Jonghyun was a mess.

He didn't visit Yoona at the hospital, nor did he visit her at the funeral. He didn't even try to get out of the house. When his mother told him that school was starting, he would tell her that he would go tomorrow... and tomorrow... then tomorrow...

Three weeks had passed by, and Jonghyun was feeling faint. He had been eating less and less (his mother brought food and left the tray at his door), and he wasn't sleeping very often. His fingers kept rubbing the to-do list he had to complete just for Yoona. By now, the white paper was soft and the corners were tearing apart. The words were still there, but some smudged through other letters.

Yoona's death. Was that the punishment for trying to take revenge? For trying to bring Luhan down for what he did to his love? If that was his punishment, did that mean if he remained innocent and still, Yoona wouldn't have died? That she would still be alive, right now, sitting across from him, laughing about her foolish jump and eat something bittersweet to soothe her wounded heart?

Then there was Jieun. He was sure that she would've stopped taking any sort of action on Luhan. Besides, the news of Yoona's death was going around all over the neighborhood (as Taemin had told him a few days ago on the phone). Guilt stabbed his heart. Befriending Jieun, asking her for favor, and learning sign language; all that was for nothing. For nothing.

Then there was a knock.

"Jonghyun?" His mother's voice sounded so tired and faint. He knew she was worried over his health, but he chose to remain silent. There was another knock. This time, it was more frantic. Did his mother think that he was dead?

"Yes?" he said hoarsely.

"You have guests... again."

Jonghyun kept quiet. Guests. They were usually his friends from school, and sometimes they were complete strangers who knew him. If it was Taemin, he'd let him inside sometimes, but no one else was allowed.

"You have a very special guest. She's the one who couldn't speak. She came with you for a project, remember?"

Jieun.

How long has it been since he saw her? Jonghyun looked around and found a small, rubber ball. He gathered up his strength and threw it against the door. The boy withdrew his arm slowly and kept quiet.

"W-What was that sound?" a rather high voice asked. Was this how Jieun sounded before? Jonghyun's couldn't remember.

"That's his signal for letting people in. When you get inside, make sure to pick up the rubber ball and hand it to him. Oh, and try to give him something to eat, please? He's been starving himself for the past three days, and he didn't even touch his water."

"I... I'll try my best," Jieun replied. The door opened, and Jonghyun raised his head. He hid his to-do list away and tucked it under his pillow. Then, a lovely figure poked her head inside his room. Jonghyun's red, tired eyes stared until the female stepped inside. When their eyes met, Jieun gave him a horrified look. She had a tray of food in her hands, and she quickly rushed over to feed something to him.

"Water, water," she whispered to herself, grabbing the glass of clear liquid. Like a nurse, Jieun helped Jonghyun sit up and pressed the cold glass against his lips. Unable to resist the temptation, Jonghyun quenched his thirst in a few seconds.

"Slow down! You might choke." Jieun poured him another glass of water. When Jonghyun reached to grab the cup, he saw her give him a faint smile. "It's been quite some time, Jonghyun."

How long? he wondered.

"It's been nearly three weeks since I've seen you," she answered, as if she had been reading his mind. She handed him the bowl of cold soup. Jieun offered to heat it up, but Jonghyun refused. He knew that the food has been outside for a few hours, and he felt that he shouldn't ask his mother or anyone to heat up something he didn't want to eat in the first place.

"You speak well," Jonghyun mumbled, struggling to scoop the thin liquid.

She let out a soft laugh. "I practiced. How are you, though?"

A mess, Jonghyun responded. I'm depressed and I'm going crazy.

"Fine, I guess."

"Are you coming to school?"

To where that Luhan jerk goes to? he thought, bewildered. "I don't know."

"If it's about Luhan, you don't have to worry about him. I can assure you one-hundred percent that you will never see him at school again."

He scoffed. "How?"

Silence enveloped the room. Only the sound of the spoon tapping against the bowl was heard. He looked up from his meal, and stared at Jieun, who looked uncomfortable and kind of pale. She bit her bottom lip and only poured him a glass of water.

"Luhan moved..." she finally said.

Jonghyun was sligtly grinning. Thank goodness that guy is out of here--

"...under the condition of me dating him. He goes to a school thirty minutes away from here, so it's not a long distance relationship."

Clang!

Jonghyun dropped his spoon, which landed on the ground. Jieun gasped, and grabbed a nearby napkin to wipe up the mess. Jonghyun, who was starving just a few minutes ago, had lost his appetite. He gently placed the bowl back onto the tray and tucked himself in his bed.

"Oh, I see," he muttered. "Congratulations. You can go now. I'm going to bed. Tell my mom that I said thanks for the food."

"Jonghyun, I--"

"Leave!" he screamed. A pause. Then, he heard her scramble back on her feet with the