“Why did you suggest to go back?” Seungyoon asks while everyone is organizing their things. Now that they were downstairs and away from Haneul, he could finally get a clear answer from Mino without him mincing his words.  

“She isn’t getting better.” Mino replies while making sure things wouldn’t get left behind. It would be a hassle to return. “At this point, I think us being with her is just harming her more.”

“Isn’t it just you that would harm her?” Jiyong retorts.

“We can also help Haneul here.” Taehyun interjects. 

“Let’s not play the blame game.” Mino looks at Jiyong pointedly before answering Taehyun. “I just think she should be with her own kind.”

“Kind?” Seungyoon repeats before realizing. “I hadn’t thought about that.”

He and the others always figured Haneul was one of them. Though, there are rare moments that would make him more conscious of the fact of their differences. 

“Will I carry Miss Haneul back?” Big Seunghyun asks.

“No, you can knock her out and I can take her.” Mino says instead. 

Seeing how Mino had made up his mind, no one objected to his idea. They supposed he would throw a tantrum if they were to say anything otherwise. 

Seungyoon also makes a decision. “Then, we’ll leave first thing in the morning.”

***

Gently setting her in her bed, Mino carefully watched for a change in her expression. Cautiously, he placed the comforter over her body while hoping she’ll have a restful sleep for once. 

Straightening up, he looked around her bedroom. 

It’s been a few weeks but it certainly felt like they were gone forever. 

Since the few weeks were characterized by threats to her life. Heading to the little window, Mino slips his hand into his pocket to take out the Hawthorn plant he had made sure he didn’t leave behind and placed it on the sill. 

Quietly leaving the apartment, he runs into Seunghoon and Mr. Yang out in the hall. He met up with his friend, who was standing just right in front of him while Mr. Yang looked like he had gone back to his landlord duties. It was like he hadn’t even left. 

“What are you doing here?”

“I’m first shift.” Seunghoon responds. “To watch over Haneul.”

“Why did no one tell me?”

“Because you would have argued to get first shift.” Seunghoon points out. “And right now, we all know it isn’t safe to leave you two alone together.”

Mino was still in disbelief – they left him out on purpose? “So, what does first shift entail?”

“Sleeping over.”

A scoff tumbles out of his lips. “If you think I’m going to let that happen, you’re out of your mind.“

“Do not create a ruckus.” Mr. Yang warned without offering them his attention. 

While trying to focus back on his task of observing, the older man couldn’t escape his thoughts. Now that he is back, it almost feels like he didn’t really leave. Or, that he came back from some vacation. It was too normal – too unusual. 

***

A groan hits the air as the knocking on the bedroom window grew more frequent and louder. Sitting up in a start, his eyes shift over to where the sound was coming from. 

Hanbin freezes. 

From behind the curtains, he could make out a shadow of a person. From his seventh-floor bedroom window. 

Somehow finding courage in the midst of the confusion, Hanbin creeps over and pulls his curtains aside to reveal the explanation behind the sounds. There, staring back at him was Mino. 

With some annoyance on his features, Mino motions him to hurry and open the glass. And obediently, Hanbin does so. Things were getting more confusing by the second.

“…Why are you here?”

“I don’t have any way to contact you – let me come in.”

“Do I actually say the words?” 

“Kid, hurry up.”

“Oh! Uh – come in.” Stepping aside, Mino slips inside and lands lightly on his feet. “So, why are you here?” He asks the guest once more. 

“Remember what you told me yesterday?”

Hanbin stared at Mino dumbly. “We said a lot of things yesterday so I’m not sure which…” His voice nearly drops down to a whisper.

“You said you’ll help Haneul any way that you can.” Mino kindly reminds him.

“Right – yes, I do remember.”

“Haneul is back at her apartment now, make sure you keep her company sometime.”

Hanbin had never been at her apartment and it was strange to suddenly intrude the privacy of her home. “Would that be okay?”

“Bring your friends too.”

“But, is that okay?” Hanbin hurriedly asks.

“No sleepovers though – that’s my first and only warning.”

“But, is it –“ Before he could get the rest of his words out, Mino had disappeared out the same way he had entered. “I guess it’s okay.” He sighs to himself. 

He is starting to realize that Mino doesn’t like to answer questions. 

***

I don’t care what happens to me after this, even if it’s the last thing I do. 

Slowly, Haneul comes to and after gently opening her eyes, she finds herself back in her bed. It felt so unreal that even as she sat up to look around, it took seconds before she realized that she was actually home. 

Looking towards the window where the sunlight was streaming in, her current thought is temporarily forgotten when her eyes zeroed in on the small plant sitting idly on the window sill. 

First question was how it got there but it didn’t take long to figure it out. Really, it took seconds. 

Sliding out of bed, she decided to look around the home that she had been away from. Besides the dust that accumulated in different parts of the apartment, everything looked the way it should. 

Well, almost.

“Seunghoon?”

Holding up some take out, he motioned her over to the kitchen table. “Let’s eat.”

She wonders how long he had been hanging around in her home. Hesitating, Haneul looked for the time – “I don’t have much of an appetite right now.” She softly offered him an answer.

Nodding his head, he doesn’t respond right away. “Why don’t you call your parents?”

That was sudden. “My parents?”

“it’s been a while since you’ve spoken to them, correct?”

Haneul nods her head. She has thought about contacting them before but how would they understand what she’s going through? These weren’t normal young-adult-kind-of-issues. But, seeing Seunghoon was right, she returns to her bedroom for her cell phone.

Sitting upon her bed, she brings the phone up to her ear and waits for an answer – 

“Mom?” She calls out the moment she hears a click. For some reason, she is overwhelmed with ner