Chapter Ten:

(Heechul)

I watched with my heart pounding fast as Junmyeon was carried in the ambulance. He had an attack again. This time however felt very different. I should have stopped him when I saw him struggling to pull himself up the ramp. But I wanted to see if he could make it. Junmyeon had that determined look on his face and I was cheering for him. I knew that Junmyeon wanted to prove something to all of us. He wanted to show us that he is not the pathetic weakling that everyone was saying.

I silently cheered for him but half-way through my father saw him and rushed to his side. Junmyeon pushed him away and continued to pull himself up but my father stopped him again.

Junmyeon failed. I gave a deep sigh and returned to my room locking the door behind me. The news of Jaehee leaving was something I could not accept. They were going to take away the only source of happiness in this God-forsaken place. I don’t know if I can take being away from Jaehee.

From the day that Jaehee was born up to this day, I promised myself I would always take care of her and protect her. Now, I wouldn’t be able to do that because she’s going to be taken away from me.

“Oppa?”

I heard a small knock on my door and I heard Jaehee’s voice. I wiped away the tears that had escaped somehow and forced myself to smile. After checking if I looked okay in the mirror, I opened the door. Jaehee stood in front of me carrying her favorite teddy bear. She looked like she was about to cry. I quickly scooped her up in my arms and hugged her tight.

“What’s wrong?” I asked her patting her back.

“I made Myeonnie-oppa sick.” Jaehee said burying her face on the crook of my neck.

“No. You didn’t make Junmyeon sick Jaehee.” I told her trying to comfort her as much as I could.

I savored it. The moment when Jaehee is in my arms, hugging her and comforting her when she was upset or sad. I worried that when she leaves who will be doing these? Who will hug her when she is scared or sad? Who will comfort her when she feels lonely? Who will buy her favorite ice cream when she did well in school?

I doubt that my parents would able to do that. They work 24/7 and hardly pay attention to Jaehee’s needs. Jaehee may be the favorite but that doesn’t mean she is given the royal treatment. She just gets treated a bit better than my brothers and I. Jaehee continued to cry and I tried my best to calm her down. I started to sing her favorite song and soon she stopped crying and sang with me.

We sat down on my bed. She sat on my lap and started to talk to her teddy bear.

“Oppa… will appa and umma take me away?” Jaehee asked me or rather her teddy bear.

“Why are you asking that Jaehee?” I asked her back avoiding the question.

“I don’t want to leave Chullie-oppa, Joongie-oppa and Myeonnie-oppa. I don’t want to live with umma. Can’t I stay here Chullie-oppa?” Jaehee asked hiding her face on the crook of my neck.

I couldn’t answer her question. I wanted to be honest with Jaehee but I couldn’t break her heart at the same time. Instead of answering I hugged her tighter and buried my face on top of her head.

“No matter where you are Jaehee, always remember that I love you so much and I would do anything to be with you.” I told her as tears escaped my eyes.

Jaehee then started to cry. She pushed me away and threw her teddy bear at me.

“Oppa is lying. I heard umma and appa talking. They’re going to send me away. You’re sending me away. You don’t love me anymore. I hate Chullie-oppa!” Jaehee said as she ran out of the room with tears in her eyes.

“Jaehee wait…” I said to her but she was gone.

I ran out of my room and ran after Jaehee. I needed to explain things to her. I saw her run out of the front door. I ran to her and called her name. She turned her head to look at me.

Then a car suddenly came to view.

“Jaehee!” I shouted as I ran towards Jaehee.

I didn’t make it. Before I could grab her, the car hit her and like a rag