A few years ago, when she had been filming for Trot Lovers, Eunji had collapsed on set due to fatigue. During that time, she had been constantly bouncing back and forth between the drama’s schedule and Apink’s schedule. Rest had seemed like a faraway concept back then; she barely even had time to eat. So, one day during filming, Eunji’s body gave in to the immense strain, and she fainted mid-scene. 

She had been taken to the hospital immediately. The first person to rush to her side had not been her boss or her family (which was reasonable, since they were all the way in Busan). Eunji remembered clearly how when she had woken up, she found a thin woman resting soundly on the side of her bed. It had taken her some time to recognize the woman’s small hand, which was gently holding Eunji’s, and head of black hair, but she eventually realized that it was Chorong. 

When the nurse came into the room, she had smiled softly at Eunji and said almost in a whisper to not disturb Chorong, “You two must have a special bond.”

According to the nurse, not so long after Eunji had been admitted into the hospital, Chorong had burst through the door of her room, looking completely disheveled and like she had dropped everything to sprint to the hospital the moment she was informed of Eunji’s condition. While Eunji had been resting, Chorong had constantly asked questions about Eunji’s health and whether or not she’d be okay.

Eunji later found out that Chorong had been the first one to be informed of Eunji’s hospitalization. Being the leader of Apink, that had always been the case for Chorong―she was always the one who received news first. She was always the one to deal with issues first and take much of the brute of the problem before it could touch the other members. 

Chorong always sacrificed so much for the sake of her members, and she never complained when it hurt or got too burdensome. Of course, the other members would try to help her as much as they could, but ultimately, it was always Chorong giving up the most.

Now, Eunji found herself praying that tonight wouldn’t be Chorong’s last sacrifice.

They were all sitting in the bleak hallway of the hospital just outside the doors to the emergency operating room. It killed Eunji knowing that Chorong was beyond those doors.

The hallway was completely washed in white, with white marble floors, white painted walls, and bright white ceiling lights. During such a dark time, the amount of brightness made Eunji feel sick.

Off to the side, Bomi was comforting a still-weeping Namjoo, who was blaming herself for even suggesting getting bingsu. Eunji wanted to tell the second youngest that it wasn’t her fault; there was no way they could have known that getting bingsu would have ended in such a disaster. But Eunji found herself still completely numb and unable to talk or move. 

The only person at fault was the driver who had run the red light; just the thought of the person made anger bubble in Eunji’s stomach. She didn’t know where or how the driver was, but she wanted to know who the person was and what made them run the red light. Whether they were drunk or inattentive didn’t matter to her―they still hit Chorong. They were responsible for this night of pain that should have been full of joy from celebrating the successful end of their concert. 

Naeun and Hayoung were sitting side-by-side, leaning on each other for support and staring down at their hands, which were still caked in Chorong’s blood. Eunji looked down at her own blood-encrusted hands. They were all covered in their leader’s blood, but none of them were willing to leave to wash up. Not when Chorong was past those doors fighting for her life. 

Aside from Namjoo’s crying and Bomi’s gentle words, the hall was silent. None of them said anything, not because they didn’t want to, but because they didn’t know what to say. They were all still in shock.

After a while, Namjoo’s sobs reduced to small sniffles, and she eventually fell asleep in Bomi’s lap. Namjoo, their “vitamin kid”, had never seemed so small. 

“You guys should go home and rest,” Bomi said after a while. Her voice came out cracked and hoarse. “I’ll call you if there are any changes.”

“No,” Hayoung said immediately, suddenly sitting up straight. Naeun also rose her head in quick defiance. “We’re not leaving Chorong-unnie.” 

“You can come back once you’ve washed up and slept.” Bomi sounded so tired, but surprisingly still stern. 

“What about you?” Hayoung protested, “You’re also tired and dirty.” In fact, Bomi was the dirtiest. She had been the first one to reach Chorong and hold her head on her lap, so she was covered in blood the most.

“You guys go home first, then when you come back, it’ll be my turn to rest. That way someone will be here when Unnie wakes up, okay?”

Hayoung opened to say something else, but Naeun laid a hand on Hayoung’s hand to stop her. “We all want to be here when Unnie wakes up,” Naeun said.

Bomi looked down at Namjoo. With her hand resting protectively on the younger woman’s head, Bomi looked so much older and mature, like a mom soothing her child. “Someone needs to take Namjoo home.”

Perhaps it was the immense weariness mixed with something none of the members had heard before in Bomi’s voice, but Hayoung lowered her head in submission. Reluctantly, Naeun nodded her head. “We’ll be back in a few hours.”

Bomi shook her head. “No. I want you all to get a full night’s rest before coming back. Don’t come back sooner than ten in the morning tomorrow.” 

Naeun’s jaw clenched, but she nodded again. 

Then Bomi looked at Eunji. “Eunji-ah?” 

Eunji gripped her fists in her lap. Bomi was acting unlike herself. She was unusually calm, which Eunji normally wouldn’t have a problem with, but given the circumstances, she expected Bomi to be more panicked. Something was off, and Eunji couldn’t quite put a finger on it. She just knew that seeing Bomi this way made her heart ache. 

“You want to stay,” said Bomi. It wasn’t a question. 

“We all do,” replied Eunji. It was her first time speaking in a long time. 

“Eunji-ah…”

“But I won’t. I’ll call a cab to take us back to my place. Naeun, Hayoung, and Namjoo can stay at my place for the night.” She figured that it was best for them to stay together in a time like this. She turned to the maknae line. “If you guys want to.”

Hayoung’s hand tightened around Naeun’s. “We want to,” she said. The sad look in Naeun’s eyes told Eunji that she agreed. 

Bomi’s shoulders relaxed slightly. “Alright.”

“You promise to call us right away if you hear anything?”

“Of course.” 

Eunji nodded, and pulled out her phone to call for a cab. 

“Eunji,” said Bomi softly.

She looked up from her phone at the older woman. 

“Thank you,” Bomi said in a voice so quiet that it could have been a whisper.

For what? she wanted to ask, but her words were caught in as she took in the flecks of blood on Bomi’s face and in her hair. Worst of all where Bomi’s eyes, which were normally full of life and happiness, but were now plagued with fatigue and overwhelming pain. She was nicknamed the “happy virus” of the group, since her cheery personality was so contagious, but now, Eunji couldn’t see the “happy virus” in Bomi. She might have been pretending that she was fine, yet Eunji knew that her fellow 93-liner was hurting just like the rest of them. Perhaps even more. 

Eunji set a gentle hand on Bomi’s shoulder. 

“I’ll be back soon, Bbom-ah.”