“I’ll see you later.” Nichkhun said, and I nod.

Kayden and I have stayed with him for 5 days now. Whenever I have work, he would send me to work and fetch me from work. We’ve gotten closer, that’s the truth. We can make a decent conversation now, not feeling awkward at all. Like 7 years ago.

Before I walk in, I remember something.

“Nichkhun, wait!” I called after him before he could walk further. He stops and turns around.

“I have something to do later after work. You do not need to fetch me.”

“What do you need to do? Maybe I could go with you?”

“No, it’s okay. I can’t fetch Kayden too, and I need you to help me fetch him back home.” I say immediately after he asks. I can’t have him going with me after work. I need to meet the landlord to pay the rental fees first. And if he’s with me, he will know, and he might stop me from getting an apartment.

But why are you so sure? I heard another voice in my head. I don’t know. Maybe he will not stop me from getting the apartment, since they are leaving after their match 2 months later. Before they leave, I should get my own apartment, right?

“Okay.” He says. We bid goodbye once again, and he left, while I walk in to the café.

***

I walk along the road to the apartment that I intend to rent. It’s really looks deserted and eerie, like what Yeonhee said three days ago, when we are finding apartments together. The buildings here are old, colours are torn, looking so empty. That day I didn't felt this way, maybe because I was with Yeonhee, or was too immersed and concentrated in finding an apartment. I ignore the creepiness and walk briskly to the apartment to meet the landlord.

There it is! Just one more building to pass, and I'll reach the apartment building. I feel myself relax. I must have felt tense when I was walking along the deserted road.

The next moment, I feel someone pulling me back, and feeling something cold and sharp on my throat. I panic, realising what it is.

"Don't shout, or else I'll slit your throat. Hand me your bag." W... What? A… A robber? I pass him my bag while trembling, thinking that he will let me go after I hand him my bag.

When he took my bag, I waited for him to let me go and run, but he didn't. I heard the sound of the bag drops onto the floor instead.

"There isn't anything that you can use to defend yourself now."

W...What is he saying? I'm scared, really scared. He drags me along, the knife is still on my throat. What is he going to do to me?

I was thrown and my back was banged against the wall. I can see the man, but he wears a mask, and I can't see his face. I see him keeping the knife. I take this chance to run and shout, hoping anyone that is around this area could hear. "Help!"

"Oh no you don't!" I was pulled back again and pushed against the wall. I feel the pain at the back of my head. Ignoring the pain, I tried to escape from him, struggling to get away, but I stop immediately when he took the knife out and points at me.

"Be good, and- argh!" The man groans as he was knocked, lying down on the floor.

"Qian, are you alright?" I flinch when someone touch my shoulders. I look at the person, it's Nichkhun. He's here.

"Come on, let's get out of here." He holds onto my shoulder and we walk away. We didn’t walk far when he was pulled back.

“Argh!”

“Nichkhun!” I was shocked at what I saw. Bl… Blood! He’s hurt! The man stabbed him!

“Nichkhun! Khun! Wake up!” He’s… He’s lying on the floor. I drop down on my knees, holding him. He’s not… No… He’s not…

“Khun! Wake up! Don’t leave me!” My tears started pooling out. I heard steps rushing, running far away, but I don’t care. All I want is for him to wake up.

“Khun!” No… Staying here won’t help him. I quickly rush towards my bag, rummaging for my phone. Trembling, I punch in 119.

“Please… Help… Please…”

***

I woke up when I felt someone brushing my hair. Getting the images clear from my eyes, I sit up straight when I saw Khun right in front of me.

“You’re awake! Are you still hurting? Should I call the doctor in?” I ask, making sure that he’s okay and not hurting. He smiles a little and shakes his head.

“Do you need anything?”

“Water, please.” I pour a cup of water from the jug that is on the table beside the bed. Instead of passing it to him, I put the cup near his mouth and feed him. After he drinks it, I put the cup back on the table.

“It’s morning.” He says as the sunlight shone through the window.

“You’ve been out for 12 hours. I was so worried.”

“Are you alright?”

“Shouldn’t that be my question to you?” I say. He’s the one that is hurt, not me. But he had gotten hurt because of me. “I’m fine.”

“That’s great. At least you’re fine.” He said, and I started crying. He’s in this condition, but he still thinks for me first.

“Qian! You’re not okay, right? Where does it-” He hisses before completing his sentence. He must have hurt himself when he moved closer.

“Don’t move! Or else you’re going to hurt yourself.”

“But you’re-”

“I’m fine, really fine.”

“Then why are you crying?” He asks as he brushes away my tears, but it just won’t stop.

“I’m so sorry. You’re hurt because of me. When you’re lying unconscious on the floor, I was scared. I was scared that you are going to leave me again.” He pulls me in, and I’m in his embrace. I froze as I was surprised, but I eventually hug him back.

“I’m not leaving you, unless you push me away. I love you, I love you so much. I can’t bear to lose you again, let alone leave you.”

“I love you too.” I whisper. He heard it, I know because he push me at arm’s length and look at me. “What did you say?”

“I love you.” I repeat, looking straight into his eyes. Slowly, his lips break into a smile. “Does that mean…” I nod, and he pulls me back in his embrace.

“Thank you… Thank you…” He whispers as if he’s praying, and I myself broke into a smile.

I forgive him, and I love him.

***

I knocked on the door with my free hand and open the door. Kayden rushes straight in and jumps onto the chair beside the bed. “Nichkhun ajusshi, is it painful? Omma say ajusshi is injured.”

“Ajusshi is fine now. Not painful at all.” He ruffles Kayden’s hair and smile.

“Wow, a home-made dinner. Not surprise.” Junho teases as I put down the lunch box on the over bed table. I can feel the blood rushing to my cheeks.

The guys came to visit Khun after their training during noon. They know that we’re back together seeing our interactions when they came in. I left the hospital after they came, and went back to the hostel, preparing dinner for him. Now there’s only Junho and Wooyoung. I guess others must have gone back already.

I open the lunch box and place it out. I take the utensils and pass it to him. “Here.”

He gobbles down the food like a beast, eating so quickly that I was afraid that he’ll choke. “Slow down.” I say.

“It’s too delicious, and I’m so hungry.”

“Might just say that you are waiting for it for so long.” Huh? I’m confused by Wooyoung’s words. Khun shot him a glare.

“Khun hyung didn’t have the lunch that the hospital provides.” Oh. I guess I understand what he means.

“Why didn’t you have lunch? You shouldn’t starve yourself.”

“I was just anticipating when you said you will bring dinner for me earlier.” He says softly.

“But still, you should have eaten the lunch.” I say and naturally brush his cheeks, he smiles at me.

“Yah yah yah! No PDA! You guys are ruining a child’s innocence!” Wooyoung exclaimed and I flushed. It’s just a small friendly gesture, it isn’t that big matter that will ruin Kayden’s innocence, right?

“Omma, what’s PDA?” I was shocked when Kayden asked me. How should I answer him? He’s just a child. Is he in the right age to know this term?

“Um… Kayden… It’s… Um…”

“Kayden ah, when you grow up and become an adult, you will know.” Khun answers and glares at Junho and Wooyoung.

“What? It’s Wooyoung, not me!” Junho says when he receives the glare from Khun. Khun continue glares at them.

“Alright, alright, we get it! We should leave now.” Wooyoung said before the both of them leave the room.

 “Kayden ah, I thought you have something for Ajusshi?”

“Something for me?” I nod at his question, remembering that he told me he had written and drawn a card for him when he’s at the centre today. He takes out the card from his small little backpack and gives it to Khun.

“Omma say Ajusshi is in hospital, so Kayden draw a card for Ajusshi. Ajusshi quickly get well and go home and play with Kayden.” Kayden says after he passes him the card.

“Thank you Kayden. Ajusshi likes your card. Ajusshi will quickly get well and go back home, and not to forget to play with you.”

“Can Ajusshi teach Kayden Hangul?”

“Kayden ah, let Ajusshi finish his dinner.” I say when he takes out his small little doodling book out from his backpack, along with his pencil case. Khun hasn’t eaten his lunch, so I hope he will eat finish the dinner first. I don’t want him to starve.

Kayden shows me his disappointed face.

“Kayden, go practice the Hangul that Ajusshi teach you the last time. Later after Ajusshi eat finish, Ajusshi will teach you.”

“Okay!” Whoa… that lifts his spirits fast. Nowadays he’s been so obedient to Khun and not me. Maybe because I have let them have their time together alone for a lot of times. He went to the chair and a small table and started writing on his doodling book.

***

I walk back into the room and saw that Kayden is nowhere to be seen. There’s only Khun in the room.

“Where’s Kayden?”

“Taec and Yoona brought him back. They say they will take care of him and bring him to the centre tomorrow.” He says as I take a seat on the chair beside the bed. “They gave us time alone. Come here.” He pats on the bed, wanting me to lie down beside him on the bed with him.

“No. I might hurt you.” I reject him. I might hurt him if I lie beside him.

“You won’t. I feel better if you just lie beside me.” He says, giving me his puppy face. I hesitated. Should I?

“Please?”

I slowly sat down on the bed. The moment I sat down, he pulls me. He’s holding me and puts my head on his shoulder.

“So what did the doctor say?”

“He’ll check on you tomorrow morning. If your condition is okay, you can be discharged the day after tomorrow.” I tell him exactly what the doctor had told me earlier.

“Great!” He says, and stifles a yawn.

“Go to sleep.” I say, trying to put him to bed.

“I’m not tired.”

“Yes you are. You yawned earlier.” I say, and I can see his ears turn red. I smile.  He’s still the same. I guess he didn’t know that I caught him stifling a yawn. “Come on, go to sleep.”

“But I wanted to spend some time with you.” He says and pouts, behaving like a small little kid.

“We have lots of time together, not just today, you know.” I say and smile. He mirrors my smile, and nods.