That day came sooner than Rachel had expected. Even as Jonghyun carried her luggage out of the doorway, Rachel felt as though she was leaving part of herself in the house, specifically to the man staying in the room on the right on the second floor. She wondered if he knew that she was leaving. Shaking her head, Rachel decided to stiffen her spine and not dragged her feet anymore. Why should she bother about him when he did not even bother about her?

"Remember, Rachel. No word to the outside world."

As much as she grew to like Jonghyun as a friend, he was starting to annoy her with those words.

"Yes.. Yes.. Mother." Sticking her tongue out, she continued. "No words to the outside world. Not to friends. Not to family."

"Haha.. Okay.. Okay.. Sorry.. I get your point. No more talking about those things. Um, Rachel.. One more thing before we go. It's okay if you want to stay with your friends up to one week. I don't think the house will go to ruins if you are not here. Go and rest, refresh your mind and your soul and come back anew. I think you need it. Just make sure to call me when you are ready to come back. I know it hurts but I did warn you."

"Huh? How... How did you know?"

"Girl, I saw your eyes that day. You were devastated when he left. I knew something had happened between the two of you but it's not my place to question you. As I mentioned before, he... he had gone through alot lately, so it's kind of complicated. Just know that whatever is left of his heart makes it hard for him to accept another. As a friend, I do not want to see you hurt, okay? Take this time to remove him or even replace him in your heart."

Rachel knew what Jonghyun was trying to tell her, but to hear it straight from his mouth, doesn't make the pain any less hurtful. Tears flowing down her cheeks, she simply nodded to him. Before she stepped into the car, she turned to look at the house for the last time. A slight movement of the curtains made her heart leap for a moment, only for it to come crashing down, for it was not HIS room. It must have been the wind rustling against the curtains. Had she turned around again in the car, she would have seen Taemin holding up the curtains with one hand while clutching his heart with another.

--------------------------------------------

"Crash... Boom."

"Crash... Boom." With a gasp, Rachel suddenly woke up from her sleep.

"Rachel.. Rachel, honey. Are you okay? Want to sleep beside me?" Gwiboon asked while rubbing her tired eyes. She knew her friend, Rachel, was afraid of thunderstorms and knew that she need someone to comfort her.

"Gwiboon. I... I need to go... I need to go now."

"Rachel.. Where? Where would you want to go in this thunderstorm? It's late, darling. Come. Let's go to sleep."

Quickly wearing her clothes, Rachel knew that she would not be persuaded otherwise. She could feel it in her heart. Taemin needs her. HE NEEDS HER NOW.... Something is causing pain to him and she can't bear it, knowing that he's hurting.

"Sorry, Gwiboon. I... I have to go. I'll explain to you another day but I have to go now."

Braving the storm, Rachel waited in the rain for several minutes before hailing an empty taxi. She clutched her bag tightly till her knuckles turned white, trying not to relive that awful memory of the accident on a similar night a few years ago. By some miracle from high above, Rachel managed to arrive at her destination in one piece. Looking at the mansion though, it looked foreboding in this storm at night. Rachel almost told the taxi driver to u-turn and send her back in the opposite direction, but a pull on her heart propelled her to move forward.

Pushing the door, she heard it creaked loudly in the silence of the house.Rachel knew where her final destination was, but she could not have imagined what she saw when she turned the door handle. Taemin was lying in the middle of his room with bottles of liquor surrounding him. His once neat room had been thrown in a disarray, with books and papers all over the floor. Upon hearing her footsteps, he looked up and started to laugh... 

"Minjung... Is this your idea of a cruel joke? Was it so boring in heavens that you would make me to have hallucinations of her?"

Minjung.. Rachel wondered who was that person whose name came out from his lips so easily. Pushing aside a tinge of jealousy, Rachel just stood near him while keeping quiet.

Taking a big gulp from the bottle that he was holding, Taemin continued... "Why.. Why. Why did I ever listen to my mother? I'm.. I'm sorry.." he sobbed. "If I hadn't been so stupid and cowardly, we would have been a happy family. You, me and our baby inside you.. You wouldn't be in that bus.. You wouldn't have died....I should have stand firm and say no to my mother..."

Rachel felt wetness over her cheeks, not realizing that she had started to cry on hearing the heartbreaking confession that had been torturing Taemin all these while. Taemin paused in the middle of his self-wallowing and turned towards Rachel.

"Minjung. Isn't it funny? Just as I thought my heart died when you died, I saw an angel. For a moment, I lost myself in her eyes. And now, it hurts when she left me. But how can I make her stay? How can I make her love me when I am a murderer? I killed you, Minjung..I killed our baby.. I'm sorry... I'm sorry..."

"I can't get rid of her, Minjung.. I tried.. I really tried but she kept coming back to my mind..Even now.." His right hand came up to grasp Rachel's own before he pulled her closer to wrap his arms around her. "I must be hallucinating, Minjung.. I can even feel her warmth.. Hahaha.. God must have finally fulfilled my wish.. I must be going crazy..."

Rachel decided she heard enough. Taemin had suffered greatly and it's time for him to heal. Reluctantly, she removed his arms from her waist and knelt down in front of him to cup his face.

"Taemin..It's me, Rachel. I'm really here. I'm not part of your hallucination. See, I'm holding you now. Hallucinations can't do that."

"Rach.. Rachel.. You? You are really here?" Taemin asked in a small voice. "I'm not dreaming..?"

Rachel shook her head, lowering to kiss his lips. Upon the slight contact, Taemin immediately tightened his hold on her and started raining kisses on her face. "Oh, God.. Rachel.." "I'm sorry.. I'm so sorry.. I didn't mean to hurt you.. I wanted you so much but I'm scared.. What if you hate me after knowing about me? I killed my family.. "

As much as Rachel didn't want him to stop, she knew that she would need Taemin to realize that he was not the one who was responsible for their deaths. To put the past behind them was be the only way for them to be together. Moving away from him to snuggle against him, Rachel asked the question that was in her mind ever since she heard the name.