"Do you love me?" Roohi asked, looking at him intently.
Taehun was dumbfounded. He hadn't expected her to ask such a question in this situation. Is this really the time to have this conversation?
"I... Roo—" he began, stammering.
"Just tell me—yes or no," Roohi interrupted, her voice urgent.
Taehun noticed her breathing had grown heavier, her eyes were dazed, and she was shivering under the cold shower. Blood dripped from her hand, staining her already red dress a darker shade.
He looked down at her bleeding hand and said, "Roohi, let go of that shard and come out of the shower. You'll get sick."
He reached out to her, but she jerked his hand away. Her voice was heavy, strained. "Please leave me alone."
He opened his mouth to speak again, but she shouted before he could. "LEAVE!!"
Reluctantly, Taehun slowly walked out of the room. He didn't want to make her more uncomfortable.
Roohi had been observing him since the moment he entered—the way his expression shifted when she asked the question, the confusion, the discomfort. Even though Taehun was known for his poker face, she could read every emotion, and it broke her heart to realize all he felt was pity. He never liked her—and never would. And she told herself she was fine with it.
She clenched her fist tighter, trying to suppress her tears. But it was becoming harder to resist the drug's effects. Her body was giving in, her mind foggy, her vision blurry.
Suddenly, she felt someone pull her, and a pair of lips crashed onto hers.
She wanted to see who it was, to push them away, but her body was too exhausted. The effort she had spent resisting the drug had drained her. The warmth of the lips against hers wasn't helping—it urged her to surrender.
She was slipping into the kiss, barely holding on, when she felt the person try to open her clenched fist. Slowly, she opened her eyes—and met a pair of cold, determined ones.
Taehun had left the room, but seeing her struggle even to breathe had shaken him. He knew he had to do something. Without thinking further, he had walked back in, knelt beside her, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her—his only way to break her out of self-harm.
When he felt her responding, he reached for her bleeding hand, attempting to pry it open. That's when Roohi opened her eyes and froze in shock.
She pushed him away with whatever strength she had left and stumbled backward, creating distance between them.
Taehun was startled. He hadn't expected her to react like this, not when he thought she had feelings for him. But when he looked at her, he saw the hurt in her eyes.
Tears streamed down her cheeks as she stared at him. "Please leave, Mr. Kim… before I lose the last thread of my sanity."
Taehun moved closer and said in a monotone, "I don't mind you losing it. Just stop hurting yourself, Roohi."
"This is the only way, Mr. Kim. Please… I don't want to lose my self-respect and dignity. If I give in now, I won't be able to look at myself tomorrow. So please leave me alone. I don't need your pity." Her voice cracked as she pleaded.
Though hesitant, Taehun left again. This time, he heard the door shut behind him—a clear message that she no longer wanted him there.
---
Jeha and Soobin walked into the hall shortly after Taehun had left with Roohi. Jeha went straight to his brothers, who were chatting with some guests. When Sunho noticed the worry on Jeha's face, he excused himself.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
Jeha leaned in and whispered, "Mr. Park drugged Roohi."
"What?" Yeon blurted out, too loudly, attracting a few glances. He quickly apologized, then asked in a lower voice, "What do you mean—drugged her?"
Before Jeha could respond, Hyunsung interjected, "Where is she now?"
"Brother Taehun took her home," Jeha answered. Sunho could tell Jeha was holding something back.
"Is there more?" he asked.
Jeha nodded. "Taehun said it wasn't just any drug. Her body temperature was rising—she was burning up."
The three exchanged glances.
"Flibanserin…?" Yeon said aloud.
The youngest looked confused. "What's that?"
Hyunsung answered, "It's a drug that increases sexual desire in women. Marketed as Addyi, if I'm not mistaken."
"But isn't it usually administered over a period of time?" Sunho asked.
"Probably a high dose," Hyunsung replied with a shrug.
"Wait! That isn't an approved method, is it?" Yeon exclaimed, frowning.
Thanks to Roohi being a doctor, they all knew about these medications—their effects, the risks, even their smell. She had warned them in the past just in case anything ever went wrong.
Jeha, growing impatient with their digression, finally snapped, "Can you guys just focus?"
They turned to him as he continued in a rushed whisper, "Roohi was drugged, and there's no doctor available. Dr. Rohan's out of town, and Roohi refuses to let anyone else near her. She's not being treated—brothers, she's not okay."
Soobin, who had been silently standing nearby, finally spoke. "Ms. Roohi doesn't trust anyone else. Dr. Rohan will treat her as soon as he gets back—he's already on his way."
"Until then?" Sunho asked.
"Dr. Rohan spoke to Mr. Kim. I'm sure he told him what to do."
"So we're not leaving?" Jeha asked.
"We can't leave now," Yeon said firmly. "People will notice. Let's wait an hour—once the party is over, we can go check on her. I just hope Taehun can handle it until then."
"I doubt it," Hyunsung muttered, and they all knew exactly what he meant—but there was nothing more they could do.
---
Taehun had been sitting on the couch for over an hour, listening to Roohi's cries and screams. He wanted to rush in, but he stopped himself.
Eventually, the noise stopped. Just as he was about to check on her, he heard a car pull up and someone enter the house.
"Mr. Kim?"
It was Dr. Rohan. He rushed in, a small medical bag in hand.
"Where is she?"
"Come with me," Taehun said, already moving.
They reached Roohi's bedroom, but it was empty. Hearing the sound of running water, Taehun opened the bathroom door and quickly turned off the shower.
Dr. Rohan stepped in behind him. Roohi was slumped against the wall, unconscious. Blood had pooled on the floor around her.
Taehun immediately knelt down and gently lifted her, one arm under her knees and the other supporting her back. He carried her out and laid her on the bed.
"Turn on the heater," Dr. Rohan instructed.
Taehun obeyed as the doctor carefully opened her clenched fist, removed the piece of glass, disinfected the wound, and gave her an injection.
When he was done, Rohan turned to Taehun. "She overexerted herself trying to suppress the drug. Her body's already weak—she's been neglecting her health. This is the second time she's been soaked in cold water. If this continues, she might have to be hospitalized."
Taehun said nothing.
Rohan sighed. Seeing there was no response, he gathered his things. "I'll come back tomorrow when she's awake."
After the doctor left, Taehun remained still for a while before walking slowly to Roohi's bedside. Her honey-toned skin, perfect eyebrows, long lashes, bridged nose, and plump lips—she looked heartbreakingly peaceful.
Droplets of water still clung to her face. He raised his hand to brush them away, but before he could touch her, a voice called out.
---
The others had left the party early, worried for Roohi. As soon as they arrived, Jeha rushed in, calling, "Brother Taehun! Where are you?"
Taehun stepped away from the bed, spotting his brothers.
Jeha hurried to him. "How is she? Dr. Rohan came, right? Did the drug's effects wear off? Is she unconscious now? When will she wake up?"
Sunho entered behind them and said, "Give him a chance to answer."
Taehun looked at them briefly, then back at the woman. After covering Roohi with a blanket, he walked out and replied, "She's unconscious. Rohan said it'll take four to five hours for her to wake up. He gave her an injection."
THUD. The door closed behind him.
The others stared at the closed door, then at each other.
"Let's wait until she wakes up," Yeon said. One by one, they went to their rooms.
---
Behind his closed door, Taehun stood in silence. The image of Roohi lying unconscious in a pool of blood haunted him.
He shook his head, trying to banish the memory of her tearful, pained eyes. He didn't want her to affect him like this.
He stepped into the shower. After some time, he emerged, changed into nightwear, and lay down on the bed—though he knew sleep wouldn't come easily tonight, he had to try.
---
Roohi opened her eyes to the bright ceiling of her room. Someone had forgotten to close the blinds.
She sighed, trying to sit up, but her head throbbed, and she lay back down again, closing her eyes as flashes of the previous day returned.
She hadn't even wanted to attend the party. Mr. Kim had accused her of being unprofessional and irresponsible. She had gone, eventually, just to perform.
Then she remembered Mr. Park—how he wouldn't stop following her, how she had foolishly accepted the drink just to escape early.
"Bloody idiot," she mumbled to herself.
She sighed again. The chills from the wet mattress were unbearable now. She had to get up.
She freshened up, changed into warm clothes, and left her room to make herself a herbal drink. It was necessary—or she'd be sneezing all day.
She was thankful someone had turned on the heater. Without it, she'd already be coughing.
"You're up."