( Listen to Without you by One Two while reading this)

After the long Vacation, they separated with happiness because they finally talked about Chaeyoung. After all, it scared them that if they asked Chaeyoung about the past, it would open the wound that it's not fully healed. As their friendship anniversary is coming, They decided to go to Jeju to celebrate their friendship anniversary in October. 

Third POV

Nayeon scratches her eyes, and she feels the pain she can't explain. She opened her eyes and saw trees. She can't open her eyes because of the bright light. 

"Nayeon, get up. Get up. Nayeon, Get up!" Jihyo said while shaking her body.

Jihyo reached her hands and helped Nayeon to get up. "Oh god!" While holding her another arm.

Nayeon saw Jihyo with blood on her clothes and bruises on her body and face.

"Are you okay? Nayeon, are you okay?" 

"I-I u-Uhm.." Nayeon is still processing what is happening now then she sees a sharp object stuck in her left leg. She holds it and pull it and groan.

"Where is the other Jihyo? What happened?" she asked while roaming her eyes around her to see some familiar faces, but there was no one.

"T-the Plane Crashed. I-I don't know. Dahyun.." Jihyo pause. "She sat beside me, and when the plane c-crash.." she closed her eyes and grips Nayeon's shirt. "I saw. S-she out the side when we hit the tree a-and the back of the Plane came off. I-it came off." She then cried and hugged Nayeon.

"shh shh, we will be okay." Nayeon rubbed Jihyo's back and tried to be a strong one because she knows how bad it is, but still, she's the eldest of them, so she needs to be strong. "Everything will be okay. Let's find the other." Jihyo nod.

"Jeongyeon!"

"Chaeyoung!"

"Mina!"

"Sana!"

"Tzuyu!"

"Dahyun!"

"Momo!"

Jihyo and Nayeon didn't stop looking at their friends. 

"Dahyun! Chae-"Jihyo stops when she hears a familiar voice.

"Unnie! I'm here! Jihyo roams her eyes and tries to follow the voice. She called Nayeon and went to a Plane piece that hit the stone.

"Unnie! Unnie! We are here!" Tzuyu said shout and waving at them.

They were surprised when they saw them. Dahyun broke her legs. The Plane's chair sticks Tzuyu's legs. Sana is still not waking up, and Momo is staring at the tree, still shocked, and has a deep cut on her face and body.

"Oh god. Oh god." Nayeon is holding her temple and panicking.

"Unnie, don't just stand there! We don't have time to panic! Now, use what you learned when you are still in college." Jihyo said then she went to Sana to check her. "Sana. Sana, wake up!" She shakes her body, and Sana wakes up. 

"J-jihyo, where are we?"

"Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

"N-no, just my back hurt, and my body aches. What happened? -" She sat up and saw her friends in a horror situation. She covered when she saw Tzuyu's arm that was full of blood.

"The Plane crashed. I don't know-how. We need to help each other now. Stop panicking so you can think properly, okay?" Nayeon said. They help Dahyun and Tzuyu, who got stuck. Sana helped Momo stand up and guide her, but Momo was still not talking.

"Unnie, where is Mina?" Chaeyoung said while supporting Jeongyeon to walk. 

"Oh my God, Chaeyoung!" Nayeon runs to Chaeyoung and checks her.

Jihyo and Sana go to Jeongyeon and guide her to sit down to rest.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt? Where?-"

"Unnie, I'm okay. Where is Mina?" She asked while looking at their friends. "Where is Mina?" 

"W-we still looking for her Chae don't worry we will find Mina-" 

"No! I will find her now!"

"But Chaeyoung, you need to check yourself first. You don't look good. Sit here, and I'll find Mina." Sana rubs her back, assuring her that she will find Mina.

"No, I'll go with you."

"Chaeyoung-" they stop talking when they hear something that is knocking on the a metal not far from them. 

"C-chae i-I'm here."

Not far from them, they saw Mina under a piece of debris. She used a belt and knocked it against the piece of the plane so they can hear her. Half of her body is under the Plane. Her face has bruises, and she's coughing blood. Sana quickly checks Mina and checks the pulse.

"She's awake and responsive," Sana said.

"M-mina, are you okay? Are you hurt?" Chaeyoung holds Mina's hand and kisses them.

"I knew you'd show up," Mina said and coughed with blood.

"ho--how are you doing there?"

"I'm great, Chaengie, don't worry."

"Y-yeah? Good girl. We're going to get you out of here, okay?" Chaeyoung rubs Mina's face.

"O-okay."

Sana gets up and holds her waist. Nayeon looked at her, and she saw Sana shakes her head. 

"She's Tachycardic and short of breath." She closes her eyes. "We need to try to lift this thing as soon as possible."

Jihyo. Chaeyoung, Nayeon, and Sana tried to lift the plane wings, but they were too heavy. They tried and tried, but they couldn't.

"Again, one, two, three!"

"S-top. S-top guys." Mina said. "Chaeyoung, stop."

"No! Shut up, Mina! We will get you out there, okay? So shut up!" Chaeyoung is still trying. Sana stops trying and goes to Mina.

"My legs and my pelvis are crushed, Sana. And I can't feel my other arm." Mina said, then gave a weak smile to Sana. "And uh, m-my chest feels like it's going to explode. So, it's probably a-a massive hemothorax. You know that, Sana."

Mina is running out of time. She loses too much blood, and the only one who can save her is MIRACLE.

"W-we gotta get the oxygen from the Plane, okay? A-and fluids, right? A-and uh, uh, tubes, the oxygen tubes." Chaeyoung shakes Unnie's shoulder. "W-we can get her-- her fluids, okay? A-am I right? Unnie, you were a med student, right? And she-- she needs water." Chaeyoung noticed her Unnie was just staring at her.

"What, aren't you guys doing anything? You guys were a med student!" Chaeyoung shouts.

"C-chae t-they know it won't help," Mina said in her weak voice.

"No... n-no you are going to be fine! Stop! You're going to be fine!" Chaeyoung lay down beside Mina and held her hand. "Everything will be okay. Go get them, please! T-the oxygen." 

Sana goes to Mina and stares at her. "Mitang.." She paused, and Mina cried. "I'll be right back, okay? Wait for me. I'll get the oxygen s-so you better wait for me." Mina nod and Sana left.

"Chaeng" Chaeyoung is just staying on her side while holding her hand.

"Hmm? She's going to be back, and we're going to get you stabilized, and you're going to be fine, okay?"

"Chaeng"

"J-just a few minutes, okay? She'll be back any minute."

"I am dying, Chaeng," Mina said while panting.

Her friends started to cry after hearing those words from Mina. Momo and Nayeon know the situation well and don't have enough equipment to save Mina. Momo and Sana are doctors, but they can't do anything without those things.

"What? N-no, you are not. P-please stop saying that. You're going to be f-fine." Chaeyoung smiled at her.

"i-I am Chaeyoung. I-it's okay" She just looks at Chaeyoung and still fighting. "P-please tell Katarina t-that-"

"Stop! Y-you're not okay? You can't die, Mina! You can't!"

"J-just hold my hand Chaeyoung," Mina said while crying.

"I'm not going to hold your hand. You are not dying, Mina." Chaeyoung then let go of her hands and tried to lift the plane pieces again. She tries and tries until she stops. Chaeyoung stops and closes her eyes, and lies down again beside Mina.

"I love you, Mina. I still love you." She cries and kisses Mina's hand.

"N-no, you don't have to say it because-"

"I love you, Mina. It never fades away. I love you so much." Mina and Chaeyoung are both crying. Chaeyoung is eating her regrets at this moment. She can't do anything to help Mina.

"I love you, Mina. I've always been in love with you. I will always be in love with you." Chaeyoung cries so hard and holding tight Mina's hand.

"Happy to hear that, C-chaengie. I love you. A-and i'm sorry."

"Which is why you have to stay alive." She wipes Mina's tears and kisses her lips.

"We- we- we're going to get married. We-we finally get married. Okay? A-and we're going to have two or three kids."

"So, Katarina can have siblings?" Mina tries her best to smile at Chaeyoung.

"y-yeah, a sister and two brothers." 

"Tha-that's nice," Mina said while gasping.

"We are going to be h-happy. You and me..." She paused and wiped her tears. "We're gonna have the best life, Mina."

"You and me... we are going to be so happy, Mina. D-don't leave me, please." Mina continues gasping. "So--so you can't die today, okay?"

Mina can't talk anymore because she's having a hard time breathing.

"You-you can't die today because we-we were supposed to end up together."

"M-meant to be- " Mina didn't finish her words.

"Mina? M-mina?" Chaeyoung kisses Mina's forehead, and she closes Mina's eyes. She didn't leave Mina until her last breath. "I love you. I-I love y-you, Mina." She hugged Mina's arm and cried so hard. "I love you, Mina. I love you. I love you." 

Her friends are just watching them while crying. They are all helpless.

They supposed to be Vacation turned out to be a traumatic incident that they will never forget, especially Chaeyoung.

It's already dark outside. They start a fire and 

eat what they get from the planes. There is still no one talking. Chaeyoung, on the other side, didn't leave Mina's body.

"Chaeyoung, you should eat." Nayeon said while opening the can, "Chaeyoung, please eat even if it's just a little." But still, Chaeyoung didn't answer her. Nayeon stands up and goes to Chaeyoung.

"Chaeyoung." She shakes her body.

"Chaeyoung!" She checked her pulse and lay down Chaeyoung, then opened her shirt. "please be okay. Please."

When she ripped Chaeyoung's shirt, she saw a big wound in Chaeyoung's chest. "Sana!"

Sana runs to Chaeyoung and checks her. She quickly grabbed a bag and got something. She did a pericardiocentesis. Chaeyoung, who seemed fine at the time, had a severe chest wound from the crash.

"What is happening, Sana?" 

"Tamponade," Sana said while putting the bag to the back of the head of Chaeyoung.

"I-is she okay? She's okay, right, Sana?" 

"She's holding, for now, Unnie. We need a help right away."

Nayeon gets up and gathers the tree branches and a piece of wood.

"We need to make a big fire so they can see us. I know they have already sent help. I just know. Just hold on, guys. H-help is coming."

Jihyo goes to her and holds Nayeon's hands to stop shaking. "Unnie. You should rest. Am I going to stay with them, okay? Trust me on this, and you need to rest." She rubs Nayeon's back and supports her to lay down her body beside Chaeyoung.

They are all sleeping in the middle of the night. Jihyo is the only one awake and just staring at the fire. She looks at her friends one by one and closes her eyes. She can't still believe that they involve in a significant accident. She is blaming herself because she suggested this trip for their anniversary.

"God," She closes her eyes. She prayed for the first time in her life. "I know sometimes, I don't pray, and I forgot to pray, but please, now I need you." Jihyo kneels and holds her knees, and looks down. "Please, we need you right now. I'm not religious, I know, but we need you, and please give me more strength because looking at them lo-looking at them I can't. It's is my fault. Please, we need you to save us because I can't handle losing another friend.

Jihyo got up and hid behind a tree not far from them and started to cry. She covers so they can't hear her. While she is wiping her tears, she hears a strong wind. She then stops crying and scratches her eyes when suddenly, she a couple of lights not too far from them. She walks along the woods to find where the light is coming from. She taught at first that maybe that is one of the survivors, but she still tries and tries to help them. She walked and walked until she reached the lights. 

"Ma'am, are you okay? Are there any survivors?"

The paramedic checks Jihyo first and treats the wounds, but Jihyo does not talk. She suddenly cries.

"Ma'am, are there any survivors?" The other paramedics asked her.

"Why are guys are so late? My friend died because you didn't come sooner!" She pushed the paramedic, and the girl hugged her. "Hey, hey, it's okay. I'm Tiffany Young, a Doctor from Asan Medical Center. We are here now, ma'am, we are here. Now, where is your friend? We need you to tell us so we can help your friend."

"There are still eight out there not far from here. O-one died, and the seven had severe injuries. Please help t-them, please."

"Okay, I need you to stay here, okay? I will get back and save your friends." She put a blanket on Jihyo and left her.

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Flashback

Third Pov

Jihyo sat across Nayeon and Chaeyoung. Chaeyoung's head is on Nayeon's legs while. She is just watching them.

(Chaeyoung gasping)

"Chaeng?" Nayeon called Chaeyoung while rubbing her hair.

"I should have said it e-earlier-"She continued gasping. "That I love her. That I still love her." Nayeon is holding her tears because she can't be weak in front of her. "i-I shoulda said it earlier."

"She-she knew. I think she knew."

"She didn't know Unnie." She pauses and looks at the sky. "She didn't know that I still love her. I should say it earlier that my lo-love for her never fades."

"Chae-chaeyoung, hold on. Hold on. I-I need you to hold on." Nayeon's voice cracks, but she is still trying her best not to cry.

"U-unnie, You can let me go."

"No, shut up. Do you hear me? Shut up."

"But Mi-mina is waiting for me. My family is waiting for me, Unnie. I'll be okay." She can't hold her tears anymore. She hugs Chaeyoung's head and kisses her on the forehead.

"No! Son Chaeyoung. No. he-hey no." She shakes Chaeyoung body.

"Katarina is still waiting for you. We-we are waiting for you. I am waiting for you."

(Chaeyoung continues gasping)

"We are gonna go home together, Okay?" she kissed Chaeyoung's forehead.

(inhales deeply) "O-okay. Unnie, but if ever I sleep for too long, Please just let me go. Bu-but I'm going to try to fi-fight, okay?"

"o-okay"

End of flashback

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Jihyo just closes her eyes and tries to forget what she heard because it's too painful for her. 

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1 week later

"No, Jihyo. No!" Nayeon yells at Jihyo.

"Unnie if, after 30 days, there are no signs of recovery, Chaeyoung wanted to be let go. We promised her before her surgery. That's all we're doing." She pauses and sighs. "Honoring her wishes."

"No-no Jihyo, I-I can't." Jihyo walked to her Unnie and hugged her. "I know it's hard, Unnie, but that is Chaeyoung's wish. We need to let her go. She suffers enough, Unnie."

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Three weeks later

Jihyo stepped through the door of a clean white room. As he looked at Chaeyoung's motionless form, she felt tears forming behind her eyes. Chaeyoung seemed so weak, and the blush was gone from her cheeks. She looks so pale and helpless.

They are now all gathering to Chaeyoung's room. The room is quiet, and no one dares to talk. After Mina's funeral, they go straight to the hospital. Mina's parents decided to take the funeral of their own, and they told them that they needed to stay on Chaeyoung's side that they could handle it by themselves. They are always waiting in the hospital to guard Chaeyoug. They are just going home when they need to change clothes and take a bath.

Jihyo is looking at her friends, and her friends look tired. She told them to rest properly, but they refused it. She looked at her friends one by one, then suddenly she stopped when she saw Dahyun and Tzuyu on both sides of Chaeyoung's bed sleeping while they held her hands. She smiles, and she remembers the day when they are building a tent.

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Flashback

"I think this is the main part." The tall girl said while fixing the tent. "I am tired already."

"Where is the entrance?" Chaeyoung asked, looking for the tent entrance." ah, this must be the floor." 

"Ah, like this? Oh, this must be the entrance Chaeyoungah."

"Right, we need to put these.." Chaeyoung moved the tent. "like this. Together."

"Wow, you are a genius, Tzuyu" the cub and the tall girl are laughing at each other.

"You guys need some help?" Dahyun notices that her friends are having difficulty building a tent, so she offers help.

"sure, Unnie," Tzuyu said.

"Yura, there are still many parts of the tent here." Dahyun found a bag of metals.

"Leave it there for now, Unnie," Tzuyu said.

"how come this one's missing," Chaeyoung is losing her patience now. "Ah, this is so annoying!"

"Wait, do we need to stick it?" The tall girl handling the metal. "like this?"

"Maybe this way.." Chaeyoung pulls the metal and stands right next to her. "this? Ahh! I don't know anymore!"

"Yah! Chaeyoungah, are you sure you know how to build a tent?" Tzuyu then drops the metal from her hand.

"I forgot how to build it. The last time built, it is like.." Chaeyoung paused. "5 years ago?"

"Wah! This is so heavy! Someone help me." Dahyun was bringing the foam to them.

"I don't anymore. I'm already tired." Chaeyoung sits on the sand and pout.

Not far from them, Jeongyeon and Jihyo are observing them.

"They messed up," Jeongyeon said while putting the meat on the griller.

"Agree. Based on their face, they really messed up." they both laugh.

End of flashback

"Please, Chaeyoung, wake up. Your two idiot best friends are waiting for you." she smiles and feels pain at the same time. "We are waiting for you, so please wake up," she said to herself.

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Day 30

[ Ventilator clicking ]

[ Monitor beeping rhythmically ]

"After I stop her medication, I'm gonna extubate her." The doctor said while looking at Chaeyoung's friends.

Sana gets up to the chair and points her finger to the doctor. "Okay, we are doctors as well. You don't need to say it." 

"Sana stops." Momo forces Sana to sit down.

"I'm not saying it because you need to know the procedure, Doctor Minatozaki." She sighs and looks at her. "I say it because if you think you're prepared for what's about to happen, you're not. Your brain can't fully absorb what we're about to do." She deeply inhales. "But by saying this, I'm giving you a little time to catch up." 

They all start to cry because they can't still believe they are losing another friend right now.

"So, After I stop her medication, I'm gonna extubate her." Nayeon nod, who's beside Chaeyoung, and rub her cheeks.

"As indicated on her will, Ms. Son asked that, if life-sustaining procedures would only prolong the moment of death, that these procedures be discontinued. Ms. Son asked that if she was unable to make her own medical decisions, her directive be honored by her chosen proxy. Her final request was that only comfort care to be given to her in her final moments."

"How-how long?" Tzuyu asked.

"Once support removed, she may only hold for a few minutes, or the process could take hours."

The doctor looks at Sana, and she knows what that means.

"I'm turning the ventilator off." (clicks switch) The doctor turned off the ventilator and pulled the tube on Chaeyoung's mouth. "we've sedated her from morphine, so she's not feeling any of this."

They are crying. Jeongyeon is the only one who's not crying. She was not crying since the accident. 

"I'll give you guys some privacy." The doctor said and left.

Dahyun sat down in the chair next to Chaeyoung's bed. She was taking Chaeyoung's pale hand in both of her own. 

"I'm sorry, bro." She cried out loud. "i-I'll be good. I'll do whatever you ask me, but wake up, bro. Please wake up!" she kissed Chaeyoung's cheeks and put her forehead on Chaeyoung's forehead. "I'm sorry I failed to protect you, bro. Please always visit me in my dreams. I'll miss you. I love you. Rest well, my bro." she stands up and goes to the corner of the room and cries.

On the other side, Jeongyeon noticed that Nayeon was just sitting and not looking at them. She knows that Nayeon is the most affected of them. They've been together since childhood. She became a father, mother, brother, and sister to Chaeyoung.

Jeongyeon walks to Nayeon and sits beside her.

"Unnie, aren't you going to say goodbye to Chaeyoung? We don't have time."

"Ju-just give me a minute." 

"Come on, Nayeon, Chaeyoung is waiting." 

She stands up and helps Nayeon to walk closer to Nayeon. Nayeon then lay down beside Chaeyoung. She put Chaeyoung's head in her arms and hugged her. Jeongyeon lay on the other side and hugged Chaeyoung as well.

"I refuse to say goodbye because I don't want to see you go away... You have been a blessing in my life, and nothing will be the same without you anymore, my child." She kissed Chaeyoung's forehead and cried out loud. "I never thought saying goodbye would hurt this much. Oh God, I wish I could skip this part of my life." She holds Chaeyoung's cheeks and kisses her. "Chaeng... My child, I know you want to see your family and Mina.." She pauses and closes her eyes. "So please, I will let you go. I-I want you to be happy. Please rest well, and I love you so much."

"Chaeyoung" Jeongyeon can't hold her tears anymore. "Please don't go. I'm begging you. Please don't die."

Chaeyoung's friends walked closer to them and hugged her. They stayed at Chaeyoung, waiting for her to let go. 

[Monitor beeping rhythmically]

[Heart monitor dropping tone]

[Monitor emitting continues tone]

They gather together and hold hands.

The nurses and doctor go to them. 

"Time of death 18:52"

Saying goodbye brings closure to a relationship. But sometimes, it's just too hard to tell. In that case, consider saying, "Until we meet again." It makes a huge difference. Saying this is a reminder that a loved one is never gone but that they always remain in your heart. This will help you in your time of grief.

"Those we love never truly leave us. There are things that death cannot touch." ― Jack Thorne

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