It was morning when she woke up, the blinding sunlight that filled the bright room welcoming her back. Everything was quiet, except for the birds chirping to their own happy little songs outside.

Chorong glanced to her side and found Bomi deep in slumber with her head tilted back and lips slightly parted, letting out peaceful snores. For a moment she wondered if the turbulent in her heart could take a momentary break and be as serene as the look on her friend.

Her head started to pound the longer she stared out the window. She tried to get up, and when she faced forward, her gaze fell on a single medium-sized sunflower with a bright orange ribbon that matched the petals tied humbly on its stalk lying on the table in front of her. She leaned forward to pick up, but her movements caused the bed to make a loud squeaking sound which jerked Bomi to wake.

Still feeling groggy, the younger one glanced around to adapt to her surroundings and search for what caused the noise. Startled upon seeing Chorong already awake and looking at her, Bomi rubbed her eyes and sat straight. “Is that really you?” she asked.

“It’s really me,”

 “You really woke up?”

Chorong nodded.

Bomi rose from the chair and approached the bed. Slowly, she raised her hand and poked the older girl’s cheek, as if to confirm that she wasn’t dreaming. Her surprised face was replaced with a smile across her lips, and tears welled up in her eyes. When Chorong tried to brush her tears off, she shook her head before giving Chorong a hug. “I thought you were not going to ever wake up,” she whimpered.

Smiling, Chorong rubbed her back to comfort her. “I’m sorry I gave you a scare.” They stayed like that for a while and let the silence comforted both of them until Bomi stopped crying and let go. Chorong was hesitant to ask at first, she decided to get over her fear. “What about… Minhyuk?”

“You know?”

“I do,”

It was clear in Bomi’s face that the question took her by surprise. She looked down to avoid eye contacts while she tried to think whether to give an appropriate response or the truth. Then, feeling a gentle squeeze in her hand, she glanced up to meet Chorong’s eyes, and she immediately knew the answer. “Hoya oppa is still trying to get him transferred here,” she explained. “The crash happened somewhere along the coast lines there, so all victims were transported to the nearest hospital, which in this case in Japan.”

“Will it take long?”

“We can’t move him until he’s fully stable,”

Chorong’s expression darkened as she remembered what he told her in her dream. Was it even a dream, she wondered. Or was it his way to communicate with her, to bid her farewell? She held back her tears and swallowed down her fears before questioning further. “What is his condition? Is it terrible?”

“You need to ask oppa that. I can’t say for sure,” replied Bomi, shaking her head.

There was a pause while Chorong let the information sinks into her head. She looked away as she tried to fight back the tears which were attempting to fall, and this time, it was Bomi who squeezed her hand.

“It’s okay,” Bomi whispered. “He’ll be fine.”

Chorong nodded and forced out a smile. Then, looking ahead, the lone sunflower on her table caught her attention again. “Did you get this for me?”

“No, it wasn’t me,”

“Hoya?”

“Not him either. It’s already there when we came.”

Curious, she picked up and twirled it around her finger as if to find a clue. There wasn’t a card, not even a note from the sender.

She stared at the flower, and strangely, it carved a smile on her face.