Last year’s Christmas was supposed to be an uneventful day. His group was just back from Japan concert few days ago and would be on their way to their concert after Christmas. His parents were so pleased that their son finally need not to be MC or perform on stage during Christmas.

He took this opportunity to spend some quality time with his family, with a new brother-in-law this year. Presents were specially selected for each of them and nicely wrapped under the Christmas tree decorated by himself. He even baked a bread pudding, something easy to make and easy to please his family’s sweet tooth.

His new song under the artist name LOEY will be released on Christmas Eve. It was a side project that he had put some time into but he was not going to let his identity as Chanyeol the boy group member to outshine his real talent. Everything was scheduled beforehand and, with zero effort on his part, he only needed to sit back and observe the responses in the social media, like what he did with the release of Goblin OST “Stay With Me”.

While he was waiting for the bread pudding to be ready in the oven, he skimmed through the social media and noticed some unnerving photos taken by fans about the appearance of an ambulance at the backstage entrance of Gocheok Sky Dome.

It spread first in the red velvet fans site because a group of reveluv were waiting eagerly at the backstage for the rehearsal and prerecording performance of the group’s new title song Psycho. These fans shared photos of the ambulance and the extra security enforced at the scene, hence drawing a conclusion that the person involved was more than just a supporting crew member. The fans from different fandoms rushed in and were anxiously looking for confirmation on the identity of the person being admitted to hospital. His heart tightened a bit too as two of the groups from his company and his closed friends from other agencies were involved in the rehearsal.

He considered whether he should drop Suho hyung a text about this to see if he knew anything already, since he was known as the unofficial president of a certain group present in the rehearsal and also secretly dating the group’s leader.

“Speaking of the devil,” he murmured as a text from Suho to the group popped out as notification.

His heart sinked immediately as he read the lengthy text from Suho.

“Red Velvet Wendy fell from stage during rehearsal of her solo performance and was immediately admitted to hospital with suspected multiple bone fractures. Please pray earnestly for Wendy’s condition and recovery.

Her parents and sister are in the hospital with her now. Wendy Xi’s solo performance and the group performance on the next day would be cancelled.”

He grasped his phone in agitation as he slowly digested the information. Fall from stage. Bone fractures. SBS. How serious would it be? Is anybody with her now? What can he do for her? The inner turmoil of his head forced him to pace around in the kitchen.

Other members responded with promise to pray for Wendy Xi and asked for continuous update from Suho.

He was so frustrated that it was not his position anymore to overstep and care too much. But he felt he must do something to release the distress and calm his fear for her condition. So he sent a private message to Suho, who he knows would be as agitated as him now for the other person affected by this accident.
Hyung, what did Irene noona say to you? - chanyeol
Text only. Nothing but facts. I am worried. She still got another collaboration rehearsal with Eunwoo Xi. - Suho
Don’t you think it would be cancelled too most likely? - chanyeol
It depends on how she is and how they are taking it. All the members are still there in their waiting room. I don’t think the company has decided anything yet. - Suho
Hyung, let me send you there. I will come to your place, change to your car and drop you there. Then pick you up again when you are ready. - chanyeol
Ok thanks. I will get ready now. - Suho
See you in your garage in 10. - chanyeol

“Sorry Mom, I got some errands to run. Will be late for dinner. Start first. Don’t wait up for me,” he kissed his mom’s cheek before he left with his jacket and car key. His mom was not pleased but saw the seriousness in his eyes and decided not to push him for now.

❧

He parked his Mercedes next to Suho’s low profile Toyota. And found Suho was already inside talking on the phone. He quickly jumped onto the driver’s seat and adjusted the seating and rear mirror.
“...someone to drop me off and pick me up later,” Suho greeted him silently with a nod and continued, “No one will notice. I will only be there for a short while to give her some support. Thanks hyung for the arrangement. I am heading out from my place now. See you.”
“How bad it is?” he asked anxiously as he started the car engine.
“Fortunately it was not fatal. But Wendy Xi wasn’t conscious when the paramedics came,” Suho said gloomily, “Her family must be devastated. Heard that they dropped their Christmas dinner and went straight to the hospital.”
He remembered this was the first Christmas their family going to spend together in Korea since her debut.
“Joohyun said Yeri and Seulgi were very distressed. She and Joy shed some tears but later distracted themselves on the task to comfort the other two,” Suho said, “She was calm on the phone. They just want to go home and refresh a bit before they go to the hospital and hear the diagnosis.”

There was nothing they could do now except for prayers. Suho began to whisper his Buddhist prayers and he prayed in silence so very earnestly for her as he drove.

❧

He went a few rounds around the block until he received Suho’s text to signal him to come back to the same location where he dropped him. He texted back Suho to ask one of the manager to come along. But when his car arrived, Irene came out instead together with Suho from the building.
“Chanyeol Xi,” Irene greeted him through the car window, “thank you for sending Suho oppa. I know you got plans with your family tonight.”
“No need to mention,” he noticed her red eyes and runny nose and he gestured a bouquet lying the back seat, “I purchased some lilies for Wendy Xi on behalf of our group. Maybe you can pass it to her family when you visit her in the ward.”
He sent an enquiring look to Irene as Suho walked to the backseat to retrieve the bouquet. He and Irene knew each other during the rookie but were hardly close. They finally broke the ice when both attended the previous KBS Gaye as MCs, not because the fun they had during that particular collaboration, but because he and Seungwan were still together.
“You are so thoughtful,” Irene said then confided to him when Suho couldn’t hear them, “Neh, we are going to hospital later tonight with our manager. Chanyeol Xi... would you... please pray for Seungwan.”
“Always. Try not to worry too much, noona,” he promised and nodded to Irene. Then three of them quickly said their farewells. They weren’t supposed to be out in the open for so long to avoid scandals.

“Still holding tightly onto her mic when she’s on the ambulance,” Suho blurted as the car left the compound.
There had been plenty of opportunities for him to witness her gesture when holding a mic. He could still remember her delicate white knuckles wrapping the mic purposively. By just picturing the scene and her body lying on the floor and then in the ambulance, the moistures in his eyes rapidly blocked the front view.

He must see her.