So contrary to popular belief, I'm not actually dead. School's been a and I've got a job now and life is just ugh why. Anyway, I hope it's hasn't been that long since I've last updated that you guys don't even remember the plot. The update is short, I know, so I'm really sorry for that but I hope you still enjoy it. Please do comment. I live off those so just a quick message on your thoughts would make my day.

See you soon guys,
xTom

– Taemin’s POV –

I woke up to the overwhelming smell of antiseptic. My back was sore from sleeping in the same position for the last however long it had been and my neck was hurting like a . I checked the clock on the wall adjacent to the operating theater room doors. It almost half past five in the morning, meaning noona and Jiyoung hyung had been in surgery for over six hours now. I remember hearing from Seungri hyung that Sunghee’s granddad had come out of surgery alright and he was just sleeping now. He had been shot in the side during the battle and because of his weakened body, he collapsed and was taken to hospital immediately, despite his orders to take him back. It was a simple gunshot wound, but the family was worried because of his frail body.

Kyuhyun was slumped on one of the plastic chairs that lined the hallway across from me and seemed to be in an uncomfortable. The rest of Super Junior had stayed behind with Taeyang to give evidence to the officers that had turned up towards the end. Usually, everyone would have run away as soon as they could, but it turns out that Taeyang was actually dating Dara, the woman in charge of the department, so she had promised to pull a couple strings and get them out of the other side without any charges. The police system was corrupt anyway, a little more corruption wouldn’t hurt.

In the middle of my thinking, half of the members of Beast and some of BIGBANG ran up and told us Jiyong hyung had come out of surgery. Although I wanted to go and see him, I had to wait for Sunghee noona. What if she came out of the surgery and no one was there? She would be so scared, no matter how tough she is. My poor Sunghee noona. I couldn’t do that to her.

“Taemin?” Key called me.

“Yes?” I replied. I noticed how my voice was rough and kinda slurred.

“We’re getting something to eat; you coming?” he asked.

“No… I can’t leave noona.” I refused immediately. “If she woke up on her own, she’d be so scared, and she might attack someone by mistake. I can’t let that happen.” I told him.
Key looked at me in a reluctant sort of way, but didn’t try to further persuade me into leaving.

“I’ll bring something back for you then.” He said quietly. “Some instant ramen and banana milk, okay?” he asked.

I nodded weakly. I should probably eat, but I don’t think I can leave the entrance of the door. I’d go insane with worry.

While the group was gone, I zoned out into a daze. Why was she taking so long? She was fine wasn’t she? While I fretted away, the surgeon came out of the doors. I bolted up immediately.

“Are you Ms. Kim’s friend?” he asked me.

I nodded meekly.

“She’s stable for now. She lost a lot of blood so we have to monitor her recovery.” He told me.

“Is she going to be alright?” I jumped at Key’s voice. I hadn't noticed the group come back.

“She’s recovering slowly. At this point in time, we can’t be sure what the outcome will be, however she is stable at the moment.” The doctor replied. “She’s being moved to room A14 on this level. You can visit her, but don’t wake her.” With a bow, he rushed off to whatever other business he had to attend. I didn’t know whether to feel relieved or worried, so I just stood where I was with a dazed expression plastered over my face. I didn’t even notice as Key led me to the room.  

Then, there she was; covered in bandages, purple and blue in some places, bloody in others, looking just as lifeless as she did when she had arrived. Her white blonde hair was still stained red since the nurses hadn’t gotten around to washing out her hair or something. I carefully brushed a hand over her hair, the clotted blood crumbling and flaking under pressure.

I couldn’t believe it. My noona was just lying there, looking positively dead and no one knew if she would get better. Minho had asked another doctor to come in and explain the details of her injuries. Apparently she had mild brain damage from that fall off the balcony in the warehouse. She’d have a concussion, he explained, but it was nothing too serious.

I just sat there next to her that day, holding onto her hand the whole time. I didn’t even realize when visiting hours were over until Minho picked me up and took me home. And when I say ‘picked me up’ I mean he literally piggy-backed me the whole way home.

I got up super early the next day and left home to see her, but when I got to her room, she wasn’t there. Jiyoung hyung and their grandfather weren’t there either. I ran down to the receptionist and asked where she’d gone and they replied that no one by the name of ‘Sunghee’ had been in the hospital for some time. I stood there a moment with complete confusion across my face. Noona was unconscious the last time I saw her. How did she disappear whilst unconscious? I thanked the receptionist and left the hospital in a daze. Noona probably had to disappear. After something as big as that, I should’ve been expecting it.

I passed a small shop on my way home and went in to buy myself some banana milk. It had become a thing for me; and it reminded me of nonna. I bought some milk for the hyungs too. Strawberry for Key, Chocolate for Onew and Jonghyun, and plain for Minho. I went to pay and pulled out the ₩10,000 note that noona had given me a couple days ago as extra pocket money.

The sun had only begun to come up when I got home, so I went up to the roof to drink my milk there. It was summer, and the breeze was warm. Usually, I hated it, but because it was really cold while it was dark, it felt nice on my skin.

The milk was downed quickly, and I plodded downstairs to our apartment. The hyungs were all still asleep. Well, except for Minho. He was the early bird of the house. A lot of the time, he was up before the sun. He liked to watch the sun rise with a cup of coffee. However, he couldn’t take black coffee and since we were out of milk, he was sitting at the dinner table miserably. I chucked him is carton, and he thanked me quickly, before zipping up to the roof to watch as much of the sunrise as was left. The rest of the milk went into the fridge, before I dragged myself off to the couch, falling asleep on it almost instantly.

A couple hours later, I woke up, feeling dizzy as ever. Except I was on a train. The hyungs were with me, so that was a relief, but I had no idea what was going on.

“Taemin, you’re up.” Key smiled at me, passing me a bottle of banana milk. “We’re going to see Sunghee.”