invisible

Chapter Seventeen

Hitomi dragged her feet up the steps of the stairs to get to her room. She came back late that day and missed her shift. She had to hear an earful of endless nagging from her friend but she pretty much ignored whatever she was saying. Her mind was occupied with other things.

Her conversation with Dr. Kang earlier that day still lingers in her head.

“Without you, she’s lost.”

“Without you, she’ll be invisible forever.”

“So what should I do??”

“First, find her. And then, it’s up to you. You hold the key to make her visible again.”

“Key? What key?”

“I don’t know. It’s something only you know.”

She managed to climb up the stairs to the first floor and made her way to the laundry room at the end of the hallway. She wanted to pick up the towel that she left there yesterday before going to her room. It was really quiet since there were only two rooms that were occupied in the whole floor. Plus, it was midnight.

The light along the hallway automatically lit up as Hitomi walked through. It was due to the motion sensor installed. She soon arrived to the laundry room where there were stacks of white towels on the shelf. She spotted hers immediately; the only green towel in the room. She took it and held it with one hand. She walked through the hallway again to get to the stairs. Her room was in the second floor.

But something happened.

The light at the other end of the hallway was lit up.

But no one was there.

Hitomi stood in the middle of the hallway, stunned. She dropped the towel on the floor.

How is it possible for the light to turn up when no one was there? It senses motion, but there was no movement over there.

Suddenly the light turned off, and the next light was lit. It was as if someone was moving along the hallway, heading towards her. And soon the lights were all turned off except the one where she was standing.

Hitomi gulped.

What is happening?

There was no way the light could turn on by itself, unless there was movement. There was no one there, unless the movement was not visible.

Invisible.

Hitomi gasped.

Could it be?

“Chaewon…” she called.

“Is that you?”

There was no reply. She sighed and shook her head; of course there wasn’t any reply, she was all alone in the hallway.

She wanted to turn around and leave to her room but she hesitated. She looked at the hallway once again. The light at the end of the hallway wasn’t . The only place that was well lit was the lamp above her head.

She didn’t know why but she felt like she wasn’t alone.

“Are you here?” she asked.

“Chaewon…”

She looked straight in front of her as if there was someone standing there.

“If you’re here, please show yourself. There are things that I wanted to say to you.”

Silence.

“You said it wasn’t fair that I left after the cafeteria incident, so it’s not fair for you to disappear like this too.”

Hitomi looked around her, and there was nothing but silence. She knew she shouldn’t expect much. The light might’ve flickered due to some technical problems.

She sighed.

“I guess I was only talking to myself then.”

She turned around and was about to leave when she heard something.

It was a sob.

Like someone was crying.

It was out of nowhere and it only lasted in a couple of seconds.

Hitomi scanned the hallway again, but there was no one else there but her. Then where did the sob came from?

“Chaewon, did… something happen to you?”

“You are here, aren’t you? But why can’t I see you?”

Hitomi gasped, “Was it because of me?”

“Okay if you’re here, listen to me.”

Hitomi took a deep breath before continuing.

“Yes, what you did to me 7 years ago was really cruel. I should hate you for ruining my life, and I did. That’s why I threw the memory of you out of my life and moved on. I thought I’ll be happier that way, as long as I don’t see you again but…

…I was wrong.”

“I was never happy.”

“Until you came to me.”

Hitomi chuckled, “It’s ironic, and I can’t even understand it myself why am I helping you, why I care so much about you then it came to this conclusion…”

“I had forgiven you.”

And I… had fallen for you, again.

Hitomi stopped and looked at the empty hallway. There wasn’t any sound. Maybe Chaewon was never there and she was talking to herself all along.

She sighed and shook her head. Even though she was alone she still felt embarrassed saying the last part aloud.

Suddenly,

“H-Hitomi…” called someone.

Hitomi looked up immediately, her eyes widen in shock. She can’t believe it. She wasn’t alone at the hallway.

Kim Chaewon was standing in front of her.

She wasn’t sure where she came from but she was there. As if she magically appeared.

The latter was staring straight at her; her eyes were swollen like she was crying too much. She was sobbing, and the sound was identical as the one that Hitomi heard a while ago. She was still wearing the clothes that she last seen her in 2 weeks ago, and her hair was disheveled. Chaewon looked like she hasn’t eaten or slept in days. There were dark circles around her eyes and she was pale as a ghost.

Tears were running down her cheeks as she continued, “Thank you…”

Hitomi didn’t get the chance say anything when she suddenly fell unconscious. On impulse she stepped forward and managed to pull into her embrace before she fell down.

“C-Chaewon!!”

**

When Chaewon opened her eyes, she realized that she was lying on the bed in a small room.

Everything looked familiar, from the fluffy pillow behind her neck to the soft blanket around her body. She knew she was in Hitomi’s room. She glanced around and saw someone standing by the window. Though it was from behind, Chaewon knew who it was; Hitomi. Too busy gazing out through the window and she hasn’t noticed the unconscious girl on her bed had awake.

Seeing Hitomi made Chaewon nervous. Her heart was beating out of control for more than one reason, the reasons only she knows. Chaewon suddenly feels the urge to get up and move closer to the other girl, regardless her condition.

She mustered her strength and pushed herself up using her elbows. Well, she tried.

“Ugh..”

That caught Hitomi’s attention.

“Chaewon, are you awake?” she asked as she scurried to her side.

Chaewon leaned her back to the headrest and panting as if she had just ran the whole track. Hitomi turned around and grabbed a glass of water that she prepared on the desk and handed it to her immediately.

“Here, drink this,” she said.

She sat by Chaewon’s side and helped her held the glass to while she took a sip of the water. And soon she emptied the glass in just seconds, showed how thirsty she was. After finishing her glass, she appeared a tad better than she was.

After a few moments after catching her breath, Chaewon turned her head at Hitomi who was sitting closely by her side. Their eyes met, and Hitomi didn’t look away. Chaewon felt a little happier inside.

“How are you feeling?” asked Hitomi, gentle.

Chaewon can’t help but smiled, “Better. Much better.”

“Where were you for the past 2 weeks? I’ve looked around but I can’t find you. I thought you’ve left…” asked Hitomi continuously.

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