Hana POV

It's been a month since halmeoni told me that Hoya had moved to Seoul to become a trainee. I had no energy at school; my friends were all asking me what was wrong but I couldn't, or didn't, want to talk about it. I had no energy to anything, and I was scared that I would have no energy to do anything anymore, forever. What hurt me the most wasn't the fact that he had left, although that hurt a lot, too, but it was the fact that Hoya didn't bother to say goodbye to me. I knew once he was gone, there was slim chance of him coming back. He would train for a few years, debut as the rapper/dancer/singer triple threat in the newest, hottest group and then live in a dorm in Seoul, coming down to visit his parents every few months and halmeoni maybe once a year. He would film variety shows, music videos and get so swept away by the world of celebrities that he would forget his humble beginnings.

I knew better than to think of Hoya in that way - capable of forgetting his hometown of Busan - because I knew deep down inside he was the most caring, dedicated person. But after that stint with Yoona, I doubted myself. I doubted the Hoya that I had known for four months before he met his girlfriend. It was like, once they started dating, he had changed into a completely different person.

Two months. No phonecall, no letter, no email, no text, no anything. I still visited halmeoni every Sunday, and I had started coming to her on Saturday as her health was deteriorating fast. She had developed arthiritis in her joints and could hardly move around the house, let alone to tai chi in the morning. I went to her house early in the morning, around 7, and stayed there until I tucked her into bed at 10. Then I would return to my apartment and complete my pile of homework until 3am in the morning and fall asleep at my desk every night. This became a cycle; school, halmeoni, homework and sleep over and over again.

One morning, I stood at halmeoni's door as I fumbled with the eyes to enter her apartment. I stopped dead in my tracks as I entered the house and heard her talking animatedly on the phone to Hoya. She was talking to him on speaker so the sound of his voice echoed throughout the apartment. I clutched at my chest which had ripped painfully when I heard his voice. I breathed deeply and bit my lip as I tried to fight back my tears.

"Halmeoni ah, I'm so sorry I haven't called. Please forgive me," I heard him say.
"No! I understand that you've been very busy, son. How's Seoul?"
He coughed. "It's great, halmeoni. How have you been?"
"Good," she paused. "Hana has been taking great care of me every day."
"Oh? She still comes over? I thought....." He stopped.
"You thought what?"
He laughed awkwardly. "Well, I thought....that she would stop coming if I went to Seoul."
"Why would you think that?" Halmeoni asked dangerously.
"Oh, uh, no reason." He hastily changed the subject. "How's your health, halmeoni?"
Her voice trembled. "Not good, Hoya. I have arthirits in my joints. I can hardly move out of bed these days, it hurts so much. I'm scared I rely on Hana too much. But she's just too good to me, always helping me......I'm scared to call your parents, Hoya. I know they're always so busy with work."
"Halmeoni, if you're struggling, you need to find some help. Please don't burden Hana too much, I know she has a lot on her plate with school."
My heart sank. Why was he saying stuff like this about me? If he cared so much, why didn't he say goodbye?
"Hoya, if you care about her so much, why did you not say goodbye to her?"
There was a silence on the phone. Halmeoni continued. "The look on her face when I told her......" She paused again. "I can hear her crying to herself sometimes at night, Hoya. I think she really misses you, because you were her first friend here, but she always denies it. I try to get her to call you, or chocolate talk to, but she just refuses. I....just, Hoya, you need to talk to her."
"Halmeoni, it's kakaotalk. Not chocolate talk."
I heard halmeoni take a deep breath. "SO? I DON'T CARE WHAT THAT STUPID MESSAGE PROGRAM IS CALLED, HOYA. WAKE UP. DO YOU NEED ME TO FLY TO SEOUL TO COME KNOCK YOU ON THE HEAD? WHY CAN'T YOU SEE THAT HANA LIKES YOU? ARE YOU THAT DENSE? TO NOT SEE SUCH A GOOD GIRL INFRONT OF YOU, AND LET IT GO? AT LEAST SAY GOODBYE TO HER, HOYA. THAT'S WHAT HURT THE MOST. YOU TWO WERE SO CLOSE, I WAS SO SURE THAT YOU TWO WERE GOING TO - "
I heard halmeoni stop talking. I wondered what was wrong?
Then I heard her coughing violently. I dropped my bag and ran into her room.
"Halmeoni! Omo! Are you okay?"
I could hear Hoya exclaiming on the other line, but I just ignored him and hung up. He immediately dialled back, but I unplugged the cord.

"Halmeoni! Are you okay?"
She nodded. "Hana ah, I'm okay. When did you get in?"
"Uhh......" I scratched my head awkwardly. "A few minutes ago."
She chuckled. "So you heard everything?"
I nodded tearfully. "Halmeoni, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop - "
She shook her head, smiling. "I meant everything I said. Will you get me some medicine, Hana? I feel tired."
I nodded and went to get her medicine. After, I tucked her into bed.
"You can go home now, Hana. Halmeoni is fine."
I shook my head. "I'll stay for a bit more."
"Yah." She sat up in bed. "Go home right now. It's an order. And do you homework, you silly girl, I don't want you to fail your course just because of me."
I got up and bowed. "Goodnight, halmeoni. Sleep well!"

That night, I couldn't sleep. I tossed and turned, thinking about Hoya and halmeoni's phone conversation. It was then I heard a loud thump, followed by cries of anguish and pain, coming from the apartment next door. My face went pale as I thought of halmeoni.
I jolted up and immediately got dressed. I grabbed the set of spare keys she gave me and unlocked her door.

I ran into her room and almost fainted. Halmeoni was lying on the floor, face down in a pool of blood. She had fallen off her bed and knocked her head on the corner of the dressing table.
My hand shook uncontrollably as bent down. "Halmeoni!" I screamed. I turned her body over. I could see her head cut open and all bloody.
I reached for the phone next to her bed and dialled emergency. It wasn't working. But why? Then I realised I had forgotten to plug it in after last night. I silently cursed myself as I fumbled with the cord. What if she had tried to call me or Hoya? Or anyone? I didn't know how long she was lying like this.

"Please...." I sobbed to the person who answered the emergency call. "My halmeoni....she......there's so m-much b-b-blood!"
"Calm down, please miss, take a few deep breaths. We will send an ambulance right away. What is your address?"
I took a deep breath and told them the address, but my hands were still shaking uncontrollably. Please don't let anything happen to halmeoni, I prayed. Please. I'll give anything. I'll do anything you want. I cried as I waited for the paramedics to come.

They arrived almost straightaway. When I explained the situation to them, how I was not blood related to her but only living next door, the paramedic asked if I knew any of her blood relatives so they could inform them.
One name sprang to my mind but I didn't want to call him.
But I guess I really had no choice.

"Hello?" He answered sleepily, his voice deep and gruffy from sleeping.
"H-h-hoya," my voice shook. "It's Hana. H-halmeoni, she - "
I could here him sit up straight.
"Halmeoni? What's wrong? What happened? Hana, please, what happened?"