men generally believe what they want to

Wheein thought she had her eyes closed for a while, until she realizes that the room is pitch dark. She can’t feel her limbs, and when she attempts to move, a sharp pain runs through her like an electric current, making her wince. Her body aches all over to the point where she can’t even make a sound. Which is, a good thing, Wheein decides, since she doesn’t know where she is yet and making noises may invite hazard instead.

Wheein calms her beating heart, letting her eyes adjust to the darkness, and after a few moments she can finally make out the outline of a sloping wall above her. Wheein somehow knows it’s an attic, but she doesn’t know which attic. She’s always climbing up and hiding in attics; at home, when she fights with Yongsun, and at the academy’s dorm, when she skips classes. But this room is too big to be Yongsun’s roof, and too breezy to be her dorm’s stuffed upper storeroom. Just where is she?

A part of her mind screams danger, but another part tells — begs — her to stay. There’s something about the darkness around her that luls her. She feels like a child promised a treat only if she stayed in her place. She wants to keep lying down there, waiting for something exciting to happen, even when she doesn’t want to. The darkness is comforting her in the weirdest way, and Wheein wants to be wrapped by it for as long as possible.

Wheein feels another presence in the dingy room before she hears it, a clamor followed by the sound of footsteps. Tiny footsteps, Wheein realizes, dull thumps caused by scurrying bare feet.

“Wheein?” a small voice calls out.

Wheein recognizes it. She opens , willing herself to answer the frail voice, but no sound comes out of her.

“Wheein?” the voice calls out again, louder this time, and shakier.

I’m here, Wheein struggles to reply, I’m here, I’m here, I’m here.

The footsteps are frantic now and Wheein can hear whoever it is taking gulps of air now, like they’re holding back tears.

“Wheein!!” the voice screams, and light suddenly pours into the room.

Wheein feels a shudder within her, and she rolls to her side, quickly leaping up to her feet. She faces the source of the light and sees a silhouette of a little girl, the girl who called out to her. Wheein runs and reaches out, but another flash of light blinds her before she even touches the child.

When the light subdues, Wheein sees two blurry faces hovering above her. They are Hyojung and Jeonghan, and concern is painted all over their faces.

“Hyojung? Jeonghan?” she manages a whimper, though feels sore and is barely moving, “What are you—“

Hyojung shushes her and brushes a finger against her forehead, and Jeonghan disappears from her vision. He comes back after a few seconds with someone else in tow. With her exhausted mind Wheein can still tell that it’s a doctor from the uniform he wears. She’s in a hospital room. That explains the whiteness of the room, and the rubber tube jutting from her arm.

There are a lot of shuffling, and people scrambling about, talking in hush hush. Wheein strains herself to listen, but all of it sounds muted, as if Wheein is in a bubble and they’re all outside. The sensation confuses her, and Wheein almost burst in fury. The only thing keeping her calm is the feeling of Hyojung’s hand wrapped tightly around her own, assuring her that everything’s fine.

There’s a beep and a whizz, and Wheein’s body straightens on its own. Someone puts a straw between Wheein’s lips and Wheein automatically sips in water, desperate to get rid of the burning in . The liquid switches some of her senses on and lessens the ache in her head. She picks up the last of the doctor’s words. 

“.. much better than we expected. We’ll give you 15 minutes, and after that she’s going back to rest. I expect you kids to go home right away, you hear me?”

“Yes, Sir,” Wheein hears Jeonghan’s polite reply, before more shuffling can be heard and finally, a click of a door.

Hyojung and Jeonghan quickly rushes to her side again, asking about her feelings and if there’s anything she needs. Wheein tells them she’s fine and she declines everything they offer. Because right now, she just wants to know why and how she got there.

“We’re at the academy’s hospital,” Hyojung tells her softly, fingers still laced with Wheein’s, “You got attacked by Archer and his crew two days ago, and fortunately Miss Moon teleported just in time. You’ve been out cold since then.”

Wheein remembers the two suspicious people from Area 24. She also remembers sprinting and running out of breath. She remembers Moonbyul appearing out of nowhere and tackling her down to teleport her too. “Sowon?” Wheein asks weakly, “Is she okay?”

“Sowon’s still on that trip with her dad,” Jeonghan answers, “I heard she’s coming back in a month or so.”

“What?” Wheein croaks, “Sowon hasn’t come back yet? She didn’t come to school even for a day?”

“Nope. She’s been overseas for about a week now,” Hyojung recalls, “Don’t worry, Wheein. We keep her updated about your condition through e-mails.”

“She’s really upset, though,” Jeonghan adds, “You better prepare yourself for some next level scolding when she gets back.”

Wheein looks at her friends like they were speaking giberish. Her stomach churns and she feels like a stone’s been set on her shoulders. This can’t be true.

“What’s wrong?” Hyojung asks, worried at Wheein’s sudden frown.

“Nothing. I-I’m fine,” Wheein repeats her default answer, although she’s anything but fine because she knows something is wrong. Something is very, very wrong.

Jeonghan nudges Hyojung’s shoulder. “We should get going, Hyojung.”

“What? No! I don’t want to leave her alone like this,” Hyojung whines.

He points at the clock on the wall, “The doctor said 15 minutes. And Wheein looks like she needs more time to recover.”

Hyojung looks at Wheein with sad eyes. She reluctantly agrees and lets Jeonghan drag her out, but not without sending Wheein more words of comfort and reassurance. Wheein tries to smile through the exchange, and when h