“What are you talking about?” Kiseop asked softly, crouching down so he could look up at you instead of down. “Did you pull this question out of nowhere?”

“Kiseop, when you told me you revived me from the dead and didn’t manage to save my parents, it never occurred to me. Why are my parents still here then?”

He looked away. “I thought you didn’t hear that part.”

“I didn’t.” You admitted a bit shakily.

“What?”

“I didn’t.” You repeated again, drawing a deep breath. “I only remember because I just had a dream- no. Flashback is more like it. I relived me and my parents’ deaths.”

There was a long pause.

“I guess I have to explain, huh.”

“Yeah, you do.”

Kiseop repositioned himself so that he was leaning against the side of your bed. “Your parents aren’t your parents.”

You in a breath, but managed to mutter out two words. “Go on.”

“Actually, they’re not really anything.”

You blinked. “What...What do you mean?” You fumbled around for the right words.

“They’re only designed to stay with you for another year.”

“Kiseop....What are you talking about?” You looked down at your lap. “What are my parents exactly?”

“They’re....They’re voids. They...They don’t have souls.”

You let out a breath. “So they’re voids. And they’re going to be taken away from me by the time I turn sixteen, aren’t they?”

“On your birthday.” Kiseop mumbled back.

“Happy sweet sixteen to me.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~

For the rest of the day, you found yourself sleeping everything off. The only visitors you allowed to come in were Nana, Kiseop, Kevin, and Hyun Jae. Everyone else just got rejected by you.

You came in and out of your sleep, vaguely making out Kiseop or Nana refilling your water or changing your pillows for you.

At one point, you made out Nana and Kiseop standing at the foot of your bed, despite your extremely sleep state.

“Where did she even learn it?”

It was Nana’s voice.

“I don’t know. I think it had something to do with her high fever. She didn’t seem too well when she was in the fight.”

“Yeah. She seemed kind of dizzy.”

“I think....I think that was when she finally reached her full potential.”

“Isn’t that dangerous?”

“She’s learned how to bloodbend.”

“But....” Nana’s voice sounded extremely worried. “We already thought she reached her full potential. Yet, she still gets a new power? Doesn’t that sound dangerous there?”

“If she keeps getting those fevers, she’s going to have a shorter life.”

Nana didn’t say anything for a while. “Well, I have an appointment now. Go look over her. I won’t forgive you if she gets another fever.”

“I won’t mess up. Promise.”

You heard Nana spin around and walk out through the door.

Sighing, Kiseop pulled up a stool next to your bed.

You felt yourself going back to the world of sleep, to worn out and tired to even wonder about what they were talking about.

~~~~~~~~~~

You dreamed.

Sun Hee was standing in front of you, her famously harsh glare directed at you, her blue eyes piercing right through you, cutting into your body, reaching your soul.

“I won’t forgive you. You got me banished from the school.”

“It wasn’t my fault, Sun Hee. Both of us know that pretty well.”

She raised her eyebrows. “Oh? Do we now?”

You glared back and clenched your fists.

“Let’s see who is really better, alright? It’s not over...” She leaned forward, her lips, coating her cherry red lips with a thin layer of her saliva.

You stared back defiantly.

“Until one of us dies.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You woke up, cringing at how damp one of the pillows were from your sweat. Sitting up, you realized there was no one in the room.

There was a drip inserted in your left arm and you made a face at it.

Turning to your right, you realized there was a small, creamy beige envelope on the table. You reached over and managed to grab it. Sliding your finger through the fold, you broke the red seal and unfolded the letter inside.

Dear ________.

I watched you fight the other day. I couldn’t bear to stay away and not tell you how amazing you were when you fought. You were truly outstanding that day.

I know things between us have....gotten a little distant.

To be honest, I don’t know if I’m ready to face you yet. If I tell you what I need to tell you, it would only make me stubbornly selfish, and I really don’t want myself to seem like that kind of person to you.

But I want to thank you.

I want to thank you for being a great friend, even though I haven’t been the best of one back to you.

I hope that one day I can repay you with whatever I have to offer. I do owe you a lot for more things than you probably don’t even know of.

It’s alright. It can stay that way.

But all in all, thanks.

Sincerely,

Dongho.

Angrily, you tore up the envelope and dumped it in the trash can beside you.