~CHAPTER 57~

After the four days stay in China, we returned to Seoul and the turn of events is something we didn’t expect.

I was inside my apartment when someone rang the doorbell. When I opened the door, I saw a devastated Suho. “Oppa?”

He looked up. A tear fell from his eye.

“What-“

He immediately hugged me. I could feel his pain. “Oppa?”

“R-Rian, she...left.” His voice cracked. My eyes widened. “She what?!”

It was a big shock to me when I received the news that Rian and Yoonmi transferred schools abroad. I immediately called Ahjussi who said that their parents made the decision. *Why did they need to do that? There are only three and a half  months left for school. *

I glanced at oppa who was sitting on my couch. His hands were intertwined. His fringe was covering his swollen eyes. “Neh...neh...” I inhaled before hanging up. I sat beside him and observed his state.

If it was a big shock to me, it was a bigger shock to Suho-oppa. Until now, he hadn’t received any calls from Rian. He kept asking himself what the reason is but he can’t find the answer about why she left without leaving a message?

All I can do is be there for him.

“It must be hard on you.” I said while patting his left shoulder with my right hand. I was half-hugging oppa. His head was leaning on my shoulder.

“Rian is not like that. There must be some kind of reason.” Suho-oppa muttered. He looked emotionally-tired. “Did I do something wrong?”

I shook my head. “I don’t think so... Oppa, just wait and she’ll call you soon.” I tried lifting his spirit up. Even though he nodded, I can still feel how down he was.

Saturday.I had the urged to buy the gifts since Christmas was a week away. Winter break is nearing, too. The gifts were inside the grocery bags on my hands. I was walking toward the bakery near the library to buy some bread. But I stopped on my tracks when I heard a scream. Without any second thought, I ran towards the source of the voice.

I bit my lip and hid behind the walls. I carefully gazed inside the dead-end alley and I saw a girl wearing pink clothes and a guy wearing a hoodie being surrounded by thugs.

“Don’t touch me!” The girl screamed and kicked the knee of the thug. The guy went in front of her and protected her. But he only earned a hard punch.

“Don’t interfere, boy!” The thug threw another punch and the guy hit the wall. His arm was injured and he was in pain.

“No!” The girl tried to help him up but her wrist was held again by the thug. She was nearly crying. I can see how her knees tremble in fear.

“You look young and fresh~ Hmm~” The thug eyed her from top to bottom. He turned to his fellow thugs. “Let’s bring her to our hideout.” They started laughing. “Let’s go!” The thug started to drag the girl but she resisted.

“No!” She kicked the thug’s knee again.

“Why you-“

“Lay a finger on her and you die!” I shouted making them turn to me. I ran towards the girl and protected her.

“And who do we have here~? Hmm.,, We’ve got another catch~” His group started to laugh again. I gulped hard and tried to be strong. The leader reached for my arm but I managed to kick his crotch. He fell on the floor and winced in pain.

“You little rascal!” He shouted. “Now you made me mad!” He shouted and signaled the boys to move.

They approached me at the same time. I tried to block their attempts of reaching the girl by hitting them on some weak spots but I only managed to beat a few. I was exhausted. I couldn’t use my powers. This was my limit.

The girl screamed because a thug managed to hold her arms. She was resisting. I charged to him that I didn’t realize the leader was behind. His has a knife.

“Behind you!” The girl shouted but it was too late. He managed to slash my right arm. It was deep. I hit the wall because of the impact.

The girl stepped on the thugs foot and he released her. She wanted to run towards me but she was caught again by the others.

I was panting while gripping on my arm when my hair was pulled by the leader. “You think you can mess with me? Think again.” He punched my stomach and I fell on the ground. He didn’t stop with that. He kicked me two more times and stepped on my foot. It broke and I cried in pain. “Ahh!!”

“Stop it! How can you do this to her?!” The girl screamed. “Stop it!” She tried resisting the guys but she had no luck.

My vision was blurry. I was crying in pain. My body felt stingy and sore. I swallowed hard and clenched my fist. I tried to move but the leader stepped on me. “Ahh!”

“You think you’re strong? You think you can handle us? You’re just a girl!” He said and stepped hardly on my stomach. I coughed some blood. My body was trembling from fear. I wanted to fight but I can’t. I was too weak.  I don’t want to die here. “Boys, lift her up. Bring her to our place.” He ordered the thugs.

“Don’t you dare touch her!” A voice shouted from behind. I couldn’t see clearly who it was. Everything was blurry. But I can see that whoever it was, he’s fighting those thugs.

Kris threw the last member like he was some trash. He glared at the leader who was prepared to attack. Like a wolf, Kris didn’t hesitate to catch its prey. He ran straight to the leader and punched him in the face. He hit the wall.

“I-I s-surrender!P-Please s-spare me!” He asked Kris but his eyes showed no mercy. Kris lounged towards him and threw punches on his stomach. He reached to his throat and gripped hardly making it hard for the leader to breath.

Kris was aiming to kill him because of what he did to Hana. He wanted to kill him to the point he does not care if anyone sees him.

“She’s losing too much blood!” The girl said while Hana was in her arms. She looked at Kris. “She needs to be brought to the hospital now!”

Kris didn’t think twice. He released the thug after he punched him hard in the face. “Hana!” He called for her but she didn’t reply. “.” He carefully placed her in his arms and lifted her up. He flew towards the sky and he didn’t care if the girl saw him use his powers. All that matters was her safety.

“Hang i-in there!. Don’t l-let go!” He said with his trembling voice. She already lost an amount of blood which made her paler than usual. He was afraid to lose her. Not now. Not ever. “Don’t die on me, Hana!” He shouted as tears started to fell.

Hana woke up and slowly blink. She was fighting for her life. She gulped hard. “K-Kris...don’t cry..” She said and used her remaining strength to wipe his tears.

“Shhh...don’t talk. You’ll be okay I promise..” Kris leaned closer and let his forehead touched hers. “I’ll protect you.”

Hana smiled weakly.  “I love you, Kris.” Her hand fell from his cheeks. His eyes widened.

“No!” He shouted. He was panicking. He need to fly faster. Faster. Don’t leave me! His memories of her flashed in front of his eyes. He has wasted a lot of time trying to push her away. Now he doesn’t want her to leave him but he can’t make that happen anymore....because she’s dying.

Time stopped for Kris as soon as Hana was brought to the Emergency Room. He was like a dead person standing on the cold floor waiting for the news of the doctors. He had already called the others.

“Kris!” Chanyeol ran towards Kris. He saw how devastated Kris looked. This was not the first time he saw him this state. “Kris!” He shouted succeeding in catching his attention. The way Kris gazed at Chanyeol meant that any moment now he will break. Chanyeol’s heart fell. He immediately hugged his brethren.

Kris started crying while gripping hard on the back of Chanyeol’s shirt. “Please tell me s-she’ll be okay. P-please.” He begged and Chanyeol responded, “She’ll fight. She will not back down. Hana is a strong girl.” Kris sobbed harder. “If only I arrived earlier...I-“

“Nobody knows that this will happen. Stop blaming yourself.”

“I-I’m afraid to lose her.” Kris stated.

Kai’s hands fell on his sides when he heard Kris words. Hyung loves her. He felt his world crashed. This was the confirmation that he has no chance with her. Kai bit his lip before approaching Luhan. “Can you help me with something?”

Luhan looked at Kai and nodded. “Sure.”

The two of them stood in front of the Emergency Room where Hana was being treated. Lay was already inside doing his best.

Kai held Luhan’s shoulder and delivered his message. “Hana, you need to fight. There are people waiting for you outside that room. Can’t you hear that Kris–hyung is crying and blaming himself because of what happened?!” Kai’s voice cracked. “You need to fight so you can make him understand that it’s not his fault! Please fight...” Tears started to fall. “for me, for Luhan, for the guardians, for everyone, for hyung and for yourself. You must win!” He stated. Luhan whose eyes were closed shed tears.