"I love you."

I whispered those words ever so silently as the gentle spring rain dripped down my cheeks, molding with my tears. The lights had faded away, and the noise of the sirens were nothing more than an echoing memory in my mind. My tongue repeatedly kept poking out of my bruised, swollen lips, at the chapped, raw flesh. My eyelids felt heavier with every passing second. A nearby officer noticed my weakened state, and offered me a ride to the hospital. I muttered out a ‘yes’, my own voice becoming a stranger to me. I tried to compose myself as I carefully stepped into the car. I then watched as the evidence of his sacrifice began to wash away, not leaving a trace to be found.

"I'm a horrible person, aren't I?"

"Why would you think that?"

"If I didn't shoulder the burden singlehandedly, he wouldn't have come for me."

"Well, does he love you?"

"He did, but after what happened, his mind might have changed it's attitude."

"Something like this could never make a true loving heart waver. If he really loves you, he'll never let you do anything alone. That's probably why. Now, is what he did for you a little extreme, yes, but I guess the saying 'people do crazy things when they're in love' must be true."

"You really think so?"

"Let me tell you a story, kid."

"What is it about?"

"People doing crazy things when they're in love."

"Huh?"

"I was a sophomore in college, and I met the most wonderful girl. She had it all; brains, looks, charm, the whole package. I flirted with her, asked her out on dates, gave her gifts and flowers, anything I could to get her attention, but she always ignored me. So one day, after graduation, I saw her walking down the street, arm linked with some guy with a smug look on his face. I didn't like it, so I decided to chase them with my police car. I chased them until the guy finally ditched her, leaving her alone. She was so shocked and upset that she fell to the ground, and cried. I caught up to her, and ran to her side. She cried into my shoulder for hours it seemed, and a spring rain, just like tonight, began to fall on us. She eventually noticed the rain, and looked up. She looked at the sky, then me, the sky, then me, the sky, then me, so many times before bursting into full-blown laughter. She pulled me up to my feet, and we danced in the rain, hand and hand, all night long. Now that woman is my wife of fourteen years and the mother of my three children. So, don't doubt love. Because even the craziest or terrible of situations will all come to pass, and your world will be at peace again. It may be tough now, but your world will be at peace soon enough. So don't worry. I hate seeing people upset like this. Keep smiling, and he'll get through anything they throw at him."

I then realized that everything guilty feeling bottled up inside me was wrong. Every stray thought, thinking that he’ll leave me because he risked his life for me was banished from my mind. I felt like a spark of life has been lit inside me one more time. I can feel the color and heat returning to me. I wiped my face of all the painful teary-eyed stains, and gulped away all the fear still residing. The lights of the city were becoming more and more welcoming as we continued to drive. The officer began to tell me more of his and his friends crazy love stories, and soon, a smile was tugging at my lips. I didn't think it was possible. After everything that had happened just an hour or so before, I was already smiling again. The warmth in my heart was returning as I thought of him fully recovering, running out of the doors and into my arms. I sighed happily at the thought.

"Feeling better?"

"Yes, thank you for all your kindness and support. I never thought my emotions could change in such a short amount of time."

"Well, you're in love and you're young. He'll be okay, so don't worry your pretty head anymore. I don't think he would be too happy to see you in that horrific state you were in. I thought you were just going to collapse and die right then and there." the officer chuckled at the statement, making me reflect on my recent actions. I agree with him. I wanted to die. I wanted to die and pay for my sins. I caused everything, so I believed that it was only fair to give my life away willingly for his sake and mine.

"You didn't commit any sins if that's what you're thinking. He did everything of his own will. Don't blame yourself. It'll make him feel worse if he found out."

"How do you know just what to do with people's emotions?"

"I may be a full-time police officer, but I am also a part-time psychologist. That's probably why I can help you this way. Now, are you composed enough to go see him?"

"Of course, thanks to all of your help. Thank you again. But..."

"But what?"

"I have one more favor to ask of you."

"What is it?"

"Could you come with me to the hospital room, just for some extra support. I don't know how long I could last by myself." I asked him, my cheeks heating in embarrassment. Now that the shock and trauma of the earlier incidents are beginning to die down, my mind is focusing on what needs to be thought about.

'How do we go on from here?' was the only thought filling my mind as me and Officer Jung [that was apparently his name] stepped inside an empty elevator lift.

"I'll be right beside you, so don't worry too much. They have probably cleaned him up, and settled him in his bed for now."

"Yes, you're most likely right. He'll be okay, just like you said. I think most of my actions earlier were partly because of my feelings on how our band-mates would react. We all love him you know. He's the kindest person you could ever meet, and god-like in appearance."

"I bet he is. I only saw him beaten and bloody, so I wouldn't know, but I bet he's gorgeous."

"Oh look, it's our floor. That was--" I was interrupted by my cell phone going off. The soft piano sound echoed around the two of us, and I quickly pulled it out of my left jacket pocket.

"If I may ask, who is it?"

"I'm not sure. I have the same ringtone for all of my contacts." I said as I unlocked the message icon. A name popped up with a short but direct message leaving me speechless in the hospital elevator. It was him.

“Where are you? I want to see you. I’m worried about you.” I read, wide-eyed and short on breath. I checked the time of sending, and the tears swelled my eyes once again.

6:03 PM.

That was one hour before everything happened. Before he showed up out of the blue, before the blurs of fists and blood blinded me, before the lights and sirens came through, before...

“Don’t let your mind fall back into darkness. We just spent half an hour trying to get you to feel better about this whole situation, don’t go and ruin it. Come on, we’ve arrived.” Officer Jung told me, his hand shakily gripping my shoulder as I looked up. He had walked me to the room. The patient’s name was clearly imprinted on the small sign to the right of the wooden door. I stepped closer to the door, my ears perking to the sounds of a machine and soft breathes. I closed my eyes, gripped the handle agilely, the cold shocking the tips of my fingers immediately.

“Go. He’s waiting for you.”

I nodded, keeping my eyelids covering my sight. I pulled down on the handle, and the door began to sway inwards, opening for me with ease. I bit my lower lip and opened my eyes. What I saw was nothing like my previous thoughts that only dwelled in darkness.

I saw him, sitting up slightly. He had patched and gauze covering most of his face, his hair was smoothed back, and the hospital gown gracefully placed on his shoulders, parts also bandaged. I tried to speak, but the words just weren’t there. I see a small smile on his face, his eyes illuminating like the small pearls in the sky. You can barely see any remains of blood, thanks to the nurses, but the outlines of forming bruises was still, unfortunately visible. He lifted his thumb to his plump, wounded lips. They still have the raw red marks from being cut up by knuckles making contact. He stuck out his tongue, and patted the smallest digit with it. He hand made it’s way back down to the small book in his hands, and his thumb found the edge of a page, and flipped it without any frustration. He folded over the corner of that said page, and closed the book. It now rested on the miniature side table. He was now looking outside the window. The misty rain was still falling, sticking against the glass.

“Himchan-ah...” I don’t know how, but somehow, I let his name slip off my tongue. My cheeks heated up, and I got flustered as his sharp, mesmerizing eyes locked with mine.

“You’re late, Dae. I was worried about you.”