She stood waiting for a few moments but received no answer. Confused, she glanced back at the driveway to make sure his car was parked. Sure enough, in the center of the driveway, next to her own car, stood a shiny white Nissan and a blue Suzuki motor.

'Well, he wouldn't have gone anywhere without one or the other... So, why isn't he answering the door?? He can't be asleep at THIS hour. And even if he was, he definitely would've heard those bells--he's not even a heavy sleeper!'

Annoyed and impatient, she tried the door, not expecting the door to be pulled open from the other side. As her hand was still on the knob, she felt herself being thrust into someone. She glanced up, blinking rapidly. She recovered quickly, however, and was about to scold the owner of the house for taking so long to answer the door when the man suddenly dropped to the floor, almost dragging her down with him.

"Oppah!"

---

"Argh!! Why isn't he answering his phone?" The question belonged to a very attractive woman, who looked not a day over 20, maybe 21--a good five or six years junior her actual age. While in no way tiny, she was smaller than average in physique. Her long auburn hair danced as she paced the room with her cell phone in hand.

"Relax, Jane! Damn, when's the wedding? You act like his frikkin' wife already!" her friend said, with a twinkle in her eyes.

"Oh, shut up... I haven't talked to him in forever! And I miss him!!" Jane complained. "You'd think that of the ten times his phone rings, he'd bother to pick up just once!"Karen laughed.

"It's been THREE days. HE has a life. YOU just need to go out and find one."

Jane glared at her friend. "Stop making fun! I'm being serious!!"

"So am I." Karen straightened up and looked at Jane, the twinkle vanished from her eyes. "I've known guys like him. If you choke him, HE is going to be the one leaving. If you really want him, you need to give him some room. Give him the space he needs to come to YOU."

Jane let out a heavy sigh. While Karen was usually a little jokester, when those occasional times when she got serious like that came up, it was best to listen to her advice. "So what do you want me to do?"

"I want you to..."

Jane looked up, expectantly--only to meet a pair of eyes that clearly spelled—

"...get over yourself."

MISCHIEF.

The little jokester...was back... And, she hadn't given Jane any helpful advice...

---

She looked at the figure she had just tucked under the soft sheets--the man who was always so strong in every aspect of his life--now, looking so fragile, like a little child..

'What happened to you...? You've gotten so... Wake up...' she silently prayed.

She sighed and felt his forehead.

'At least his fever's gone down...'

She got up with the pan of water in hand. Now that his fever had broken, the extra heat of the water would not be needed anymore. She walked into the kitchen--the so familiar kitchen...where she had once spent hours and hours experimenting with recipes from all over the world... She shook her head to wake herself. She cleaned up the mess she had made earlier in her panic over the sudden collapse of her...

'What IS he to me, anyway...?'

She walked with a cold air back to the master bedroom where she had dragged his entire 6'1" height and hundred-fifty-some pounds, somehow, onto the sofa. But when she looked down at the helpless figure, her eyes were immediately softened by shadow and nostalgia. She sat on the edge of the bed beside his warm body. Her fingers crept to his hair, and she gently brushed his hair back.

'It's gotten pretty long since I last saw him... Oppah, you probably haven't even cut it since we went together to get your hair cut... I don't know how you manage with me.'

She smiled weakly at the thought of the last time she had been in this house.

'No point in bringing back old memories, eh?'

She firmly shook her head and got up again. Since he has obviously not in any state to talk business with her, there was no reason for her to stay.

‘So much for the contract,' she thought, disgruntled.

She grabbed her keys from the lamp stand beside the bed and began to walk off...when something suddenly grabbed her arm.

"Ack!" she cried as she turned her head and looked down at the patient. His eyes were still closed. Yet, it was his hand that had grabbed her arm. Her eyes narrowed. "...are you awake?" She received no answer except slow, steady breathing.

'Reflex...?' she questioned, confused. She tried to pry his fingers off her arm but found that they held a firm grasp. Exasperated, she said, "This is so not funny! If you're awake, we can talk. If you're not, I'm leaving." She attempted shaking his hand off but it was in vain. "Arghhhh!!" she seethed. She leaned closely and studied glaringly at his face. Her eyes widened when she realized he was really still asleep.

'What...the...f...? He's ASLEEP? Then why--what--arghhh!!' She rolled her eyes. This man was obviously not as ill as she had thought if he could afford to be remain as stubborn as ever--in his sleep!

"Don't go..."

She gasped at the sound of his voice. She looked expectantly at him and furrowed her brows when she saw that he was still asleep.

'He...talks in his sleep...?'

She watched him carefully. Compounded by his closed eyes and his complexion still pale from his fever, he had an expression that looked so pained that even she felt sorry for him...

"Please...don't go... Stay here...with me..." he continued.

'If he only knew who he was saying these words to...' she thought sadly.

"Shh...it's okay. I'm here... I'm not going anywhere, sweetie..." she said gently, soothingly. She eventually coaxed him into letting go of her arm and settling into a deeper, more peaceful sleep. Thus assured, she took her keys and walked out of her former home once more...

---

A/N: this started as the prologue to another story..but i lost the inspiration to continue it.. --;; keke...i don't know...maybe i will finish it one day..??

"oppah" -- literal translation is older brother, but it's also used for older guy(friends) in general..