Victoria breathed out, her cheeks puffed up with air. Her big puppy eyes squinted as she tried to read the sign that was in front of her. Holding onto a medium-sized notebook in one hand, and a pen in the other, she impatiently tapped the pen on the notebook’s cover as she tried to read what the sign said.

                “W-we-h,” Victoria blinked. “Weh…c-coome? We-h-come! Wehcome to, wehcome to-aish, I don’t know!”

                Frustrated, Victoria scribbled ‘welcome’ in Korean in her notebook,  and then shutting it with a snap.

                “English is so hard to learn.” Victoria wailed to herself, her hair blowing in the warm breezes of California.

                Turning away from the sign, she slowly walked down the sidewalk, heels tottering on the pavement, hair flowing on her back, her notebook still tightly clutched in her hand. Her big tote bag swung along her side.

                Spotting a close café, Victoria hurried in, welcomed by the air con. She walked up to the order counter.

                “Ah, he-hello,” Victoria awkwardly smiled, embarrassed of her choppy English. “One iced coffee, please.”

                “That would be $4.99, miss.”

                “Ah, ok-ay.” Victoria took out her wallet and tried to get out a $5 dollar bill. But it seemed to be stuck in the wallet, or something. She looked up and sheepishly pointed one finger. “Uh, one min-minute.”

                The girl stared back patiently, smiling. Victoria finally yanked out the bill, handed it to her, and accepted her penny back. After receiving her drink, she slid into one of the vacant seats next to the window. Sipping quietly, she got out her laptop from her bag. Opening it, she fixed the connection before opening the internet.

                Swiftly, she typed something in Naver, and dozens of articles popped up. She clicked the most recent one.

2pm Nichkhun still in the hospital, fans hoping for the best for him

                Even after more than 2 weeks, it is still stated by 2pm Nichkhun’s company, JYPE, that he is still unconscious in the Seoul National University Hospital. Although his condition is recorded stable by the doctors, they say that he has yet to recover, as the car accident that Nichkhun was in several weeks ago could have damaged ‘something or nothing at all’.

                Fans have been bombarding the hospital every day, trying to get in his hospital room. Extra precautions have been established to protect this idol. He has been receiving support and hope from dozens of his fellow talents in Korea, along with international calls from around the world.

                A few days ago, Nichkhun’s company published a statement saying, “Our first priority right now is to get Nichkhun better and back on his feet. Even when he does get better, he will not be guest-starring on any show, including ‘We Got Married’. After discussing with f(x)’s Victoria’s company, both of us [JYP and SM] agreed that it was best to postpone the reality TV show for a while. It is a good time, I think, because Victoria is also on a couple week break with her SM group in America. Also, the whole group of 2pm will not be doing any performances any time soon. However, individual group members will continue to appear on shows in their own schedules. JYPE is grateful of all the love that people are showing towards Nichkhun, and I hope that will be the reason why he will wake up.”

                Victoria sighed, and exited out of the article. It had been weeks but he didn’t show any signs of progress.

                “You’re supposed to be awake by now,” Victoria murmured to herself.

                Shaking her head and sighing, Victoria closed her laptop and opened her notebook. She tied back her hair and started to write quickly, stopping every now and then to ponder of what else to write.

                A few days after Nichkhun’s accident, Victoria had decided to write in a notebook every day, to tell him about things going on in her life, and to show him all the fun and sad things that happened without him.

                I love you,

                                Victoria.

                Victoria finished her daily note with satisfaction, and she glowed at the last 3 words she said to him. She was just shutting her notebook and putting it in her bag when she heard her phone ringing. The familiar ring tone of Ra.D’s ‘I’m in love’ was comfort to her ears, since that song was basically Nichkhun and her love song that they shared.

                Pressing her phone against her ear, she sipped her ice coffee while answering.

                “Hello?”

                “Unni!” Sulli’s voice chirped brightly. “We all want to go shopping. Can we?”

                “Of course, that sounds like fun.”

                “Okay, can you meet us at our hotel lobby at 3? Manager-oppa will pick us up and drop us off at the mall.”

                Victoria quickly checked her watch. It was only 2:45 pm. “That’s fine. See you soon.”

                Quickly gathering her things, Victoria dashed out of the café, her iced drink still in her hand. She walked down the sidewalk, since the hotel was only 10 minutes walk from there.

-

               She tried calling all of her f(x) members, but none of them answered their phones. Victoria was waiting in the lobby, her patience fading away the more she waited. Clucking her tongue, Victoria looked around, trying to find the similar faces of her daughters, but she saw none of them. She looked down at her heels and rubbed her feet. From all the walking in her heels, her feet felt like they were going to fall off.

                Still looking down at her shoes, she noticed a pair of feet in front of hers. They were of a man’s and they were scruffy pairs of Nikes. Startled, she looked up, and found herself peering at a face she adored, a face she was familiar with, a face she had missed so much.

                Nichkhun.