>_____<;;

“How’s your sister?” Hyerin questioned while polishing the glassware in her store. “It’s been almost a week, hasn’t it?”

It had gotten quieter at home without troublemaker Namjoo around. The atmosphere had become kind of desolate and lonely as well. She and Chorong would often talk about small things here and there and of how they wanted to improve their ways of bonding to become a better family. What hurt most was that while they talked on, they knew Namjoo wouldn’t be there to offer her ideas or make any silly remarks. Even so, she and Chorong continued talking for the sake that Namjoo would wake up to join them again.

“Yea,” Victoria quietly answered running her fingers across the shiny top her boss had just finish wiping.

“Is your sister with her right now?”

“Her…” Victoria paused to think before answering, “friend is there for her. Chorong is kind of job searching right now.”

“It must be hard,” her boss sympathized, “why don’t you knock off early? You’d probably rather be at the hospital with your sister than here, huh?”

Victoria smiled and thanked her before leaving the shop.

>_____<;;

Through the darkness Namjoo could hear the heart monitor beeping in a much lively manner than she felt at the moment. The room was cold and she knew she was alone even if she couldn’t see. The air freshener let out a gasp as its cleaned air seeped through its lips.

Someone had just walked out. This person had loud, but soft footsteps. She wasn’t sure if she recognized who this person was.

This morning the nurse had pulled the blanket down to her chest so now her neck was a bit cold and chilly. She lie there listening to the rhythm of the heart monitor sizzling through her ears before a warmth enveloped her neck. A calm peace fell over her like another blanket before she felt someone sit on the edge of the bed.

Who was there today?

A light warmth hovered over her hand, but there was no voice. She could hear no one. Was she dreaming?

Then very slowly she felt this presence lie down beside her. It wasn’t Chorong. Chorong sat on the chair by the bed and Victoria would stand by. This person wasn’t any of her sisters.

Then who?

“Hey,” she knew that voice, “it’s only been a few days, what are you doing here?”

Luhan?

“What are you doing here, Namjoo?” he asked. “It must’ve been…really hard.” A painful smile crossed his face and he reached for her hand. “You did well.”

Namjoo could feel her heart racing. She really wanted to see him, but she couldn’t open her eyes.

“Can you hear me? Namjoo, don’t dwell on me. I didn’t mean to make you lonely. I never meant to hurt you. Let me go and live. I know you can do it.”

No…Namjoo didn’t want to. She didn’t want the life without him, but how was she supposed to tell him when she couldn’t respond? Namjoo wanted so much to plead or ask him to take her with him, but her body wouldn’t do what she wanted.

“I know you can and you know you can,” Luhan persuaded, “your sisters need you, more than you know. So wake up, Namjoo. Hmm? You have to pull through this. Wake up.”

Namjoo felt the tears squeeze themselves out of her eyes, but she still couldn’t move. She missed him and she loved him and she wanted nothing, but him. The desperation quickly filtered through her, but she couldn’t move. If he was there, she wanted to see him before he would leave again, but her eyes wouldn’t open and it hurt her heart more. Her heart was crumbling again into so many pieces, but she couldn’t express it.

This was unfair…

“Do it for yourself, Namjoo. You have a lot of good things coming your way; don’t give it up like this, I don’t want you to. Please live.” Luhan put his hand over her head gently and whispered into her ear. “I’m sorry, and I love you. I promise, wherever you’ll be, I’ll be there too. Please be happy, Namjoo. For me, for you, for everyone.”

Luhan gave her a last kiss on the top of her head before the tears really began streaming, and he squeezed her hand before the warmth disappeared.

>_____<;;

Chanyeol had left to get a bottle of water from the vending machine. When Chorong and Victoria weren’t there, he took the time to come by and sit with Namjoo. He’d talk to her about current events, gossip at his workplace, and sometimes about places he wanted to go to. Even if Namjoo didn’t reply, he hoped she heard him and that when she woke up she’d go to those places with him.

He really wanted to be with her again.

When Chanyeol slowly started down the inner hallway he paused outside the window to Namjoo’s room and watched as something glowed beside her. He’d never seen anything like that before. What was it?

Chanyeol stared into the room for a long time until he saw the heart monitor shoot up and Namjoo open her eyes. His lips dropped apart and suddenly every feeling of happiness, shock, and sadness filtered through him in unexplainable waves.

Should he cry first? Laugh? Or jump for joy?

He charged around the hallway until he reached Namjoo’s room to find her surrounded by the nurses and the doctor, but as he approached the door he saw her push them away in rejection. She was sobbing real hard and the only people she was screaming for were her sisters.

“Hurry! Go call them!” the doctor ordered.

One of the nurses hurriedly nodded and turned around to run out the door barely knocking him down in the process. And as he stood there he felt his mind swirl into confusion and loss.

Chorong and Victoria came running down the hallway just a few minutes later, but not even they paused to look at him.

“Oh my god!! Namjoo!” he heard them screaming as they threw their arms around her.

Chanyeol listened to Namjoo continue sobbing before he thought he heard the words, “He’s gone…he’s really gone! He’s not coming back to me…”

Though he had really wanted to see Namjoo, he didn’t think she wanted to see him, so he left. For a long time he sat by the window in his apartment wondering who Namjoo had been crying about. He wanted to know this person, but he didn’t know if Namjoo would share ‘him’ with him. And thinking that made him feel like she was more distant than before.

Did he even know her anymore?

>_____<;;

“Are you sure you’re not thirsty? You’re not in pain? Your head doesn’t hurt?” Victoria continuously asked while Chorong adjusted the blanket over Namjoo.

“No, I just want to lie down,” Namjoo replied leaning back into her pillows.

“Ok,” Victoria gave in. “But call us if you need anything. Are you sure you’re all right?”

“Victoria!” Chorong hissed turning around to scold her.

“Sorry,” Victoria mumbled, “I just want to make sure Namjoo’s comfy.”

“You’re more like suffocating her,” Chorong whispered.

“I’m fine guys,” Namjoo called out sliding onto her back.

“Are you sure?” Chorong turned back to her. After Namjoo nodded she stood, “Ok. Then get some rest. We can talk later in the morning.”

They reluctantly backed out of Namjoo’s room and peered inside to see her still lying down before finally closing the door. Victoria’s heart was finally at ease, but she still felt a sick worry surging through her.

“Do you think she’s ok?” Victoria asked.

“She will be,” Chorong tried to sound confident. “Namjoo will get better.”

Victoria nodded and closed her eyes.

“I’m going to shower,” Chorong put her hand on her shoulder, “don’t just stand there.”

Victoria watched Chorong walk away and close the door to the bathroom then turned her eyes to Namjoo’s door. She was so relieved, so happy, and so thankful to the heavens. Victoria was so relieved she wanted to drop onto her knees and cry.

“Thank you,” Victoria closed her eyes. “Thank you, Luhan.”

>_____<;;

Namjoo watched the door close before shifting around so that her back was to the door and curled up. Her heart felt heavy and it felt like she’d been run over a hundred times by the same enemy. She wasn’t ready to cope with loss, so Namjoo thought she would hurt just for a little while. There was a need to embrace the loss of Luhan before letting it go.

For half the night she drifted in and out of a light sleep before finally waking to the emptiest feeling in her heart. There was nothing there, nothing at all, and it hurt a lot. Her eyes ran over the empty space beside her and she suddenly felt very weak.

Why had Luhan woken her up to let her experience this? What was supposed to be the meaning of this?

Unable to even let out a sigh she walked out of her bedroom and started down the hallway. Sighting Chorong’s door she opened the door to see Chorong sleeping soundly on her side before making her way in to crawl onto the bed. Digging her face into the back of Chorong’s head she wrapped an arm around her sister before closing her eyes hoping that doing this would offer her some warmth. After a little while she felt Chorong place a hand over hers clutching it tightly before she started crying silently. Namjoo was sure Chorong was awake, but she didn’t say anything.  

>_____<;;

After getting dressed Chorong turned to see that Namjoo was still deep asleep in her bed. Unable to find it in her heart to wake her sister up she adjusted the blanket over Namjoo and looked at the note she’d left on the table side before walking out. Victoria was waiting for her in the hallway when she closed the door.

“Is she ok?” Victoria asked.

“I think she’s going to be having a hard time for a while,” Chorong said.

She watched Victoria’s eyes travel to the door in empathy before Chorong put her arm around her to wheel her away.

“Don’t think too much about it,” Chorong tried.

“Are you going to be out long?” Victoria asked as they started down the stairs.

“I’m just grabbing some grocery,” Chorong answered.

“Don’t leave Namjoo too long. Her powers are probably still not stable,” Victoria reminded.

“I know,” Chorong nodded.

They slipped their shoes on and Victoria grabbed her bag before opening the door. She came to a quick halt when she saw a car parked across the street.

“Who the hell is that?” Victoria asked.

Chorong’s eyes dashed over to the car. It looked different from the spy’s car, but she remembered destroying the engine last time. She felt a short snort leave her lips.

“The spy,” Chorong assumed.

“I thought Changmin called that bastard off,” Victoria mumbled cracking her hands.

“That what he told you?” Chorong darted her eyes over to her sister. “Hey, watch it." She warned then declared, "Let me deal with this.”

“Are you sure?”

“Too damn sure.” Chorong settled her eyes on the rented car before a smirk crawled onto her lips. 

***lol! Chorong's up to no good again xD

***And Namjoo is finally back after...2-3 chapters!