Chapter 21

            Slowly and gently, Way led Gummi into the secondary headquarters building on the other side of Seoul.  All around them, Chrome Entertainment scientists were decorating the building, attempting to make it look just like the old headquarters.  They were too busy to notice Gummi’s puffy red eyes, filled with sadness, consumed with regret.

            Gummi wasn’t crying anymore, but only because she was far too exhausted to feel anymore pain.  Way had to hold onto her tightly as they made their way through the building.  They finally reached the new sleeping room where the rest of the members waited.

            Ellin, Choa, and Soyul stared at Gummi anxiously.  After a few moments of silence, Soyul ran forward and threw her arms around Gummi.

            “Unnie, are you okay?”

            Gummi’s arms hung limply at her side.  She gradually raised one arm to wrap around Soyul’s waist, but her cold expression didn’t change.  “Soyul-ah…” 

            Reluctantly, Choa held out a red rose to Gummi.  Gummi’s eyes widened at the sight of it, and she held Soyul tighter.

            “We…We found this on the hallway floor,” Choa explained.  “I think…I think Jaejoong dropped it.”

            “There was a note…”  Ellin stopped speaking at the sight of Way’s nervous glare.

            “What…What did it say?” Gummi asked shakily.

            Ellin and the twins exchanged worried glances.  Holding the note precariously in her hand, Ellin looked down at it and sighed.  “It said… ‘Now my heart will always beat because I always feel you with me.  I…’”

            “‘I love you,’” Choa finished tensely.  “That was all.”

            Gummi gazed at the rose pensively as memories flashed before her eyes.  She realized nothing could ever make her feel better.  Nothing could ever make up for the loss of Jaejoong’s presence in her life.  For the rest of her life, she would have to live with a broken piece of her heart, and nothing could change that. 

            She rested her face in Soyul’s shoulder and began to cry again.  This time, she wasn’t worried.  She wasn’t hysterical.  She was just broken.  Soyul held her firmly, almost as if she was trying to hold her whole heart together. 

            The rest of the members quickly surrounded them and held one another closely.  Even though few of them understood the depths or the details of what happened, tears filled their eyes, and they cried together.  Whatever Gummi had hid from them wasn’t important, as long as they could be with her when everything fell apart.  They would never miss an opportunity to cry or laugh together; they needed each other.