Melinda's (Maggie's) POV

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     I'm jerked awake when I feel the plane's tires jerk on the pavement. I check my watch. 

"7:00 a.m.?" I think. "I just went through a morning in Korea. Dang."

     I pull my bags off the carry-on rack as the plane unloads. I wearily walk through the corridor of the terminal, finding my parenst smiling at me. i manage to tack a forced grin onto my face. 

     "Good morning, sweetheart!" they call in unison.

"My mind is telling me it's 4 p.m., but I'll go with morning, " I laugh.

     "Isn't 4 p.m. that one male singer?" my dad asks.

"That's 2 p.m."

     "Oh. That's right."

"Sweetie, you look tired. Let's get home, and you can rest, my mom says.

     "That sounds great."

     We pull into the driveway, and leave the car. 

Dad pulls my bags out of the trunk.

     "Dad, I can get some of-"

"No, no. Can't I help my little girl every once in awhile?"

     I giggle. "Sure."

~~~

     A few hours later.

"Mellzy, dinner's ready!" Mom calls.

     "Kamsa-uh, thanks! I'll be down soon!"

I almost spoke in Korean for a second.

     "So, what's Korea like?" Mom asks once we're all together.

"Well, the culture and everything is different," I say.

     "Don't overtax her brain, sweetheart. She probably expected kermshi for dinner tonight. She's probably in culture shock," Dad teases.

"Wait. What's kermshi?" I ask, puzzled. 

     "You know, kermshi. That spicy fish stuff with noodles."

"Oh. You mean kimchi, Dad."

     "That's it! I meant to say that."

Mom leans over to me. "You probably shouldn't teach him any more Korean, " she says. "He'll probably end up offending someone."

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~     "Goodnight, Mom. Goodnight, Dad," I say.

     "Goodnight, sweetie. Sleep well," Mom says.

"Don't let the bedbugs bite," Dad says.

     "We'll be going to see Steven at 10 tomorrow," Mom says. "We'll be up around 7."

"Okay, sounds good. I'll set my alarm, " I say, heading to my room.

     3 a.m.

I hear a loud knock on my door. 

     "Melinda? Melinda, wake up!" Mom calls.

"Hold on, Mom."

     I open my door to my mother's horrified face.

"The hospital. They called. Steven's comdition is getting worse faster than they expected. He might not make it through the night. We have to go now."

     I nod and close my door. I throw on a clean pair of clothes, put my hair up, and get ready to go. Mom and Dad are already downstairs when I get there.

We get into the car, heading to the hospital.

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     Once I found out what room Steven was in, I began to sprint. Some of the night staff looked at me, but one of his nurses must have seen me, knowing what was going on.

     "He's in here," the nurse says.

"Thank you." I calm myself and go into the room, my parents close behind. 

     I gaze on Elena and his parents, and then I almost go numb when I see the frail form of my cousin.

He smiles weakly. "Mells, " he croaks. "It's so great to see you. I missed you."

     He grasps my hand as I go over to grab his. I start his thin fingers, and look into his faded eyes. They used to be so bright, but they never lost that glimmer they always had.

      Elena smiles a bit at me, but I see the sadness on her face. I smile back, knowing almost exactly how she is feeling. Although I have to admit, it's a bit different for me. I'm losing a brother, and she's losing her soulmate. Still, it's pretty hard on both of us.

     "I'm sorry I didn't come sooner," I say. "Everything was so crazy, but that's no excuse."

"Don't worry about it. I get how much your job meant to you, but you were crazy enough to give it up for me. I'm just glad you're here now."

     "What kind of sister would I be if I didn't give of myself to see you? I didn't know Mom told you about that."

"Yeah, she did. Thanks so much, Melly."

     My parents say a few things to him, too. His vitals start to drop, and the nurse tells us that if we want to say any last words to him, we should do it now.

"I love you, Steven," Elena says, tears forming in her eyes.

     "I will always love you. Never forget that, Lena, " he tells her.

"Steve, I will never forget you. I love you, too," I say, also starting to cry.

     "I love you, Melly. Keep on fighting," he tells me.

My parents and his parenst start exchanging final messages with him. As his eyes start to close, his mother grabs his hand. He shivers a bit, and I remember something in my purse.

     I grab out the large pair of fluffy socks that Mi Hi gave me. I slip them onto his feet. He can hardly speak now, but he smiles at me, as if to thank me.

Elena starts to sing a song to him in Russian that I had heard her sing to him before. I remember the harmony she taught me, and I begin to sign with her.

     I see the sorrow on his mother's face as his hand goes limp in hers. I know that he is now gone, but I whisper one last thng to him through tears, but with a small smile.

"Welcome home, Steven."

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     Hankyung's POV

     The Super Junior guys are in the dorm, and I'm hanging out with them. Ryeowook's phone buzzes with a text.

His face grows sad as he reads it.

     "It's from Miso. Her cousin just died."

Everyone lets out a sad groan.

     "How is she doing?" Siwon asks.

"She didn't say, but she says he passed quickly and with minimal pain."

    "That . I hope the lack of a job doesn't start to bother her," Henry says.

Siwon shakes his head. "I doubt it. She's probably consumed in the grief, but hopefully it doesn't hit her once she gets over this."

     An idea pops into my head.

"I think I've got something that can help her with that," I say.

     "What's that?" Heechul asks.

"Um-uh, nothing, hyung. I'll be back guys," I say.

     I go off to be alone in the room I'm sharing with Heechul, and I begin to think about my plan. I hope Melinda's not stressing about her job right now, but if she ever begins to, I think I have just the thing to help her. I just need to think it through and decide when I should tell her about it.