Dongwoo drove their car to the hospital, not asking any questions. When Sunggyu was like this, he knew better than to ask. Hoya joined them and sat shotgun. Woohyun and Sunggyu were cradling Sungjong on their laps at the back seat. Soon they got to the hospital and they rushed their maknae to the ER. Woohyun told Hoya to contact Myungsoo and Sungyeol and tell them they were there.

 

Later, the doctor came out and told them of his findings: Sungjong had fallen into coma and there were no signs that he’d be waking soon. They were welcome to stay in his room, but they had to mind the visiting hours. The four boys went in to see Sungjong strapped to many machines. Their hearts broke at how helpless he was, but three of them hardly knew what happened.

 

“What I don’t get is how. How did Sungjong fall into this state? He didn’t just drop brain-dead, did he? And Sungjong always kept healthy,” said Dongwoo with a shake of his head.

 

“Sunggyu hyung and he just stumbled into the dorm in the wee hours of the morning. Sungjong’s skin looked burned, and he was whimpering,” said Woohyun.

 

Later, Sungyeol and Myungsoo came, and they asked in turn what happened to the maknae, and Woohyun fed them his side of the story. All the while Sunggyu didn’t speak. He just stared and stared at Sungjong.

 

‘You really did love her, didn’t you?’ he thought. ‘But you kinda left me in an awkward position here!’

 

Fortunately, the others were tactful and sensitive enough not to bother him. It was obvious that Sunggyu didn’t want to talk. They left when visiting hours was over, but Sunggyu chose to sleep over.

 

Sungjong’s mind was dark and dreamless until the Four visited him.

 

Before they came, he was just sitting in the darkness, not feeling, seeing, or hearing anything. Suddenly, light came from the east, and then he saw Them. The Four stood before him in taintless clothes and glowing skin.

 

“Hey, how are you?” said Taemin with a bright smile.

 

Sungjong shrugged with a smile. “Here, just floating in darkness. D’you know where I am?”

 

“It’s simple: you’re in your own mind,” said Jinyoung, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

 

“Huh?”

 

“How did it feel like, Sungjong hyung?” asked Youngmin curiously. “Did it hurt a lot?”

 

The Sungjong remembers the searing pain across his palm and the sun burning his skin.

 

“It hurt a lot, more than I’ve ever felt,” said Sungjong, then his brows furrowed. “What I can’t remember is why.”

 

The boys were taken aback. He will forget Hanmi so soon?

 

“You did it to rid Hanmi of her blood, remember?” said Niel with one of his brows rose.

 

Then it clicked.

 

“Oh right! I remember everything now,” said Sungjong as a flood of memories shot through him. The his eyes widened in fear.

 

“I won’t stay in here for long, will I? And I won’t forget Hanmi, will I?”

 

Taemin shook his head sadly. “We’re not sure of both,” he said.

 

“But if you fill your mind with Hanmi, I think you’ll find time won’t stretch so long, and it will be less likely that you forget her,” suggested Jinyoung.

 

Sungjong looked at them with glassy eyes. It was evident that memories were trying to slip away.

 

“Help me, before it’s too late,” he whispered.

 

The Four filled him in everything about Hanmi, even the ones where Sungjong was not part of. They refreshed him of his more recent memories, of his sacrifice for her freedom.

 

“I remember now. It hurt a lot on the outside, but I felt deliciously warm and comfortable on the inside. It’s strange, really strange,” said Sungjong.

 

“Well, we can’t stay long, hyung, but don’t forget our girlfriend, ok?” said Youngmin.

 

“I’ll do my best,” said Sungjong.

 

The Four took their leave, and his mind became dark and empty again. Or so we thought. But Sungjong was like immersed in a warm bath full of beautiful memories.

 

But even a warm bath could go cold in time.

 

Meanwhile, it didn’t take long for Hanmi to find out what happened, courtesy of Dongwoo. I want to show you how, though…

 

The morning after Sungjong and Sunggyu’s visit, Hanmi wakes up feeling weirdly elated. There was bouncy, happy feeling inside her that made her dance while getting ready for work and kiss Eunmi goodbye. She smiled at everyone she passed by all the way to work. When she passed and happened to look into Infinite’s practice room though, it was empty.

 

‘That’s funny…where are they?’ she thought to herself. Then she shrugged and accepted the hypothesis that they must still be in their dorm. It’s still pretty early anyway. She went on to her designated work station and began writing. She hasn’t been there long when Yoonhee interrupted her happy bubble.

 

“Hey! Have you heard?” she bursted like an excited schoolgirl.

 

“No, but I bet I’m about to,” said Hanmi.

 

“Infinite is in the hospital,” said Yoonhee carefully, to see if Hanmi cares.

 

“What? Why?”

 

Yoonhee took a dramatic pause. But the news went through Hanmi’s heart like a poisoned arrow.

 

“Sungjong had fallen into a coma.”

 

It wasn’t long before Hanmi got to Sungjong’s bed side. She had urged Yoonhee to give her a lift like nothing was more important. When she got to Sungjong’s room, she hardly took notice of Sunggyu sleeping on the couch.

 

She stared at Sungjong’s pretty face, which now looked peaceful and—God forbid—almost dead-looking.

 

‘I know I tried to ignore you, but what did you do? Whatever it is, you shouldn’t have done it,’ thought Hanmi.

 

Sunggyu stirred when he felt another prescence in the room. He opened his eyes a bit to see who it was. A girl was looking down at Sungjong. He almost wrenched her away, but when he saw it was Hanmi, he strode toward her carefully, remembering what Sungjong said about her. The word “vampire” flashed like red signs in his mind, but he was anything but scared. Above all, he was intrigued. A non-existent being was standing right in front of him. Well, a used-to-be non-existent being.

 

“Hi,” said Sunggyu.

 

Hanmi turned in alarm. “Oh, I didn’t see you there.”

 

“No, it’s alright. I just thought you didn’t connect well with Sungjong. I really didn’t expect to see you here,” lied Sunggyu.

 

“You didn’t?” asked Hanmi, looking into his eyes.

 

Sunggyu looked away` and looked down at Sungjong as an excuse. “It’s just strange how he fell brain-dead, isn’t it?”

 

“Is it?” pressed Hanmi. She felt that this man had more to say.

 

Sunggyu met her gaze and his brows knitted together. “What is it with you?” he demanded.

 

“There’s something you aren’t telling me,” said Hanmi.

 

“Do I lie that bad?” said Sunggyu.

 

When Hanmi didn’t speak, he sighed and went on. “Alright, I’ll be blunt: Sungjong told me about you.”

 

“What?” Hanmi was taken aback. “What do you mean?”

 

Is it possible? Has he betrayed me so easily?

 

When Sunggyu bared his teeth as an example, she knew.

 

He did.

 

“This traitor!” she hissed, glaring pointedly at Sungjong.

 

“No, you don’t understand,” began Sunggyu, but he was stopped and dragged outside.

 

“Tell me what I don’t understand,” said Hanmi once they were outside. The halls were deserted, good enough for a private talk.

 

Before Sunggyu could even speak, Hanmi went on. “I thought I could trust him, even if I couldn’t face him. Now he’s told you I’m the monster he saw that night.”

 

“Would you quit elaborating and listen to me? He didn’t betray you, ok?” strained Sunggyu.

 

“Oh yeah?”

 

“Yeah! He told me because he needed help. He wanted to get rid of your dirty blood,” said Sunggyu.

 

“That’s rubbish. No one’s ever done that before,” said Hanmi.

 

“How do you know? Anyway, Sungjong’s done it, and it worked,” said Sunggyu.

 

“How do you know?” countered Hanmi.

 

Sunggyu remembered part of the essay. He read it again before he and Sungjong performed the ritual.

 

Once completed, the vampire will feel a strange feeling of freedom and happiness. When the moon rise, he/she may be able to sleep peacefully without transforming.

 

“This morning, what did you feel? Did you feel bouncy or happy?” said Sunggyu.

 

“What? I-I think I did…” stammered Hanmi. She remembered her morning, how she had skipped all the way to work and whistled in the subway.

 

“But what’s that got to do with anything?” she shot back.

 

Sunggyu checked his phone for a calendar app.

“Full moon is day after tomorrow, you’ll know then,” said Sunggyu.

 

“Why should I believe you?” countered Hanmi.

 

“Because Sungjong did,” was all Sunggyu said. He smiled and waved goodbye to her before going back into Sungjong’s room.

 

Hanmi was rooted to the spot.

 

‘What was THAT?! No one’s ever removed a vampire of her blood,’ thought Hanmi. ‘Did they?’

 

When she got home, she decided to ask Eunmi about it. While they were eating, se brought up Sungjong.

 

“Sungjong was confined in the hospital today. He fell into coma,” said Hanmi casually.

 

“That’s terrible! What happened to him?” Eunmi said, clearly shocked.

 

“No one could figure it out right now,” was all Hanmi said. Then she jumped the trigger.

 

“Unnie, has anyone ever gotten rid of their vampire blood?” she asked.

 

Eunmi was taken aback, but not surprised. “Sure, but not  lot. The last I could remember was Great Aunt Jemma. She had a friend, who was then her boyfriend, performed a special right. He…He fell into coma after that, but he woke up after 6 months,” said Eunmi, stumbling at the last statement, finally making a parallelism.

 

“Hanmi-yah, don’t tell me Sungjong did it for you?!” she said

 

“Well, that’s what Sunggyu-ssi said, but I can’t really be sure,” said Hanmi.

 

“Don’t you know that only a willing sacrifice could do that? He must really love you. Quite a shame, though…” said Eunmi, trailing off at the last sentence.

 

“Why?” demanded Hanmi.

 

“Aunt Jemma’s boyfriend woke up not remembering her or whatever he did,” said Eunmi carefully.

 

“You mean…Sungjong could forget me?” whispered Hanmi, her voice began choking up on tears.

 

“Yeah…So he must really love you. He put the relationship he wanted with you away to set you free,” said Eunmi.

 

Tears began rolling down Hanmi’s cheeks. Eunmi came over her and hugged her.

 

“I’ve been so stupid. I was so bust trying to avoid him because my dignity and pride got in the way. I never really considered his feelings for me. I knew he liked me, and I knew deep down I liked him too, but I’ve been so stupid,” sobbed Hanmi.

 

“Shh, it’s ok,” cooed Eunmi.

 

Sungjong oppa, I’m so sorry. Please, don’t forget me.