"Close your eyes."

Cheng Xiao couldn't be happier or more excited to comply.

As she closed her eyes, she felt a hand touch her arm, guiding her to stand up and then walk a few steps. Cheng Xiao tried to catch a very discrete glimpse ahead, only to notice Eunseo's other hand hovering in front of her eyes, to secure the block on her vision.  

"Keep them closed! Just a little bit longer." Eunseo said as she let go of her arm.

Cheng Xiao could hear a few of Eunseo's footsteps and movements, but she didn't have the slightest clue what she might be up to. The tingling in her stomach kept on intensifying as the reveal was approaching.

"Okay." Eunseo exhaled. "You can open your eyes."

In front of her was Eunseo, with her infectious bright smile on, arms reaching sideways. She sort of resembled a magician's assistant presenting the next trick. Except it wasn't really a trick she was showcasing.

"Oh my... Eunseo!" Cheng Xiao drew her hands to . Not that she had even thought of what it could be, but this she didn't expect at all. A tear started to form in the corner of her eye.

She was still frozen in place, admiring the aquarium in front of her. There were about 20 very small fish on it, of 5 different kinds – although it would be hard to tell them apart at first, since they were all similar shades of silver and orange.  

Cheng Xiao knew she had always been fascinated by fish. Something about them felt relaxing, hypnotizing. After long days of stressful work back at the company, she would spend all the time she could caring for them, following the rigorous rituals she had set. And then she would just watch them swim around in the blissful ignorance that they were simply swimming in circles inside a glass structure. How nice must it be for them not to know they're trapped, and be so peaceful about it. That sort of comfort was one she would never have. She was aware that she was born to live the life she was having at that moment – managing her parents' company. She never had any other choice.

She thought about her aquarium back at home. The one which was now putrid and dead. And she now knew why it had meant so much to her. It wasn't simply the comfort of watching the fish swim.

She had taken care of aquariums with her father since she was just a child. Her patchy memory brought back moments of her younger self changing the water, being taught about ideal temperatures, about when to leave the light on or off, how the fish were fragile creatures that would occasionally feed on each other. Her father too had seeked comfort in that hobby after his long days of work. In a way, that was the only thing they could have in common, that they could do together, the moments she really felt like her father was really present, without all of the company's business lingering on his mind. They never had much time to be together, to bond like what people would call a normal family. But the aquarium brought them together.

The aquarium reminded her of her father. Her father – whose whereabouts she knew nothing of. Her aquarium –  which was now dead. What would he think of it if he knew all of the fish had died?  

"Cheng Xiao!"

Eunseo's worried face was staring right into hers. Cheng Xiao noticed the tears that had streamed down her face without her realizing, fallen in her hands, which were still held to .  

"Cheng Xiao... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you. I really thought it would make you happy." Eunseo's head sunk.

She took a few seconds until she was able to speak again.

"No, I'm not upset at all. I'm just... emotional. You know, memories." She didn’t feel like talking about it at that moment, since it would bring forward the thoughts she was trying to put away. Of her home, and especially of her father. Hopefully, Eunseo would understand.  

"O-okay. I guess. I will return them if you don't like them or you prefer to not have any more fish for the time being, but really I just thought it would cheer you up since you were so sad, and of course I know it won't replace anything but if it was me I would like it and really, I was considering getting some fish for myself since when you told me about them back then I was really curious, so I ended up buying an actual tank, you see? So instead of buying new ones for myself I can also keep these, and I was hoping you could help me take care of them, but since you seem to not want to---"

Cheng Xiao interrupted her by suddenly launching her arms at Eunseo's neck, burying her face in her shoulder. Eunseo seemed to have lost her ability to move.

"I love it. Thank you so much." She said, her voice muffled.

She was honest. Despite the bad feelings it had brought back, she was moved by Eunseo's thoughtfulness. The extent of her kindness kept on surprising her. Nothing about her was predictable, and Cheng Xiao was inevitably drawn to that.  

"I do think you should keep them, though. If you're interested in keeping an aquarium. I'd really love to help you with it." Cheng Xiao said as she let go. She hoped the thoughts hiding behind it weren't too obvious.

"I see... your aquarium is still... Right, you're still scared of going back there... aren't you?" Eunseo's voice was filled with tenderness.

"I---" Cheng Xiao tried to speak. She opened , but then it just hang open, no words coming out. Then she dropped her head and looked away. Crap, how had Eunseo been able to read her that well? Was she that transparent?

After a moment of silence, Eunseo finally spoke again.

"What are you going to do?"

"I've been trying not to think about it. But I know I will have to face it eventually…" Cheng Xiao's shoulders tensed and she clasped her hands together, looking down. “I kind of want to move. But I’m also reluctant to do so. Maybe I could stay with Bona until I figure it out or something.”

Of course she would be reluctant to move after she realized the kind of next door neighbor she had. But the images she had in her mind of her being attacked in her own house left her in this very unpleasant situation.

“Even if you do move…” Eunseo gulped. “I know you’re aware you can’t leave your house like that. Don’t you have a housekeeper… Mei Qi? Maybe it would help to see your house back in good shape. ”

“As far as I know, yes. But I don’t think it would change much. I feel like I should be on the move. That I’m still not safe. That the person who did this hasn’t given up. I’m obviously not dead, so if killing me was what they were looking for, they’re not satisfied. Who even knows what they were after? The fact that there could be someone out there who’s out to get me and knows exactly where I live doesn’t leave my head. I could hire all the security in the world and I still wouldn’t feel safe. There's nothing you or I or anyone in the world can do that will make me feel safe again!”

Cheng Xiao had involuntarily raised her voice, and without her noticing, she was shaking, her fists clenched by either side of her body.

Eunseo’s lips were a straight line, her eyes wide. She seemed taken aback. After all, Cheng Xiao had only shown either a big crying mess or her usual bright, yet quiet self. She hadn’t seen her lose her temper.

“I… didn’t mean to snap at you. I’m really sorry. None of this is your fault.” Cheng Xiao avoided Eunseo’s gaze.

The writer's expression was unreadable. The air in the room suddenly became heavier.  

“No. You’re right. I didn’t consider how you felt and I talked about it as if it was so simple... Thank you for being so honest." Eunseo tried to force a smile as she broke the short period of silence. She couldn’t hide the lingering somberness on her voice, though. She had been shaken by Cheng Xiao’s outburst.

Cheng Xiao was disappointed in herself for having lashed out on Eunseo. She had been nothing but kind to her and in return she treats her like this. The thought of it only upset her even further, the shaking intensifying. Her hands traveled to the sides of her head as she felt her teeth start to chatter and her breath become fast and shallow. She was starting to feel dizzy, as if she was slowly drifting away from the present moment.

“CHENG XIAO? What’s wrong?” Eunseo approached her suddenly and clumsily, with an alarmed look on her face. She lightly touched Cheng Xiao’s arm.  

Unfortunately, the sudden approach ended up startling cheng Xiao, whose sensitivity was heightened.  She jerked back with her touch,  gasping even harder for air.  

Eunseo was pale as a ghost, flailing around, blabbering mindlessly. For the first time since Cheng Xiao’s awakening in the hospital, she genuinely seemed to have no idea what to do.

Cheng Xiao’s brain was set on bringing her the worst possible memories at the worst possible times. She was well aware of what was happening: an anxiety attack. As if that wasn't bad enough already, flashes of past anxiety attacks ran through her mind. At school, at the company, at home. It wouldn't stop. Worst of all, she was also well aware that in that state, it would be very, very hard to communicate with Eunseo.

"Please, please tell me what I should do." Eunseo was tearing up in nervousness herself. She was desperate, as if she was about to drop on her knees to beg for a solution.

The anxious girl was unable to speak. It was also really difficult to hear Eunseo clearly. Her voice sound muffled to her, and her ears kept on buzzing.

"An ambulance?! I'm going to call an ambulance."

Cheng Xiao's cries turned to loud grunts as she violently shook her head in denial. Eunseo took her hands to her head and tugged on her own hair, exhaling loudly.

"Bona?! Should I call Bona? Will she know what to do?"

An affirmative nod. Yes, Bona. Bona was just the one she needed.

Eunseo rushed to get her phone and started viciously tapping at it, walking in circles around the living room.  

Finally, Bona seemed to have picked up. Cheng Xiao seemed to be closer and closer to losing her senses. She reached for the armrest on the nearest sofa for support, managing to successfully take a seat. She could hear faint talking noises in the distance, barely able to make sense of the words.

"You're on your way?... … No, who cares about the phone now... … STOP TALKING TO ME LIKE THAT THIS IS... …Please, what should I... Open the door?"

As she felt herself about to pass out, a figure rapidly approached her, launching herself to her with uncontrollable urgency, wrapping her in a very tight embrace. Something about the way this person held her felt familiar.

"Water. White and yellow box on my bag. MOVE."

---

A/N: So this took a little bit longer, I'm sorry about that. Life gets in the way of everything from time to time :( One can only hope they'll be able to write more frequently, but I can't make promises. Anyhow, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thank you for always supporting this story :)