Hello,

I hang my head in apology for my complete lack of updates with this story. Here's my sorry excuse; I know it's not a good one and I know it's petty, but it's the truth... T^T

Right as Summer was starting, I became a fan of the new rookie group, EXO. And with it, BAM, came the idea for a very big project I am currently working on, and have been pouring my time and dedication for, all summer. The project I have going for EXO is a collection of short stories about every member (12 of them), being a made-up pair with a Kpop girl group member. It took a lot of research to even get it started, and I'm still not very far in its progress. But I'm very passionate about it, and am willing to go on with it, even as summer is coming to a close.

That's basically it. Because of the big EXO project, I couldn't find time or motivation to force myself into Inspirit. It's a really lame excuse. BUT! I'm not abandoning Inspirit, no matter what. What I would like to do, is put Inspirit on HIATUS, until I feel I've given sufficient and satisfactory work to my EXO project.

I understand if you've already forgotten what this story is about and don't want to wait forever for updates anymore. Sorry...

But here's Chapter 4, which has actually been written for a while now. I just thought I would eventually get to writing some more of Inspirit before I updated, but... yeah...

(Sorry for disappointing you, Woohyun. I promise to be a better Inspirit...)

Without, further ado, here's Chapter 4, the last chapter to be updated for quite a while, I think. Inspirit is officially on HIATUS.

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All day, Woohyun’s mind was preoccupied with observing and pondering about the mysterious girl, Inspirit. When the Infinite members had arrived at their concept photo shoot location and had filed into the makeup room, Inspirit had bounded along next to Woohyun happily, her head turning frantically toward every little thing she saw, letting out constant admirations for simple things such as doors, people, cameras, and clothes. While Woohyun was getting his makeup and hair done for the shoot, Inspirit had sat on the makeup counter, unnoticed by all of the staff members and the coordinator noonas, watching Woohyun and every single layer of foundation, powder, eyeliner, lipstick, and finisher that was applied to Woohyun’s face, and every strand of hair that was arranged stylistically on top of Woohyun’s head. Again, her eyes were as wide and round as golf balls, her gaze bearing into Woohyun as if she wanted to eat him.

“Woohyun-ah, you look so handsome!” She exclaimed when the coordinator noona finished with Woohyun and moved on to Sungyeol.

“Uhh, thanks,” mumbled Woohyun, watching his coordinator noona to see if she took any notice of Inspirit hopping off the makeup counter and bouncing over to Woohyun’s side. There was absolutely no hint of recognition whatsoever; the coordinator noona casually seated Sungyeol in the chair that Woohyun had just occupied, and greeted Sungyeol good morning, all too nonchalantly. Woohyun still couldn’t wrap his mind around it: he was the only one who could see Inspirit.

When it was time for Woohyun to change into his concept photo outfit, Inspirit tried to accompany Woohyun into his dressing room. “No! You can’t come in!” Woohyun cried anxiously, alarmed by the fact that Inspirit hadn’t made the sensible judgment to at least stay away from him while he changed clothes.

“Oh, oops! Sorry!” Inspirit replied, smiling mischievously and backtracking away from the dressing room doors.

Woohyun was firstly clad in sleek black pants, black dress shoes, and a fashionable black turtle neck decorated and pinned with numerous silver clothes pins. Two simple silver necklaces and a silver chain was added around his neck, as well as a silver sash that was placed around his shoulder and waist, completing Woohyun’s first concept outfit for Infinite’s upcoming repackaged album, Paradise.

“This is weird, but cool,” Inspirit said, as she leaned in close to Woohyun and the clothes pins around Woohyun’s neck. Woohyun stared at Inspirit, his mind racing. Here was this girl, who claimed that she had turned into a full grown girl from a stuffed animal, whom only Woohyun could see. She was following Woohyun around the photo shoot set like a buzzing fly, invading much of Woohyun’s personal space. There was nothing Woohyun could think of to do about this girl, other than to ignore her observatory comments. What could he do? Would he tell someone? A manager hyung? Sunggyu hyung? What would they say? That he was feverish and hallucinating. Because he was still questioning his sanity himself.

Woohyun faintly heard a voice calling his name to come for his individual photos. Inspirit was now eyeing Woohyun from head to toe, like a mother who checks up on her 6-year-old child from head to toe before sending him or her off for the first day of school. “You look so handsome. And you’re going to do absolutely great!” said Inspirit, giving Woohyun a warm smile. She gestured for him to go on to the photo set, a white washed space with a simple, striped sofa, a wooden stool, an old-fashioned looking stand of some sort, and a wooden chair. Woohyun made his way over to the photographer and bowed courteously. He was directed to sit on the sofa. He was told to wear a blank and sophisticated expression, like he was thinking about a mysterious puzzle that he had no idea how to solve.

A dull throbbing had returned to the back of Woohyun’s eyelids. His fever was returning, and his head was swimming. Woohyun eased himself onto the sofa, and leaned back, keeping his facial expressions calm and unmoving. He tried to ignore the headache, as the photographer circled him, the camera sounding in a series of clicks. He was directed to lie down on the striped sofa, being told to put his legs as comfortably as he wanted, because mostly his head and upper body would be in the shots. As he did what he was told, Woohyun spotted Inspirit out of the corner of his eye, a slight distance behind the photographer, watching Woohyun intensely, with her hands gathered in front of her neatly. No one noticed her except  Woohyun. But for some reason, noticing her presence, and acknowledging that even though he didn’t know who she was or why she was there, she was supporting him right there, stirred his heart. The warm stirring spread to his head where the pain had been nagging him, and he was better, more able to focus on controlling his facial expression.

“Oh great, yes, great job,” muttered the photographer, as he circled Woohyun again and again, the camera in his hand clicking every millisecond. “That was superb! Thanks Woohyun, you’re done for now. Really good job.” And with that, Woohyun was sent away from the set, Hoya stepping in and sitting on the wooden chair for his turn.

“You looked amazing!” Inspirit cried quietly, as if she was finally attempting to be aware of her surroundings by not making as much noise, as if anyone but Woohyun could hear and see her. Woohyun walked over to her slowly, clutching his head. “Is something wrong?” Inspirit asked, the smile she had been wearing quickly turning upside down.

“No, my head’s just hurting again,” Woohyun muttered.

Without any hesitation, Inspirit immediately raised a hand and touched Woohyun’s forehead. Woohyun stepped back in surprise, but Inspirit firmly declared, “Your fever’s back.”

The girl wore a more determined and serious expression on her face than Woohyun had ever seen from her, and she took Woohyun by the arm, leading him to a chair somewhere in the back of the set, where the Infinite members were waiting for their turns. And then, in one quick blink, Woohyun found himself holding a bottle of water in one hand, a box of orange juice in the other. “Water to keep you hydrated and Orange juice so you can get some Vitamin C. Drink up, so you can change for your next concept,” Inspirit ordered, standing in front of Woohyun with her hands at her hips.

Woohyun found himself chuckling at the girl. “Okay mom,” he joked, as he opened the water bottle and downed about half of it.

Inspirit’s expression lightened up at Woohyun’s joke. “I’m not your mom, Nam Woohyun,” she said warmly.

“Woohyun-ah! Where did you get that orange juice? Can you get me one?” Woohyun and Inspirit both turned their heads toward Sunggyu, who sauntered over to them, pulling up a chair right in between the two.

“Why don’t you get one yourself you panda??” Inspirit mocked, furrowing her eyes at Sunggyu. Except, Sunggyu didn’t see or hear a thing.

“Oh, oops, I forgot, he can’t hear me,” Inspirit mumbled, grinning shyly at the realization. Looking from Inspirit to Sunggyu and then back to the girl whom only he could see, Woohyun burst into laughter.

“Yah, why are you laughing??” Sunggyu chided. Woohyun continued to laugh, but shook his head at his hyung, indicating that it was nothing.

“Okay fine, you don’t wanna do your hyung a favor, I get it,” concluded Sunggyu by himself, getting up from his chair and leaving Woohyun with Inspirit.

After the first round of individual photos, the Infinite members were rounded up for a group shot on the same striped sofa in the white-washed set. Woohyun was directed to sit next to Myungsoo on the sofa, while Sungyeol stood over him to the right. As each member was placed in their correct positions, Inspirit again watched from a slight distance behind the photographer. Woohyun somehow detected a look of smugness on her face, and he chuckled to himself for no apparent reason.

The second outfit Woohyun was clad in was a classy black suit with a black, white striped dress shirt under his jacket. The rest of the members were similarly clad in wide variations of black, white, or black with white stripes. The group then moved into another room, where the main set for the second round of photos consisted of cream walls with a marble-like floor, decorated in darker, more vintage furniture including a tan curtain draped on one side of the wall and a postcard poster right next to the curtain. A large plant with wide leaves was also set to one side, which Woohyun thought rather inappropriate.

When it became Woohyun’s turn for his individual shots, instead of lines similar to her previous remarks, Inspirit simply gave Woohyun a squeeze on his shoulder, accompanied with a bubbly smile.

Woohyun was told to move around much more for the second round of photos, standing, sitting on the dark leather sofa, a low chair, a desk, or even leaning against the wall. The dull pain had never completely left the back of eyelids, and without noticing, Woohyun began to wear a slight frown over his face. “You almost look like you’re either angry, or in pain,” commented the photographer, examining the pictures he’d just snapped on his camera, “They look very good, Woohyun-sshi.”

It was evening when they finally wrapped up all the shooting and headed home. Dinner had been simple, dietary foods; afterward, while the rest of the members prepared to go to bed, Inspirit forced Woohyun to take more cold medicines. “I will not tolerate you not getting better,” she said, watching Woohyun as he swallowed the two capsules.

Despite a long day’s work, most of the Infinite members were lounging around the living room, not yet ready to retreat to their rooms for the night. Only Sunggyu hyung announced first that he was going to bed, to the scattered replies of the younger members calling, “Good night~!”

Woohyun decided that before he went to sleep, he would try to ask Inspirit some more questions, to try to find out anything more he could about her identity. Because Sungyeol occupied the whole couch to himself while the rest of the members sprawled on the floor, Woohyun took a seat on the floor next to the couch, where Sungyeol’s feet dangled from the arm. All of the members were turned away from his direction, making it easier for him to talk with Inspirit without being suspected of talking to himself. Still, he opened his laptop on his lap while Inspirit sat next to him, allowing it to be an excuse for him to be set off from the rest of the group.

“Today was really fun! I’m really glad I got to see you guys take your concept photos. It’s going to be so exciting to see how they turn out!” Inspirit said, gathering her knees in front of her with her arms around them, leaning her head on top of her crossed arms to look at Woohyun.

“Inspirit,” Woohyun began, his voice much quieter than Inspirit’s who couldn’t be heard no matter how loudly she spoke, “How long do you think you’ll… you know, live with me? Will it be like, from now until forever?”

When Woohyun turned to face her, he didn’t realize how close they had been sitting. Her face was right there, her eyes bearing into his face. Each of her features were so familiar to him now, after just one day. It wasn’t a face he was going to forget easily, Woohyun thought.

“I’m not going to be here forever,” Inspirit answered, “That would be creepy! What am I, a sasaeng stalker? I think… I’m pretty sure I’m just here to do what I came here to do, and then I’ll have to go.”

“Well what did you come here to do?”

Inspirit continued to stare into Woohyun’s face, unmoving. Woohyun was suddenly aware that his face was completely bare, no makeup, ready for bed. If Inspirit were a fan of him, he would never tolerate his bare face in such close proximity. But since this girl had already seen every single bare and exposed side of him, in the 24 hours since he’d met her, Woohyun decided it was okay. The thought of her sleeping in his room, his bed again, popped up in his mind, and his ears began to heat up. Now that he thought about it, he had never slept so closely with a girl before in his life. He couldn’t decide how he felt about the whole situation; in fact, he hadn’t even decided yet if this girl was real or not…

“I can’t say for sure,” Inspirit spoke up, interrupting Woohyun’s thoughts, “I have a feeling, but nothing very concrete. I just want to follow you and maybe see if anything comes to mind.”

“So, you can’t remember why you’re here?” Woohyun asked.

Inspirit bit her lower lip, shifting her eyes so that she wasn’t staring at Woohyun anymore. “That’s not it… I know who I am,” she said.

“Then who are you?”

The blankness shifted so that once again, Inspirit was peering at Woohyun. “I’m Inspirit.”

There was nothing Woohyun could say to that. The answer was so vague and so incomplete, but by the way she said it and by the way she looked into Woohyun’s eyes as she said it, she seemed so certain of it, and of herself. Woohyun let out a small sigh and checked the clock on his laptop. It read, 11:10p.m. Suddenly, fatigue seemed shower his whole body. He yawned largely, his muscles tingling from exhaustion. “You sleepy?” Inspirit asked.

Woohyun stared at the girl for a moment, then gave a small nod. She stood up from her sitting position first, then offered a hand to help Woohyun up. He raised his own hand and clasped Inspirit’s, feeling the realness of the touch, even the small and thin size of the hand. As Woohyun stood up, Inspirit dragged him by him hand, leading them to the room he shared with Sunggyu.

“Goodnight everyone!” Inspirit called, looking back at the Infinite members. None of them responded.

“Oops, forgot again,” she said, covering with her free hand and giggling.

“I’m going to sleep,” Woohyun said, not looking back at s but looking at Inspirit. “Good night!” came the scattered voices, no different from when Sunggyu had first gone to bed.

Again, Woohyun found himself making room on his small mattress for Inspirit. She was extremely close in the darkness of the room, and everything about her – her breathing, her body temperature, her smaller frame – felt so real to Woohyun. As he lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling, he realized that his heart was pounding. He took a quick glance at Inspirit, whose eyes were closed, whose lips were curved in a slight smile. There was no way that such a real person, who was making Woohyun react with his mind and body at everything she did and didn’t even do, was unreal.

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If you are going to stick around and wait for this story, I can't thank you enough. I hope everyone has had a great summer, and I wish Infinite the best of luck in all their pursuits! I know they're going to be amazing♥

... and here's Woohyun.