The internet went crazy about the awards show accident. Different news channels had it as its headline. Magazine and news articles are trying to cover the accident. It was dubbed as one of the most tragic accident in the KPOP history. The chairman of the said show told the press that they will release an official statement until thorough investigations are through.

     Luckily, all of the artists were evacuated to a different stage far away from the main one. Also, none of the audience were hurt.

     Soon after the stage collapsed, the medic and the rescue team came. They found the two artists wrapped around each other atop the broken LED floor, surrounded by debris.

     A few days later, both SM and Cube had released a statement that both of their artists are admitted in the same hospital, slowly recovering.

     A few days later, Lucas finds himself growing impatient. The need to see his friend is getting stronger by the second. He's seated at the edge of the hospital bed plastered with bandages from head to toe. He was lucky enough that the only thing broken was his shoulder. Although it may take quite a while to recover, he knows that his friend suffered worse.

     "I don't get it. Why am I here? Why can't I go see her?" He asks to no one in particular.

    With a sigh, he let his body fall to the mattress, not caring about the damage he attained from the accident. In the meantime, nothing seems to matter to him but Yuqi's well-being.

    Moments later, the door swings open revealing his manager holding a bag of takeouts.

   "Are you feeling better?" His manager asks setting down the food he prepares the food for the artist.

    “When can I see her?” Lucas asks as he continues to stare at the ceiling.

  The manager pauses for a moment as he looks at him with etched brows before setting the tray on his bedside table.

     “Who’s her?”

    “You know her, already. When can I see Yuqi?”

     “Why do you want to see her?”

     Hearing the question makes Lucas sit up in his bed, disbelief evident on his bruised face.

     “To know how she’s doing. Because she got injured. Simply because I care and I want to know.”

     The manager lets out a sigh before taking a seat beside the artist, who is glaring at his food. Is it bad that he only wants to know how she’s doing? For crying out loud, won’t anybody?

     “I’m sorry if you’ve got to hear this, kid. The netizens are speculating your actions. Why? What were you thinking that you rushed to save that girl?”

     What went on his head? Lucas didn’t know. He didn’t even know if he was thinking or not. At first he knew that it was curiosity that made him go towards the broken floor, but when he found out that Yuqi fell, his brain seemed to shut off and his muscles were the only things controlling his actions.

     Rolling his eyes, Lucas answers. “Can’t I just help because she’s my friend and because she needed help?”

    “Look, none of the people cares whether you want to be heroic by nature. All they want is your reason. All they want is a story.”

     “Surely that’s not it.”

     “Of course they care about you. Look at you. But, again, they want the in-between as well.”

     With lack of words, Lucas keeps his mouth shut, still not touching the food. With a pat on his back, the manager walks out the room, leaving Lucas with only his thoughts to accompany him.

    Later that afternoon, Lucas got bored from being kept in his room doing nothing. Feeling a bit adventurous, he gets out of the room and through the hallway not thinking about his destination. Although they did told him to stay put, but for a man like him, it’s not possible.

     Skipping down the hallway, a name suddenly caught his attention.

   Room 327, Song Yuqi.

   His steps stop midway. It’s her room. Swallowing a lump in his throat, he looks around making sure that no one sees him. He softly knocks then opens the door, his heart threatening to fly out of his chest. He pokes his head inside and found the room silent from the lack of people to occupy it. No one’s in here. The sound of the beeping machine fills the room. Barefooted, he finally enters the room. The air feels heavy and Lucas finds himself taking deep breaths. Slow and unsure steps lead him in front of her bed.

     Yuqi.

    Yuqi is lain on a hospital bed, her eyes closed, and her body motionless. Machines surround her, monitoring her status. Lucas doesn’t really understand the figures being shown but he somehow know that what they’re showing is not good. Her body, all patched up, is connected to the machine through a series of tubes. If he wasn’t feeling to relieved, he would’ve joked about how she look similar to the Terminator.

     Lucas steps closer. Her face is all cleaned up. He would not admit it but she really looks so beautiful despite all the scars and bruises.

   It’s unfair. After many months of having a hard time communicating with each other, Lucas wouldn’t think that they would talk under the stage with their lives on the line. After many months of not seeing each other, he definitely did not think that he would look at her as she depends on machines to survive and live.

   Finally standing beside her, he lifts his hand to fix a stray strand of hair that somehow fell over her forehead. He then traces the side of her face, memorizing her each and every feature. It was only a bit of disappointment that she needs to use the oxygen tank, covering and nose.

     Without realizing it, Lucas looks at her for a while until he decided to take the seat beside her bed, place his head over his arms, and stare at her until he fell asleep.