(Listen to: Still here by Digital Daggers)

Jong Kook look at the monitor as Sung Joon silently enter the room. Ji Hyo was painting by the window as he walked behind her.

Sung Joon thought carefully as he walked behind Ji Hyo. Because Jong Kook didn’t report Ji Hyo’s self-harm condition, he will have to break his principle today: not to force the patient.

He will have to push to the extremes today or else she will continue to harm herself. Sung Joon walked behind her as she was painting.

“What are you painting?” He asked her. Ji Hyo immediately stood up and backed away from him. He looked at the painting. It was a painting of the sun. “The sun?” He look at her as she gripped the paint brush tightly.

“Nneh…” she whispered.

“Are you a fan of Taeyang from Bigbang?” (Taeyang is similar to ‘sun’ in Korean) He smiled and gesture to sit down again.

She fidgeted before sitting again as he stood behind her. She gripped the paint brush tightly and kept looking behind her as he stood there.

“Can you… not stand behind me?” She turn to him. “It’s uncomfortable.” He nodded and moved to the side. She reached for the paint and started painting again. There was a big yellow sun and wavelength of the wind blowing and clouds.

She was too focus that she didn’t see him walking back behind her to the door.

Click! The door lock. She turn back immediately. He smiled faintly. “I’m just testing the door.” Ji Hyo grew wary and turn back. She bit her lips nervously as she heard his footsteps coming nearer.

Clank, clank, clank. It stopped then continue, slowly. The sound got louder as there was only silence. The lights turned off. Ji Hyo immediately stood up as she messed up the painting with a quick .

Jong Kook gripped his fist as the lights turn off but the recording was still going with the night vision. He was worried, this must be what Doctor Bang Sung Joon was talking about.

Ji Hyo turn around and sees a shadow walking slowly to her. She backed up, making the painting fall flat as she stepped on the mini canvas.

Her heart was thundering in her chest and she was trying to calm down but it kept coming nearer. Her back hit a wall as the shadow charge at her.

She saw Sung Joon’s face through the gaps of light. His face was stone cold and serious, no longer friendly. He stopped before her and put his hands on both side of the wall to block her. He looked at her from head to toe, then a small smirk hinted. She almost held her breath.

“You are so beautiful.” He whispered. “I know now, why every man wants you.” He lean forward as her eyes widen. “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of you.” He moved his hand to her face.

Ji Hyo felt her legs go jelly. She held her breath as his hand got closer and closer to her face.

*Flashback*

“I should be asking you that question.’ Bolin scooted her until she hit the wall. ‘Why are YOU here?!” he shouted at her, making her jump. He slammed his arms to block her from moving from the wall.

*Flashback

Ji Hyo pushed him with all her strength and tried to run as Sung Joon pulled her arm. She bit him and yelped. She tried to run again but trip as the room was too dark. He stood before her as she looked up.

“You can’t leave me.” Sung Joon creepily stare at her. “I won’t let you.” He reached for her and she kicked him. She tried to crawl up by the small sofa but he pulled her foot. She kicked back immediately and harshly without thinking. All she wants is to leave now. She can’t stay any longer. Where is Jong Kook???

She grabbed a pen from the table as her hands scramble around it. She turn around and tried to stab him with it. He dodged and back up. He grabbed her hand carefully and took the pen out of her hand. She used that chance to shove Sung Joon on the ground. There, she ran blindly towards the door.

“Run!” a voice called. “Run!”

“You are mine!” he yelled and went after her. Ji Hyo reached the door and scramble to open it. She couldn’t open it and screamed for help, pounding on the door. Sung Joon turned her around and she screamed in his face.

Jong Kook ran out of the recording room while the assistants tried to stop him. He forced his way out. This session was going too far.

Sung Joon flicked on the lights as Ji Hyo leaned on the door and they fought hand to hand and he tried to stop her from hitting him.

“Ji Hyo-ssi.” he tried to talk to her. “Song Ji Hyo-ssi. Calm down.” Sung Joon held her still as she started crying. He crossed her hands and held her tight.

“Look at me, Ji Hyo-ssi. Look at me.” She glared at him with tears streaming down her face. “Breathe. Slowly breathe. Inhale, exhale.” He tried to help her. She followed it but still tried to release her hands from his.

“This was how he did it right?” Sung Joon asked her, making Ji Hyo faze. “This is how he you right?” Ji Hyo froze. He nodded as her silence confirm it. “Who? Who did this to you?” Sung Joon asked as Ji Hyo’s eyes became blurry.

“Open the door!” Jong Kook pounded from the other side. “Bang Sung Joon! Song Ji Hyo! Open the door right now! Don’t stop me! Open up!” He yelled outside. Ji Hyo looked at the pounding door.

Sung Joon let go of her hands and gripped her shoulder. “Song Ji Hyo, who did this to you?” She couldn’t answer. Jong Kook kept yelling outside. She got up and try to open the door hysterically. Sung Joon push her by the wall.

“Let go of me!” She tried to push him but his grip was tight.

“Can’t you hear him calling for you?!” he raised his voice over hers. “There is someone who is trying to save you, someone who is worried about you right outside that door. Are you going to open it and run out? And do what? Jump off a building, cut your wrist like you did, or drown yourself?! Wake up and listen carefully! There is someone out there that wants you to recover and be safe. He can stop you from harming yourself but he can’t you stop you every time.” He let go of her shoulders and stepped back.

“You decide… Face your fears and destroy them or run to them and let it devour you.” He looked at her seriously, although he is anticipating for an answer. Ji Hyo looked at the ground and slumped down to the floor and cried, shaking her head.

*Flash

She overdose on the pills, she slit her wrist under the shower, drowning herself in the tub… Jong Kook was always there to stop her. He saved her from the elevator full of reporters and fans. He carried her out to the car as anti-fans ran after them. He saved her from those thugs and pulled her in his chest, stopping the reporters from discovering them, carrying her to the elevator. Jong Kook camping in her living room, and them breaking each others things to payback. He shoved her out of the way as the swan sculpture fell and crushed to millions of pieces. He tried to aid her hand but she pull away. The way he look at her at the hospital, she sleeping in his arms as he tell her good morning, make sure she was safe. The times they laugh over the photo albums, her sleeping in his lap as he hummed to her, patting her back. The time he walked in the dark room and held her, the way he pull her out of the water and hugged her.

*Flashback*

“I… I love you… Don’t leave me… It hurts” Jong Kook’s words  and the image of his happy and sad face echoed to her as she held her head and cried nonstop.

The door blew open as Jong Kook push through and hugged her.

“Ji Hyo!” He gather her in his chest and whispered apologies over and over again. He kissed her head multiple times and patted her back. She cried in his arms, he was there for her all the time. She ran her arms and hugged him back, gripping his back as she put her head on his shoulder.

****

“Are you ready?” Sung Joon asked.

Ji Hyo laid on the chair in a sleeping position as Jong Kook gripped her hand.

“We can stop it anytime today and rest for tomorrow. We can-“

“No.” Ji Hyo stated. “I-I have to do this… now.” She gripped his hand back. He nodded warily and gripped her hand.

“I’ll be right here, next to you. Don’t be scare, alright?” and she nodded as he let go of her hand.

Sung Joon stood in front of her with a watch. “Focus on the watch.” Ji Hyo let her eyes follow the watch as it swing back and forth from side to side. “When I count to three, you will close your eyes and go back through time.”

“3…2…1…” Ji Hyo’s eyes droop and closed, as her vision turn dark.

Darkness surrounds and warps her. She opens her eyes and is in the car. She got up as the car had stop. She got off the car, meeting a neighborhood in front of her.

“Come here sweetie.” the lady called her, her mother. Her mother reach out but she saw another girl walked hand in hand with her mom to greet another man. Her stepfather. They smiled and walked through the neighborhood to the house. She stopped at the stairs. Turning to the right, she saw some red marks there.

“What do you see?” Sung Joon asked.

“I see… some letters.” Her fingers trace the red marks on the wall.

“What does it say?” Sung Joon asked.

“I… miss you…” Ji Hyo answered.

“Where are you?”

Ji Hyo climbed the stairs and follow the path… to the house.

“H-home…” She sees the medium size house with a gate, a front porch.

“Fast forward the time. Where are you?”

Ji Hyo moved in time lapse and was in a dark room. She sees a girl leaning her head against the wall.

“In a dark room.”

“What do you see?”

“A girl… a young girl…”

“What do you hear?”

Ji Hyo moved to the wall and did the same thing the girl did.

Ding… ding ding.

“Music… soft music… a music box…”

Suddenly time warp and she was at the road again. The sky was dark, night time.  She was standing there looking at the person at the stairway. He got up and turn to her, a young teenage boy. In his hand was the music box, his eyes were teary as he look at her, shocked. then she was in front of him as he gave her the music box back. She looked as his face as it came to focus. Bolin. It was the teenage Bolin.

He pulled her into his arms. He was crying. Why?

“Don’t go.” He whispered with his cracking voice as he sniffed. “Don’t throw me away.”

Ji Hyo was so shock.

“Song Ji Hyo-ssi.” Sung Joon called. “Where are you now? Can you hear me?” She didn’t answer.

“Go ahead and cry out loud. I won’t call you a crybaby.” Ji Hyo told him. With no control over her own voice, she said that to him. Why did she say that to him???

Suddenly he look up at her, his eyes weary and red. He pushed her on the ground and hovered over hers before violating her. Her screams filled the whole room.

In reality, Ji Hyo clenched tightly onto the seat, hyperventilating.

“Song Ji Hyo-ssi, can you hear me? Answer me. Where are you? Who is with you?”

‘Is it because we are step-siblings?’ Tears reached the brim of his eyes. ‘Or is it because of Il Kook?’ She stared at him with her puppy eyes, so scared, not knowing what to do. ‘Answer me!’ He shouted.

“Song Ji Hyo-ssi.” Sung Joon try to call her.

“My stepbrother.”

“Who is you step brother? What did he do?” Sung Joon and Jong Kook anticipated the answer.

“Chen Bolin… my stepbrother… me.” Her voice crack. Jong Kook, uneasily stare in anger, clenching his fist as Sung Joon observed him.

Il Kook… Il Kook… the name grew so familiar with her.

“Can you remember me now?” the voice came back.

Suddenly time stopped, it rewind as Bolin let go of her shoulders, they walked backwards out of the woods, Bolin handing her a piece of bread while smiling, she hugged Bolin as he cried on her shoulders by the stairs, it stopped at a rainy playground.

“Transferee.” the teenage boy called her. “Number 27 in room 3A.” she looked up at him, his moving lips, and her ears listening well to him. “Miss Mong.” He called her nickname.

“Cheon Seong Im.” He concluded, she was anticipating what he was going to say. “You are more than just a friend to me.” She opened her eyes in surprise, still listening.

“I lied. I like you. I like you very much, so much it hurts to pretend I don’t hurt when you get hurt. I don’t want to just be the wind to you. I want to be by your side. So, will you…go to the States with me?” he sincerely asked her. His words echo to her, his face came into focus finally.

Her eyes widen in surprise.

‘Run!’ the voice called her. ‘Don’t ever look back! Run!’ But she couldn’t. Her body stopped and turned around. Ji Hyo turned around and sees the teenage boy standing in front of a door, blocking it. He was stabbed by Bolin.

She wanted to run back to him but he turned to her, blocked the entrance of the door as red blood gushed down from his chest, and yelled one last time.

“R-run!” before he fell down and hit the floor. Bolin pulled the boy’s body away and crept out of the door slowly. A deadly, cold smirk on his face as blood was stain on his hands and shirt.

Time rewind once more.

The boy ran to her as with the most angelic smile she has ever seen.

“I’m Il Kook. Song Il Kook.” His angelic smile pierced her heart.

“Song Ji Hyo-ssi.” Sung Joon called her. Jong Kook gripped onto his fist.

“When I’m not around, if you feel the wind blowing, then that will be me.” He turn to her and recited it clearly. “If I die, I want to become the wind.”

They were happy, so happy together. Tears reached the brim of Ji Hyo’s eye as her brows furrowed. She and him… Il Kook… they were in love. Young love…

Suddenly time warp.

“When I count to 3, you will wake up.” Sung Joon told her.

Ji Hyo was sleeping on the bed in the dark room. Her hands and feet were locked up. Her stomach started to hurt, excruciating pain over her body. She yelled and scream as she curled in the bed.

“3…” Sung Joon counted.

Ji Hyo’s stomach was hurting badly. Her body twisted and turn as she tried to swallow the pain.

“…2…”

Her vision turned dark and the world spinned.

“…1…”

She heard a sound before her eyes open back to reality.

Jong Kook ran to Ji Hyo’s side as he held onto her hand. A tear ran down the corner of her eyes as she look at the ceiling.

“Are you alright, Ji Hyo-ssi?” Sung Joon asked her as he came to her side. “What did you hear? What did you see?”

She turn her head to him as Jong Kook held her hand tightly in his, assuring her that she is safe.

“I heard…” their ears perked up.

“A baby crying…” their eyes widen at her. Ji Hyo stare at them as more tears run down her face.

“My stomach was hurting…. and I heard a baby crying…”

****