❝Broken But Mended❞

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TW; Mention of demise. 

12:03 pm 

The month of October had started, a kind of month which brings a pleasantness around the world, the leaves were waving with its breeze, the first rain of autumn was pouring heavily throughout the dark clouds as if pouring their hearts out after filling up the darkness inside them. 

And the same kind of darkness had engulfed around, pouring throughout the people's eyes like a heavy river. 

Cries. Tears. Pain. Mourn. 

The only emotions which were being seen, do and felt at the moment; the only emotion was found in an embrace of gloom. 

The reason behind those emotions was the demise of the only person whose loss never came to the mind of the neighbors. The person had made a place in their hearts like a pleasant warmth to ever cross those thoughts but then again, thoughts sometimes always do an unexpected turn of surprises and shock. 

The people of the neighborhood and the people who were closer had both. 

There inside the huge hallway of the hospital, the pair of three steps walked down it together, their eyes bloodshot, swollen, cheeks painted in a soaked crimson, their figures covered in all black outfits; an outfit they never wanted to put on, not for this reason.

The familiar people could be seen through the hallway while the painful cries went through the whole room, the sight was difficult to see but the moment itself was difficult to live in; to believe in. 

And they just prayed for this moment to be just a bad dream; just a horrible nightmare to wake up from but it wasn't. 

They realized it the moment their steps had stopped by the room, the picture in front of them where the person behind it had a warm smile; her wrinkles and white hair shining like a beautiful poetry. 

Min Ae-Cha. 

A gush of painful peirce had hit hard much unpleasantly to the three people standing there with much unpleasantly to let their holding back tears fill again in their eyes; it was hard to believe, it was hard to live it with the fact that she was gone from this world; from their lives like a vanishing dream. 

Inha, Sehun and Jinsoo had stepped inside until the three of them were standing in front of her picture; her ever warm smile greeting them behind that picture like how she did whenever she'd open the door of her house; whenever she'd serve the food to them; whenever she'd be their secret keeper, whenever she'd hit her back with a smack of love from her; whenever she'd get annoyed at her calling her by her name yet always smiling like a home. 

But now it was gone and it was never coming back. 

Ae-Cha wasn't going to come back anymore. 

A sob left Inha's lips as her fingers were quick to press against her earlobe to hold back her cries, she had cried alone in the room and she was going to do it right now but she didn't want to, she had to stay strong for the one who was not even letting a shed of tear down her cheeks. 

Min Yoojung. 

She was standing by their side as her family along with her parents who were out there serving the people but she wasn't; her hair were in a messy of a loose ponytail, her back leaned against the wall while her eyes staring at the picture of her grandma, her eyes were empty as if she was in a denial of the surroundings; of the moment happening around her. 

Jinsoo sniffled as his heart sank at the sight of Yoojung yet he could understand it, she was the only person Yoojung ever was close to, her grandma was like her mother; in fact, she was more than everything to her than anyone else and she lost her everything. 

Unbelievable. Unfair. But, Undeniable. 

Sehun was still in a trance of believing the sight, his teeth had tugged his trembling lower lip tightly to stop himself from sobbing out loud but his swollen eyes could give it how much he had been crying; he had joined the squad not long ago but had gotten close to them in an instant where the other person was her, Ae-Cha. 

The soul who had given him the most beautiful moments of his life; the kind of love he had craved when he couldn't from his late grandparents; the warmth he had felt from her was like a pleasant homely warmth but now it was gone.

And realizing it again, his head hung down with a subtle sob from his mouth. 

It was all unexpected, and arrived unexpectedly. 

The morning they were still in the school, studying diligently, preparing for the festival with much anticipation but in the middle of their doings, came a sudden yet heart sinking news of Ae-Cha meeting an road accident and the next moment, Yoojung had found herself in the hospital along with her neighbors and her friends since her parents were not here, as usual. 

Everyone was worried, crying but Yoojung was blank at the moment, as if making herself strong enough to handle the situation in front of her while Inha, Jinsoo and Sehun were by her side at that time but the next news had given them a shock of devastation. 

Ae-Cha couldn't make it to the world again. 

The few words from the doctor were enough for the neighbors to drop down in a heart sinking emotion, Inha was still coming to believe it, Jinsoo had his eyes teared, Sehun was still standing still with a shock while Yoojung was blank. 

Just blank. 

The news couldn't even be adapted to her and she found herself in the funeral of her. How it happened, when it happened, she didn't know, she couldn't tell but she could still hear the cries, the painful yelling of her father to Daewon, her mother sobbing into Ji-Hye's arms, and everyone coming to greet Ae-Cha for the last time. 

Her head tilted in front of her to find her three best friends standing before her, their eyes bloodshot with tears flowing down their cheeks rapidly as if even after trying their best to stop their cries, the emotions were too strong to be held back and their eyes held some emotions. 

Sorrow. Pain. Empathy. 

She could tell the reason behind but then why couldn't she cry? She wanted to cry but why wasn't she? Her heart was hurting so much then why were her eyes empty? Everyone was crying so why couldn't she? Why wasn't she? What was happening? She couldn't find the answer nor the tears in her eyes but it was hurting. 

It was painful. 

Inha had stepped out of the room, outside the hall as the rain had greeted her with much flowing pour but her eyes were blurry due to the tears in her eyes, her heart still couldn't believe the fact that the warm person of her life was not with them anymore, that the loud cries inside of agony was for her, the people inside had gathered to greet her for the last time. 

Last time. 

The moment the word hit her head, a throb of painful realization hit her heart unpleasantly enough to well up with the heart sinking emotions, a sob left her lips again, and her tears rolled down her cheeks like a flowing river but her cries didn't stop. 

A hand had palmed her head and from the gentle touch, she had recognized the person to tilt her head to find her father, who was looking at her with his teary eyes and Inha had hugged him in an instant while her sobs getting louder as she cried while feeling his hand caressing her head and back in a sooth. 

Jinsoo and Sehun were standing together while watching the scene, both of them had their swollen eyes blurred with tears, the sound rain was loud but the cries in their hearts were much louder which were hidden by their loud sobs as they watched the scene inside and outside. 

Both of them had felt the painful throb in their hearts, the devastation was hitting hard like a piercing agony but they couldn't stop it. 

However, both of them were worried enough, one person couldn't stop crying then another wasn't crying at all, it was worrisome but it was given to the point they had to just stop and watch or comfort them because all they could do is just it. 

The rain had stopped, the room was getting empty slowly as if leaving the traces of their cries behind like the rain which had left its smell of soil behind but it wasn't appreciable, but opposite of it. 

"We have to take her home anyhow." 

Jinsoo stated, staring at Yoojung's sitting figure in the room by the wall while her blank eyes still staring at the picture and Inha let out a shaky breath, her heart was sinking at the sight of her best friend in the devastating state which had worried her. "We have to do something, she can't sit like this." 

"Let's take her home and let her rest for a while." 

Sehun spoke, as he swallowed harshly at the sight whereas Inha and Jinsoo nodded as she walked into the room before letting out a deep breath as her eyes were tearing up again to blink them away with a harsh gulp of her lump and crouched down in front of Yoojung. "Yoojung." 

After a few seconds, Yoojung turned to meet Inha's swollen eyes; her bloodshot eyes and Inha stared back into her blank yet empty ones but held so much emotions which were yet to be out; she needed to vent out before reaching out to hold her hand, it felt cold against her warm skin. "Let's go home, Yoojung." 

Yoojung blinked, once, twice, thrice. "Why?" 

"You need to be out for some time." That was all Inha whispered, that was all she could say, she didn't know how to express more correctly for her to understand as she couldn't be direct at the moment and Yoojung stared at her for a moment before nodding slowly. "Okay." 

The moment had happened in a swift, the trio had made Yoojung eat something which she did without any refusal but not in her senses as well as after having only a few bites, she was done, and found herself in the backseat of the car which was Minho's who was driving the four of them back while his eyes were red as well as he kept glancing through the rear view to Yoojung who was staring outside the window blankly sinking his heart at the sight. 

Sehun was on the passenger's seat while Jinsoo was also at the backseat with Inha between as he found Inha clasping Yoojung's hand on her lap in a warm grasp, and her hold was still until they had reached the home. 

The familiar home but the familiar person couldn't be found inside. 

The four of them had stared at the house for a moment from outside, while Minho had drove back to the hospital since he had still somethings to take care of where Inha had took Yoojung along with her inside where the silence had hit them, the living room was filled with the familiar furniture, the things were placed on its respective place, but the only thing which was unfamiliar was the silence. 

Instead of Ae-Cha's smile, the dreadful silence had greeted them. 

Jinsoo took a deep breath and gestured Sehun to follow inside the kitchen where the boys had disappeared inside while Inha had made Yoojung sit down on the couch but before she could say anything, Yoojung lifted her head up with a sudden jerk to look around immediately where Inha frowned at her sudden unexpected actions. 

"Yoojung, what happened?" 

Yoojung didn't reply, her eyes were still looking around only to get up as she almost tripped in her black traditional outfit but Inha was quick to hold her arm. "Yoojung, what's wrong with you?" 

She didn't say anything again, and strolled into the kitchen almost bumping into Sehun who was holding the tray of the tea cups which Jinsoo just prepared for them but was quick to step aside with a flinch as he looked at her confusingly to Inha who gave him the same look but in a panic to place them on the dining table. 

Jinsoo walked out to see the commotion to frown at Yoojung who was walking inside Ae-Cha's room only to walk out in a panic where Jinsoo who stopped by the door frame held her shoulders to stop her. "What's happening, Yoo?" 

"Jinsoo," Yoojung stared at him with a panicked look as she held onto his shoulders. "I can't find grandma."

Inha's lips parted as her heart sank at Yoojung's condition as well as Jinsoo's who was staring at her with an empathetic expression as his eyes teared up while Yoojung's lips trembled as the sudden undeniable realization was hitting her mind. 

"Why? Why can't I find her? She's not here." 

Her words left behind the cracking, broken voice of hers loudly as the next second, her heart welled up enough for her eyes to get blurry with burning tears and a few sobs from , she was crying out loud, her head on Jinsoo's shoulder who held her back in a comforting embrace. 

"She left me!" 

Her painful cries echoed throughout the whole house, unlike her giggles and chatters which would beam around the whole place but for now, it was gone, the person whom she shared it with the most was gone and the realization of it had hit her hard like a painful devastation. 

Jinsoo was crying with her by this time while holding her still in a hug to calm her down where Inha had walked to her with her sobbing self to hug the duo as her arms wounded around Jinsoo's shoulders with Yoojung's back against her as her head was leaned against her and Sehun had his eyes teared up as the cries of theirs went through his ears and before he knew it, he was already standing by the trio, just standing by their side but Inha had held onto his button down sleeve to pull him closer by their side. 

And they cried together. 

The moment was painful, devastating, hard to adapt to, but they were in this together, they were always going to be, to pass through this moment because that's how it was. 

Hardships arrive, they stay but they don't stay forever, because forever doesn't last and they realized it now but they were going to pass this moment together. 

________________

7:06 pm 

The night had fallen like a wave of chill; the night which was slowly giving a soft knock of cold, the season of winters was around the corner which would arrive soon with something they'd look forward to, or something which would be beyond their expectations, something unpleasant but some opposite of it. 

A new change it would be; unlocks of emotions, feelings and so much more but yet to come. 

The neighborhood was slowly getting loud like usual, the street lights were brightening up the whole area, the hustle bustle of people around the familiar restaurant was going on like usual but there was still something unusual in it; a void of an absence. 

It was an understatement of who and why? And the answer was just two words; no reason, because the reason was the person itself, who used to be adored before but now, just being missed. 

The bookstore in the familiar street was open as usual, the people were going back and forth through it like usual, the wooden table outside the shop was still placed by the wall like usual, and the three people sitting on it was usual but one person being not there was unusual. 

"It's been two weeks." 

Sehun said, his posture leaned back by the support of his both hands on the table either side of him as he kept his blank stare on his thighs covered by his blue ripped jeans matched well with his plain white t-shirt, before his eyes averted to the person beside him; Baek Inha. 

His head tilted a bit more to take a glance at Jinsoo beside Inha as she was seated between the two of them where his observing stare had noticed how disturbed they appeared at the moment, and it was given since Yoojung wasn't here with them but there was another reason too, which they got to know just a moment ago by Jinsoo himself. 

"I still can't believe this," Inha uttered, her words voicing out in an utterly annoyed tone like her frown between her eyebrows as she brought her seated figure forward to lean her elbows on her thighs while the fabric of her black jeans felt rough like the moment itself right now as she rubbed her face with her palm with a muffled groan. "How could they not investigate further?" 

"It's easier said than done, Goofball." 

She felt Jinsoo's hand patting her back in a gentle manner and it welled up her heart even more as a shaky breath left her lips. "I don't know if Yoojung knows about this or not? I don't know if she should know this right now because she's so disturbed and I don't know how she's going to take this news." 

Jinsoo gulped, harsh it was like the sudden news he had heard from his family; it was hidden from them but Jinsoo had overhead Minho and his grandfather discussing it to Baek Daewon in the restaurant earlier and he knew that he had to talk about this to Sehun and Inha because Yoojung's option was not in the list yet, not when she's already going through a difficult phase to digest this dreading news with sanity. 

Ae-Cha's accident was actually a hit and run case. 

From what Jinsoo had overhead, the driver was a teenager; driving in the morning while in a drunk state and had run over her when she had crossed the road but instead of helping her out, he had run away without stopping. As soon as this news had reached the family members, they were quick to report it and the incident was recorded in the surveillance camera, but apparently it was deleted the moment they were about to catch the person behind it, and according to Minho, the person behind this is a son of a wealthy family; a politician to be said, so it was washed off by the head of the police department so the person who had did the deeds was still out there without any ounce of guilt. 

Unfair and utterly shameful. 

The news surely had shaken the world out of both Sehun and Inha, for a moment they couldn't digest it but as soon as they did, Inha was all out cursing the person along with the whole law and police for being the side of someone who had done a sin but was living luxuriously out there. 

The main concern was Yoojung, they weren't sure if she knows about it or not because it's been two weeks since she hadn't got out of her house; her room to be precise as the shock of losing her own family person whom she was closest with was devastating enough to be out of it but that was concerning and they wanted her out of it before she isolate herself even more than she should, or too much that she finds it difficult to cope with everything in life. 

They didn't want it; her friends didn't want this for her. 

"We should check up on her," Sehun uttered, making Inha look at him following Jinsoo as he spoke further. "She hasn't been out of her room, and it's not a good thing for her to avoid it, she has to come out of it and I know it's hard and she needs time but isolating herself is the last thing she should do because it's not a healthy thing and we should be there for her."

Jinsoo nodded. "You're right." 

"Let's go then." Inha stood up, dusting off her black shirt while her shoulder-length hair waved with the soft breeze as both of the boys stood up to follow her toward Yoojung's house. 

The moment the door opened, Yoojung's mother was standing by it with a warm smile on her face; she tried to ease the down atmosphere which was filled in the entire house of theirs, the familiar house but without a familiar yet the owning person missing had surely gave a unfamiliar unpleasant feeling of it but they had to go inside for the person who was still in there; owning the remaining familiarity. 

"Good evening, uncle." 

Jinsoo greeted Yoojung's father who was seated still on the couch in the living room while having a conversation with a serious expression which was actually it; it was regarding the incident of his mother as the justice was still not on her side so he was trying as much as he could but knowing the person opposite of them were much higher than they ever could was slowly decreasing the hope in their hearts. 

He greeted back with a light smile; he and Yoojung's mother were kind people, polite to be said but because of the work on their hands had never gave them a chance to explore the warm love of the neighborhood or the people of it so, the familiarity never came to them like giving the deserving love to their own daughter who was having a hard time but they were so distant to her to let her feel the love from them. 

A huge guilt, an urge to repent it but the question was, how? Their daughter was not giving them enough time to let them do it; she had isolated herself to the point to even face them but they were glad about one thing; her friends. 

The friends who were coming every day to see her, the friends who were here again today; they could feel that they were in her daughter's life like a blessing. 

Inha had grabbed the knob of Ae-Cha's room; the room which Yoojung had been inside in for two weeks now, and the door opened with a dim light illuminated in the whole room where Inha walked in with Jinsoo and Sehun entering behind her as the door was closed by Jinsoo who was also quick to switch on the lights by the board on the wall beside the door. 

The three of them had to squint their eyes to adjust the sudden light in the room and their gazes stopped at the girl sleeping on the bed while hugging the pillow; Ae-Cha's pillow, and their hearts sank at the sight in a sorrowful feeling before Inha stepped further to sit at the edge of the bed, Yoojung's back facing her who was still sleeping but it didn't seem peaceful. 

Jinsoo and Sehun stood in the middle of the room; watching Inha caressing Yoojung's hair in a soothing manner to find her kissing her head softly before waking her up gently. 

"Yoojung."

And after a few soft calls, Yoojung's ear perked up by the gentle voice to flutter her eyes open to tilt her head to see Inha's gentle glinted eyes staring at her as she stared at her back blankly to blink a couple of times to sit up, her clothes disheveled, her waist-length hair in a mess of its own, her eyes droopy by the continuous sleepless nights. 

Her eyes looked behind her back to find Jinsoo and Sehun standing there, looking at her softly yet in a way which didn't please her because it was a look of sorrow or empathy as she let out a sigh. "Did I sleep for too long?" 

"You have been just sleeping." 

Inha said, fixing her messy hair as Yoojung let her do it; her heart pleasing in a comforting way of how Inha's warm hands caressed her hair softly; the comfort and softness she had been missing from the moment it was gone and the moment the realization of her thoughts hit her head, her heart welled up again, blurring her vision to which she tried to surpass it by blinking them away. 

Jinsoo kept his serious attention on her. "Did you eat something?" 

"No," Yoojung shook her head, as she got off the bed to walk toward the bathroom door. "I didn't have any appetite." 

"How long, Yoojung?" 

Inha asked, making Yoojung stop her movements of twisting the knob as she looked over her shoulder to Inha, and watched her standing up to stop just a little bit away from her. "How long are you going to isolate yourself? How long are you going to stop talking to us? To cry yourself to bed? Talk to us." 

Yoojung stared at her for a moment; her eyes glinting in a painful emotion but a hidden anger behind it. "I don't know, Inha." 

"This is not good for you, Yoo." Jinsoo uttered, his eyes empathetic but serious towards her and Yoojung narrowed her eyes. "Do you think I want to do this? I want to stop but I can't! It's hurting!" 

Her voice almost raised, flinching the three of them; even herself as her breath hitched, her eyes tearing up to turn around. "Just go home." 

"We're not going anywhere," 

It was Sehun who had spoke up, his frown deepening at Yoojung's behavior which was understandable but not taken lightly at the moment; she needed to let her emotions out as he gulped harshly, the grip on his jacket tightened. "We're here, Yoojung. Talk to us." 

"Talk about what?" 

She turned around, her eyes glinting in anger; behind the tears which were threatening to flow down her cheeks as her chest heaved up about the things she was bottling up in her head; piercing her heart in an unpleasant way.

"That I can't find my grandma in this house," She paused, her arm in the air pointing to the room. "That I can't find her in her room? That I can't talk to her anymore? That I can't hear her nagging and her voice anymore? That I can't feel her hugging me anymore? That I can't sleep next to her anymore? That all I find is her pillow to hug? To look at the picture of her?!"

She burst out, her voice beaming loudly throughout the whole room, the tears flowing down her flushed cheeks in a burning sensation, her chest heaving up as her blurry vision stared at the three of them who were standing in an empathic emotion. 

"Or is it about the incident?" 

Her one question and their teary eyes widened, while Yoojung let out a bitter chuckle. "I know it, even if you didn't tell me, I know it all." 

"How do you know that?" Jinsoo asked, his brows furrowed and Yoojung shook her head. "It doesn't matter, what matters is that you hid it from me." 

"You weren't in the position to digest it, Yoojung." Inha voiced out, her eyes teary at the sight of Yoojung breaking down and Yoojung nodded. "Okay, I get it but now what? What do you want me to do? You want me to go out and live my life knowing that the criminal is still out there living his life when I can't even stop missing my grandma? Is that what you meant by talk to you? To stop isolating myself? How can I do that, Inha?"

She let out a tired sob; a sob indicating that she was so tired of everything happening around her; a sob indicating that she wanted to stop crying but she couldn't do it, that it was evoking a guilt for not fighting enough for her grandma. 

Inha let out a sniffle, as she nodded while approaching her. "I understand-" 

"No, you don't." 

Yoojung said, and Inha stopped with a confused look as the latter let out another sob while looking at her. "You won't understand Inha because you have your parents who love you, but I don't, I only had my grandma who loved me enough but she left me. I feel alone Inha, I don't find my grandma here anymore and it hurts so much and you won't understand it!" 

The outburst of her had shaken the two people standing in the room; their eyes widened by the unexpected turn of moments as the silence had taken over before their eyes had followed Inha to find her standing still but in a way that had worried them. 

Inha's heart welled up in a way that a throbbing pierce was felt through her chest; an unpleasant throb enough to well up her heart threatening in her eyes; shocking eyes staring back at Yoojung by her words as her lips were parted. 

"I do understand it, Yoojung." 

Inha voiced out, her voice cracking as she gulped a harsh lump. "I may not be close to grandma as you were but I also loved her, and I do miss her dearly, not seeing her here as soon as I come here also saddens me, not hearing her voice also saddens me so how could you say that I don't understand?" 

"I do understand it." 

The next second, she had walked out of the room where opening the door, Yoojung's parents were standing there with their emotional selves but Inha was too emotional at the moment to walk past them while Sehun was quick to follow her, not before giving a nod to Jinsoo leaving Yoojung in a shocked self; the realization of her doings slowly getting her mind with a hard pinch of guilt in her heart. 

"What did I do?" 

Her palm had collided as her words got muffled, her sobs getting louder while her figure crouching down in an outburst of painful cries where Jinsoo was quick to hold her back as he had crouched down in front of her with an embrace with his eyes tearing up; feeling saddened for both of them. 

The minute Sehun had walked out of the house, his eyes were looking around to get a glimpse of the only girl he was looking for; the girl who had walked away in a hustle but in a much emotional state which had him worried; it was more than it but right now he wasn't in the state to realize it. 

His eyes stopped at her; the familiar figure walking away toward the direction where the bookstore was and a sigh left his lips; a relieved one as he was quick to follow her but in a slow manner; his steps were following behind her as she was forwarding herself in a steady way but the raised of her arm toward her earlobe had given him the sign of how hard she was trying to hold back herself from crying out loud. 

The habit he had gotten to see; to used to and a fact of hers about her not fond of crying in the broad daylight had also gotten to him as the lights brightening the area were enough for him to understand her doings but his steps stopped as she had stopped as well before turning around to meet his eyes. 

Her eyes were teary; he could see it clearly and h