···

“How long is she going to be hospitalized for? The operation was successful wasn’t it?” a girl’s voice was heard.

« Whose voice does that belong to..? It sounds so familiar… »

“Well she’s in a comatose right now, we don’t know how long until she’ll wake up. It’s all up to her and how her body can adapt to the environment. She could even stay like this for years,” a man’s voice explained, “it’s because she experienced a huge amount of blood loss before coming into the emergency room.”

“.. What..!?” the girl responded.

“Please, Seungwan-ssi, we’re already doing everything that we can, and we’ll keep doing whatever we can so that Seulgi-ssi here will stay well –– at least for now.”

“Seungwan-ah, please, don’t be like this. Let’s go back home and relax, okay? You need to take your mind off of her..”

“No! How can I go home knowing that Seulgi is in a state like this? She saved my life on stage, and I can’t just go home right now and act like nothing’s wrong. I’m staying here! It’s not fair that I just got a few cuts and scratches here and there while she’s lying in bed and not moving!! Just bring me spare clothes, please, mom.”

« Ahh.. Wendy’s voice… It’s Wendy.. What am I in..? A comatose..? … Oh, that’s right… The accident on stage. How could I forget something like that? » Seulgi thought within her coma.

···

[Time Lapse Within Seulgi’s Coma, Two Months Past]

There were a few moments of silence, from the sensation of what Seulgi felt.

« It’s so cold all of a sudden… » She thought.

And then, more sensations came. There was nothing but darkness and blackness all around her. She was standing on nothing. There was only black, and thick, white mist all around Seulgi.

“It’s time to wake up, Seulgi… Hurry before you die…”

« What..? Where…? Where’s the voice coming from? It’s not Wendy’s voice for sure… Neither does it belong to, Amber, Luna, Krystal, or Jinri’s.. Whose could it belong to…? » Seulgi continued in her train of thoughts.

“Seulgi...”

This time the voice contained a small sense of frustration, or at least a passive-aggressive feel.

“Seulgi.. You don’t have the time to be lying around like this for too long.. You’ll die.. For real…”

The voice trying to sound itself out contained a little bit of sadness.

« Who… Who is it that is trying to talk to me..? How do I respond..? How do I answer…? » Seulgi thought.

Then, another voice entered the scene. This one sounded a little more serious and firm, “Is this what you’ve been doing for the past month?”

« Month..? I’ve been asleep for a month? »

“.. Tae –– ”

But before the gentler girl could say the full name, the latter cut in, “I kind of don’t want to hear any excuses. Mother isn’t going to be pleased either if you keep her waiting like this. Especially for someone who’s in a condition like that.”

« Tae..? Who is Tae? I’m not getting my answers like this… Just please, let me wake up to see who’s talking to me..! »

“Or maybe should I kill whoever is lying down there and end their misery? That way, you won’t have to be distracted with whatever you’re doing right now…”

“.. No..! You cannot..”

The stern voice chuckled, in an intimidating way, “Oh..? I can't..?”

Seulgi was still standing in the darkness alone, and all she could do was listen and hear, but can’t see. Footsteps were coming nearer and nearer.

“What are you doing… What are you planning on doing…?”

"Who are you to tell me what I can and can't do...... Joohyun.."

« Joohyu –– Irene!? »

And then a brief moment of silence before…

“Tae.. –– Taeyeon! Stop.. Stop it!”

« Taeyeon..? Who’s tha –– » Seulgi couldn’t finish her thought.

All of a sudden, for some reason, Seulgi felt an indescribable pain all over. It was an excruciating pain that words couldn’t even describe.

And the voices that Seulgi heard before still continued.

The stern voice sounded more excited now, “Enjoy the present, little sister! Don’t keep Mother and me waiting…!”

The gentler voice seemed more panicked now, “N-n-no.. S-.. What do I do…”

Then...

All Seulgi could hear was the flatline of a heart monitor.

···

Seulgi sat up immediately with her eyes wide open and her hand stretched outward, as if reaching for something. She woke up with a sharp inhaling sound, like a gasp. There was something within Seulgi that felt different. Maybe her heart pumps, or whatever is flowing within her; maybe the blood around from inside didn’t feel right. Seulgi took a few glances around her surroundings.

One, she was in a hospital room. The heart monitor was going steady, measuring exactly her heartbeat. She had an oxygen mask on. A few infusions were made into her arm, and there was a bag of clear liquid to the left of her. There was something on her neck that bothered her; it was sore and stinging a lot.

The room interior was simple. There was a cushion seat to the right that was next to the window. The door was shut. It was nighttime, and Seulgi could see the starry sky outside from the windows. There was a shadow on the left in the corner. Seulgi was about to dismiss it as just a small space of blackness, but she saw slender legs from the floor and up. The figure was leaning on the wall, and it seemed like it had hoped not to be caught.

Seulgi stared at that same direction. She raised one arm and pointed, letting the figure know that she knew there was someone there. She whimpered slightly, “W-who’s… There…”

The pain in her neck rose again, and she was about to rub it when the figure in the corner spoke:

“Don’t touch it. Don’t touch the wound on your neck, not now, at least.”

It was the same feminine voice that she heard not too long ago.

« ??? She… How does she know I’m feeling hurt on my neck..? » Seulgi thought.

“Could you.. Step out of the shadows for a moment..?” Seulgi asked.

And she could see that one leg was extending forward. The light was spreading from the legs, to the knees, to the thighs, and then the hips.. However…

The door leading to the room opened, and there stood a nurse, holding another bag of clear liquid, “Oh, my.. You’re awake..!”

Before Seulgi could speak a word, the nurse the light and ran out to notify the others. However, with the light on, and after the door closing, she was alone in the room. There was no black space in the corner anymore, and there was no mysterious girl.

Seulgi unconsciously said out loud, “Where’d you go…?