How long had she been sleeping? 2 hours? 3? 1 day? Amber lost track of everything. All she wanted was to sleep. And water. She needs water.

She can hear the distant rumble of murmurs around her, but she can't point whose voice is who, or what were they talking about. Can't they just shut their mouths for a while? Their voices just cause headache for her.

In an attempt to quieten the disturbing sounds from far away, Amber tried to grunt. Her voice was dry and aching, but she pushed it nevertheless.

"Um." she managed to say. But the murmurs continued so she made it louder. "UM."

The voices around her stopped instantly. Good. Now she can go back to sleep again.

"Was that her?" someone whispered.
"I bet."

Amber can feel a number of people closing on her. *God, they're annoying* her subconscious thought.

"Amber??" another voice whispered softly.

She felt a poke on her shoulder. A nudge on her arm. A pat on her head. A pinch on  her cheeks. The people around her continued disturbing her sleep that she can't take it anymore.

"AISH!" Amber shouted unintentionally, making burn. She snapped her eyes open and sat up straight - getting dizzy momentarily - then focused her attention to her friends around her. Those faces she knew so well who all turned from startled expressions to relief.
"AMBERRRR!!!" they chorused and without any further ado, they hugged Amber forgetting that she was a patient in the hospital.
"Water." she grunted. Wooyoung hurried down the fridge and gave her some. Amber drank the whole glass in 5 large gulps and asked for additional 3 glasses. That's how thristy she was.

Minjun planted a wet kiss on Amber's cheek who in return, wiped her cheek with the back of her hand.

"You're crying?" she asked Minjun.

Minjun wiped his eyes and looked away.

"I'm not. It's the wind. It makes my eyes burn."

Amber glanced at the tightly sealed window and laughed. That was some smooth line for Minjun.

"If you all missed me that much, you don't have to be ashamed." she chuckled. She made a mental headcount on the persons around her. Nichkhun and Torrey were present.... so was Minjun, Junho, and Wooyoung. Her smile faltered when there were 3 people missing, 1 of them hanging between life and death.

"Taeyeon! Where's Taeyeon? And Taec? And Chance...?" at the mention of Chance's name her heartbeat quickened, but she tried calming herself down. The first priority was Taeyeon for a while.

Everyone's face darkened and avoided their gazes on Amber. Amber looked from one face to another, desperate for some news.

"How long had I been sleeping?" she asked.
"2 days." Junho answered.
"And Taeyeon...?"
"She... she's not yet awake." Wooyoung replied. But there was something more to his answer. Amber can feel it.
"And..?" she prompted.
"And the time is indefinite Ambie." Torrey ended.

Just like her. Taeyeon experienced the same thing she had before. Amber quickly stood from his bed and tore the IV connected on her wrist.

"Hey, you shouldn't do that, take some rest." Nichkhun protested.
"I need to find Taeyeon, and Taec." Amber replied, getting on her slippers. Chance can wait, right?

She was on her feet when she noticed the golden bracelet Taec gave to her on the side table. She picked it up and walked towards the door.

"Please lead me the way." she begged her friends.

After a moment of hesitation, Torrey stepped out.

"Let's go. They're at the end of the corridor." Torrey guided Amber carefully. The two girls walked down the opposite side of the corridor. The walk seemed long... too much long for Amber. 2 days of sleep brought her not energy but fatigue, but she needed to check on her friends first.

At last they reached Taeyeon's room. Amber knocked softly on the door. There was no answer. She continued knocking, until the door opened and a puffy-eyed Taec welcomed them.

"You're awake." Taec said. His face turned from morose to happiness at the sight of Amber in front of him. Amber took a swift peek over Taec's shoulder and saw Taeyeon lying on her bed. Her image being on that same position popped immediately on her head.
"How is she?" she asked.
"How are you?" Taec asked in return.
"I'll leave you two alone. Amber, if you need me..." Torrey walked out of the scene, leaving Amber and Taec alone.
"Let's talk outside." Taec said, stepping out of the room. He and Amber sat on the bench in front of Taeyeon's room wherein silence fell between them after they're settled down.
"I saw myself on that bed earlier." Amber started. "You know, after the cliff incident and Chance found me?"

Taec nodded.

"She told me that she's going back to U.S. Said she will have her treatment again."
"She did?"
"Yeah. Unfotunately everything was disrupted." Amber faced Taec. "Jaebeom's not coming back again, right?"
"Not in a million years." Taec digged his nails on his palms, his face flushed in red. "That man will rot in hell."

Amber took Taec's closed hands and opened it. She locked her hands on his and smiled understandingly.

"No matter how bad Jaebeom is, don't let yourself absorbed in anger Taec. That's what Jaebeom did, and look where he is now."

She felt Taec calming down which she took as a good sign, so she continued.

"From now on it will be a tough battle for Taeyeon. What she needed right now are friends, her family... and most of all, someone she cared for a long time. Take care of her, okay?"

She released Taec's hands with the bracelet in it. Taec looked questioningly at her.

"I gave this to you." he said.
"Yes, and I'm giving it back." Amber smiled. "Now that you know that I can't return your love, I guess that bracelet deserved its way back to you."
"But -"

Amber shook her head so Taec can stop speaking.

"Listen Taec. You... had been a part of my life. Thank you for those memories - even the bad ones - that we shared together. I realized something before all this chaos with Jaebeom happened : that you might be my first love but Chance is my true love. I love him. I really do." Amber said. 
"Amber..."
"But you know what I really liked the most? That you saw me as a friend. I told you I never had a large circle of friends before. It's only Torrey and me. Then came Chance... then those dorks on my room, then you.... I had friendship as our best memories, and yes, my love as well."

Taec leaned on his chair and laughed.

"I guess I'm forever alone then." he said.
"Oh no you're not." Amber leaned on her chair too and looked up to the ceiling. "I'm not done yet, so don't make conclusions. I realized something else too."
"What?"
"That maybe..... you're not inlove with me anymore."
"What?" Taec straightened up and faced Amber. "What are you talking about?" he demanded.
"What I mean is..." Amber quit looking at the boring ceiling and faced Taec too. "Is that maybe you're just in love with the thought of loving me, but your heart also seeks someone else. Although you may not have noticed it because of my presence, but when I looked back how you chose being in Taeyeon's aid than mine after her tantrum incident, well... maybe my theory was true."

Taec was left dumbfounded from Amber's words. He opened his mouth to retort but Amber cut again.

"There's something else. You're not forever alone Taec because Taeyeon? She loves you. Perhaps even more than I did before. I'm sure she'll take care of you. But for now, take care of her, okay?"

Amber stood up and gave Taec her signature smile.

"When Taeyeon wakes up, don't tell her I told you her secret." she winked at him then walked away.

Amber felt freer. Lighter. Sometimes, a  person's role in life will not be revealed instantly. There will be times wherein she will think that he's the one, only to find out that he's not but a bridge on her true love. Just like Taec. And just like everyone else.

Torrey was waiting apprehensively outside Amber's room. When she saw Amber closing towards her, she started bombarding her with questions.

"How did it go? How is Taeyeon? Taec? What did you and Taec talk about? Am I allowed to know? Did you confess your love for him? How -"

But Amber had only one answer. She hugged Torrey tightly and swayed her side by side.

"What's wrong with you? Having concussion?" Torrey joked, letting herself swung by Amber.
"Thank you." Amber said.
"For...?"
"For being the bestest friend ever." then Amber pinched Torrey's cheeks until it gone awful red.
"OWWWWW STOP AMBIE!!"
"What's wrong Torrey?!" Nichkhun entered the scene to save Torrey.
"I'm giving her a treat, back off Nichkhun." Amber laughed.
"Oh no you don't, no one messes with my Torrey." Nichkhun headlocked Amber making the latter release Torrey's cheeks.
"Nichkhun be careful! She's still a patient!" Torrey warned.
"What's with all the commotion?" Junho asked
"Ooooh headlock fight! Wanna join!" Wooyoung happily jumped behind Junho's back and headlocked him. Minjun laughed at Junho's expression.
"Stop Wooyoung! Stop!" Junho ordered.

Nichkhun released Amber and went to tackle Minjun.

"Gotcha!" he said when he successfully launched himself on Minjun

Amber took sidesteps until she and Torrey were hidden from the boys' playful pranks.

"Where's Chance?" Amber finally asked.
"He's in Wimbledon. He said something about his sponsors mentioning his exhibit in London. He left the country last night."

Amber clicked her tounge.

"That idiot. He always makes decisions all by himself."

* * *

How was Amber?

He wished that she's already fine.

Was she happy with Taec now?

That's given. Since she remembered everything about Taec.

Did she miss him?

Maybe not.

Chance was beyond distracted during the press conference. He decided to officially reveal his identity to everyone after the exhibit because hiding his name doesn't give any appeal now since Amber's accident in Wooyoung's party.

Cameras click here and there. Questions thrown at him front and back. He knew he did a poor job at the conference, but he just can't give his mind back on the game.

After his frustrated manager wrap things up, Chance walked away the stage without a final glance to the press. He needed some place to think.

"Chance? Where are you going?" his manager caught up.
"Um... somewhere peaceful. I'll be back." he promised.

The manager let go of him and he went straight to his car. Truth be told he had nowhere else in mind to go. But he wanted to drive. Just to keep himself away from something he didn't know.

He passed restaurants, amusement parks, malls, casinos.... but none of them looked appealing for Chance. He decided to make his final stop after another 1 km then he'll go back to his manager.

But not before he reached the destined 1 km (which he doesn't know where would it lead him), he saw the still and peaceful bay on his left whose water glinted on the full moon's light.

He stopped his car abruptly and went towards the bay. He arched his body forward so low that almost half his body was dangerously hanging, searched the support of the railings so he won't fall, and smelled the salty air wafting around him. The perfect place to think. Of Amber.

"What are you doing?! Are you tryin to kill yourself?!"

The voice was exactly like Amber's. It might have been the after effects of the salty air.

"CHANSUNG!" an angry voice yelled.

Chance gave a casual glance to the direction of his voice and almost - literally - fall from the railings. His hands slipped as the image of Amber appeared in front of him. *No it was not an image, it's her!* he thought.

"A-amber???" he asked. Disbelief surrounded him as he realized that Amber was really in front of him. "What are you doing here?" he asked.
"Oh I don't know, having a stroll, I guess." she answered with sarcasm.

Chance stood rooted on the spot with his mouth hanging. "I still don't understand."
"This."

Amber wrapped her arms around Chance's neck and kissed him on his lips, breathing the same minted breath Chance had as long as she can remember. This is what it feels like to be in love. She just can't help herself doing even the craziest thing in the world. First; following the idiot guy and second; surprising him with the kiss.

She broke the kiss and smiled at Chance.

"Next time, don't leave a country without me. Okay?"
"Next time..?"
"Yes. Next time."
"But Taec -"
"-is my past. You Chance... are my present.... and my future... and another future after we die. Do you understand that?" she locked gazes with Chance so he can see her sincerity. How she badly wanted to be with him.
"Me?"

Amber snorted at how slow Chance's brain was working. Maybe it was because of the kiss.

"Yes, you." she answered.

And slowly, Chance's lips tugged into a smile... a smile that only Amber can do. A smile of being in love.

"Well that's a relief." he wrapped his arms around Amber's waist and leaned his forehead on hers. "No one will be confused anymore on what name they should call you now. No AJ. No Amy. Just Amber."

Amber leaned her head closer so her nose touched Chance's nose.

"I like Amber. Then let's add Mrs. Hwang too."
"I love that."

And they had their first kiss that sealed their love. A kiss that Chance waited since he set his eyes on Amber. A kiss with no lies.... just love.

>The End<

There you go! Final chapter of When She Was A Girl. :)) I'm going to miss this story because it's my baby, but... All things must come to an end. Thank you to all my readers (silent or not), subscribers, voters and commenters for sticking with me and Amber until the end! You go guys! (^____^)

P.S.: Author-nim loveeees comments! Hahaha. Mwaa!