What's Right or What's Best?

Lana coughed weakly and opened her eyes to see that it was already time for school. She yawned and stretched her aching body. That was when she felt something on her forehead and realised it was a folded towel. She picked it up and examined, trying to recall what happened. Obviously, it wasn’t her who placed the towel. She only remembered that she was outside. However, that morning, she was surprised to find herself on her bed with a warm towel on her.

“Must be Luhan...” She mumbled and slowly got up to her feet but was rather weak since she was still running a temperature. Nonetheless, she didn’t want the guys to worry and decided to still attend school.

Dressed neatly in her uniform, she walked towards the dining room for breakfast. EXO was already there and as usual, there were noisy.

“Good Morning!” Chanyeol greeted brightly. He was definitely the happy virus in the group. Instantly, Lana smiled at him and replied his greeting.

She looked around and realised someone was missing, Jongin. With a sigh, he walked to her seat and settled down. Luhan looked up to see her. “Good Morning... Are you feeling better?”

Lana nodded although she was still feeling unwell. “Better, thank you for last night.”

“No worries, you can pour out anything to me.” Luhan replied. He thought she was referring to the conversation they had last night. However, Lana on the other hand, was thanking him because she thought he was the one who took care of her all night.

“Anyway, where’s Jongin?” Lana asked him.

Luhan munched on the burger before saying. “He’s still asleep. Apparently, he was up the whole night.”

“Oh he was?” Lana took the glass of milk and gulped it down.

Luhan nodded. “You don’t remember?”

Lana looked at him questioningly. “What do you mean?”

Just then, Jongin entered the dining room. Lana looked up to see that his hair was still messy and he did look terrible. All in all, her heart stopped seeing how adorable he looked like. No matter how many times Lana looked at Jongin, he still sends butterflies in her stomach. He looked so adorable every morning, so handsome when he was all dressed up and so hot whenever he was in his wolf mode, or so you called it.

Both Lana and Jongin made an eye contact after a long while. She looked at him with painful eyes while he looked at her, still as lovingly as ever. However, it was short lived when he turned his gaze away immediately.

“Good Morning, Hyung.” Sehun greeted and let the older male took a seat beside him.

“Morning...” Jongin replied with his usual deep raspy voice.

Lana continued with breakfast without looking at Jongin. The conversation she had last night with Luhan was still clearly etched in her head.

“Luhan, what happens if a wolf’s mate leaves him one day?”

“The wolf will die a slow torturous unavoidable death.”

Suddenly, she dropped her spoon and shut her eyes tightly. The guys were surprised and instantly turned worried. Jongin especially, watched her feeling concern. Yes, he was still hurt but Lana was his mate after all. Even if she committed the gravest mistake; nothing could change the fact that she was his. Furthermore, her words last night proved that he still holds a strong place in her heart.

“Lana, are you alright?” Minseok asked.

Lana inhaled a deep long breath and opened her eyes. She knew all eyes were on her. Her mind was still thinking over what Luhan told him the night before and her heart was hurting so much. Although the pain was overwhelming, she flashed a weak smile and spoke. “I’m fine –“ Quickly, she picked up her bag and stood up. “I’m going school now.”

Turning around and avoiding the stares, Lana made way out of the room when suddenly a familiar voice entered her ears. “Don’t go school. You’re still sick.”

Lana’s heart skipped a beat. That was Jongin. It has been a while since she heard his voice talking to her. She wanted to cry, run back to him and hug him as tightly as possible but her feet remained firmly rooted. Instead, she ignored his words and walked away, swallowing the pain with every step.

Meanwhile, Jongin watched as her back slowly disappeared from his sight. He reverted back to his breakfast and acted normally. At least he tried, he thought.

In school, Lana couldn’t concentrate. Her mind kept wandering and it only made her more miserable. She needed Jongin, undeniably and it was hurting her more than she expected. She realised how much he meant for her only after she pushed him away. Junhong noticed her cheerless self. However, he didn’t ask her since he was still in the middle of a cold war with her. Yet, it worried him a lot seeing that she was suffering so much.

"A glooming peace this morning with it brings; 
The sun, for sorrow, will not show his head: 
Go hence, to have more talk of these sad things; 
Some shall be pardon'd, and some punished: 
For never was a story of more woe 
Than this of Juliet and her Romeo."

Mrs Kim recited the last line of Romeo and Juliet before closing the book and looked at her students with a teary smile. “A tragic love story, indeed... Tell me students, what do you think of their love? Do you see it as a tragedy or a blissful love?”

The students turned their heads and looked at one another as they discussed their opinions on the literature text they just read.

“I think their love is beautiful. Although it ended with their deaths, at least they did fulfil the vow... Till death do they part...” One of the students voiced her take on it.

Mrs Kim nodded her head and agreed. “Yes, you do have a point because they’re together till the very end. Any other takes on this? Who sees this as a tragedy?”

No one raised their hands because they seemed to view their love as genuine, beautiful and brave; all except Junhong. His hand was raised. “Junhong? Why do you think this love story is a tragedy?” The teacher asked.

“If only Romeo didn’t choose Juliet...” Junhong spoke flatly. “Then maybe he won’t end up dead...”

“Then who should Romeo choose?” One female student asked.

“Rosaline...” He stated. “Everyone seems to disregard the fact that Rosaline was Romeo’s first love. Not Juliet...“

“First love doesn’t necessarily have to be eternal.” Lana spoke suddenly.

“But it could have saved Romeo and Juliet.” Junhong said. “It wouldn’t have been a tragedy if Romeo didn’t follow his heart.”

“So, you’re saying he should have done what he ought to do and not what he wants to do?” Lana looked at Junhong. “He shouldn’t follow his heart?”

“No, he shouldn’t. He should have chosen the right choice and the right choice was Rosaline.”

“Rosaline was the right choice but Juliet was his best.” Lana stated.

 “Okay, Junhong... I get your point.” Mrs Kim intervened since their discussion was heating up the atmosphere.

Junhong faced Lana who was sitting beside him. The girl kept on a poker face and glanced at him when she found that he was staring at her. “You’re right. Juliet was his best choice... Like Jongin...” He spoke to her suddenly Lana gulped nervously at the mention of Jongin’s name. “Look what happened to Juliet.” He ended.

That was it; Lana looked away from him as her body slowly trembled. Junhong was right. Staying with Jongin would be the best choice but was it the right one?

“Luhan, what happens if a wolf’s mate leaves him one day?”

“The wolf will die a slow torturous unavoidable death.”

Once again, she recalled Luhan’s words. She clenched her fists tightly and closed her eyes, preventing the tears from falling.

Either way, Jongin was going to suffer. And everything was entirely her fault...

Right after literature, Lana went straight to the bathroom. Whatever Junhong just said only added on to her misery. She looked at her reflection in the mirror. She looked really terrible. Her eyes were red, her lips were chapped and her face was as pale as a ghost. She the water tap and splashed water across her face, hoping it would make her fresher. With both hands struggling to hold, Lana leaned forward with her head hung low. She wanted to cry but there weren’t any tears left.  Staggeringly, she walked out of the bathroom. Her head began throbbing painfully and her vision started to turn blurry. Lana held on to the wall to keep herself steady but because she was so sick and weak, her legs finally gave in and eventually she fell to the floor with a loud thud.

Just metres away, a guy has been watching her every move. He hid himself from her but when he watched her collapse right before his eyes, immediately he rushed for her. Worriedly, he picked her up by her shoulders and cupped her cheeks. He felt the burning heat and realised that she was having a high fever. Carefully, he lifted her up from the floor and turned to the male beside him.

“Hyung, you got her?”

With Lana firmly in his arms, he nodded. “Junhong, inform the teachers that Lana would be taking the rest of the day off from school.”

“I know what to do. Go on and get going, she’s really sick, Hyung.”

Yongguk covered his head with the hoodie and walked out of the school. Since, he didn’t bring his car; he carried Lana over the fence and out of the school compound without being captured by the security camera. Instantly, he entered the forest away from the human eyes. Occasionally, he glanced to check on Lana but the girl remained unresponsive. He trudged the forest ground as quick as possible, almost jogging. Just when he thought he already has Lana all safe by bringing her to the palace for healing, his senses were suddenly activated.

Yongguk stopped abruptly and trembled. “!” He muttered and looked up to see familiar faces.

“Ho ho ho, look who we have here.” Jaejoong clapped his hands and made his appearance alongside Yoochun who was grinning maliciously.

Yongguk cursed at himself for being too careless. With him all alone and Lana fully unconscious, they were vulnerable targets. He gazed at Lana’s face and held her tightly. For the first time in his existence, Yongguk was scared.

To be continued

OH NO!!