It’s okay, Boo Yee brought some over for me; she told me in the hallway,” Hae Rin explained to him. “Thanks, for the clothes.” She kissed his cheek then left the room.

Key went downstairs, blushing. “Taemin? Onew hyung? Minho?”

All three of them turned away from the television. It was a funny sight as they had turned in perfect unison; almost as if they were synchronized.

Unable to keep the excitement in, he blurted out, “I finally asked her out and she said yes!”

Almost at once, the three boys hurried to his side. They knew what he meant, and boy, were they glad he’d finally plucked up the courage to ask her.

“Great job, dude!” Onew said.

“He’s finally a man!” Taemin declared with glee. “Even though he hasn’t scored yet.” He hugged him tightly.

“Great job, Key,” Minho said, grinning as he shook his hands.

“Taemin, you freak, you have not scored yet either so you cannot talk,” Key scoffed. “I’m gonna go change. Later.” He ran back upstairs, smiling contently.

In the bathroom, Hae Rin just finished bathing when her phone went off.

“Maybe we’re trying

Trying to hard

Maybe we’re torn apart

Maybe the timing is beating our hearts

We’re empty”

Hae Rin answered. “Yeobosaeyo?” she said cheerily. She was in a good mood; after all, the guy of her dreams just asked her out on a date!

“I’m gonna kill your boyfriend. And everyone else around.”

Hae Rin began to shake with fear. “Oppa?! Please, andwae!”

“You ran to them,” Jonghyun snarled in a low voice, obviously angry with his little sister. “And told them. I’d warn you about the consequences.”

“Oppa, please, andwae,” Hae Rin begged. “They did nothing wrong. Please.”

“They’re gonna pay the price for your mistakes, Hae Rin. I’ll see you soon.”

“Oppa!!”

The phone line was dead.

Hae Rin was still shaking with fear. But calmly, she opened the bathroom medicine cabinet and pulled out a razor. “I’d rather pay for my own mistakes than have the people I care for get hurt.” Closing her eyes, she slit her own wrist.

Knock, knock.

“Hae Rin?” Boo Yee’s voice said from the other side of the door. “Can I come in?” She continued knocking. After a while, when Hae Rin still didn’t answer, she opened the door and saw Hae Rin lying down on the floor, at the state she was in.

She gasped. “Hae Rin!” she wailed. “Minho Oppa! Key Oppa! Someone help!”

Hae Rin fainted at the blood loss just as everybody ran to the bathroom.

“Hae Rin!” Key ran to her in despair and picked her up. “Onew hyung, the car!”

Boo Yee started feeling dizzy. “Ohhh.”

Minho looked at her and remembered that she faints at the sight of blood, just like Hae Rin did. As Boo Yee started losing her balance, he ran to catch her.

“Boo Yee ah!”

Onew was running downstairs, following Key and Hae Rin. Everyone else rushed down, with Minho carrying Boo Yee. “Only Hae Rin and Key should go first,” Onew said. “We’ll call you when you can come.”

Taemin looked at Boo Yee and nodded. “Okay.”

Minho looked worriedly at his girlfriend, but Boo Yee was worried about her best friend. She began sobbing, burying her head in Minho’s chest.

At the hospital, a nurse was passing by when she saw Key carrying Hae Rin. “What happened to this poor girl?” she asked, alarmed.

“S – she slit her wrist,” Key stammered and covered his face with his hands to fight back his sobs. “She won’t wake up. And she faints at the sight of blood.”

A doctor and a bunch of other nurses took Hae Rin away in a hospital bed.

“Sir, you can take a seat in the waiting room,” one nurse said to him. She led Key to a room nearby and left.

Onew walked in to the waiting room and sat down beside him. “She’ll be fine, Key.” He patted his back.

“But why would she slit her wrist? I don’t get it.” He rested his head in his hands.

Onew frowned. “I don’t know, man,” he replied helplessly.

“Another day without you with me

Is like a blade; it cuts right through me

But I can wait

I can wait forever

When you call, my heart stops beating

When you’re gone, it won’t stop bleeding

But I can wait

I can wait forever”

Key answered his cell phone. “Yeobosaeyo?”

“Stay away from her.”

He sat up straight. “Who are you?” he asked. “Why are you calling me?”

“If you want her to be safe, stay away from her,” the stranger said.

“Who are you? Why are you calling me?” he repeated.

“If you want Hae Rin to be safe, leave her alone. Let her handle this alone before everyone you love starts to get hurt,” the voice said.

“No!” Key shouted. “I’m not leaving her alone! I . . . I lo – like her.”

“Ah, ah, ah. Boy, you can’t fall in love with her. She’s dangerous. I want you and your brother to leave the hospital now, unless you want your brothers to get hurt.”

“No, stay away from my family!”

“Get out of the hospital now, if you know what’s good for you. You’ve got fifteen seconds. Fifteen . . . fourteen . . . thirteen . . . twelve . . .”