Chapter 1

Your POV

My phone rang; it rung several times before I could finally pick it up. It was my cousin, Dongwoo (CNU), his voice quivering and he was panting. It sounded like he just came from a marathon. I tried to calm him down as I talked in my tired, sleepy voice. But he couldn’t wait to tell me what he really wanted to say.

Just when he told me the news, I claimed that I was just sleepy enough to accept the fact. Why should I believe him? All he does is play pranks, crack some jokes and make me laugh. But why should he call me at 2:15 in the morning and make fun of me? My cousin may be this prankster but he has limits and knows how to respect people’s privacy.

I asked him to repeat the news he’d been dying to say and was saying it in a nicer, calmer way.

“Your parents were murdered on the way home. So please get up quickly and get your here.” I could hear in his voice that he was holding back the tears so he hung up. I put off my phone and sighed. Do I really have to? I thought to myself. Honestly, this was irritating me a bit. Maybe this was a prank. I was waiting for him to call again and say “Gotcha! Scared ya, huh?” then he’d laugh so hard he could die.

But what if he’s really telling the truth? How bad am I imaging my cousin if I won’t go? I didn’t let the news bother me and dressed up. I tried my best to keep really calm but I was hurrying. I didn’t want to believe Dongwoo. Honestly. But anyway, I should go.

I arrived at the hospital. Outside were the police making interviews to somebody, probably a witness? But why was I thinking that? I haven’t confirmed yet. I asked a nurse where the emergency room was and she led me there in an instant. She was hurrying too, holding lots of papers and two of it was death certificates. It made my heart race frantically.

When we turned left, I smelled the fragrance of what an emergency room would be; medicines, surgical gloves, blood. I could only hear footsteps running and walking so fast but only low murmurs. I could hear crying and cursing. I was very sleepy then and my head was dizzy because of the sudden wake, plus the scent of some things you could only smell in the hospital.

Dongwoo found me walking with the nurse and he ran to me.

“Kyujin-ah! Finally, you came.” That was all he said before throwing himself to me, crying. I cried too but only tears came out. I easily cry when people does.

“Oppa,” I spoke. I thought you were joking, I wanted to say. He sobbed real hard and this isn’t like that moment when I destroyed his toy car.

I sniffed after a few tears rolled down. He smelled blood. I pushed him away gently and found that he had blood all over him, so had I.

“You thought I was joking?” he asked. I nod. “I’m sorry about your parents. Everyone is trying their best to look for the murderers. I came just after the accident happened.”

“Can I see?” I finally spoke. He looked at me with sorrowful eyes. Then, I could feel the doctors and nurses’ stares as if they knew that I was the daughter of the patients or should I say corpses.

Dongwoo held me firmly on my waist and my hand. Dongwoo was like a big brother to me and I don’t oppose if he was. I arrived inside the room and the white curtains were opened where it revealed my parents, lying and bloody. I closed my eyes because I swore; the world was literally spinning and I was about to throw up. I held onto Dongwoo so tight and let out a gush of air from my lungs. Then, I started to sob.

I don’t know what place we were but all I know, I was wearing a black traditional funeral dress, and pictures of my parents which were surrounded with white flowers. Beside me was Dongwoo, wearing a black tuxedo. Every women and men wore exactly like ours. I stared at the space, of people passing by me, kissing my cheek while crying, but I wasn’t speaking at all. They bowed in front of my parents several times which I was glad for. But I barely thought of anything. Should I cry? Should I thank the people who came? Will my friends come? What will happen after this? None of them crossed my mind. My mind was blank.

Dongwoo squeezed my hand gently and I was back to life. I looked at him and tilted his head at the entrance where I saw my friends coming toward me. I sighed and felt relieved to see them again but there was pain in my heart when I saw them crying. They hugged me and I hugged back. I could say that my friends really cared for me, the way I see from their faces and eyes. I cried too but not so hard like them. I barely spoke a word and gave them a comforting smile.

I went out of the room and sat on a bench alone. Someone gave me a cup of coffee and gladly received it. I didn’t drink on it but instead put it beside me. I sighed. I had nothing else to do other than sighing. Suddenly, Dongwoo approached me with someone behind him.

“Mind if we join you?” he asked in his casual voice. I nod. He sat beside me where there was no cup of coffee.

“I told my friend about you, about what happened to your parents. Even if he doesn’t know you, he wanted to pay respects.” Dongwoo said.

I faced the guy he was with and he bowed at me. I made a quick bow.

“I’m sorry for what happened.” He told me. I simply nod.

“I’m Jinyoung.” He said. I turned to face him and he was smiling so bright. He was charming enough to lighten up my spirits but it irritated me because I was mourning and all he did was smile as if he took this chance to meet girls.

“I’m going home.” I turned to Dongwoo instead.

“Aren’t you gonna introduce yourself to my friend?” he asked. I got more irritated.

“Are you kidding me? I thought you understand. I don’t know what to do anymore and now you want me to talk to him as if this is a hang-out?” I stood up. “Please, do it another time.” I rudely said and turned my back. I went home and poured out the pain I was feeling.