"Let my cousin rest! No, she's not going to say anything-"
"Hye, Yuri is the only conscious victim... The police need to talk to-"
"I already said it! Yuri is still weak-"
"We need her state-"
"Stop that right now!" Eunbi's voice shushed the two from bickering. "We're in a hospital, for God's sake! And besides, your fight won't help our situation at all. We have to-"
"What happened?!?" 
They looked back and saw Sakura, Nako and Wonyoung running towards them.
"Where's Yena?" Sakura asked in a very worried tone. 
The girls just looked at each other, finding it hard to explain.
"Kkura," Hyewon softened up her voice a bit. "I'm going, to be honest with you. Yena... isn't really doing well right now. She has been unconscious ever since we found them. Her face is full of bruises and her body isn't different either. She's upstairs if you want to visit her."
"C-Can you join me? I-I don't think I can face her on my own." Sakura said after a long pause. Hyewon understood and nodded. They're about to go to the duck's room when...
"Guys, where's Yujin?" Wonyoung asked. The mention of the gal's name made everyone speechless. This made the other tall girl's heart beat faster.
"Why are you all looking at me like that? And why are we standing outside an Emergency Room? Shouldn't we go where Yujin's room is? I think it should be beside Yena's-"
"Yujin's inside the E.R," Kwon finally had the courage to speak. This caught her sister off guard.
"She's been shot by Jae-hyuk on the stomach, that's why. She also has some open wounds and closed fracture on the different parts of her body, especially the arms and head. The doctors said that she's hanging by a thread right now."
Everything they have heard has shocked the three late-comers, especially the other tall lass. 
.
.
"I-I thought you're going to save them?"
"Wonyoungie, we tried-"
"I thought you're going to save them!!" The girl's voice roared across the whole floor, disturbing the other patients.. but she doesn't care. Her main concern right now is the runner. "Unnie, you promised me... You said you'll to bring them out alive! And now you're telling me that they're at risk?!? That Yujin's life is at risk?!?"
Kwon remained quiet. She knows that she broke her promise and she also hates herself for doing that. But she can't change anything anymore, it's already too late. 
Her sister's words not sinking in yet, Wonyoung slicked her hair back and looked down, finding hope. But instead of that, she heard noises... crying noises, to be exact. She glanced at the corner and saw Minju, bawling her eyes out. Instead of pity or sadness, she felt something different... rage.
"You.." Wonyoung's anger is filling up. She dashed to the girl and almost grabbed her by the collar if only Chae and Hyewon hasn't stopped her. 
"What are you-"
"You're the reason for all of this!" The girl fumed.
"Stop right there-"
"I'm true though, right?" The gal said. "If Yuri didn't become friends with Minju then this would never happen... If Hyewon didn't save her that time, she wouldn't have Byung Soon as a rival... If Yujin didn't let Jae-hyuk beat her up last year just to make this girl escape then this will not exist!! So if there is anyone we should blame, then it will be you-"
"Enough, Jang Wonyoung." Kwon's voice sounded serious.
"But unnie-"
"I said enough, Jang Wonyoung!!" Eunbi commanded, her scary side showing than ever before.
"W-What? I-I," The lady let out a low chuckle. "I can't believe you, unnie. You're siding someone who's clearly the reason for all of this..."
She turned around and look at Minju.
.
.
"Yujin changed for you. She waited for you. She loved you and she still does... And you did nothing but to hurt her every time." Wonyoung said, almost like a whisper. It hits Minju straight to the heart. "You've caused too much pain for her, I just shake it off because Yujin said so. But this time... I won't forgive you if something bad happens to her... Put that in your mind, Kim Minju." 
And Wonyoung walked out without hesitation.
"I-I'll go talk to her," Nako volunteered and followed her best friend.
"Sorry about that, Min." Hyewon apologized for the other gal. "You know that all of us are in stress right now... Wonyoung is just so shocked-"
"You shouldn't have protected me... She has a point. I deserve all of it."
"No, Minju," Chae protested. "Don't blame-"
"But she's right! I only brought pain to all of you... I-I'm the reason for all of this!" Minju blubbered. "I-I'm sorry... I'm sorry-"
"You don't have to-"
Minju's phone rang. The remaining girls looked at each other.
"... Chanri unnie?" The girl hesitantly answered her phone.
"Minju, where are you?" The Zoo Club President asked. 
"I'm-"
"Wherever you are, you need to go to school."
"B-But unnie, I have-"
"Kim Minju, I don't care about what you're doing right now... This is about the club." The girl replied. "We are the only one who hasn't submitted the final report yet. This is the task I assigned you to do... So whatever you're doing, please go here first."
"U-Unnie-"
"Please, Minju... We need you. The whole club wants you to be the president next school year, right? Well, It's now time to prove yourself... I'll wait for you."
And the girl ended the call. 
"Chanri? Why is she calling you?" Kwon asked.
"It's about the club... I need to go asap." The girl said, covering her face with her hands. "I don't know if I should go."
"Why not? It might be something important..."
"I-It is, but Yu-"
"Don't worry about Yujin, if that's what you're thinking. We'll take care of her." Sakura reassured.
"I'll be back immediately..." Minju bid goodbye to her friends.
But before leaving, she looked at the door of the Emergency Room.
.
.
.
"I'll be back, Yujinnie."  
************
"Sakura! Sakura, wait!" Hyewon got hold of the girl's arm. "W-What's the problem?"
"I c-can't Hye... I can't look at her like that..." The girl wept, her vision getting blurry due to the tears. 
 

Right after Minju left, Hyewon accompanied Kkura to Yena's room.
"Where's Yuri?" Sakura asked.
"Well... Fortunately, she's safe. The doctors said that she just needs some rest." Hyewon answered, releasing a deep sigh.
"T-Then why are you still worried about her?"
"You can't stop me from worrying, she's my cousin after all... But what I'm scared of is about what she'll do when she wakes up. I'm sure that Yuri will blame herself for what happened to Yena and Yujin. She witnessed everything. I'm worried that it'll make her weaker, and I don't want that to happen."
Hyewon vented out. Kkura got hold of her hands and intertwined it.
"Yuri is a strong girl, everyone knows that. I'm sure that she can get over all of this." Kwangbae looked at Sakura and the gal gave her a sweet smile.
"Thanks, Kkura." 
They continued to walk and stopped when they reached a single deluxe room.
"So... Are you ready?"
Hyewon slowly opened the door. The two entered. It's dead silent here, Sakura thought. The only noise you can hear is the AC and the heart rate monitor. She wandered her eyes across the room and until she saw the girl lying on the hospital bed. She's unconscious, with a ventilator attached to ... She looked helpless. 
Kwangbae placed the fruits they bought earlier to the table right beside Yena.
She pulled a chair. "Take a seat, Saku-"
Hyewon stopped when the door shut tight, creating a loud noise. She turned around and saw that the Gamer Club President is nowhere to be found.
 

"Sakura! Sakura, wait!" Hyewon got hold of the girl's arm. "H-Hey, what's the problem?"
Silence. Only the birds chirping and the cars passing by are heard in the hospital park.
"Kkura-"
"I c-can't Hye... I can't look at her like that..." The girl wept. Hyewon seemed to understand.
"I-I thought I'm ready. I already prepared myself to see Yena in a much worse condition. But when I saw her, I-I went blank. Yena is a noisy girl, you know... She's a total crackhead. Every time we meet, the first thing she'll do is to either to prank or mock me. She'll do that to you every single day that you'll... Hate her, and I do. I-I hate her... I-"
Sakura broke down before she can even finish her sentence. This gave Hyewon a signal to pull her into a comforting hug. Sakura accepted it and put her arms around Hyewon's neck and snuggled closer, still sobbing.
"M-My best friend is not like that..." Kkura mumbled. "I can't lose her... No..."
"Shhh, everything's going to be fine," Hyewon consoled her while drawing small circles on her back. "Remember what you told me a while ago?"
She broke the hug and made Sakura look in her eyes by holding her chin gently.
"You said that Yuri is a strong girl. And if she can, then so are you. Be strong for Yena... She needs someone to lean on right now."
"B-But what if I'm the one who needs support? I'm weak, Hye... I don't know if I can do that."
Kwangbae pulled the gal into another hug.
"Well, if that's the case..."
She gave Sakura a forehead kiss. Instead of pulling away, Kkura closed her tear-stained eyes.
.
.
.
"If that's the case then you can lean on me."
************
"Minju? Why did you call?" Chaeyeon whispered.
"I'm about to go back to the hospital, I just want to check on Yujin. Why are you whispering?"
"I'm inside the ICU..."
"ICU? Why-"
"Time of death, 6:40 p.m," The doctor in the background said. Minju's heart raced. Without even thinking twice, she ran her way to the hospital. She doesn't care if she looks stupid, if she ended up with an asthma attack. what's important for her right now is to arrive as soon as she can.
Within 10 minutes, she reached her destination. 
"W-What happened? Where's Yujin? Bring me to her-"
"Calm down, Minju..." Chaeyeon advice when she saw how the girl heavily panting.
"How can I calm down? The doctors just said that Yujin is dead!"
"Yujin is what?" Chaeyeon furiously asked. "Where did you get that?"
"From the phone call we had earlier-"
"That's not Yujin, okay?!?" Chae cleared the rumor. "It's... It's Jae-hyuk, he's gone."
"What about his parents?"
"We already contacted them as soon as we got here at the hospital," Chae explained. "They're on a trip overseas. We also contacted them just a while ago about their son's death."
"I feel bad for his parents," Minju whispered. "I know that he's not that kind to us... But still, his parents don't deserve to undergo this process."
Chaeyeon slightly nodded as a reply.
"About Yujin... where is she?"
"Thankfully, she already got out of the E. R. But just like Jae-hyuk, she's now on the Intensive Care Unit. Her heartbeat is now stable but she's still under observation. The doctors need to-"
"Excuse me... Can I ask something?" A middle-aged lady approached them. "Where is Room 202?"
"2-202? Are you, somehow, related to an Ahn Yujin?"
"I-I am," The lady nodded. 
.
.
.
"I'm Yujin's mother."
************
Minju is in Yujin's room, sitting alone. 
She looked at the lass lying on the bed. Bruises all over her beautiful face, scars on her right cheek, her lips are paler than before and there's a huge bandage around her head. Minju remembered her conversation with Yujin's mother just by looking at the girl's face.

"Hyewon is in Yuri's room, Yena is being guarded by Sakura. I need to check on those four and also buy food for us."
"I can do that-"
"Admit it or not, you're already tired, Minju. Please rest here for a bit. don't worry, I'll be back soon." Chae said before setting off. 
That leaves Minju, Yujin, and her mother in the room. The old lady looked at the girl.
"Why are you standing? Here, take a seat..."
She gladly accepted the offer. They sat beside each other and stared at the Yujin for about a minute.
"Minju... You're my daughter's girlfriend, right?" The lady started a topic. 
The gal is startled. She doesn't know what to reply. She sat there, frozen.
"Don't even deny it... Yujin told me."
"I... I was, ma'am," Minju admitted.
"You know, I don't support the two of you at first... Not because I don't want her to date girls, but because you two are still young. I tried to stop her, but my hard-headed daughter didn't obey me and continued her relationship with you."
The lady chuckled.
"Yujin is so proud to have a partner like you. She said that you're sweet, smart, thoughtful, pretty... But most of all, you're lovable."
"I know that the two of you had a fight, it clearly shows. For some time, my daughter became gloomy. She's always in her room, listening to sad songs or just... crying. But then, she started to become joyful again. And that's when I knew that you gave her another chance."
The lady looked at Minju who is now confused.
"I'm just telling you this because I want to thank you for taking care of her... To thank you for being in my daughter's life."
Minju took a deep breath and gave a faint smile.
"I should be the one thanking you, Ma'am," she replied. "Yujin has always been my hero. She protected me whenever she can. She made me smile every time we're together. She... changed me." 
She then looked down and fidgeted.
"But I did her wrong. She made a mistake, just one mistake, and I already forgot everything... It even took me months just to give her that one more chance. I don't even know if I still deserve her."
Silence reign the whole room.
"You said that Yujin changed you, right? But you're wrong," The lady answered. "You changed her, Minju. You turned her into a fine, kind, and brave girl."
"I know that sometimes, love isn't really forgiving... So, I'm still thankful that you managed to forgive my Yujin... And the time that the two of you are apart from each other, that gave you the chance to mature. Both of you grew up, from that puppy love you shared during the first year until to whatever the two of you have today."
"I don't know what's going on between the two of you, and I won't even bother to ask. But I know one thing, my daughter still loves you... And I can feel that you do, too."
Yujin's mother held Minju's hand that is resting on her lap. It made the girl look at the woman.
"I want to ask you a favor... Please, don't give up. We don't know when will she wake up or if... if she ever will. But I know that if she will see you, she's going to fight. So, please stay with her until she's totally fine. And by the time she's already fine, you can already leave... If that's what you want."

Yujin's mother's las sentences are still echoing inside her brain. It's like her conscience and heart teaming up to confuse her.
Minju can't take this anymore, she needs to let it all out.
"Yujinie, I don't know if you can hear me... But I'm here."
The girl bit her lip, her eyes getting misty.
"I-I'm sorry, Yujin. Wonyoung and your mother, they're both right. You love me... so much. A-And I'm sorry for being dumb and stupid, for not even caring at your feelings."
"Remember the first time we met? Jae-hyuk and his troops are cornering me, forcing me to kiss him. Then you came, just like how every hero in every story written appears at the right time. You told me to run, and I did. I was so scared that time that I forgot that you're not an actual superhuman. The next time I saw you was the next day when you're found in the backyard of the school, beaten up."
"And now, we're also in the same situation. You saving me, the Ahn Yujin helping me escape my nightmares," Minju closed her eyes, preventing her tears from flowing. "But this time, I promise I won't run away. I won't leave you this time, Yujinie."
"No matter how long I try to deny, my heart says that I love you... and will always will. I tried to move forward, but my moving forward is just coming back to you. Cheesy, right? Guess you love that."
Minju chuckled by herself. 
"But seriously, I don't care how long you'll be here, or how long I'll talk to myself. Your mother said that I can leave you after all of this. I've thought about that... And I don't want to. You waited for me for so long, and I can, too."
She took Yujin's hand and gently rubbed it with her thumb.
"Don't worry about me turning my back against you, because that won't happen again. I'll wait, Yujinie... 
.
.
.
.
"I'll wait until you're completely healed."
************
 

Hi guys! Thanks for reading ^_^ 
Does the last line seem familiar to you? [If you can't remember, try rereading chap 5... But I think you don't need it anymore XD]
Also, did I make you worried because of the last teaser lol
Anyways, here is the next batch.

Teasers:
Teaser #1:
"Don't let anger eat you. Tell her everything... You won't know when it's already too late."
Teaser #2:
"I love you... But my family needs me more. I-I'm sorry."

Look forward to the next update! :))