Chapter VIII - Arrival

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Jiae’s POV:

I tried to sleep. I really did, but the adrenaline was keeping me awake. I shifted my position. Whether it was lying down or leaning against the window looking outside, In the end, I wasn’t able to find a comfortable position to sleep in, so I just lied on my back and stared at the ceiling. The movement of the train was steady and I tried to let it lull me to sleep.

Not even ten minutes later, I felt the vibrations of my phone through my bag. My initial thought was to take out the battery so that I wouldn’t have to deal with anything bothering me during the training. But the more I thought about it, the more I thought that I should just take a moment to look at the message, so I took it out.

From: Gukkie hyung

Hey dongsaeng,

You nearly gave appa and I a heart attack today, but obviously, there’s nothing we can do now. Keep us updated with training and life. Stay healthy and safe. Send pictures too~~

Love, hyung and appa

I probably stared at the message for a minute or two. I couldn’t believe what I had just read. The message wasn’t scolding me, nor was it demanding at all. I had to thank oppa--I mean, hyung--for that.

For the next ten minutes, I thought about what exactly I could reply with. How could I possible reply with anything, to be honest. I practically ran away from home without telling anyone. Since appa and hyung were being so cool and chill about it, so should I. I’ll just text out my exact thoughts.

To: Gukkie hyung

I’m sorry…

To: Gukkie hyung

Wait you’re not mad???

To: Gukkie hyung

You’ll still probably kill me when I get home.

Which was true, I knew I was totally in for it the second I got home.

Then I thought about the message I got from them. Send pictures too~~ And that’s when I saw Seungho hyung across from me in deep sleep. I grinned, hoping no one could see how creepy my smile could be.

I leaned over his sleeping body and took a selfie. I giggled like a girl, which was kinda awkward for me because of the bandages around my chest.

My finger hit the send button as I sat back and relaxed.

To: Gukkie hyung

Hyung, appa,

Don’t worry too much. I have a hyung by my side. I promise to send more pictures.

To: Gukkie hyung

Tell appa I love him and I miss him so much. Not that I don’t miss you or anything.

I knew for sure that Gukkie hyung would show the messages to appa because that’s just how he is.

Turning my phone back off, I threw it back into my bag as I kicked back and relaxed. I looked back to Seungho snoring away next to me and I couldn’t help but feel guilty. Just becoming friends with him was already difficult enough with this identity, I couldn’t even imagine how much it will actually kill me once I get to training with others. I knew that I wouldn’t be able to keep up the act forever, but there was really no turning back at this point. It was either I nail it or I fail it, no in between.

I took a deep breathe as I looked out the window. I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn’t even realize that we were nearly there. Probably about a half hour till arrival. Suddenly remembering Seungho hyung’s words, I decided that I should nap the rest of the time. Who knows how much energy I’ll be needing during training.

My eyelids drooped slowly as I thought of my father. I let these thoughts invade my mind and lull me to shut eye.

The ground was shaking, I could feel it. But why was there no pain? Wasn’t this one of those times when magic overruled nature, and the earthquake becomes thrice as powerful? My head was knocked front and back, but my eyes were still shut tight. Maybe because I didn’t want to see the damage, maybe because I just…

“Bang Jumong! Wake up!”

I snapped my eyes open to find Seungho’s face a few inches away from mine, shaking my shoulders with all his might. I let out a very manl