Sunhee rolled over, listening to the steady tick of her alarm clock.  Now and days the deafening ticking reminded her that there was once a time where she would be struggling to wake up to make it for morning class.  Days where her brother would bang on her bedroom door telling her that she did not want to be late again for lectures.  Days that use to be filled late night studies, friends dropping in for study sessions or just to have a late meal, and laughter.

A knock on the door broke the stillness of the room, interrupting the ticking of the clock that served to remind her that those days were over.  Hearing the bedroom door open, Tae Kyung stuck his head in the room peering at her.

“Are you awake Hee-yah?” he inquired.

“I am oppa,”  Sunhee replied, sitting up as Tae Kyung shuffled into the room, a cup of coffee in his hands.  Making room for her brother to sit down, Sunhee brushed aside a wayward lock of hair that fell out of place from her tossing and turning of the previous night.  Tae Kyung stationed himself on the edge of the bed staring at Sunhee with thoughtful eyes.  In the last few months, the two of them grew to have a similar understanding of the events that threw their lives into disarray and chaos.  They had weathered the storm together, been support for not just each other but their father as well, and believed with all their hearts things would work out fine.

“Did you sleep well?” Tae Kyung inquired.

“Not really, what about you?” Sunhee shook her head.

“Not a wink,” Tae Kyung sighed.  

“How long did you and appa stay?”

“Maybe for ten more minutes,” Tae Kyung said.  “Appa didn’t know what to say to her to make her come back around.  It put a heavy strain on his health.  More with everything that is already happening.  He didn’t come home last night again.”

Sunhee did not say anything.  Since the events with Soonim begun, since the police came to let them know what was happening, their father went out at nights without telling them where he was going.  One night, the two of them followed him, learning that he went to the bar to drink every night.  They learned two months after Soonim disappeared, that their father resigned from his job.  Their open, loving father had shut them out.  Blaming himself for everything that happened to Soonim.  The two did not have the heart to pry into their father’s business.  If it was anything like what happened to them, they could understand the secrecy.

“He will be home soon,” Sunhee assured.  “He just needs to work through things.”

“I know,” Tae Kyung sighed.  “I wish that he did not have to go through this.”

“I do too, but there’s nothing we can do other than keep moving forward,” Sunhee said.  Those words kept her going when her classmates her.  

At first it was only two or three girls spreading rumors and talking about her when her back was turned.  During the time she believed Soonim was innocent, Sunhee ignored those girls.  Turned a blind eye to the things being said.  Slowly the more that was uncovered, the worst things became.  The rumors spread like wildfire, girls would talk about her openly.  Sunhee dealt with bullying and isolation from people she thought were her friends until finally she made the decision to take a leave of absence from school. Similar to her experience, Tae Kyung put his degree on hold while this went on. 

The two had no idea the effect Soonim’s actions would have on their lives thinking things would be sorted out.  Reality weighed on their shoulders with a burden far greater than expected.  No matter where she or her family went, they were eyed as being some sort of lepers.  Neighbors who once were nice to them kindly judged them for being related to Soonim.  Soonim experienced the same bullying and isolation she occurred at school.

Phone calls from B.A.P.’s fans came through telling her to die so often Sunhee no longer cut her phone on.  Hate mail filled their mailboxes.  Girls who once shared things with her in the fan cafe blocked access to the site.  The internet attacked her, online rumors spreading about her and Soonim.  Her only saving grace was TS Entertainment releasing an official statement commenting that Youngjae was only on health leave from the group.  Now that he was safe from her sister, Sunhee anxiously awaited the floodgates to open on the true reason behind what happened in those last few months. 

Tae Kyung nodded his head with a weary smile.  “How are you holding up to things?”

“I can’t complain despite everything that has happened,” Sunhee said.  “Unni was wrong for what she did, but she’s family still, right?”

“Indeed she is,” Tae Kyung said sadly.

“Do you hate her?” Sunhee wondered.

“As you said, she is family.  How can I hate her?” Tae Kyung blinked.  “It’s a tragedy that we were not able to see what was happening to her, but we can be here for her now.”

“I want to apologize,” Sunhee murmured.  “For all the trouble she caused.”

“That’s not a wise idea,” Tae Kyung shook his head.  “Right now it’s best if we continue to keep low profiles.  We don’t want to put anymore stress on appa.  We have to wait just a little while longer in order to move from here.”

A few weeks ago their father sat the both of them down explaining it was for the best that they packed up, moving from Seoul for the countryside where nobody would know who they were.  The stress of living in the city would only tear them apart the longer things went on.  Now with Soonim in custody, it was a matter of time before the media would sniff around more than they had to find out the truth.

“Even still, just writing a letter to Youngjae-oppa and the other members of B.A.P. would make me feel better.  Unni is not well enough to repent properly for the things she has done.  It’s our job to do so for her,” Sunhee said.

“Sunhee.” Tae Kyung stared down into his cup, sighing at her words.

“Are you going to see unni again?” Changing subjects, Sunhee placed a hand on her brother’s arm.  “It was surprising to see her.  Maybe she is a little more calm now?”

“I can’t believe she’s pregnant,” Tae Kyung shook his head.  “Appa was surprised by it.  The entire away home he didn’t way a word.  I think that’s the real reason he left last night.”

“Unni won’t be allowed to keep the baby will she?  Do you think the baby will be assigned to us?” Sunhee blinked.

“I don’t know Hee-yah.  In this situation, I don’t know,” Tae Kyung shook his head.  “I can only imagine that when they finally decide on Soonim’s punishment, we will discover what will happen to the baby.”

“Do you think…” Sunhee trailed off unsure if Youngjae would want to have anything to do with the child.  It was definitely his child.  Her sister had never been with any other man to her knowledge.  Soonim even proclaimed Youngjae was the father.  On top of how much she wanted to apologize, she wanted to ask him many questions about being with Soonim.  Had he truly loved her, and this entire thing was a misunderstanding?  Would he go visit her in the hospital to find out how the child was doing?  Her brain felt three sizes heavier than two days ago.  Her thoughts weighed heavy in her mind.

“Hee-yah?”

“Never mind,” Sunhee shook her head.  Tae Kyung opened his mouth to inquire what his sister planned to say, however the sound of the front door opening interrupted him.  Standing up from where he sat, the young man wandered out of the room to find his father stumbling in.  Sunhee grabbed her robe, following behind Tae Kyung.  “Appa.”

“Sunhee?  Tae Kyung?  What are you both doing here?  You have school don’t you?” the man swayed to the side grabbing hold of a chair to studying his children.

“We’re taking a break from school remember,” Tae Kyung said.

“Oh yes, it’s because of your crazy sister,” the man said.  “They’re going to lock her up for sure.  Where did I go wrong with her?  You two came out proper.  Your mother in heaven would weep if she was still here on Earth.”

“Appa, you need to sleep,” Sunhee said biting her bottom lip nervously as her father made more comments in regards, to Soonim.

“I’ll help him get to bed,” Tae Kyung stated moving to his father’s side to lead him by the elbow to his room.  Sunhee wiped her eyes wondering if things would really be okay?  How was her family going to handle the aftermath once Soonim was prosecuted and tried?

—-

Youngjae sat up quickly, his entire body ridged with panic.  Swinging out blinding, he fought the hands placed on his shoulders.  A high pitched scream pierced the air, barely able to discern the voice pleading with him to calm down and open his eyes.

“Youngjae,” Daehyun shouted, fighting the panicky younger male who was still in the throes of his nightmare.  Himchan and Yongguk rushed into the room followed by Zelo and Jongup.  The four men not sure what to do as Daehyun stopped Youngjae from flailing.  “Youngjae, it’s a nightmare, wake up.”

Shaking Youngjae a few times, Daehyun felt his friend’s weight go slack in his arms.  Youngjae moaned, blinking his eyes a few times dazed.  Exhaling with relief, Daehyun waited for Youngjae to support himself before moving back.  “What happened?”

“Nightmare,” Daehyun said.  “I heard you and came to wake you up.  When I saw your eyes open I thought you were out of it, but you just flipped out.”

“Sorry for troubling you,” Youngjae mumbled.

“Pabo, it’s not trouble,” Daehyun smiled ruffling Youngjae’s hair.  Internally he worried about if this was going to be a reoccurring happening.  The demons holding Youngjae’s mind captive were not resolved.  Daehyun doubted there would be a large breakthrough until his friend regained himself.  Once that transpired, the real battle would begin.  “Let’s get ready for breakfast, Himchan-hyung promises to make us something amazing to eat.”

“Youngjae or yourself?” Himchan quirked a brow taking notice of the pallid tint causing the dark circles under Youngjae’s eyes to stand out.  He was going to be in no shape to perform, let alone practice like TS wanted for a while.  He would bring it up to their manager when he came back from meeting with the company to discuss reinstating Youngjae’s activities.  It was too soon.  Pretending nothing was wrong could have dire consequences.

“Youngjae, of course, including myself however,” Daehyun joked seeing Himchan studying Youngjae.  Did the older have the same concerns relating to how soon TS wanted Youngjae to rejoin B.A.P. activities?

“You know you can’t win with hyung,” Zelo playfully joked to lightening the atmosphere in the room.  “When it comes to food, he’s going to win.”

“Yah,” Daehyun chided.  “Out.”

“You can’t kick me out.  This isn’t your room,” Zelo protested.

“I can if I want to, now out so Jae can get ready for today,” Daehyun instructed.

“What’s happening today?” Youngjae blinked.  “I wasn’t aware of anything.”

“Later we’ll be meeting with TS to discuss plans for your comeback into the group,” Yongguk expressed.  Anxiety brimmed over inside Youngjae at those words.  He had no idea what the older male meant by comeback let alone what these plans entailed.  Clenching the bedsheet, Youngjae chewed the inside of his jaw mulling over possibilities.  It wasn’t until a hand rested over the back of his that Youngjae broke from his paranoid state.  Lifting his eyes, he found reassurance warm Daehyun’s deep brown eyes.  The words ‘I’ll be there beside you’ unheard but felt.

“All right.  Breakfast first then,” Youngjae voiced.

“Everyone out then,” Daehyun ordered moving from the bed to help Himchan usher the others from the room so Youngjae could get up.  Grabbing Himchan’s shirt sleeve as they exited the room, pulling the older aside with a frown.

“Go ahead,” Himchan instructed the others.  “We’ll be there in a minute.”

“All right.” Sensing it was something that Daehyun and Himchan did not want the two youngest to hear, Yongguk herded the boys into the kitchen leaving the two men to talk in private.  “What’s on your mind Dae?”

“What do you think?”

“About TS pushing Jae into continuing activities with us as if nothing has happened?”

“Yes, they are underestimating how much he can take on.  Right now he does not know up from down when it comes to the group.  Forcing him into his original role might do more harm than good.  We should be treading cautiously with his mental state, not throwing him over a cliff to expect his wings to grow back,” Daehyun complained.

“I don’t know what to think.  We can only just hope he’s up for it and monitor his anxiety levels.  We made a promise to take care of him,” Himchan said.  “For now, all we can do is keep an eye on signs that it’s too much.”

Daehyun nodded, wondering how serious Himchan believed the situation was.  It terrified Daehyun to consider his friend’s mental balance could be throw of kilter at any given second.  Youngjae was a walking time bomb set to blow.  The memories locked inside his head were most perturbing.  Whatever Youngjae had seen in those few months, what he experienced laid the root of the iceberg melting.  It was only a matter of time before that ice thawed enough to unleash the creature lurking within the depths.

A/N: I decided to follow a different path to begin the chapter.  We know what Soonim's crazy did to Youngjae for the most part, but what about her family.  They are victims of this as well.  Most of all, we have not reached the heart of this matter for Youngjae.  Himchan and Daehyun's perception of things might just be spot on.  Let's see what happens next chapter.