His tone wasn’t serious, but she felt like a strange glint in his eyes. She nodded and he followed her. They walked side by side for a moment. “I’ve been thinking of you… the whole time since our last discussion.”

She blushed madly. “And?”

“I want to know the truth.” His words went through her system, and she froze. They looked at each other intensely. “Who are you, really? Why didn’t you go to school until this year? Why are you so fast, so agile, so strong?” Jin Ki almost yelled. “You must explain it to me.”

“Why would I?” She growled back. “What would that change? You don’t accept me like this, so I know you won’t accept the truth.” Her eyes got filled with tears. “I am limiting my relationship to Taemin as you asked me. We are just classmates, now. Why can’t you just leave me be?” She stepped back as he tried to hold her, shock written in his face. “I can’t be who I am, why don’t you try and get it in your slow brain?”

Finally she noticed that she was yelling as her system made an alarm. Her wrist band made a small sound and she looked at it. Jin Ki noticed it too, and tried to read what was written. However, Hye Jin ran out of his sight. He noticed the people watching them, including Taemin and Jongin who ran after Hye Jin.

He found her facing a wall. “Idiot, you are just an idiot!” She punched the wall, enough strong to make a fist size hole.

“Hye Jin…” He called and she looked at him with a death threat written on her eyes. He was enough scared to keep a distance. “I wanted to check if you were fine.” She sighed deeply, looking away. “It seemed pretty intense between you and Jin Ki Hyung… I am not the one to talk since I did fight with Jun Myunnie Hyung more often than you can imagine, but here something Grandpa used to tell me when we get into fights. Don’t go for the anger first because it’s the easiest way, there are more ways to communicate with someone in the middle of fights.” She blinked and looked down. “Don’t push him away because you are scared, Noona. He accepted you the way you are, it’s just… he’s off when he’s around you.”

“I am pushing him away to protect him.” She spoke simply with the most lifeless tone Jongin ever heard and he felt his heart clench. “I am pushing him because this human heart…”She did hit her chest several time, as sobs broke through her. “This human heart is calling for him, wanting him, and loving him.”

“Stop talking about yourself like you are a robot.” Jongin scolded her as he stepped closer. She held his shirt and pulled him closer, hugging him tightly enough to make him whine in pain.

“I wish I was just a robot… and nothing else.” Her mumbles were filled with pain, and Jongin patted on her back, noticing that it was toned, and firm. He patted a little then pushed her away. She tried to smile but ended up biting on her lips.

“You don’t need to be someone you aren’t.” Jongin spoke with an encouraging smile. Hye Jin was about to scoff, but he suddenly spoke with more seriousness that she imagined. “Humanity is not the body; it’s not the names, or the title of human being given to you.” Hye Jin blinked as he held her cheeks. “For me, I’ve never seen someone as human as you are, Noona. I’ve done the worst thing ever to you, but you are still caring and holding me on my feet. If this isn’t human, then I don’t know how Humans think.” She smiled because the last phrase was taken from her words when they first faced each other. She smiled to him and he smiled back. “I’m thankful you didn’t hate me.”

“I wouldn’t dare.” She mumbled, holding his hand. “I did cause that car crush. I should have thought of a way to stop them instead of that. I had to think…” He shushed her with a finger in her lips.

“I should have waited until we finished our school day to surprise him. I should have waited for him in the bus stop instead of the school.” He spoke sadly but a smile showed up. “But we didn’t predict it. Jun Myun Hyung would have said that we are not at fault.” He forced a smile. “Then it wasn’t our fault. It was… fate. We should both accept it now.”

She sighed resting her head on his shoulder and they headed inside since the bell did ring when Hye Jin was face to face with Jin Ki. She realized that he was there the whole time. Jongin stepped in, leaving them behind when a hand held his. He looked at Taemin, shocked before looking at where the kid was looking. Jin Ki and Hye Jin stood facing each other, with no word.

“We will be late.” Hye Jin said suddenly and she tried to move but he stopped her.

“I’ve never said I didn’t accept you the way you are.” He spoke calmly, avoiding her eyes. “I just … can’t accept the mask you are wearing, Noona. I know there is something under this, and I hurt my brain trying to figure you out.”

She observed him for a moment, shocked because he was the first to make the remark. She stepped close to him and held his fingers. “You are close from the answer than you think, Jin Ki.” He looked up, surprised. “And the answer is really easy.” She held his finger and put it up her wrist, where her heartbeats were obvious. “I’ll tell you the truth someday. Just not now.” Confused, he nodded and she forced a smile, as she followed Jongin and Taemin to the classroom. Jongin didn’t want to point at their still interlocked hands, and Taemin didn’t seem to mind it since he kept their hands until they reached the classroom.

Jongin felt a little lost when Taemin released his hand to sit, while Taemin just noticed how cold his whole body felt at that. He looked shortly at his hands and up to the board. The teacher got in so he didn’t have time to think further. Yet it was all Jongin thought of. “Why not.” He remembered that Jun Myun told him to move on from his family just few days from the last time he called them.  “Life doesn’t stop at separations. You have to learn how to move on enough quick to live everyday fully.”

The school day ended smoothly which was surprising, and Jongin rushed to stand by Taemin’s side, as they headed to the bus. “Aren’t you going to catch your bus?” Taemin asked him, suspiciously. Jin Ki was busy talking in the phone while Hye Jin was nowhere to be seen, so Taemin felt a little scared of being alone with Jongin again.

“I want to take Hye Jin to the cemetery.” Jongin said simply. “I want you to come with us.” Taemin and Jongin looked at each other when they blushed suddenly at how deeply they were staring. “I think she will need you there.” Taemin nodded, looking away.

“I’ll go. When are you planning to go?” Jongin didn’t answer and Taemin looked up. The kid seemed absently looking ahead. “Jongin?”

“The sooner the better.” The mumble was filled with pain, and Taemin blinked in confusion. Jongin changed suddenly, from a normal, rather smiling kid to a broken body filled with ruins of what was before a soul. He was shocked by how hurt Jongin looked right then. The kid sighed and looked around and noticed Hye Jin stepping closer. “Let’s to see Hyung.” Hye Jin nodded and looked at Jin Ki.

“I’ll make sure your brother is back, safe and sound… this time.” Hye Jin avoided expressing her bitterness, but it was obvious enough to make Jin Ki sigh.

“Noona…” Hye Jin walked to Jongin’s side, cutting Jin Ki’s protest shortly. The two other kids stood there awkwardly.

“Shall we take the taxi?” Hye Jin offered as she stopped a taxi. Jin Ki observed as Taemin sat with Jongin in the backseat while Hye Jin sat by the taxi driver side, glancing at Jin Ki for a moment. She didn’t truly know what Jin Ki planned to say and didn’t want to wait until he tells her how much of a failure was her attempts to protect Taemin so far.

“Noona.” Taemin called her suddenly. “Are you all right?” She just nodded, looking by the window while Jongin held Taemin from saying more. The drive went silent until the cemetery. They stepped in when they noticed an old man standing in the middle of the graves.

“Grandpa?” Jongin called, shock heard in his voice. The man looked back to the call, and smiled to Jongin. They stood by the man’s side, only to notice how tired the man looked. Jongin hugged the man who was surprised a little bit before hugging Jongin back. “Grandpa. I’m sorry.” Jongin sobbed while the man patted on his back.

“You couldn’t predict the future.” The old man said. “Death didn’t need you as an excuse for taking Jun Myun away, son. It was his time to die, either you or someone else did call him that morning, he would have died somehow.” It was true but it didn’t ease the painful guilt in Hye Jin’s heart.

“I know. I’ll try to forgive myself.” Jongin promised, and he looked at Hye Jin. “Like I forgave her.” The old man looked at Hye Jin who stepped back, expressionless. She was in a mess and didn’t know how to react. The old man patted on her back.

“Come dear. I know he would love to see you.” The old man pulled her close to a gravestone with clear words written on it.

“Beloved son and Amazing friend. Here rest in peace the angel Kim Jun Myun. 1990-2006.” Hye Jin shed tears as she knelt in front of the stone.

“I’m so sorry. I wish I did notice you in the road. I wish I did.” She spoke steadily despite her tears. “I was so caught up. I really didn’t see who was in the road that day, and I realize that I may have risked lives back then, more lives than just yours. I caused your death, and Jongin’s slow self-destruction. I caused terrible things starting from that day. I don’t know how to ask forgiveness, I’m ashamed to even stand in front of you after that, but I want you to forgive me… please forgive me for what I’ve done.” A hand landed on her back and she looked up to the old man, who smiled to her dearly.

“I know he forgave you, like I did.” The man opened something in Hye Jin’s heart and she fainted right then.