I would awake for about ten to fifteen minutes, then I’d fall back to asleep and enter the world of dreams. Most of them were horrifying, and I’d wake up and then wonder if I was still dreaming. The last of the dream was confusing, and I’d ended waking up completely, my eyelids fluttering.

I’d woken up to Kris’ figure, slumped on a chair beside my bed, his head hanging to one shoulder, arms folded across his chest.

I sat up, trying to recapture wisps of the things I’d heard during the moments when I was half asleep and half awake. Something about Kyuhyun being here. Jessica and Kris. And then everything went black and I’d fallen back to sleep due to the meds.

I rolled on my side, hoping to get back to sleep. I was leaning on my pillow, my cheek pressed against it, smelling an odd scent that reminded me everything about hospitals. I cringed at the thought, but cringed more when I felt a sting on my head. My entire forehead had been covered, as if I was wearing a bandana.

For a moment I lay there, eyes open, mind blurry. The room was so quiet, not even a sound was heard, except for the sound of Kris’ breathing and mine. It stayed like that for a while. Right then I knew I what I’d heard was right. Kris did volunteer to stay with me. Which clearly meant that the rest was true, too.

And Jessica’s warning had been real. I really did hear it.

My head ached, and I convinced myself that I shouldn’t be over-thinking in that condition. When I winced, Kris jerked awake, his eyes opening, gaze directly swinging to mine. I had my eyes open, too, just staring at nothing. Wait, no. I was staring at him the entire time without realizing.

“Eri—”

“Hey,” I said weakly, pulling myself up.

He blinked. “How long have you been awake?”

“I just woke up,” I told him with a light shrug. Even shrugging hurt. He noticed, then pulled his chair closer.

“How’re you feeling?”

I shook my head, very slowly. “I…dunno,” I answered. I felt numb.

He lifted his head, determined to lock gazes with me. I waited for a word to come out, but he said nothing. Just stared. His face was pale, as if all blood had been drained right out. At first I thought he was going to snap at me, but he didn’t. Though he looked like he was, but stopped immediately. I still waited for him to say something.

Without any words at all he slowly leaned in, and when he was close enough I finally realized that his eyes were shining. Water filled the rims, and as if I was a porcelain doll he pulled me over, carefully pulling me into his embrace.

“You…are…crazy,” he muttered, heaving heavy pants.

“Um, thank you,” I replied, half surprised.

He didn’t bother pulling away. Not yet, at least. Not until he had been perfectly healed himself. And now I knew what he meant by panic attacks. He wasn’t used to experiencing things like that. Or maybe he had once, that’s why he became like this. I wasn’t so sure. I still couldn’t piece the things together yet with my hazy mind.

“Saving a cat?” he said.

“It was a baby kitten,” I corrected.

A bitter laugh. “Yeah.”

I felt him rest his chin on my head, and I heard him let out puffs of breath, as if he was inhaling to slow down the rate of his heartbeat. I could literally hear it pumping, like it might burst out of his chest at any moment. Guilt weighed my shoulders, knowing that I was the reason that caused it.

I opened my mouth, but before I could speak the door burst open. Krystal appeare