Chapter Nine

Day 1

“!!” (Korean)

“Someone help us please!!” (Korean)

“Umji-yah! Where are you?!” (Korean)

“Get us out of here!!” (Korean)

A sharp pain ring at the back of my skull as I recovered consciousness. My body is sore from the pain I can’t identify when did I get from.

I groaned as soon as my head hits pain again.

“Jay..” I whispered, still eyes closed. “Jay?” I called again but all I hear was screams and cries.

I opened my eyes slowly, the place is dark, and all I here is tons of bull from these bunch of noisy Koreans. My head hurts more.

“Jay!!” I called out screaming when I didn’t see him around. I tried to get up from the ground I lie in and saw that I’m still inside the train. But I didn’t remember that I rode this train, it is far from being that train.

It is wrecked.

My heart raced as I recalled the events.

The train. The earthquake. The disaster.

“What the ..” my body boils up with panic as I watched in horror the corners of these train.

“N-no.. No!! this can’t be happening!!” I screamed as I turned around harshly that made my head dizzy. All the other passengers are screaming and asking for help. All of them was pounding to the door of the train. I guess we were trap inside.

“Jay!!” I called, continuously looking for him at the midst of chaos. But he didn’t appear.

“Jayyy!!!” I felt my tears coming out from my eyes. I tug on my hair, don’t know what to do.

I might go crazy as of the moment.

The beating of my heart is painful in my chest, I might die. My body is shaking and I can’t seem to comprehend with the situation right now.

“, you stupid ! Where the are you?!”

“AHHH!”

I literally jumped in hysteria the moment someone hugged me from behind. I turned to see who it is.

Without a word, I hugged him tightly and cried in his chest. “I’m sorry I was finding a way out.” He gently whispered and caress my hair.

“What is happening? I don’t want to die, Jay. No not now!!”

“We’re not going to die.” He tried his best to comfort me but I can feel it in his voice and the way his heart beat pump faster that he too is doubting his own words.

“I still need to go back to my parents!! I can’t die!” he locked my face on his palms and leaned in closer, staring into my eyes.

“Listen to me, Sowon. We’re not going to die. We’ll find a way to get out of here so gather your s together.” he said firmly. “Okay?”

I didn’t say anything nor respond. He just wrapped his arms around me while I cry and made his way to sit on the seats.

“Open the ing door!!” (Korean) someone said. I forgot we’re not alone in this train, there are tons of us here.

The air inside the car is suffocating. Though I tried to calm down myself, I can’t, seeing the panic faces of the passengers, how they scream and cry because of fear.

“W-where are we? Why is it so dark here?”

“We got stuck on the tunnel.” That’s where I lose it. I cried harder and he tried his best to comfort me.

I flinched when he suddenly grabbed my nape and he alerted. “What, are you okay?” he asked. It wasn’t painful before.

“M-my nape, it’s painful. Jay, it hurts!!” I cried and he let me turn against him. Now my back is facing him. He parted my hair in half and he cussed.

“You’re bleeding!!” he said in a panic when he touched the back of my neck and stood, trying to find something but doesn’t know where to look to.

“, where is our bags?!” (Korean) he muttered and ran his palms on his face harshly. He sat beside me again. “Let’s go to the bathroom.” He said and drag me out the seats.

We made our way to the comfort though inside the train was madness. Everyone is going back and forth and we’re pushed to the side from time to time. He drapes his arm on my shoulder to protect me and the back of my neck is growing more painfully.

When we arrive at the comfort room, he smashes the door open revealing a crying girl inside, she shrieks the moment Jay destroyed the door.

“! Go out!!” (Korean) she screamed too high that her voice broke due to tears.

“Shut up, my friend is hurt!” (Korean) he replied with a scream too that made her furious. But when she saw the blood draping down my neck, she watched in horror and let out a cry.

Jay waste no time and took out a lot of toilet paper from its dispenser and turned me around, parting my hair and pressed down the paper on my wound.

It stings, but I endured it.

“Oh, .” He muttered under his breath and pulled another set of tissues and wet it a little, and then pressed it again.

“It hurts!!” I wailed, tears still streaming down my cheeks. 

“I’m sorry.” He said and wiped it gently now, though I could feel his hands shaking badly.

A loud bang made us jump on our feet. I immediately clung to him at the thought of another event might happen but when we peak outside the bathroom, the door of the train is wide open now and the passengers are crowded, trying to go out first.

The girl earlier pushed us out of the way and ran towards the exit.

“Let’s clean your wound first.” He muttered breathless and let the water run. Damping the tissue paper with water and pressing it on my head.

I could definitely feel the shaking of his hand so I held it with my back facing him. He stopped caring my wound and hold my hand back, firmly locking our fingers.

My mind is in chaotic state right now, unable to think clearly and unable to do straight decisions. I could only hear the loud pounding of my heart, of how nervous I am stuck in this train with other people as well.

I can’t believe of what is happening to me, of what is going to happen to me the next hour, day, month. I closed my eyes tightly shut and strengthened my hold of his hand. As long as he’s here, I’ll be fine.

The trembling of my legs won’t stop as we step out of the train finding the others running frantically back and forth, looking for an escape.

“Eomma!!! Eommaaaa!” I turned to look at a petite girl clutching her bag on her chest and crying so hard it hurts my heart.

All of them screaming, running, trembling in fear. My mind is clouded with a lot of scenarios I don’t want to pay attention to. This is absolute disaster.

“You can’t walk properly, stay here and I’ll walk around.” He said and shoved me to the side. Afraid he might not come back, I clutch on his arm tightly and refused to let go. I begged him with my pleas until he pushed me down on the ground with his strong arms.

“You are not okay, neither I am but I’m trying to. So, please don’t make it hard for me. I want to be strong for you, but please.” His voice is now ragged but he forces himself not to choke.

He must be thinking about SinB right now.

He’s afraid too.

I hold his hand tightly. “Come back, please.” I plead with hoarse voice. I can’t really make out