#EXOTHIRDTRIPLECROWN Whuuuuut. >o< Sorry for the long wait though. ^^

----

He carries you quickly with both hands and runs upstairs towards the door. He wouldn’t have hesitated to break the door himself if it was locked. The crazy thing is that when he turns the knob so suddenly, the door just flies open. He would’ve stopped when you’re not in this state, but instead runs as fast as he can to the others. He doesn’t even realize that he actually knows where to turn left and right. At this moment, his adrenaline rush is controlling him.

“I don’t know what to do with you… You’re always in a danger zone.” He says at the unconscious you. He’s both angry and scared because of you. It’s the mixed feelings he never likes to feel. “So stubborn…” He constantly shakes his head. He worries about you. He cares for you.

 He reaches the living room in a dash that he can’t even believe it himself. Everyone who is waiting for the both of you to come around stands up from their seat and runs towards the parking area. Tao never stops from running and just did so when he reaches the car. He swiftly places you on the backseat and starts the engine himself. There is a nearby small hospital around so you all went there with Luhan leading the way.

“What happened to her hyung?” Sehun asks.

“She stumbled down the basement…” Hearing this, Kris quite blames himself for whatever happened to you. He feels really guilty about it.

“Basement?!” D.O. astoundingly yells.

“Yeah… basement.” Tao answers curiously.

“So… did you find it…?” Kai asks.

“Oh, yeah we did.”

“That means Baekhyun and Chanyeol will host the party.” Suho adds.

“So the flag was in the basement?! Ugh, I told you! We should’ve gone there!” Chanyeol implies aimlessly at Baekhyun.

“What? You’re the one who said you’re tired--” Baekhyun stands.

“I did not!” “You did!” "I did not!" "I said you di--"

“Guys, cut it out. What’s more important now is Jae Min’s condition.” Chen says that everyone agrees on. All of them calms down until the doctor goes out. Some gets tired since it is past 8pm and decides to just stay in the cars outside. The ones left are just Suho, Kris and Tao.

The doctor finally goes out of the room bringing with her news about your condition. “Er… is there a family member around tonight?” She asks.

“I’m the fiancé.” Tao immediately answers that quite shocks everyone else around, especially Suho. He keeps quiet anyway. It’s not his business to matter with.

“I see. You have such a strong and pretty fiancé there then…” she comes closer to Tao’s ear and whispers, “… don’t lose her,” and she winks. Tao could only just smile awkwardly.

“How is she?” Kris asks. He’s not getting patient at all.

“Don’t worry, she’s fine.” And the three of them automatically sigh in relief. “She just got dehydrated and lost much fluid due to her dislocated ankle and her head hitting a wall… but you’re lucky to have brought her on time. She can go back home when she wakes up, but it’s preferable for her to stay here until tomorrow morning. Anyway, you can go and visit her inside.” she does one last nod and walks away.

They walk inside seeing the fragile you sound asleep on the hospital bed. Kris just wants to hug you right now since he still feels that he’s greatly responsible of the happening even though he isn’t really so. Suho just feels sad that you had to go through this yet happy that you’re okay. And Tao, well… he’s in a deep confusion. He’s not fairly sure if you actually already mean more than you should or if it’s just the doctor’s words on him that his heart is beating real fast.

---

You are standing meters away from the maple tree in the middle of all cherry blossoms. It’s been so long since you’ve been here. The wind gushes around you bringing fallen leaves of trees along by your side. It’s a mixture of pink and orange ones. The kind that makes you feel warmth within. The soothing kind you wish would last forever. But it never did… and you’re guessing it never actually will.

You seem too engrossed on your thoughts that you didn’t see the silhouette coming at you from the maple tree. He stops inches from you. “Hey squishy,” You immediately look up and gasp.

“You’re the boy?!” You step a lot of steps back until you find yourself falling down the abyss of darkness… and you can’t stop. You struggle so hard but end up defeated.

Until you open your eyes and be hit by a bright light coming from the small window on the corner. You blink many times ‘til your eyes adjust with the brightness. And all you see is everything white. So it was just a dream… it felt real though. And I even got to see him there. What did that mean?  You try and rumble your mind to remember who the boy was but you can’t recall much from that dream. Pointless, effort wasted.

“Damn it!” You sigh out in exasperation. It is seconds later that you feel a light weight on your right hand. Someone’s holding it so tight. It is even later after that that you realize you’re in a hospital room. You move your arm lightly to wake whoever is holding on it.

“Oh, you’re awake.” Tao mumbles with eyes still closed. He looks tired.

“Why… why are we here? And where’s everyone else?”

“Dehydration and ankle injury. They all went home last night.” He says as he straightens his back.

“And you stayed?”

“Well I had to make sure you’re okay.” He gestures at you.

“I’m fine now.”

“Don’t worry. We’ll be back at Luhan’s mansion before the party starts.” You’re not really in it for the party. You just want to get out. You hate hospitals pretty bad.

“Uh… okay. My h-hand…? You’re gripping on it.” You say not knowing how to say it well. You’re not used to someone holding your hand. You hate remembering your grandfather for it. He used to always hold your hands. It pains you for not forgetting.

“Oh, sorry. You were constantly shaking your head and mumbling things late last night. This was the only manner that made you calm down…” He says as he loosens the grip. “You probably had nightmares.” You did… and everyone died in your other dream. It was your grandfather who held your hand in that dream. It was actually him.

“Thanks.” You give a small smile. You turn to the side of the room where the small window is attached to. Silence hovers over the both of you. You don’t feel weird about it though. You are slowly getting used to him anyway.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were feeling sick yesterday? After the fall?” He asks.

“I… I didn’t want you to worry.” You unwillingly answer.

“Well you made me feel the opposite.” He says.

“Sorry.” You mumble still with your back on him.

“You hungry?” He asks but you shake your head. In fact, you don’t want to do anything but lie down right now.

“Just, tell me if you need something… anything.”

“I’m fine. You’re the one who needs to rest. You look like you didn’t sleep last night at all.” He wants to argue but he lets it go. He was up all night watching you sleep, casually taking you out from your constant nightmares. It was only during sunrise that he managed to sleep… yet it only lasted for two hours. He places himself awkwardly on the couch and closes his eyes. He looks better with his eyes closed. He seems innocent that way. So cute and squishy.

---

It is past 5pm and getting darker when you reach Luhan’s mansion. Some people are already gathered on the front lawn. The party is strictly only on the façade and the first floor area. No one is allowed to go to the soccer field, and the garden. Tao parks his car by the lot. He steps out of the car, go around it and open the door for you. He helps you stand up with your arm rested on his shoulder and his hand on your waist for support. You couldn’t actually walk with your condition. Some people are even staring.

“We should hurry inside.” You mutter.

“Why? Is it hurting?” He asks almost paranoid.

“No it’s just… people are looking.”

“Don’t mind them.” He speaks up even though he actually quickens his pace. You’ll never understand him.

You reach the living room and see Chanyeol and Baekhyun talking among guests as the place is filled with laughter. You slowly walk upstairs to your room. You’re free from work after all. Tao says everyone else is in the swimming pool. They’re the only ones there anyway. Others are restricted on going there.

He carefully places you on the edge of the bed and puts a chair in front of you for your ankle to rest on. He turns to leave after.

“Wait! C-could you… can’t you stay for awhile?” You sound a little desperate, and you find yourself weird-ed out by it.

“I’ll just get some food. You won’t want to miss how tasty they are.” He grins and nods to leave. You’re back alone. You don’t want to be alone. Especially when you’re from the hospital. Strange illusions are being made out by your head every time. You hate having to deal with it.

Tao is still not back even though it has been half an hour already. He probably is out partying now. He forgot about me. Someone knocks by your door and with the rhythm made; you know exactly who it is.

“Hey Jae Min,” He slides in your room until he’s in front of you.

“Stay for awhile, okay?”

“That’s why I came up here, you know.” He sarcastically says.

“Where’s Hana?”

“Playing chicken fight in the pool. Tao’s being held up on by his past friends downstairs. He badly wants to come up here as quick as possible but his friends won’t let him.”

“I only asked for Hana.” You roll eyes. He just smirks. He knows you too well.

“Suho knows.”

“Knows what…?” You ask.

“About you and Tao. Tao accidentally said it out loud to the doctor. Suho was around that time. But we already talked. He promised to keep his mouth shut.”

“It’s okay. I know he won’t reveal it anyway. He’s not involved after all.” And you both just stare down the floor.

“Jae Min… I’m sorry.” He mutters and you just look at him with a questioning expression. You don’t know why he’s saying sorry. He didn’t do anything wrong from memory. You don’t comprehend. “I knew you were in that basement. I just wanted you and Tao to talk things and be okay again. But you only ended up in a hospital--”

“Nah. It’s not your fault. And don’t feel guilty about it. I was being careless and stumbled down. You didn’t do anything for me to fall down like that--”

“But your injury got worse when you didn’t go out as soon as it was inflicted on you.”

“Kris, just forget it. I’m okay now and that’s all that matters.” You smile to cheer him up a bit. You know how he takes these things so seriously. You explain to him well that it isn’t his fault to calm his guilt down. It is a hard task every time.

“You and Tao are good now right?” Kris asks. Tao still has not come back.

“I guess so. Why?”

“It’s just funny. He acts weird lately. Or just during this week even.” He says as he stretches out his arms and lay down his back by your bed with his feet still touching the ground.

“Weird… in what way?”

“In every way. He’s confused. I know he is.” He closes his eyes with both his hands behind his head.

“Confused over what?”

“Don’t play dumb, Jae Min.” His brows creases. You don’t tear away from his face.

“It’s easier to be dumb than to expect things, Kris. I won’t hurt myself that way.”

“Says the stone-hearted one.” You hit his head this time. He just chuckles.

“My heart has been a mess a long time ago, Kris. I feel pain now.” He acts as if his heart has been struck with pain and sits properly beside you.

“I just hope he decides well on this.” He mumbled and you choose to not answer. You don’t want to hear uncertain things. Expectations lead to disappointments every time anyway.

I’ll just wait until you’ve decided, silly.