take Lily from Din. Din glared at the man, although he knew who he was he wasn't handing his sister over. "Who the fuck are you?" Din sneered as he pulled his sister to his chest.

Gavin stared at this Din man in disgust. "Put her in my car." He demanded.

Din was going to tell young Master Sun to go to hell, but he thought better of it and gently laid Lil in the backseat of the Mercedes. "DO NOT harm her!" He growled at Gavin. "I'll follow you to the hospital."

Both men said nothing more and parted. One got on a motorcycle and one got in the backseat with Lily. Gavin pulled her to him and felt how hot she was. He was instantly worried about her.