Was he okay? Was he fine? Was he mad, frustrated, perhaps, sad?

Questions continued to revolt themselves around Haneul's head as she sat against the door.

He had been in the room for the past five hours, and as for Haneul herself, she had been waiting for him for the past five hours too. He wouldn't talk to her; he wouldn't let her see him. Heck! He wouldn't even let her know if he was still breathing in that room.

For the past five hours, Haneul was left to wonder what he was doing in the room. No sounds emitted from it, and after an hour of trying to get Luhan to come out, she gave up and decided to just sit there and wait. Even after five hours have passed, Haneul didn't want to leave. Until Luhan comes out of that room, Haneul was going to wait in front of the door. She didn't care about preparing dinner right now, nor did she care about the fact that she had to go grocery shopping because they were out of food. As of now, she only cared about Luhan, and only Luhan himself.

“When will you come out?” Haneul muttered to herself as she tilted her head back, against the door, and stared at the ceiling. “It’s as if you’re asleep in there.”

At the thought, Haneul straightened up as realization hit her. *What if he is asleep?!* Haneul clenched her fist and tightened her jaw. Taking a deep breath, she then blew on her bangs. “Why didn’t I think of that before? Maybe he really is sleeping.” She rolled her eyes at her stupid self. It was only obvious that Luhan was sleeping if he stays in his room for this long without making a peep. She huffed, “And I sat here for 5 hours straight too. How stupid of me.”

Believing that Luhan was asleep, Haneul slowly got up to prevent pain from striking through her body. The last time she sat for hours straight and zoomed up, she had pain hit her back and a cramp in both of her legs. She didn’t want to risk the chance of going through that pain again.

She made her way to the stairs when she heard the door open behind her. Along came with a sigh shortly after.

“Did you really wait for me all this time?” Luhan spoke. “And you’re giving up just now?”

Haneul quickly turned around to face him. She was both happy that he finally came out, and mad that he finally came out. Haneul knew how Luhan looked when he wakes up, and by the looks of up, Luhan was definitely not sleeping.

She stormed over and gave him a scrutinized look. “And I’m giving up just now? Just now? I waited for 5 freaking hours, because I care about you. What you’re feeling then and now, I don’t even know, but the fact that you’re probably not feeling good, I waited. I mean, you wouldn’t even talk to me nor answer me. By the way, I didn’t ‘give up’. I just decided to leave to go do grocery shopping because we’re out of food and I thought you were asleep.” She looked away sheepishly.

Luhan scoffed slightly before going back inside the room to grab his coat off of his desk and an extra jacket from the closet. He rushed back out and threw the jacket to Haneul, causing her to falter back but kept her balance. Luhan wore his coat, not taking his eyes off of her. “Let’s go.”

Haneul furrowed her brows in confusion, “Go where?”

“You said we need to go grocery shopping,” he replied casually and ran down the stairs in a swift motion.

She frowned at his answer and quickly ran down after him, stopping him before he slipped on his shoes. She pulled him back by the arm and gave him an alert stare. She threw his jacket, the one he had threw to her, to the couch. Luhan gave her a questioning gaze.

“What?” He asked, unaware of the concern in her eyes. “Put on the jacket and let’s go. It’s late. If we don’t go right now, they’re going to close and we won’t get any dinner.” He pulled away only to be pulled back once again. This time, Haneul spoke.

“Don’t go,” she said firmly. There were no jokes played in her eyes. “You said it yourself that you don’t want to go out in public again. It’s either I stay and you go get the groceries, or you stay and I go get the groceries. Knowing that you won’t be able to get the groceries yourself, only I can go. Just stay home and wait for me.”

Hearing her words, Luhan yanked his arm away. “Earlier, I was over reacting. I hadn’t meant my words, so don’t take it to heart.” He slipped on his shoes and avoided eye contact with her. “I’ll wait for you outside. Put the jacket on and come out.”

“Listen to me!” Haneul blocked his way to the door. “I’m serious about this. I don’t want things to affect you more than they already have. I may not understand what you’re going through, but I do know the pain that comes along with it.”

“Haneul, move,”  he whined, slightly annoyed. “I already told you, didn’t I? What I said earlier was just all gibberish. I only said those things because I was annoyed to my limit. I’m perfectly fine again.”

“Luhan—” Haneul began, but was only cut off when he swooped down and captured her lips. Her eyes widened from the sudden contact, but her body didn’t react in any other way. If anything, her body stayed perfectly still.

Luhan slowly pulled back after some seconds and held her in place, their faces only an inch apart. “I said I’m fine,” he whispered against her lips. “Plus, the reason why I was mad and annoyed earlier wasn’t because of anything you’re thinking of. Don’t worry about.” He straightened up and quickly pulled her aside and away from the door. “I’ll wait for you outside.”

Without letting her have another word, Luhan opened the door and walked out, leaving Haneul still stunned as ever. Her face flushed red immediately and all thoughts from earlier disappeared with only the kiss itself. It wasn’t the first time, but it was always so unexpected, and at most, it always confused her.

Haneul sighed and shook the thoughts away. “Grocery,” she muttered. “That’s right. We’re going to get groceries.” She grabbed Luhan’s jacket and put it on before slipping on her shoes. She took a deep breath before heading out the door.

The two walked in complete silence, letting nature engulf them. For Haneul, she found it quite awkward, but it was a comfortable awkward. Hadn’t it been for the kiss, she wouldn’t feel the need to stay quiet. Luhan, on the other hand, was occupied in his own thoughts, and didn’t realize the silence between the two.

Haneul stole a quick glance at Luhan. She softened at the crease in his forehead. He was thinking hard, she could tell. *I wonder what he’s thinking about.* Thoughts about the kiss washed away from her mind. *He’s had such a hard time here… Especially today at Mom's house. I shouldn't have had visited her today.*

Walking with her eyes on him, she didn’t watch where she was going and ended up hitting a pole. She winced at the pain as Luhan was pulled from his thoughts and back to reality. He arched a brow as Haneul rubbed her forehead in pain and cursed silently to herself.

“Is the pole the store?” Luhan asked her with a slight roll of his eyes and sarcasm. “Why didn’t you avoid it? I know that a simple street pole can attract you, but can’t you avoid it? At this rate, the store will close.”

Haneul glared at him, the pain suddenly disappeared as she was focused on him. “Is the pole the store? Why didn’t I avoid it? A street pole can attract me, but I can’t avoid it? Are you out of your mind? It’s because of you that I didn’t even see the pole in the first place.”

“Me?” He scoffed and turned his body to face her, crossing his arms. “What did I do? I don’t remember saying anything to you nor did I do anything to you. I only remember us making our way to the store and you crashing into this pole as if it isn’t even there.”

“Look there. She’s talking to herself again. She really is crazy,” the ladies that were passing by gossiped. Both Luhan and Haneul looked over at them, but only seeing Haneul’s gaze, they cowered in fright and quickly made their way away from her.

Pain nibbled on Luhan’s heart as Haneul just stood there dumbfounded.

She didn’t deserve this kind of treatment from others, just because of him. Luhan hated the fact that others would throw such harsh words out at her just because they couldn’t accept the truth that he, indeed, was real.

He reached out and interlaced their hands, gaining Haneul’s attention.

She blinked a couple of times and realized what he was trying to do. He was comforting her, and by holding her hand, he was telling her that he was there by her side. She pulled her hand away and put on a smile. “I’m fine,” she lied casually. “This kind of treatment from others, I’m used to it.”

Luhan knew she was strong, but everyone had a breaking point. At one point or another, they were going to fall when they reach that breaking point. Being the strong person she was, Haneul hadn’t reached her point yet, but when she does and falls, Luhan will be there to catch her and make sure she’s safe. After all, she was there to mend his pain and helped him up when he fell.

“Can’t I just hold your hand because I want to?” He used his lame excuse and grabbed her hand again, and this time, he made sure to hold on tight. Tight enough so she wouldn’t pull away. “In this cold weather, it’s better for others to hold another’s hand. The warmth comes much faster when they do.”

He began walking once again with her by his side, their hands interlaced. It was quiet once again, just like earlier, except the silence was much more different. It was still comfortable, but this time, it went unnoticeable. Luhan was, once again, in his own thoughts, and Haneul, herself, in her own mind.

What must  he do to prove to others that he exists? What must he do to prove that he’s real? What must he do to prove that Haneul wasn’t a delusional girl who sees things? What must he do to make them stop calling her crazy? What can he do to stop it all? What can he do? Everything in the moment felt so helpless. Luhan couldn’t do anything to prove it to anyone. He couldn’t do anything to prove to anyone that he was alive, and that was what hurt him more than anything, because no one will ever believe that Haneul wasn’t crazy. He wanted to prevent her from hearing such harsh words that will hurt, but when no one can see him, hear him, or even touch him, how was he to do that?

When will it all stop? When will they all believe her? When will they realize that Luhan actually exists and is real? When will they stop denying the truth that kills her over and over again? When will they accept that reality? Everything in the moment felt so helpless. Haneul couldn’t do anything to prove to anyone that Luhan was real. She couldn’t prove to anyone that he exists, and that was what killed her the most. The fact that Luhan was a human being, living, breathing, experiencing life just like any other living creature, yet, not seen by anyone but her. This was what killed her the most. To know that one’s alive, but not acknowledged by anyone else. Luhan was just like any other human beings, but he wasn’t acknowledged in the world. He was known as a made up visual in her mind, according to everyone, and it hurt every time they call her crazy in front of Luhan himself. Haneul wasn’t embarrassed to be called crazy, but she was afraid that Luhan would be hurt because of that. She was afraid that Luhan would be hurt at the fact that he was acknowledged as a crazy person’s imagination.

Before they knew it, the two reached the grocery store. Both were brought out from their thoughts.

Luhan cleared his throat and looked down at Haneul. “Aren’t you going in?”

His question caused her to look up at him in confusion. “You’re not going in?”

Luhan gave a petite smile and gave her hand a slight squeeze before letting go of his hold. “It’s better if I just wait out here.”

Haneul frowned, “What’s the point of coming but not going inside?”

*To protect you, but I’m not doing much of a good job at it.* He thought, blaming himself silently. He shrugged and kept his neutral expression. “I just didn’t feel like staying inside. After being in the room for hours straight without even having to come out, it became suffocating.” He gave her a gentle push. “Go. I’ll still be out here waiting for you.”

Although she wanted to protest further, she obliged and went on inside, letting go of his hand. She knew how Luhan was, coming to know him for the past year and a half. He can be very stubborn, and if he doesn’t get something he wanted, he’d find another route to get it. Somehow, just somehow, it always works, no matter what he does, so knowing this, Haneul knew that one way or the other, she would have to go in alone.

After paying for the groceries needed, Haneul treaded outside, not wanting to take too long inside. Even though it was cold outside, and she didn’t want to be outside, she didn’t want Luhan waiting out in the cold either. Just because people can’t see him doesn’t mean he can’t feel the hot or cold. Just like any human being out there, Luhan can get cold and hot, and as of now, she had a feeling that he was freezing cold.

To her dismay, Luhan wasn’t out there like he said he would be.

“Luhan?” she called out, earning odd glances from some strangers passing by. She didn’t care about it, anyhow. She was more focused on the fact that Luhan wasn’t there like he said he would be. Usually, Luhan would be out here by the door waiting for her if he didn’t want to go in. “Luhan?”

No reply was given, only resulting in her to be disappointed. *Maybe he went home already. It is cold out here, so maybe that’s why he left… But that’s not like him to just leave without telling me.*

She looked down at the groceries in her hand. Usually, Luhan would be the one carrying them, and they would go the darker route home because there were fewer people, and most people don’t even pay attention to those passing by. Haneul frowned slightly. *Maybe the fight I had with mom earlier really affected him… Ugh, if only mom didn’t say that he was a mere imagination. If she didn’t say that, maybe he wouldn’t be so upset.*

A sigh escaped her lips.

“I guess it’s just me tonight,” she muttered before heading home. The darker route that night didn’t seem to be as dark as it usually had been. Instead, the moon’s light seemed to be shining brighter, and it gave her comfort. Without Luhan, having the light there for her was enough, and it comforted her.

After half way through the alley route, Haneul noticed that the night felt calm. A bit too calm for her liking. She couldn’t pinpoint what was wrong, but she could feel it. She shook off the eerie feeling and continued on her way slowly. *Maybe it’s because Luhan isn’t here.* She told herself, and the thought convinced her that it was because Luhan wasn’t with her. She was too used to having Luhan go and come with her that it gave her such a feeling.

She exhaled. What a day.

It was only then when she knew something was wrong. It was then when she heard her name being called from afar. Haneul looked up from hanging her head low and saw Luhan run towards her with panic in his eyes. His coat wasn’t on like how it was earlier, and all he wore was his sweatpants with a regular white V-neck shirt. That certainly wasn’t what he wore today, Haneul realized as Luhan ran towards her. She didn’t make out the panic in his voice and terrified expression on his face. It only occurred to her that her thought process was right. Luhan did go home, and seems like he went to sleep because he had on his usual sleeping close. Sweats and a tee.

“Luhan?” she found herself whispering his name as he crashed into her with heavy breaths, wrapping his arms around her tightly, causing the groceries to slip out of her hands.

He breathed heavily as his embrace only tightened around her. Haneul couldn’t help but feel something was wrong.

“W-what’s wrong?” she managed out. She didn’t know it until she spoke that she realized she was afraid. She was afraid something might’ve happened to him to be reacting this way. Something must’ve happened for him to run all the way here. “Luhan—”

“I’m sorry,” he interrupted, catching his breath but not letting go of his hold. “I-I said I'd stay out here and wait for you, but I didn’t. Instead, I left. I didn’t mean to. I’m sorry, Haneul. I really am. I didn’t mean to leave. I’m sorry.”

She almost wanted to laugh at his apology. It sounded ridiculous, she had to admit. Who would run all the way from home just to say such things? On the other hand, she felt a shiver run down her spine. Why did his words sound so…cautious? It’s as if he was stopping himself revealing a certain secret. It sounded as if he was holding back a certain meaning to his words.

“It’s okay,” she found herself saying. She wasn’t sure which side of her was reacting to his words, but all she could do for now was tell him that it was okay. He needed assurance from her; she knew that, so that was what she was going to give him. Assurance. “It’s okay, Luhan. You didn’t have to run all the way back here just to say sorry. I was heading home anyways. Did you really think I would be waiting for you at the store?”

She tried to crack that small joke, but no laugh emitted from his throat. Concerned about his actions, she tried pulling back to examine his face, but Luhan only held on tighter.

“I’m okay,” he mumbled close to her ear. “I’m just worried about you.”

“I think I’m more okay than you are,” she managed a small laugh before frowning. “Are you sure you’re okay?” Haneul asked as she let her arms wrap themselves freely around his waist.

He only nodded in return, and the fact that he wasn’t loosening his hold, Haneul assumed that he wanted to get comfort, so that was exactly what she gave him. In return, Haneul tightened her arms around him and snuggled closer to him, only realizing, once again, that he only had on his V-neck shirt and no coat or sweatshirt on.

“You didn’t wear a coat,” Haneul sighed with a roll of her eyes. She wasn’t necessarily annoyed. She was just worried that he might get sick. Although Luhan wasn’t the type to get sick, she was still worried. The past year and half, Luhan had only been sick once whereas Haneul gets sick often. “You know, no matter how guilty you feel about leaving me behind, you shouldn’t have ran out without a coat or jacket, you know? Do you know how cold it is right now? Can you not feel the cold anymore? How the heck did you even afford to run this whole way without having to run back for your jacket?”

Luhan kept quiet and listened to her as she continued to nag on. A part of him was dying inside. The more she nagged at him, the more he fought back his tears from spilling. Why did it have to happen? Why now of all times? Why?

“Are you even listening to me?” Haneul sighed for the umpteenth time that day. After some minutes of nagging, she realized that Luhan wasn’t even nodding or shaking his head at her questions. She pulled back with force. She couldn’t take any more of his weird actions. As she was going to scold him once more, she paused when she saw the frozen tears on his face. Luhan had been crying. His tears had been falling, and here she was nagging at him. Her brows furrowed and a rush of guilt and concern ran over her. “L-Luhan—”

“I’m fine!” He whirled around and wiped at his tears. Even he hadn’t realized that his tears had spilled. He sniffed and cleared his throat. “Don’t worry about me.”

In a panic-stricken state, Haneul forced him to face her. “What’s wrong? Why are you crying? Why—”

“I said I’m fine,” he assured her, placing on a fragile smile that surely didn’t assure her. “When I went back home, I was just thinking a lot of things, so I got a bit upset. I didn’t put on a coat because I felt guilty for leaving you here, so I just ran out. I’m perfectly fine.”

“I’m not convinced,” she stated flatly. His lie was evidently a lie. It was barely even close to the truth, and she knew that, whatever the truth was.

“You don’t have to believe me,” he countered before bending down to grab the groceries. “Let’s go home.”

He turned around and headed he way he came. Haneul frowned as he went on ahead. The guy can be so bipolar. She sighed as he walked in the cold as if it didn’t bother him at all.

“It’s practically below zero degrees. How does he not shiver at all?” she rolled her eyes before running to catch up with him. She took his free hand in hers and interlaced them before stuffing their hands into his jacket’s huge pocket. “Aren’t you cold?” she questioned. To her surprise, Luhan stopped walking. She glanced up to see his face filled with the same surprised expression as hers.

“Cold?” he asked as he looked down at her.

“Yeah, cold,” she emphasized. “You know, like, cold. Not hot.”

“I know what cold is,” he rolled his eyes.

“Well then, aren’t you cold?” she asked once more. “It’s practically below zero degrees.”

“It is?” he questioned once more, earning an odd glance from her. The question sounded more like panic than a surprised question, but Haneul brushed it off as nothing.

“Yeah.” She tilted her head. “It is, so I’m taking it as that you’re not cold out here in this ice-cold weather?”

It took Luhan some seconds to process her words into his mind. “I am,” he shrugged slightly before giving a shiver, one that didn’t seem to convince Haneul that he was. The shiver looked more artificial than it should’ve. “I am cold, so let’s hurry home. I’m tired.” *Cold... I'm not cold. I can't even feel the cold wind right now. Why can't I feel the cold?* He pulled her after him, keeping quiet about his thoughts, and headed home.

When they reached home, Luhan left the bag of groceries on the counter and went into his room right away without saying anything. Haneul had assumed that maybe he was embarrassed about showing his weak side from earlier and didn’t think much of it. She took out the needed ingredients and decided to cook a small dinner for the two. She knew Luhan had a huge appetite, and so the fact that he hadn’t eaten anything since this morning, she had a feeling that he would be hungry. *And the fact that today’s event impacted him a lot, I doubt he’d be sleeping even if he’s tired.*

Haneul sighed and started on the vegetables, slicing them quickly, yet, carefully. After setting them in the boiling pot, she sat at the dining table and laid her head down. Today had really been tiring.

The argument she had with her mom during the day was indeed deep and hurtful. At the thought of the argument, Haneul heaved a shaky sigh. Not only had it affected Luhan, but it also affected her too. The pain her mother’s words brought were too much and was never something a daughter would want to hear from her mother.

                || “He’s not real, so why do you keep on talking to thin air like that?! You’re making me go crazy! Stop talking to no one. I’m your mom. I’m right here. Talk to me if you need to talk. Your brother is also here. Talk to him if you don’t want to talk to me, just please! Stop talking to thin air like something is there! There’s no one there! The townspeople always complain to me about you, and your brother’s friend always makes fun of him because of you, so please stop your craziness! It’s embarrassing!” ||

Her mother’s words stuck to her, and it sure did slap her hard in the cheek. “It’s embarrassing… Mom said I'm embarrassing,” she muttered unknowingly, her mother’s last words before Haneul left the house. *I’m embarrassing… But most importantly, Luhan was there and heard it all. He was acknowledged as thin air in front of mom… Is he okay? Should I ask?*

“The pot’s boiling. Aren’t you going to check on it?”

Luhan’s voice caused Haneul to jump in shock.

When did he come down? Haneul didn’t remember seeing him come down, but that didn’t matter. What mattered was that he was in front of her, and he looked perfectly fine again. Today had really been a long day for Haneul.

“O-Oh, yeah.” She quickly got up and hustled over to the boiling pot before stirring it carefully. Vegetable soup was for dinner tonight, only because it was good for the cold weather, and she was too tired to cook anything else. She turned off the stove and looked over at Luhan, who took a seat at the dining table and sipping on a cup of water. “Are you hungry?”

“That’s why I’m here,” he joked with a smile as he lifted the cup to his lips once again and taking in water.

Haneul scoffed at his response and couldn’t help but smile. “Of course. That’s the only reason why you’ll be here anyways.” She grabbed two bowls and scooped a spoonful of soup into each before proceeding to the dining table and giving one to him. “Eat up. It’s very cold outside, so I decided to make soup for us. If you don’t like that, you can go cook something for yourself.”

“I didn’t even say anything,” he rolled his eyes before taking the spoon and eating the hot soup quickly with no expression.

Haneul looked at him in curiosity and concern. “Eat slowly,” she scolded. “The soup is hot, and you’re eating it so fast. Doesn’t it burn your tongue?”

At her words, Luhan stopped eating and looked over at her. “The soup’s hot?” He blinked and looked down at his steaming bowl. His brows slightly furrowed. “But it feels like normal room temp.”

“Room temp?!” she scoffed in disbelief. “You saw it yourself. I gave it to you fresh out of the boiling pot.” Haneul bit her bottom lip nervously and moved towards Luhan before putting a hand out against his forehead. She tilted her head in confusion. “Your body temperature seems fine. Do you feel sick at all?”

Luhan shook his head before smiling. “I guess the cold walk home just really got to me.”

More carefully this time, as if the hot temperature of the soup affected him, Luhan ate the soup and ushered her to eat hers.

Although she wasn’t satisfied with his response, Haneul pushed her thoughts away and began to eat.

Something about Luhan felt wrong. Terribly wrong. But then again, everything today did feel wrong anyways. Starting from the argument, to having Luhan lock himself up, and now to this. Maybe it was just today. Maybe it was just for today. Haneul thought.

It was suffocating. What he had experienced at the market was suffocating and it was scary. He was afraid that it would happen again. What if this time, he doesn’t come back? He was scared out of his wits. Right now, lying on his bed in his room after the quick meal, Luhan can’t help but shiver out of fear.

Why can’t people touch him?  Why can’t people see him? Why can’t people hear him? Why won’t they believe that he exists just because they can’t see him, hear him, or touch him?

It all made sense now. It made perfect sense, and now that he knew why people can’t touch, see, or hear him, it made him afraid. The reason was now clear, and he knew he didn’t like the reason one bit.

He closed his eyes and clenched his fist tightly. He didn’t want to appear weak, but was exactly what it was. Luhan was weak from the very start. Wondering around, hoping that one soul would hear him, see him, do anything to tell him that he was alive. The first few months here, he remembered clearly.

He remembered when he woke up on the side of an empty street. The place didn’t look familiar at all, and he couldn’t recall any reason of how he got there. He couldn’t recall any of his memories at all, to add on. He walked around, hoping that he could find out where he was. People crowded him but no one gave him a look in the eye, and if someone did, they would walk right into him, and instead of them bumping into him or walking right through him, somehow, just somehow, he would be pulled aside by a special force. It was an unknown force that came out of nowhere. It was a special force that wouldn’t let anyone touch him and wouldn’t let him touch anyone. After a few days, he finally realized that no one could hear him, see him, and because of that special force, no one can touch him. He lived his first few months here, thinking that he was dead, that somehow, he died somewhere and it was his spirit wandering around, that it was because he was dead that he couldn’t remember anything, but all of that changed when he met Haneul.

He could still remember the first day he met Haneul.

As someone who couldn’t be seen, heard, nor touched, Luhan never had to pay for anything. If he was hungry, he’d just take something to eat without anyone knowing.

It happened when he was at a market, inspecting the fruits that he wanted to eat. He picked up an orange and was looking at it, debating about whether he should eat it or not, and that was when she, Haneul, bumped into him causing the orange to drop to the ground. The bump was so usual for Haneul, who apologized to him, but for Luhan, it was something that shocked him to the deepest of the pits.

He remembered the confused expression Haneul had on her face when Luhan didn’t respond and only stared in disbelief. He remembered the odd glances Haneul received in turn for speaking to Luhan who no one knew existed. For Haneul, it was the day that changed her life. It was the day that everyone her and started calling her crazy. For him, that was the day he began leaning on Haneul and the day his life here had changed.

Since then, Luhan realized that he wasn’t a ghost nor was he dead. Something was just awfully off that no one knew about, not even Luhan himself, but earlier, his questions were answered. Earlier when Haneul went inside the market, Luhan found out why no one can hear him, see him, or touch him, and it was not something he would want to experience ever again.

Earlier at the market when Haneul left to go inside, all Luhan had done was leaned against the wall of the store and waited. All he had done was think about Haneul 's mother’s harsh words to her that day. All he had done was wish that there would be some way to get people to believe Haneul that she wasn’t crazy. All he had done was wish that she wouldn’t have to go through pain just because he remained by her side, and then that was when it happened.

His head started aching, and his sight blurred. His body became weak, and the next thing he knew, he out, but when he woke up, he was in a different place. It was a room that looked extremely familiar, and then there was a female that walked into the room with a tray of tea. Not only was the room familiar, but the female looked familiar also. He remembered the look on her face when she saw him conscious. He remembered the female call out his name in disbelief and relief, and that was when it hit him about where he was.

He was in his room. His very own room. Not his room in Haneul’s house, but in his room in his parents’ house. He was in the place he knew, and that was when he panicked. Only knowing and remembering that he was supposed to be at the market with Haneul, he panicked and ran out of the house. His mind was a mess at that time, and all he could think of was Haneul. He remembered being scared because he didn’t know what was going on. Everything suddenly became confusing and all he could think of was Haneul, and once he ran out of the known house, everything once again became a blur. His mind whirled.

The world turned, and the next thing he knew, he woke up on the bed he was on right now. The bed in his room, in Haneul’s house. That was when he knew something was definitely wrong, and that was when it became clear of why people couldn’t see him or touch him or hear him. It was because he wasn’t from here, and that was when he got out of bed and ran to the market without a coat on, but even without a coat on, he wasn’t able to feel the coldness like earlier when they left for the market in the first place. Even when he was eating the soup from earlier, he couldn’t feel the hot temperature it gave, and that was what scared him the most.

Luhan was scared. What will happen now?

He knew he wasn’t from here. Whether here, on Earth, was where he belongs, or whether his world is another world different from earth, Luhan didn’t know. Whether Haneul’s house here in Incheon is on the same ground as his house, he didn’t know. What he did know was that everything he didn’t remember flew back at him. Everything he didn’t know about when he first woke up on the street was in his mind again. He remembered almost everything.

He had a younger sister named Mei Li, who was the age of 16, an older brother named Hu Liang, who was the age of 23, and he had a lover. The fact struck Luhan hard.

Luhan had a lover, and her name was Yu Xue. Wu Yu Xue. She was the female that had entered the room. She was the female with the tray of tea in her hands.

The thought that he had a lover drove him berserk. He had forgotten about his love. His memory swiped out memories of her. Didn’t they say that love was stronger than anything? Shouldn’t he have remembered her?

But Luhan was hesitant on the idea. He didn’t remember her, but now that he does, only pain remained in his chest. He didn’t have the feeling of yearning for her, yet he knew they were a couple. He didn't have the feeling of missing her, but he knew they were a couple. Was it right to not miss someone he called as his lover? Was it right?

Luhan let out a long sigh. It was too much to take in. He was confused, and he wasn’t sure what will happen next.

The sound of knocking made his eyes flutter open in shock only to relax when he heard Haneul’s voice on the other side of the door.

“Luhan?” her voice called out. “Are you asleep?”

Luhan gave  sigh of relief before he quietly called out, loud enough for her to hear. “Come in.”

The door slightly creaked open. When Haneul saw that he wasn’t asleep, she came in and closed the door behind her. She wanted to confront him about how he was feeling. She wanted to know if he really was fine.

“Are you okay?” She asked with a smile as she approached his bed. She sat down beside his laying figure. Luhan nodded slightly. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“You’ve been asking that a lot today,” he countered. “If it’s because you’re worried that I’m still affected by your mom’s words, then I’ll have you know that I’m fine now. Earlier, I was really pushed to my limits, but I’m fine now. I’ve found my healing time. Don’t worry about it.”

Haneul nodded understandingly. “Okay then…” As she was going to stand up and leave the room, she remembered something that sparked her interest. *I-I promised to stay out here and wait for you, but I didn’t. Instead, I left. I didn’t mean to. I’m sorry, Haneul. I really am. I didn’t mean to leave. I’m sorry.* She remembered his words from earlier out in the ice-cold weather. “About earlier at the market, why did you leave me? I  mean, you promised that you would wait for me … Not that I really care or anything. I’m just wondering.” *In other words, what did your words mean?*

Luhan sat up and leaned against the head board, glancing at Haneul. “I left earlier because…” He trailed off. How was he supposed to know? His intention really was to wait, but weird things happened and he just… left, unintentionally. He didn’t even know how he left. He didn’t ev