Reality.
Hollow
Lay had his fair share of unfortunate news throughout the nineteen years of his life. When he was five, his pet puppy died. Lay had insisted that they should bury him in their backyard and dug him out later on to see if he would be breathing again. Poor thing, he wasn't aware of the situation. Every day for the past two weeks he had asked to dig up the dirt and see if he would be breathing yet, it took the three weeks for the realization to hit Lay; his puppy wasn't going to come back. Lay had cried himself to sleep every night since then until his parents bought him a new puppy that looked exactly like his previous puppy; they let the little child believe that his best friend had come back alive. Of course, later in the year Lay came to realize that dead things didn't just come to live. No matter how much a person wants them to. He didn't like it, but he had no choice but to accept it because it was a circle of life.
Sitting under the oak tree, Lay ran his thumb across the smooth surface of the laminated photo in his hand. He missed her, he longed to reach into the photo and wrap his arms around that petite waist of hers and hold her like he couldn't live without her. Closing his eyes, Lay took a deep breath before laying his back on the soft grass, ignoring how it made his exposed part of skin itch. Hooking one arm under his head and resting the other on his chest holding the photo, Lay gave a soft smile. Reaching inside his pocket, he pulled out an orange cylinder bottle half full closed with a white cap.
Running his thumb in a circular pattern on top of the cap, Lay took a deep breath and exhaled. Over the past years, Lay had come to understand that bad things do happen to good people and how it may be unfair, it was just the way it is. Thinking about how cruel life was designed Lay begin to feel the prick suffocating his chest, making it harder for him to breathe. Opening the bottle he stared at the white pills that had helped him suppressed the pain for seven years. Suppressed, never really gone. Just like the pain that had stayed in her heart all those years, suppressed; never healed.
Lay had seen the same HELP WANTED sign plastered on the glass window for the past three days before he took it off and went up to the register, asking for an application to apply for the job. He had been low on money with paying for tuition, rent and food. If anyone needed that job, it was him.
Lay was stocking the shelves when he first caught her from the corner of his eyes. She was pretty hard to miss with the black hood covering her face with layers of jacket on top of each other. Patting his hand hands-on the back of his jacket, Lay hurried behind the register just as the girl brought up her merchandise. At first, he didn't really pay attention to the item she had picked out; Lay had gotten used to strangers coming in and out just buying a pack of gum or a cup of seaweed soup. So this girl's purchases didn't really perk Lay's interest. Instead, when he turned to tell her total she had already laid out the payment on the counter; the exact change. Blinking, Lay looked at her.
The girl kept her head down as she drummed her fingers against the counter, the end of her nails chipped from chewing Lay guessed. Taking the money, Lay rang up the register and fed it before taking the bag and handed it to the girl. Taking the plastic bag, the strange girl the heels of her shoes and walked right out the doors without so much of a "Thank you". Scratching the back of his head, Lay watched the girl glancing side to side before disappearing down the empty streets.
For the past two weeks, Lay had repeated his action just as the girl had. She would come in with the hood covering her face, grabbing four sets of purchase and pay with exact change before leaving and coming back the next day. Lay had wanted to ask if she would like to buy anything else, but never got the words out. It was during a snowy Friday when Lay had realized he had forgotten to stock up the shelves. Grabbing the boxes, he sat them on the tile next to his feet while he stock the shelves. Glancing at the clock, he had estimated when the stranger girl would walk in.
Reaching for the closed box, he ripped the tape off and opened it only to have this disappointed and uncertain panic suffocating him. Slowly, he stacked up the cups of ramen just as the bells from the front entrance rang throughout the store, followed by the soft footsteps. Glancing up as he reached for the empty box, Lay saw the black converse making a stop in front of the shelves. Sneaking a glance at the girl, Lay caught a small glimpse of her face. She was very beautiful from the little he could see, but Lay couldn't be one hundred percent sure with that hood covering half of her face. She seemed to stare at the shelf longer than she usually does and Lay wouldn't blame her or be surprised. The moment he had opened the box he had seen the dilemma. Her usual cup of ramen had gotten replaced by something new and Lay assumed that this girl did not try anything new. The girl continued to stare at the shelf, confusion on what was wrong with the picture in front of her? Lay had wanted to speak up and tell her that they were missing up a little, pulling back their usual items for the time being and sell something new when she had her heels and walked to the next aisle. Picking up the boxes, Lay gathered them on top of each other before carrying them to the storage room; keeping his eyes peeled for the door and the counter. Setting them in the corner of the room, he closed the room and locked it before making his way to the counter just as the girl appeared.
One can of chicken soup, one bottle of orange juice and a bottle of ice water. Just like any other day, the exactly the same items, minus the cup of spicy ramen. Ringing up the items, Lay glanced at the girl. She tapped her fingers against the counter with a bit of anxiety, still confused. Packing the purchase into the plastic bag, Lay read up the total and turned to her when she spoke up. "It's not there," she had spoken with a soft voice that filled Lay's ear like an unheard melody. It took Lay a moment to realized what she had meant. Rubbing the back of his neck, Lay had told her of the sudden change-up and how they wouldn't be receiving they're regular merchandise for at least couple of weeks. She didn't like the news, Lay could tell by the way, her head dropped a little. She chewed on the bottom of her lips, before setting her payment on the counter and slowly pulled away coin by coin. Watching her, Lay couldn't help, but feel a bit of pity at her. Looking around under the counter he found a cup of spicy ramen he had bought for himself originally and set it on the counter.
The girl lifted her head a little and pointed at the cup, dropping the coins on to the counter. Taking the cup, he rang it up and settled it into the plastic baggage before handing it to her hand taking the full payment. The girl hugged the bag against her chest, lowering her head down once again. Taking the money, Lay opened the register and placed them in, thinking the girl had left without a word as usual; so when he turned around he was a bit taken back to see her continued to stand there. Lay self-consciously touched the back of his head before smiling at her, asking if there was anything else she needed. It was weird, talking to her after seeing her coming in and out of the store for past two weeks.
Lay had seen many beautiful and captivating women in his life and he had learned that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The girl's attire may change the way one perceives the girl's appearance, but in Lay's eyes, she was very captivating and attractive. Chestnut brown hair framed her angular face with long nose and cat-like almond brown eyes. The eyes that captured Lay and held him, not just because how unique and beautiful they looked. No, it was because of how hollow they were. No light or any sign of mentality that there was a girl inside, it was as if the person who used to take residence in that body was gone. She turned to Lay with the hollow brown eyes and murmured how now she can feed her sister with a soft smile that reached her dimples. Lay gave her a smile back, saying how it wasn't anything; that he was just doing his job, then the girl asked him something Lay had never thought would come out of .
She asked him if he would like to meet her sister. Lay was obviously a bit taken back by the question. Why would he want to meet her sister? He didn't know either of them, but by looking at her expression, it was clear that the question held a lot of meaning. Lay didn't know how to reply to that question because he wasn't sure if he wanted to or not. Giving her a small smile, Lay nodded. Thinking for a moment, he realized it seemed rude and might hurt her if he had declined the offer. The girl gave him a little more brighter smile as she told him that she would be back when the shop closes. Lay had nodded as he told her that he will be waiting. Watching her leave, Lay stuck out his tongue out a little with the breath he was holding.
She seemed harmless, yet there was something unusual about her and not in a good way. Shaking his head a little, Lay leaned against the counter when he felt the squeeze in his chest. Gripping the fabric of his shirt on his chest, Lay winced slightly. Reaching inside his pocket, he pulled out an orange cylinder bottle with white cap and opened it. Taking two capsules, he reached for his water bottle under the counter and unscrewed it. Tossing the pills in his open mouth, Lay took a gulp of the water and swallowed it. Making a face at the dry pills making their way down his throat. There was something wrong with his body, something that brought him pain on his chest, making it harder for him to breathe and causing him to collapse on the ground, breaking out into a seizure if he didn't take these repulsive pills. For seven years Lay had to repeat this daily routine, it was tiresome, but he had no choice if he wanted to avoid the excruciating pain or die.
Screwing the bottle cap tightly before putting it back in his pocket, Lay leaned against the counter and pulled out a magazine and flipped it open. Slowly the pain subdued, giving him relief and ease, breathing more slowly and calmly. He watched the customers coming in and out throughout the whole day until it was closing time. Making sure everything had gotten stacked up on the shelves and writing down the sales for the day, Lay double checked the register and grabbed his jacket along with his bag. Shrugging the jacket on, he pulled the straps of his bag on his shoulder before grabbing the key and headed out for the doors. Locking the doors, Lay pulled down the gates and locked it as well. Stuffing the keys in his pocket he turned around and nearly jumped out of his skin. The strange girl sat on the outdoor bench, waiting for Lay. Slowly she lifted her head and looked at Lay with her hollow eyes. She gave Lay a small smile as she stood up.
Lay stuffed his hands in his jacket pocket and returned the smile. She had been waiting for him just like she had told him that she would be back when the shop closed. The girl walked next to Lay, leading him towards the unfamiliar direction of her house. She told him that her name was Raeni, Hyun Raeni and her little sister's name was Hyun Naeri. Lay found it a little cute how they could spell each other's name by switching the letters. Lay listened to her talking about how adorable her little sister was, how persistent and stubborn she could get at times while looking around their surroundings. He had passed by this neighborhood before, once.
Lay was a junior in high school when he had heard of the tragic family death in this neighborhood. He was at home watching a drama while seating on the couch with a bowl of black bean noodles. School was out and Lay wanted to do nothing but take a day of rest. He has been studying non-stop trying to get his grades up to make his deceased parents happy. Lay's mother had passed away when he was twelve, due to a , while his father passed away previous year due to cancer; leaving Lay alone in the world to fend and support himself. He had promised both his parents when he was ten that he would get into the best college and make them proud. So when Lay had gotten accepted to Seoul University he couldn't be any happier. When Lay flipped through the channels with the remote he came up across the news about a neighborhood near his. How a fire had occurred inside the house, killing two adults. Luckily their two daughters weren't home at the time and had survived the unfortunate event and received the traumatic news regarding their parents' death. They didn't release the two daughters name or face, but they had with the parents. Lay couldn't help, but pity them and how their life would be completely different.
The following day Lay had visited the site and saw the broken down structure of the house. What would happen to the two girls? How had the fire started? The news had released that a gas leak was the cause of the fire. Lay stuffed his hands in his pocket and turned to leave when he collided with a curly black-haired child. She stumbled back while wiping her tears with the back of her hand. Lay wanted to ask if she was fine, but instead he took a sidestep; letting the little girl run past him. Lay watched the turn the corner just as another girl-older than the little one-brushed past him, running after the little girl. Scratching the back of his head, Lay turned back to the broken house just as he heard the scream and a crash. Quickly, Lay ran towards the sound and came to a stop. An accident had occurred. A cluster of bystanders covered their mouth as they watched an older girl holding the little petite girl in her arms. The little girl had run crossed the street and into a car during a red light and had ended up getting rammed by it. There was so much blood, Lay's stomach didn't take too fond of it. The older girl held the little one in her arms tightly, asking her to come back as she tried to wipe the blood with the sleeve of her shirt.
Lay had never returned to that neighborhood.
Walking beside Raeni, Lay couldn't stop all the memories and the emotions he felt two years ago. Lay wondered if this girl had been there when the accidents occurred and how she took it. Maybe she had known the family or maybe the two girls. Lay followed her quietly as they came to a stop at a small house at the end of the road. Lay glanced around a little more as the walked up the stairs. The house was small, maybe fit for two or three people. Opening the door, Raeni invited Lay inside the house and closed the door behind them. Flickering the lights on, she apologized for the mess her little sister had created earlier today. Lay gave her a small smile, telling her that he didn't mind it. Raeni quickly gathered up the coloring books and the crayons scattered around the messy floor while Lay took in the house. There was a kitchen stacked up with cans, cups and bottles, a small wooden table in the living room, a door that led to the bathroom and another door Lay guessed as the bedroom.
Shrugging off his jacket, Lay set it down next to the door with his bag before taking off his shoes and helped her clean up the mess. Once they picked everything up and place them on the counter, they sat around the little table and talked. Lay had to admit, it was a little awkward. He didn't know the girl, sure he had seen her for almost a month, but they had never talked until today. Not to mention how weird it was for her to invite him to meet her sister. That's not what normal people would do, right? But Lay tried to make the best of the situation and tried to befriend her. Who knows, maybe she's just polite. Lay glanced at his watch and noticed that it was past ten pm. What little girl would be out past ten? Raeni gathered her hands together on her lap and gave Lay a smile, apologizing. Raeni told him that her little sister was staying at their grandparent's house for the night and she had let it slip her mind a little.
Lay gave her smile, telling her that it was fine, but that he had to get going before it gets any later than it already has. Getting up, Raeni asked if he would like to meet her tomorrow. Lay looked at her expression and he didn't have the heart to say, "No". Her hollow eyes lit up a little, hoping for Lay to say, "Yes". With a smile and a nod, Lay agreed. Raeni gave him a bright smile as she walked him out. Lay waved, "Goodbye" as Raeni closed the door. Halfway down the steps Lay heard the crash. Stopping on his track, Lay glanced over his shoulder before quickly making his way back up the stairs, but before he could knock on the door he caught a glimpse of Raeni from the window.
His eyebrows furrowed. Lay watched Raeni pushing the coloring books on the floor, throwing the crayons and everything else of her little sister's belonging they had picked up, on the floor. Raeni kicked around the items and gave herself a small smile before yawning. She turned the lights off and headed for the bedroom, leaving Lay with a slightly opened jaw. She had made a complete mess after they had cleaned it up. What was the purpose? Why had she done that? Lay got his answer the next day, followed by more un asked questions.
Raeni had walked in a bought the exactly same items and told Lay that she would be waiting for him after the store closed. That night when they reached Raeni's house, Lay had found the floor a complete mess. Raeni gave a small smile with a head shake, apologizing to Lay about the mess her little sister had made. Raeni explained that Naeri would always wake up and make a mess, and how she would clean it, but only to find the place a mess again when she would return home. Lay was unsure of her explanation giving the situation that he had seen her making the mess. Lay didn't say anything, but nod. He helped her cleanup the mess and sat around the table afterwards. It was getting late again and Naeri was once again a no-show. Raeni gave him a sheepish smile, apologizing that Naeri was staying at their grandparent's again.
Lay gave her a smile and told her that its fine. When Lay got up to leave, Raeni had asked if he would like to visit again the next day to meet the little one. Lay shrugged his jacket on and looked at Raeni. He began to say, "No" but the word had gotten caught in his throat. Instead, he nodded, watching the smile plastered on the younger girl's expression. He liked that smile on her. It gave her a spark in those hollow eyes of her, not to mention a little flutter in his stomach. Lay had walked down three steps outside the house when he heard the crash again. Walking back up he watched Raeni making the mess again. Lay questioned her motive. Why was she doing this? Why was she keep asking him to come back? Was it a hoax just to get him in her house? Was this all a setup? A lie?
Lay gave himself a multiple questions as she walked down the streets when a middle-aged women stopped him. She had watched them walking together and began to worry about Lay. Lay asked her what she meant by that. "Because of Hyun Raeni." She told him. Lay was definitely intrigued and curious by what the older women meant by that.
Raeni was a schizophrenic. She hasn't been always though.
The women had lived in this neighborhood for twenty years and had watched Raeni grew up to a young adolescent woman. She had been there when Raeni was first brought to her house, when Raeni rode her bike for the first time, greeted her every morning when the little one would walk to her school. She had been there when Raeni and her little sister returned from their school to find out that their house had burnt down with their parents inside. Both Raeni and her little sister Naeri's hearts were broken at the tragic news. Raeni tried to take care of her little sister, but the next day Naeri demanded for their parents to come back that they couldn't leave. Raeni had given Naeri some coloring books and crayons to use at their new house to move on and forget their loss. The young girl had tried, she tried her best but, she couldn't take it anymore. Naeri ran away from Raeni in tears, shouting that she won't ever come back. Raeni had ran after her when the accident had occurred. Naeri had ran across a red light and ended up getting hit by a car, causing the petite girl to fly back and hit the concrete. Raeni had reached her little sister a little too late and watched her die in front of her.
The traumatic scene scarred Raeni. She didn't want to believe that her sister was gone, no not her. She loved her little sister more than anything, her little sister was all she had left. Raeni told herself that her little sister was just asleep. Taking a long sleep that she'll wake up soon and smile at her, tell that she's fine. By telling herself the lie over and over, pushing away the realities of her loss, Raeni believed that Naeri was still alive. For the past two years, Raeni bought the can of soup and orange juice for her little and waited at their house. She would clean up the crayons and the coloring books and wait. When her sister didn't walk through the door, Raeni told herself that her little sister was staying at their grandparent's house; the grandparents' who had passed away five years ago. Before she would go to sleep, she would take her little sister's art material and threw them on the ground only to wake up the next day and believe that her sister had made the mess before going to school.
That's what Lay had seen. Lay had seen Raeni making a mess so she could believe that her sister had made the mess, to believe that her sister was still with her. Raeni believed that Naeri was still alive. The women told Lay that she worried for Raeni, she had watched the girl giving herself into the delusion, talking to herself, imagining that her sister was next to her talking. She had watched people passing by Raeni and making fun of her, it broke her poor aged heart. Now, she worried that Raeni was dragging Lay into her delusion
At home, Lay changed into a comfortable pair of jeans and a t-shirt before lying on his bed. He would have never imagined that Raeni was schizophrenic. It explained everything, why she would buy the exactly same thing, why she had asked if he would like to meet her sister, why her sister never came home, why she made the mess; Naeri was dead. And, Raeni didn't know, or she did, deep inside, but didn't want to acknowledge the reality. It explained why her eyes were hollow. Not only was Naeri gone, but Raeni was too. Mentally that is. Watching the last family of her die in her hands, Raeni's life was gone.
Raeni was in pain. Lay didn't notice it before because he didn't know the situation. Raeni was in pain and Lay couldn't help but to feel guilty. It was Raeni's house that had burnt down, it had been her parents who had died. When he had visited the site, it had been Raeni's little sister, Naeri who had bumped into him. If only he had taken the moment and asked her if she was alright or anything to stall her for a moment longer instead of taking the sidestep, she would have been alive. Naeri would have been alive if Lay hadn't just ignored her, she would have been alive and Raeni wouldn't be in so much pain; she wouldn't be alone.
It was his fault.
For the next three months Lay had waited with Raeni for her sister. He didn't have the heart to tell that her sister was not coming home, he couldn't. Instead, he played along with her delusion which Lay begin to realize it was wrong. He was feeding the delusion to her by pretending that she was right that her sister was alive. He couldn't keep lying to her ... not to the girl he was developing feelings for. He had to tell her, he had to tell her that her sister isn't going to come back and that she needs treatment. Lay was worried for her. Instead of going to Raeni's house and wait for her sister who won't be coming home, Lay took her downtown. Raeni was uncomfortable with the sudden chance. She hasn't been down to downtown in two years and she sure wasn't thinking of coming any time soon, but Lay had insisted that they should try a different scenery from her house. Raeni kept on telling Lay that she had to be home, waiting for her little sister. Lay told her that her little sister was spending the night at their grandparents' house and that she must have forgotten after she told him. Raeni believed it because she wanted to believe it.
It didn't really help though, not with Raeni whispering to herself. She would ask a question and nod with a reply to a reply, as if she was talking to her sister. People stared, they watched her and whispered. Raeni didn't notice them, to her they didn't exist. Lay looked down at his feet, feeling the eyes on them. They were saying bad things about her, saying she was crazy and mental; he could hear them. Reaching his hand, Lay took Raeni's soft hand in his and locked their fingers together. Raeni turned to Lay with a questioning expression. Lay gave her a smile and led her down the streets, past the prying eyes.
He wanted her to forget everything for one day, just one day and show her that she can move on without being reminded of her sister's death. Lay took her to movies, bought her foods, played games at the arcade. He watched her smile, see the little sparks in her eyes glow to life, heard her little giggles and watched her basically ... come out of her shell. Unfortunately, it didn't last very long before Raeni told Lay that she should be getting home before Naeri came home. She had a habit of running away from their grandparent's house and to theirs in the middle of the night.
Naeri wasn't going to disappear from Raeni. Not without accepting the truth.
Lay took the dry pill and swallowed it before he grabbed his bag and knocked on the door of the staff room, getting the attention of his boss. Lay told him that he would be taking off for the day, but promised to be back for closing time to help. Pulling the strap of his bag, Lay walked out of the store and walked towards Raeni's house. The nervous feeling in his chest gave him butterflies. Lay reached inside his pocket and pulled out a laminated photo of Raeni. He had taken the photo when she wasn't looking and had gone and got it developed. Brushing his thumb across the surface of the photo, Lay tried to calm his heart. There was a chance that there would be tears, no he was sure there would be. She may end up hating him, but he had to do it. He couldn't let her live like this.
Reaching Raeni's house, Lay raised his fist to knock on the door when he heard her voice. Taking a sidestep, Lay peered through the window to see Raeni standing in front of a mess. She yelled at the floor as if a child was sitting down, getting scold. Raeni shouted with frustration until she gave a small soft smile, apologizing to the thin air. It broke Lay's heart to see her like this. Taking a deep breath, Lay knocked on the door. A few seconds later, the door opened just as Raeni shouted. "Don't go too far, Naeri." Lay curled his fist as he turned to Raeni who gave him a smile. She asked if he had seen her sister passing by him a second ago and Lay ignored the question. Instead, he asked her if she could go somewhere with him for a moment. Raeni told him that she had to stay home for Naeri to return. Lay wanted to shout at her and tell her that Naeri wasn't coming back, but he pushed it away as he gave her a small smile. He told her what he always told her that, Naeri was going to their grandparents'.
Smiling, Raeni nodded.
Lay held her hand tightly in his as they sat beside each other in the bus. Raeni asked where they were going, but Lay told her it was a surprise. The ride lasted and hour and a half. Getting off the bus Lay led her towards the tumulus. Raeni asked Lay why they were here, where they were. Lay could hear it in her voice. She knew where they were and she didn't like it. The emotions behind her smile faltered it a little, Raeni was about to panic. Raeni turned to leave, but Lay quickly grabbed her hand and yanked her down the field. Raeni shook her head as she tried to pull her hand away from Lay's grip. She shouted at him, she told him she had to get home and wait for her sister that her little sister had to be getting home soon. The nearer they got, the more Raeni got freaked out. Tears welled up from the corners of Raeni's eyes. Lay clenched his jaw tightly as he tried to push down the cry. He hated it, he hated to see her cry. When Lay came to a stop at a grass mount with flowers lay on the ground in front of a tombstone, Raeni broke down in tears.
Raeni's cry broke Lay's heart into millions of pieces. He has never seen someone cry this much. He had seen Raeni cry two years ago when she had lost Naeri, but this cry ... this cry had been suppressed for two years. The cries broke down and spilled out like a gossip girl holding down countless secrets and couldn't hold it any longer.
Lay told her that Naeri was gone that she won't be coming back. She wasn't at their grandparents', she didn't make the mess in their room, she wasn't out playing with the neighborhood kids, she wasn't sitting next to her. Naeri was gone, she had been gone for two years. Raeni covered her face with her hands, shaking her head that Lay was wrong. Naeri was alive and Lay was lying to her. Lay rested his hand on her shoulder and told her to look, just look right in front of her. Raeni shook her head, she couldn't. Lay had never raised his voice to anyone in his life and he planned not to, but it too much. "Look!" Lay shouted.
Raeni flinched at Lay's tone. Slowly she removed her dampened hands and lifted her head before hearing her heart crack. "No!" Raeni shouted as she tore the grass with her hands. She screamed at the tombstone, she was angry, they had left her, her sister left her. She screamed her heart out, and it broke Lay's heart. He pulled her into his embrace as she slammed her fist against his chest in tears. The tear from the corner of his eyes traveled down as he held her tightly. Why did bad things happen to good people? Raeni never did anything to anyone, she was a sweet girl; why?
Raeni never returned to the convenient store. After closing time, Lay would stop at Raeni's dark house and knock, but no answer or lights flickered on. He waited for her for hours, but she never answered. A month had passed and Lay missed her, his heart ached for her. Reaching in his pocket, Lay took the pill and swallowed it, wincing slightly. He was closing the shop when the women appeared. The same women who told Lay of Raeni's condition. She had something for him, from Raeni.
It wasn't until Lay had got home when he opened the letter. He read the words written on the page over and over before a small somber smile spread on his face. Raeni was gone, she had packed her belongings and with a help of her neighbor, she had checked herself for schizophrenia treatment. She wanted to thank Lay for helping her realize that she was living in a world of make-believe, for helping her realizing what reality is. She wanted to get better for herself, for her family who might be watching down on her, but mostly she wanted to get better for him. She wanted him to see the real Hyun Raeni, the outgoing and funny girl he would fall in love with. Lay chuckled half heartily, if only she had known that she was already in love with her.
Lay was glad that Raeni was taking the step to recovery. Every two weeks for the past nine months Lay received a letter from Raeni. She told him of her day and how she was getting better. She wrote down how she had been before the accidents and how Lay had eased her of her loneliness. Receiving letters from Raeni was the highlights of his month, it was a piece of reminder that she was getting better and that she didn't forget him. So when the letters suddenly stopped, Lay begun to worry. He had waited, maybe she didn't have the time to write him; but the thought slowly dissolved when three months passed.
Lay had been working late when the neighborhood women came looking for him. He didn't like the expression she was holding, it gave his stomach an unsettling feeling. She asked him he could sit down, Lay refused. His knees buckled when he heard it. Dropping on his knees, Lay felt the hot tears welling up.
Raeni was released three months ago. She was on her way to surprise Lay when she got hit by a bus. Raeni had been listening to her iPod while waiting for the green light. When the lights turned, Raeni walked across the street, she didn't hear it. A bus swerved and quickly crossed the yellow light, trying to pass the red light and ended up hitting Raeni. She was killed on impact.
She was on her way to see him. She was on her way to see him when she died. Lay felt like he was choking, his whole body was on fire as he quickly stood up and ran to the bathroom, he dropped on his knees and threw up in the toilet. She was all he had left and now she was gone. Raeni had gone through countless treatments to get better, to start her life over and now all that work was destroyed because of some drunken bus driver trying to ditch the red light. The tears streamed down as Lay curled his fist and punched the wall. After his parents passed away, he was alone and Raeni was the person who came into his life and light it up. Now, she was gone too.
Lay wiped the tears with the back of his hand before closing his eyes. Why did bad things happen to good people? Why was life design to be so cruel? Gripping the photo against his chest, Lay could feel his heart rate slowing down. He wanted to see her, he missed her. He had tried to live his life, tried to get past the mourning, but he couldn't. Raeni had made too much of impact in his lonely life. She was just like him, she was alone in life with no one to take care of her or give her love. So when Lay first met her, spoke to her, he didn't have the heart to refuse the invitation to meet her little sister.
Opening his eyes, Lay took a deep breath and stared up at the clear blue sky. He longed for her, he longed to have his arms around her and embrace her with love. He wanted to be with her. He couldn't live without her, he had tried and it was like living in a pain. He didn't want to live in a world where bad things happen to good people, he didn't want to live in a world where there was no Hyun Raeni. He didn't want to live, not anymore; not without her. Slowly closing his eyes, Lay's breath slowly diminished until he was no longer breathing, until his heart stopped beating. The hand he held the orange pill bottle dropped to his side as his grip loosened. The bottle opened as it dropped on the grass, empty.
Finally it's finished! Hope it was good orz.
comments are appriciated & upvote if you liked it <3
next exo one-shot is Chen!
comments are appriciated & upvote if you liked it <3
next exo one-shot is Chen!
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