Reality

“She’s moving! She’s moving!” You heard someone screaming it. You tried to open your eyes but the bright light made you immediately shut your eyes closed again. Your head felt so heavy and you could feel something attached all over your body, yet you still had no clue on what was going on.

“Really? Let me see!” Another voice was heard but your eyes seemed like they couldn’t process anything. Not long after that, you could hear footsteps coming towards you. ‘What’s going on?’ That question filled your mind.

“Sooojin, Soojin! Hey, can you hear me?” A voice asked you. It sounded familiar yet you still didn’t know whose voice was that. Not long after that, sounds were coming from everywhere and you felt you head even heavier than before.

“Stop, she is struggling!” Another voice was heard, along with the feeling someone was holding your hand and a sob was heard.

You struggled to open your eyes and finally you succeed although everything were still like shadows. Your eyes adjusted before finally could see quite clearly. You found yourself staring at a white painted wall and lie down on a white sheet bed. You found it hard to move any parts of your body, even just your finger. You found yourself breathe with a help from the oxygen mask.

“What’s going on?” You murmured to yourself. You found it hurt so much even when you just murmured.

“Soojin..” A voice called you from your left side. You turned to your left side and found your parents, EXO, and even Min Hee there. Jongin was actually the one that was holding your hand. His face was strained with tears. Min Hee’s eyes were red. Your parents and EXO also looked like a mess.

“Mom, dad, why am I in pain?” You asked them.

“Soojin…” That was the only words that your mom could say before she broke into tears. You turned your gaze to Jongin and asked him the same question, and all you received was another sob.

“Why am I in hospital? What happened to me? I have a right to know.” You sounded desperate as every time you asked each of them, you received no answer.

“You have been in a coma for 3 months straight.” Min Hee opened eventually and made you totally shocked. Impossible. You thought. Just the previous day, you became Sehun’s girlfriend, and then you were told that you had been in coma for 3 months. That was so impossible.

“No way.” You shook your head and continued, “Where’s Claire?” Then you saw everyone turned to each other with confusion written all over their faces.

“Who’s Claire?” Sehun asked and his reply made you totally didn’t understand anything at all.

“My best friend from London. You have known her since yesterday.” You spoke.

“Soojin…” Jongin called you.

“Yes?”

“You never reach London.” He said with bitter expression written on his face.

You were so confused as you asked, “What do you mean?”

“Your plane crashed. You were found dying. Fortunately, you were fast got a treatment. But, you fell into a coma. The doctor has given up on you, yet we still believe you would open your eyes and we are right! You…You came back.” He flashed a smile. Everything was too much for you. All things sounded so unbelievable for you. It felt so real when you studied things. It felt so nice when Claire and you had nice talks. It was awesome the days you spent there. The joy you felt was so real. The broken heart you felt when you saw Jongin and Min Hee were official was seemed so real. And Sehun’s proposal also seemed so real. And then, you were told that it was all never happened? How could you believe it?

“No, no. No, mom, dad, tell me, it’s not real! Tell me!” You started to cry.

“What am I supposed to say? Watching you in this state isn’t what I want. But you have to face the reality, Soojin.” Your dad said and that hit you so hard. So… Everything that Jongin said was true? All the things that you felt was just your dream, or your fantasy, or anything you might call it. But your dad was right, you needed to face things. It was all the cruel reality that you must accept. You were lucky enough to survive. At least, you had to be strong in front of them.

“So… What did I miss?” You tried hard to move your face’s muscles to form a smile on your face and everyone seemed to be surprised. Who wouldn’t? Just a moment before, you were so sad and desperate, and suddenly, your face was bright already.

“What did you miss? A lot.” Chanyeol said. Just when he was about to tell you, a nurse came.

“It’s better that you come one by one. It’s too crowded, it’s not good for the patient.” She said. Chanyeol gave you a wink, signaling that he would tell you on his turn.

Your mom and dad were of course the first one who came in and talked to you.

“You missed your own birthday. You missed watching dad crying.” Your mom said and laughed. In your life, never had you seen your dad crying, so it was really a thing if you could see him cry. You saw your dad nudge your mom with an upset face, but your mom was still laughing.

“Really?” You turned to your dad.

“Oh, screw this, okay, you got me. But you missed your mom talking to a teddy bear.” Your dad laughed and your mom stopped laughing and sent your dad a glare.

“Oh really, you told her that?” Your mom pretended to be mad.

“Why not? You blurted out mine first!” Your dad laughed. In the end, the three of you laughed until a nurse came in because you three were too noisy.

“Sorry, I guess it’s now your friends’ turn hahahaa..” Your mom was still laughing.

“Okay. Love you mom, love you dad!” You said before both of them went out and bid you a good bye.

The next that came in was Min Hee.

“Hi! How do you feel?” She asked and took a seat next to your bed.

“Would be a lie if I say good hahaha.” You laughed.

“You missed watching me stop going to club and of course, you missed accompanying me to my first job interview.” She said.

“Really? OMG! I’m so sorry! I promise I’ll visit your office once I get out from this hospital.” You said, still surprised.

“Okay, pinkie promise?” She held out her pinkie finger and you intertwined it with yours. And then, she went out.

“Hi!!” You could recognized his voice even though you didn’t see the person.

“I got to use my best aegyo so I could be permitted to enter first!” He laughed.

You shook your head and laughed along with him. “Chanyeol, Chanyeol, you still haven’t changed. Hahaha…”

“Oh, really? You want me to change?” His eyes rounded as a reaction.

You shook your head, “Never!” And laughed again. “So, what did I miss?”

“A lot! You missed having crazy times with me of course. And you missed seeing me cry.” He said.

Your eyes widen in disbelief, “Cry? You can cry?”

“It’s because of you, silly!” He patted your head lightly. For Chanyeol, you were like his sister.

“Oh, really? I’m touched.” You grinned innocently.

“Well, there are still a lot that you missed, but not my part to tell. Well, I can tell you all, but the other won’t get a turn hahaha!!”

“Okay, get away then!”

“Really?” He raised one of his brows.

“Just kidding bro! Hahaha, see you later!” You waved your hand and he returned it with a laugh before disappeared through the door.

“OMG! Why was he so happy? Did that twerp tell you something that he shouldn’t??” Baekhyun freaked out when he stepped in.

“No hahaha. You have to see your face!” You laughed again.

“What’s on my face? Is there something wrong?” He asked in confusion.

“No, no. But your panic combined with your confused expression was seriously ridiculous.” You laughed heartedly.

“You laughed as if I’m a clown… Hahaha!! Anyway, you missed seeing me launching a new café!” He said.

“Café??

“Yeah. What? You don’t believe it? Let me show you the photo of it.” Baekhyun pulled out his phone and showed you the screen.

“Nah, that’s my café!” He said proudly.

You took a look on it and some picture of the menu and said, “Awesome! You got to treat me once I’m out from here!”

“No problem, but for that, you have to recover in a light speed!” He smiled widely.

“Sure!! If that’s the motivation, I’ll surely recover fast hahaha!!” Baekhyun and you had a bit chit chat before Kyungsoo came in and dragged Baekhyun outside.

“He took the longest!” Kyungsoo complained after dragging Baekhyun out.

“Don’t be too mad on him… “You grinned seeing Kyungsoo’s expression.

“I am not mad. He must be talking about his new café, right?” He made a guess.

“Right! Hahaha!”

“Now about me, you missed seeing me perform in Korea’s master chef!!” He pouted a little.

“Oh no… How was the result? Did you win?” You asked. You really regretted not to be able to see it.

“What do you think?” He asked back.

“You must do well I suppose. And with your talent and hard work, I guess, you won!” You smiled widely.

“You know me so well…”He laughed before pulling out something from his pocket. A medal.

“Ah, I must take a photo with you with you wearing that medal and I make a peace sign! You’re gonna be a super famous chef!!” You said happily and Kyungsoo grinned widely.

“Unlike Baekhyun I know my time and the impatient feeling that others feel, so… Talk to you again later!” He waved his hand before walked out the room.

Suho stepped in and flashed you a sweet smile.

“You’re blushing! What did I miss?” You raised one of your brows.

“Could you guess?” He asked.

You could directly use your mind reader power, but you didn’t want to. You wanted to make a guess.

“Your cheek is blushing madly. Hmm… It must be something connected with love or crush, eh?” You took a glance on Suho’s expression whose cheeks now turned as red as a rose. “Hmm.. And your cheeks blushed even more which means I’m on the right path. From your reaction and my observation… So, who’s the lucky girl? And how long have you been with her?”

“Shoot! Am I that readable?” He made an upset face.

“Not really, I’m just too good hahhahaa…”

“Are you always this cocky?”

“Only when I’m teasing my friends hahahaaa…. Anyway, answer the question please, I’m curious…”

“Do you remember when we took you to Lotte World? Nah, at the Ferris Wheel, I met this girl. We shared our numbers and yeah, I guess I have a feeling to her. So, hm… It’s been 2 months. Her name is Lee Hyerin.” Suho couldn’t hide his excited tone while telling you, his rosy cheeks, and his grin.

“You’re so in love with her hahaha…” You .

“I guess I am.” He grinned widely like an idiot.

“I’m going to tell you more about it. But I guess it’s time for other.” He said and stood up from the seat.

“Sure! Bye!” You bid him good bye.

Sehun came in and instead of saying a thing, he directly hugged you. You were a little bit taken aback and confused what to do, so you just hugged him back.

“What’s with you?” You asked after he pulled out and sat down.

“You made me so damn worried!” He said.

“Sorry.. I didn’t mean to.” You lowered down your face. Seeing Sehun like that, really made you feel strange. He was always in the bright mood, but now, he looked different.

“Nah, it’s ok. You missed seeing me lose 5 kilos. And… Seeing me… Never mind. How are you?” He quickly changed the topic. But you did hear it.

“Why never mind? And 5 kilos?? You must be so thin…”You said.

“Yeah, but I’m not again now haha..” You could sense something was missing when you heard his laugh. No, it was a forced laugh.

“Sehun, what’s the matter?” You asked him.

“Nothing, I’m fine.” He said and again, forced a smile. And you noticed it.

“No, you’re not. C’mon, tell me.”

“It’s better you don’t know.” He said. You were now totally perplexed. Since when did he grow up?

“Sehun…” You started to sound desperate.

“Really. I’m not joking.” He said.

“I know. That’s why, I want to know.” You said.

“No, you can’t possibly know about this.” He said and stood up.

“Sehun, please don’t be like this. I’m not used to with this new you.” You said and you swore you were about to cry.

He turned to you, still with a gloomy expression on his face, he flashed a smile and said, “Don’t worry, it won’t last forever. I’ll eventually change to my old one.” Without turning back, he walked out, leaving you with thousand thoughts.

It was Jongin’s voice that made you snapped back to reality.

“Hi.” He said.

“Do you know what happened to Sehun?” You couldn’t handle your curiosity.

You noticed Jongin took a deep breath before saying, “It’s not my right to tell you.”

You nodded your head in understanding and asked, “What did I miss? Did I miss you propose to Min Hee?” You tried hard to not sound sad.

“Really? You want to talk about Min Hee now?” His voice was raised one octave.

“I’m just asking…” You said.

“But your question is so wrong!” He said.

“Huh?” You were perplexed once again.

“My heart was never hers.”

Your mouth was hung open as you couldn’t utter a word.

“What? But you said…”