As the bus drove along the freeway, Myungsoo rested his head against a window and watched the street pass by, still completely in shock. He was half convinced that Sungjong’s confession had been a hallucination. However, the longer he sat by himself, the more the reality of the situation set in. Sungjong really had confessed to him, and what had he done? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. “I’m such an idiot,” he mumbled, pressing his forehead against the seat in front of him. “Pabo, pabo, pabo.”

By the time he arrived at the gym where his brother’s game was, his head was aching. He had been smacking it against the leather seat back for a solid ten minutes. Desperate to distract himself, he wandered inside the large brick building, looking for his brother. It didn’t take long for Myungsoo to spot him in the corner, bouncing a basketball and checking his phone. “Moonsoo.”

“Yeah?” he answered, looking up from the device in his hand. “Oh you’re here. I was just checking the news.”

Myungsoo laughed. His brother always felt the need to be up-to-date on what was happening in the world, and as a result was constantly checking news websites from his phone. “I see. What’s happening in the world today?”

“Well,” he began, scrolling down the page, “So far I’ve only looked at the world news. Europe is having money trouble.” He concentrated on the screen in front of him, throwing the ball to his older brother and using both fingers to tap on the brightly lit surface. “Now, on to the local news.”

Eager to get home, Myungsoo fidgeted. He wanted to walk to Sungjong’s house to explain himself, but if they didn’t get home before dark his father wouldn’t allow him to go out. “Moonsoo, could you hurry up? You can check this stuff on the bus.”

“One second,” Moonsoo mumbled, face still buried in the screen. “I get sick if I read in the ca…” His voice trailed off as his eyes widened into gigantic, shocked saucers. “M-Myungsoo, I think you should take a look at this.”

“What is it?” he asked, frowning. His younger brother handed him the phone, and he tilted the screen up so he could read the article. As soon as he read the headline at the top of the page, his free hand flew up to cover his mouth. Fingers and voice shaking, he read the title of the page aloud. “Young Boy in Suburban Neighborhood Hit by Falling Pillar,” he choked out, frantically scrolling through the page. “I know this house,” he whispered, spying a picture of the property where the accident occurred. “No…it can’t be,” he said, feeling unsteady. His worst fears were confirmed when he read the next paragraph.

“Lee Sungjong, 16, was reportedly walking through this construction site when workers suddenly lost control of the large stone pillar they were attempting to stand upright. This pillar happened to fall directly onto the boy, crushing him under its weight. Currently, he is being rushed to the hospital, where he will receive emergency treatment,” the article said.

Myungsoo dropped to his knees, mumbling incoherently. Moonsoo grabbed his arm in an attempt to steady him, but was quickly pushed off. “O-oh God...” he said, eyes glued to the floor in front of him. “N-no way. This can’t be happening.”

“Is that Sungjong…the Sungjong?” Moonsoo asked, already knowing the answer. He took the phone back from his older brother, who was clutching the device so tightly he was about to break its cover.

A small nod of Myungsoo’s head answered Moonsoo’s question. “What’s the address?” he asked, voice shaking.

“The address of what?”

“The hospital closest to our house.”

Moonsoo began rapidly typing on his phone. “I’m looking it up,” he said. “Got it.” Then he paused. “But wait, Myungsoo. It’s going to get dark soon, and we have to get home before Dad does. We can’t go to the hospital.”

“I have to go,” insisted Myungsoo, rising to his feet and unsteadily jogging towards the exit.

“But—”

“I am going to go,” he hissed through clenched teeth, spinning around to face his younger brother. “The hospital is on the same bus route as our house, so you can get off before me. Come on,” he urged, almost pleadingly. His eyes were wild and full of desperation.

“Okay.” Moonsoo nodded his head in defeat, following his brother outside as the two raced back towards the bus stop.

---

The small hospital a few miles away from Myungsoo’s neighborhood was eerily quiet when he arrived. A few people hung around the sidewalks, smoking cigarettes or checking their phones. Ignoring them all, he raced inside, not slowing down until he nearly collided with the front desk. “I-I need to see Sungjong. Where is Sungjong?” he asked. His voice cracked and he was unable to control his hands, which had been shaking violently ever since he and Moonsoo had left the gym.

“Myungsoo…? Is that you?”

Myungsoo shook his head and focused on the familiar face in front of him. “Jiyeon?” he muttered, recognizing his cousin’s concerned face staring at him from across the counter. The two weren’t close, and he hadn’t seen her in almost a year. He had completely forgotten that she worked part-time at a hospital.

“Oh, it is you. How have you been?”

“My friend is here,” he said, ignoring her question. “I need to see him.”

Jiyeon looked taken aback. “All right. What’s his name?”

I already told you, Myungsoo thought. He was about ready to reach out and slap her. “Lee Sungjong,” he said, doing his best to pull himself together.

The woman quickly typed the name into her computer. “Lee Sungjong. Why does that name sound familiar?” She stopped typing and thought for a moment. “Wait. Is that the boy that got hit by a pillar?”

Myungsoo nodded.

“Oh my God,” Jiyeon whispered, “that poor child.”

“I need to see him,” Myungsoo repeated, slamming his hand down on the counter.

Jiyeon shook her head apologetically. “I’m sorry, Myungsoo, but I’ve been instructed not to let anyone visit him right now. Not even his father will be allowed in once he gets here. If I let you in, I’ll lose my job.”

“Please,” he begged, “I have to see him. He’s my best friend! What if I never get to talk to him again? What if he dies?” Tears threatened to spill out of his eyes. “I’ll do anything. I’ll pay you. How much do you want?” He took out his wallet and pulled several bills from it. “Here,” he said, “Take them. Take them all.”

His cousin eyed his outstretched arm carefully before letting out a long sigh. “All right,” she said, snatching the money out of his hand. “I didn’t want to work here anyway. His room is 32A.”

Immediately, Myungsoo’s eyes lit up. “Thank you so much,” he practically shouted, grabbing the handle of the door that lead into the emergency wing.  As soon as Jiyeon unlocked it for him, he sprinted down the hall, ignoring the confused looks of various doctors around him. All he cared about was getting to Sungjong, and luckily, he didn’t have to run far. Room 32A was at the end of the hall on the first floor of the building.

Without thinking, Myungsoo burst into Sungjong’s hospital room, completely unprepared for the sight that met him. Sungjong frail body was laid out on a small bed, hooked up to just about every kind of medical machine imaginable. If his face hadn’t been visible, Myungsoo never would have guessed it was him; he looked so frail, and his forehead and cheeks were cut and bruised. “Jongie…” he choked out, his voice wobbling. The younger boy didn’t move as Myungsoo slowly approached him. “Are you awake?”

Sungjong slowly nodded his head, his face scrunched up in pain. “Yeah.” His voice was so small and quiet. It was as if someone had the life right out of his chest.

Myungsoo didn’t know what to do, or what to say. It took all of his strength just to keep his eyes on the boy’s broken body. “Is there anything I can do for you?” he asked uncertainly as he reached out to touch Sungjong’s bruised cheek. 

“No…”

“There must be something,” he insisted. Even if it was as simple as getting his best friend some water, he felt the need to do something, anything, to make him feel better.

The younger boy slowly shook his head. “I’m sorry, Myungsoo,” Sungjong breathed softly, his eyes half-closed in a mixture of pain and sadness, “but there’s nothing you can do. I’m going to die.”

“No,” Myungsoo said sharply, shaking his head. “You’re strong, stronger than anyone I’ve ever met. You can make it through this.”

“I..can’t.”

“Yes, you can. I know you can. Please hold on, Sungjongie. I’m begging you.”

“Why…why should I?” Sungjong coughed.

Myungsoo bit his lip as tears ran down his cheeks. “Because I love you.”

“You...what?” he asked weakly. It was getting harder for him to speak.

“I love you.”

Suddenly, a group of doctors and nurses came bursting into the room. “What are you doing in here?” They demanded, approaching Myungsoo angrily. “You aren’t allowed in here. Get out.”

Myungsoo shook his head and pushed one of the doctors away, dropping to his knees beside Sungjong’s bed and gripping a handful of sheets in his fist. “I’m not leaving him.”

“You have to. He needs surgery,” said a nurse from behind the doctor. She stepped forward and took Myungsoo’s hand, helping him to his feet. Once he was standing he immediately forced himself out of her grip and turned back to Sungjong, who nodded encouragingly.

“It’s okay,” Sungjong croaked, a tiny smile passing over his lips. “Go.”

The nurse took Myungsoo’s hand again and gently pulled him towards the door. This time, he didn’t resist. “You’ll see him again soon,” she assured him.

“Will I?” he challenged.

“Yes.” The nurse nodded. “Our doctors here can do amazing things. Though the chances of him surviving this surgery are about 50 percent, I think he can do it.” She allowed him to take one more look at the small figure on the bed before carefully leading him out of the room and back into the waiting area.

Though the room had other people in it, Myungsoo couldn’t control his sobs as he stumbled through the door after the nurse. He was so unsteady that he ended up tripping and falling to the floor. Jiyeon was still sitting behind the desk when this happened, but she quickly jumped up and ran to help her cousin.

“Myungsoo!” she said, crouching down next to the boy, whose face was soaked in tears. “What happened?”

“He looks so sick…” Myungsoo choked out. “So sick, and so hurt, and so helpless. And you know what the most?” he asked, looking up into Jiyeon’s terrified eyes. “I didn’t do anything for him.”

“There was nothing you could do for him,” Jiyeon pointed out, patting his head comfortingly. 

“Yes there was!” Myungsoo shouted, avoiding her touch and backing into an empty corner. “I could have stopped him. If I had been there when that pillar fell, I could have pushed him out of the way.”

Jiyeon stood up and stared at her cousin, her face full of concern. “If you had done that, you would have gotten hit instead.”

“Good,” Myungsoo hissed. “It would serve me right.”

I should have followed him, he thought, cursing himself repeatedly. It’s my fault he was so upset and wasn’t paying attention. If he dies…I’m never going to forgive myself. 

a/n: Honestly, I cried a bit while writing this chapter T.T Hospitals terrify me...the last time I went into one, I nearly passed out. I am so, so sorry it took so long for me to update!! I feel bad. But to make it up to you guys, I am going to update at least twice in the next week and a half. I'm going on break, so I'll have time. Which means you'll find out what happens to Sungjong soon (:

Also, did you guys notice that the text from the foreword was in this chapter? I changed it around a little bit, but it's there. And as always, thanks so much for all your amazing comments! You guys are so sweet ;~;