“She’s not going to make it.”

The words hit Jonghyun’s ears like a ton of bricks. His perfect delicate glass world had completely shattered to the foundations. There was no...reason...to exist anymore. And worst of all, the son of a Yunho had walked away free. Why, why did there have to be so many bad and evil things in this world? he wondered.

“Can’t you do something, seonsaengnim? Please,” Jonghyun pleaded, staring helplessly at her bandaged head, the respirator over her nose and mouth, and the many wires coming out in every possible direction from her body.

The doctor hesitated. “She’s lost nearly half of her blood, and suffered severe head injury. Even if she were to come back to consciousness, the brain damage would be immense. I’m truly sorry. I thought you might want some private time to...let go.” Jonghyun nodded robotically as the doctor left the room, drawing the curtain in front of the door.

Jonghyun grasped her hand. “Hyeri, I’m sorry.” The words came out choked and teary. “I’m sorry I did this to you. I love you so much, and I took you away. I don’t even have a right to complain, because I’m the one who did it.”

He brushed his fingers over the delicate lashes lining her lids. An eyelash came off onto his index finger. “Hyeri-ah, they say you can make a wish on an eyelash.” Jonghyun tried to swallow the growing lump in his throat, but the tears began to fall as he held the lash in front of his lips. “Can you hear me?” Yes, he imagined her response. “Hyeri, when you arrive in heaven, be happy, okay? One day, I’ll meet you, and we’ll be together for eternity, without anyone hurting us or bothering us. But until then, stay happy like you were on earth.” He blew the lash into the air, where it seemed to vanish.

He sat in silence, listening to the mechanical pump of the respirator and the beep beep beep of the EKG. How cruel they seemed, as if clocking her last seconds on earth. “Hyeri, I love you. Don’t forget.” Jonghyun tenderly kissed the bare spot on her cheek where there were no bandages or tubes, only standing up after feeling Dr. Park’s light tap on his shoulder.

“Goodbye, Hyeri,” Jonghyun whispered tearfully as he took one last glance at her and left the room.