Chapter 5

Only a few more blocks that Minho got home. He seemed in a hurry, proved from his footsteps that much wider than usual, and his eyes shine brightly. He can’t wait to get home and see how Sulli reaction upon seeing strawberry ice cream that he bought for her. Sulli is definitely very pleased. She really likes strawberry ice cream.

Thinking about Sulli making Minho became more impatient. He began to run that moment in order to quickly get home. His steps stopped in front of his house after his eyes caught sight of a woman with long hair that he known was standing, staring at the window of his house.

He felt his heart beating faster. Perhaps because he was tired after running, or perhaps because the figure of the woman.

The woman then turned as if she want to go. Her face bowed down causing she didn’t see Minho who stood a few feet in front of her. But over her footsteps, she raised her head and was stunned when she saw the man was not far from her. She was so surprised to have to step back a few steps.

"Suzy ..."

"What are you doing here?" the woman stuttered.

Her name is Suzy. She has a long and black hair, milky white skin and red lips. She has the ideal body, she is tall and slim. She is very beautiful. She has beautiful eyes, which would form a crescent moon when she smiles. And her smile ... Don’t ever doubt her smile, because when she smiles, it feels like the whole world smiling with him.

But today, her face is not shining as usual.

"I should have asked you, what are you doing here?" he asked in return. "Are you looking for me?"

"I am just a passing and I-"

"You know that you can never lie to me. Your eyes tell me everything." Minho interrupted.

Suzy sighed and looked down. Inwardly, she yell at herself for having told a lie to Minho. She should not have did it because Minho was a person who could read her mind.

"Let's talk!" Minho held her wrist and take her away from there. He even forgot the strawberry ice cream that he bought for Sulli, while Suzy just follow what Minho said.

Minho took her to a coffee shop not far from his home. They both sat in the corner of the room where they used to sit when visiting there. Minho ordered machiato while Suzy ordered orange juice. Suzy never liked coffee, in contrast with Minho.

Minho looked relaxed and calm as he looked out the window that was right next to their table. In front of him, Suzy didn’t even lift her head. She bowed her head as if she still doesn’t want to see the man who were sitting in front of her. Under the table, Suzy squeezes her fingers were almost frozen with nerves.

"You seem so nervous?" Minho asked, he actually pay attention to Suzy in silence.

Suzy looked up and by accident, her eyes met with Minho. She immediately looked away. "No, I  just- I guess I have to go, I had to go back to school." she said after looking at her watch on her left wrist.

But Minho made her stay with his words, "Is a glass of orange juice isn’t enough to keep you here?"

Suzy was silent.

"No wonder these days I like to see you standing in front of my house, I guess it's just my hallucinations but it's really you." Minho chuckled.

His laughter brings peace to Suzy. After hearing that voice, she felt more relieved and calm. Presumably he wasn’t mad at her anymore. Maybe. "The conversation we had before.. are you still mad at me?" Suzy asked. Her heart couldn’t wait much longer to find out Minho's true feelings.

"How could I be angry with you?"

"But you're avoiding me," Suzy looked down. Instantly, she felt the bitter feeling that she felt the past month bothering her. "You're not returning my calls, do not reply to my message, you don’t want to see me."

The conversation then turned into a tense serious conversation.

Minho smiled slightly, "I didn’t mean to avoid you, I just need time to think. If you think I'm avoiding you, I'm sorry."

"Our last conversation.. could you forget it? I don’t want to burden you, after all I've been thinking carefully, we don’t need to get married as soon as possible. We're both still young and still have many dreams that we have to achieve, I also don’t want to-" Suzy stopped talking when she felt Minho touch her hand.

That touch makes Suzy paralyzed in a matter of seconds. The touch was so warm and soothing. She felt that her heart that was frozen is now melting, all anxiety and bad feelings also increasingly disappearing due to the touch. But the touch is also makes her tears running down to her cheeks.

"Calm down." he said softly, holding Suzy's hand between his both hands.

Suzy tears exploded just because the words were out of his mouth. She almost died because she miss his voice, also miss his gaze, also miss his touch, also miss all that Minho always do to her. And she was calm as she could get the attention of Minho again today. She could continue her life again after this.

"I miss you .." Suzy said softly.

"I miss you too."

Suzy wipe her tears, "Please forget about this issue and promise me you will not avoid me anymore. I can’t without you." she said.

This time Minho who looks restless. Now he bowed his head and slowly, he took off the hands of Suzy. His attitude then made Suzy worried. That feeling even escalated when Minho said to her, "But I can’t with you again, Suzy."

"W-why?"

"I know that all of this will happen every time, either yesterday, today, tomorrow, or the next day and I've been thinking about it. Suzy, we will not be together again. As you know, my focus is- "

"Sulli, right? I know it, and I don’t mind. We can take care of Sulli together, I also will protect Sulli like you did. I can do it as long as you're there beside me. "

"You don’t understand, Suzy. I've spent a dozen years to protect her and it's not an easy thing. I.. I don’t want you wasting your time on things that are not your responsibility," Minho staring deeply into the eyes of Suzy, "You have a good life, Suzy, and your future could be better if you are not with me. I'm just going to hinder your life and I don’t want that to happen. " he continued.

"But I would be worse off without you .. My life .. My future .. I see you in my future. I also don’t force you to make me your main focus. Sulli... I know the situation and I understand,"

"I still can’t. Sooner or later, you may feel left out and I don’t want you sad, I don’t want you to be the second. My life is spinning just for me and Sulli, even Hara, my biological sister, often feel marginalized. I don’t want you feel like it. Suzy, this is the best way for us. "

Tears flowed from the eyes of Suzy. The girl then leaned back in her chair and stared at the empty table in front of her. She knew Minho still love her. That's why he wanted to break up with her. That's all for her own good. Meanwhile, Minho staring at Suzy's face. Hoping she could understands exactly what Minho wanted to do.

-

"Are you thirsty?" Sulli said to Robbie, her rabbit doll. "Wait a minute, I'll get you a drink. Would you like milk or coffee? I think you should drink milk because Minho said that milk is good for growth. You want to grow healthy like me, right? Then you have to drink milk, Robbie." Sulli took the cup in front of her and stood up and walked out of the room.

She has her own world. When she is in the house, she could feel like she is in anywhere else. When she with Robbie, she could feel like she with the others. Her world seemed so amazing and special, but unfortunately, none of those who could understand her world.

Sulli was coming down the stairs and suddenly stopped, she looked left and right and said when she realized that the house was very quiet, "Where is Minho? Where's Hara? They leave me? Ahh, they're always do that." she went back down stairs and jumping around like a rabbit up to the kitchen.

She was opening the fridge when suddenly she felt someone pass behind her. Sulli looked back, there was nobody. Her attention back to the fridge, she bent down and look for a carton of milk from it. And she felt someone behind her back through.

Sulli looked back, "Robbie, is that you?" Sulli said.

But there was no answer. Of course, there was nobody there. There's nobody in the house except her.

"Minho, is that you? Hara?" her face turned pale. She closed the fridge before she could find a box of milk she was looking for. She was stepping into the dining room and put the cup she was carrying on the table. "Minho .. Hara .." she called out in a trembling voice.

She began to fear.

Didn’t find anyone in the dining room, Sulli switch to the living room. She almost ran to get there because she felt someone following behind. She was hiding behind the sofa and then peered toward the dining room.

"Who are you?" she shouted at the dark figure emerged from behind the wall. "Don’t come any closer! Do not!" she got up and ran towards the window and sat in the corner of the room.

"Get away from me! Do not hurt me, please! Do not move! Minho ... Minho, help me! Aarghh ..."

None of them understand about her world.

-

Because there is no food in the house, that's why Hara out of the house. It's already time for lunch, and she was hungry. But she doesn’t go too long, about thirty minutes or more, less than one hour. After that, she returned to the house with food for Sulli after she satisfied eating at the restaurant near the house.

Without any warning, she entered without suspecting anything. She pushed the door in and stared in amazement of all the chaos in the house. She was sure there is no earthquake when she leave, but the situation was so terrible. In the living room, magazines and papers strewn on the floor, the vase also has now transformed into bits of glass.

"What's going on?" she asked in apparent confusion.

Hara went to the kitchen. In the kitchen, there are not much different. Various kinds of food box looks all over the floor, also with the rest of the food. In the dining room, the chairs are not in their place. Napkins, forks, and spoons that are usually arranged on tables spread around the room.

Hara clenched her teeth, "That idiot ..."

She was like a volcano about to explode. Her eyes bulged, doesn’t stop swearing, she headed for a girl who is tossed her with plastic cups and plates angrily. Arriving on the second floor of the house, she immediately opened Sulli's door room.

"You! What'd you do, you idiot?" however, her jaw dropped to the floor when she saw the girl curled up in the corner of the room with a blanket over her legs. "Sulli?" she stepped in with extreme caution.

Sulli looks chaotic. She sat curled up, hugging her knees and buried her face between her knees. Hara was convinced that she was crying. Sulli looked up. Her eyes swollen after crying, she looked very frightened. She was like a lamb that is hiding from the lion who could pounce at any time. Or maybe, she's worse than that.

"Sulli, are you okay?"

"Don’t move! Get away from me! Please don’t hurt me! Don’t hurt me!" she whispered.

"No, I will not hurt you ..." said Hara. She lost his words. She was so worried after seeing the state of Sulli. Suddenly she remembered something, "Minho, I should call him."

Hara ran out of the room and down the stairs. She did not know what happened, but she was very worried, especially after seeing such Sulli. Minho has not lifted the phone. Hara biting her nails when she saw the mess in the living room with horror. Something really bad must have happened.

"Minho, where are you? ... Sulli... Something bad happened."

-

Suzy sip of her orange juice until not a drop left in the glass. They didn’t say a word after Minho finish his last sentence. He stirred his coffee with a spoon, focusing on his machiato.

"You said you wouldn’t let go of my hand before I let you go, but if this happens.. it means the promise isn’t valid." Suzy sounded very hurt.

"I'm sorry ..."

The word 'sorry' was such a slap to her. Suzy stared into his eyes, she can usually easily find a warm in it. But today is not as usual, what makes his eyes seem so cold and strange.

"If at that time I didn’t say it, we might not be sitting here like this, right? Although later we will remain separate, at least I still have time to be with you a little longer, right?"

Their memories stepped back into the event last month. At that time, Minho picked her up after she finished teaching in kindergarten. They go out at the same coffee shop today, they were also sitting in the same place as today, and they also ordered the same menu as today. What is different is that they are not overwhelmed with grief as today. They were lots of smiles, lots of laughs, and lots of talk. Until Suzy finally delivered a shocking news.

Suzy parents set her up with another guy.

Their laughter end up there. Minho didn’t know what to do, it's really beyond expected. But apparently, Suzy has prepared a plan, she asked Minho to marry her. It should not be a problem considering their relationship has been running for two years, but, Minho is different. He can’t do anything they want. And since then, their relationship that was filled with joy ended.

"That may be, but.. I'll be more worried about you later. If we're still together, the more painful for you when we break up later."

Again, she was stricken with the words. Suzy looked emotionally, she wants to fight but didn’t have any energy left. She opened his mouth, but not a single word that comes out.

Ring .. Ring ..

Minho’s phone rang.

Minho glanced at the screen and saw his home phone number. That must of Hara, he thought. Presumably she would complain or yell so that Minho to go home because she couldn’t take it home. He wanted to turn off the phone, but first Suzy told him to pick up the phone.

"Hello ..."

He blinked. For a moment, he didn’t move, only his heart which was beating faster than normal, while his body organs stunned by what he had just heard.

"Minho, what is it?" Suzy asked, she changing worried because Minho speechless.

Minho got up from his chair and ran out of the coffee shop. He ran. Very fast. The tramp of his feet as racing with his heartbeat that will explode.

"Minho!" Suzy called who then followed him running down the streets. But over time, her footsteps stopped after Minho ran further and further until no longer visible. She is enough to understand the state of Minho.

No one is able to make him forget everything, except one person.

-

Her face made him down. The last time Minho see Hara fear and anxiety at the same time is when their mother died, and today that expression appears again. Hara greeted him at the door of their house, and told him all the things she knows. They then moved to the second floor, next to Sulli's room.

"I called you and when I got back she had locked the door. I've been looking for a key reserve but I could not find it." Hara explained.

Minho knocked on her door. "Sulli, Sulli .., it's me. Open the door, Ssul, It's me  Minho." but no sound of anything that came from inside. It makes Minho increasingly worried. He also rapped on the door harder. "Sulli, open the door!" he shouted.

"How is this?" Hara biting her finger.

"Step aside, I'll break down the door." Minho said to Hara while pointing to a safe place. Then, he stepped back a few steps. He focus his eyes on the wooden door and then ran and slammed his body on the doors that finally open after a loud thump sound on the air.

Minho almost fell to the floor after that, but he re-balanced. He immediately moved quickly to find Sulli around the room, but the girl disappeared somewhere. Minho make sure the windows are locked. "Where is she?" he asked.

"Minho, see!"

Minho turned around and approached Hara who standing near the cabinet. The door was slightly open and almost all Sulli clothes scattered on the floor. Minho opened the cabinet with a trembling hand. And his heart fell when he saw his sister hid inside it. She sat hugging her knees inside. Some clothes she used to cover her body. Her eyes were closed. It seems she fell asleep, or maybe fainted from lack of oxygen.

"Sulli ..." Minho calling softly. "Hara, call a taxi. We go to the hospital now." he command at Hara.

Hara nodded and quickly go.

With extreme caution, Minho get Sulli out of the cabinet. Then he brought Sulli with both hands. "God, please protect her." Minho pray.

Sulli head leaning on his chest. In each step, Minho could feel the warm of her breath on his chest. It was like a breath is the energy in order to keep his heart beating. He was grateful for the breath was still there and he will continue to make the girl in his arms to keep breathing. Because when her breath disappears, his heartbeat may also be disappearing.

-

Through a small glass at the entrance to the room, he observed Sulli are lying in bed. In the back of her hands, there is a small hose that became a way for intravenous fluids to flow into her body. The eyes still closed. But another pair of eyes aren’t tired to keep awake to watch her from outside the room.

Hara sat on the bench provided along the hospital corridor. She leaned her head on the wall and same as Sulli, she is also closed her eyes. She must be very tired because she kept with Minho since they arrived at the hospital.

Minho walked over and sat down beside her. He gently shook her arm, and in an instant, Hara awakened.

"Is she awake?" Hara said, wiping her eyes were still heavy.

Minho shook his head accompanied with a slight smile. "You can go home, take a shower and rest. You must be very tired." Minho caress the head of Hara.

"But, Sulli ..."

"You can come back tomorrow if you want. I'll stay here, is it okay?"

Hara nodded, "I'll be here again tomorrow and bring you food. You should have enough time to rest too, okay."

"Okay. Just go home, don’t make me worry because you go home too late."

Hara walked unevenly toward the entrance of Sulli's room. She saw the girl from the glass and said goodbye, "Hey idiot, hurry up! Do not make my brother keep worry about you! Hurry up so I can scold at you again, understand?" she said although she knew Sulli will not be able to hear it.

But Minho can. And he is not angry because she called Sulli 'idiot'. He knows that at in her heart, exactly there is a special place that allows her to hate Sulli but still pay attention to Sulli also.

-

The sun rises again.

The sound of birds chirping faintly audible through the window in the room. The sunlight bursts in through the windows, shining with a man who faithfully waiting for his sister who has not been awake since yesterday. His handsome figure shining in the sun. He sat next to the bed, his fingers interlocked as if to pray, his eyes closed and his lips recited prayers for the healing of his sister.

"God, please protect her .."

"Lord, please make her awake .."

"God, please .."

"God, please help us .."

Klek.

Sound of the door knob is rotated make his eyes open. Two people who are very familiar figure came into the room and greeted him kindly. They are Taeyeon and Leeteuk. After greeting Minho, Taeyeon immediately gave him a lunch box and then she sat on the edge of the bed and Sulli's hair as she greeted her, "How are you today?" she smiled.

"Let's eat!" Leeteuk said.

Minho nodded. Leeteuk first came out the room and then Minho followed behind carrying a lunch box that given by Taeyeon. They both sat on the couch and start chatting. Minho only answer potluck, opening his lunch box.

"I've met with Dr. Kim. He said, she was tired and a little surprised. Actually what happened?" Leeteuk asked.

Minho shook his head as he ate his breakfast, "I'm not at home, Hara called me and when I came back.. she's already like that."

"Taeyeon's told me about the incident a few days ago," Leeteuk took a deep breath, "Minho, I think you should really think about mental rehabilitation for her." Leeteuk said at last.