Wendy – Because I Love You

»  The sun was still hiding between the hills, which left the insignificant room dark without light. Birds weren’t chirping and the view of the forest was still vague. Fogs covered almost every living things in the dark forest. It was still dawn. In a small old house which existed in the middle of the fog, there was a girl who was still deep in her slumber when a loud vibration filled the room of hers. The flutter of Se Kyung’s eyes opened instantly when her phone vibrated. Yawning lightly, she grabbed the vividly blue phone and slide the green symbol of call without registering the caller ID in her mind. “Hello?”

“Kyungie! Where are you?! We have been looking for you everywhere but you are nowhere to be found! Even the GPS couldn’t track you! Where are you, Se Kyung?! Where had you been?! Se Kyung?! Answer me!” Tae Yeon’s voice which was full with anxiety can be heard on the other line of the call. Se Kyung flinched upon hearing her sudden loud outburst before she rubbed her eyes sleepily.

“Unnie?” Se Kyung called out curtly as she took a glance at her phone’s digital clock, realising that it was still early in the morning. “Why aren’t you asleep, unnie? It is still 4 in the morning.” Her morning voice croaked almost inaudibly, considering the fact that she wasn’t used to woke up before 6 am. The question that Tae Yeon threw like bullets towards her were forgotten as it didn’t registers in her drowsy mind.

“You are asking her why, Se Kyung? All of us are crazily trying to find you in the whole forest but you weren’t there. We’ve tried to reach for your call but nothing work out until now. Even Sulli is crying here. Where are you, Se Kyung?” Min Ho’s gentle but worried voice could be heard, replacing Tae Yeon’s. A faint sound of sob made Se Kyung alerted by everything that was happening at the camp now.

Blinking up, fully awake by now, Se Kyung slowly stood up from the thin bed and walked towards the door. “I’m so sorry, Min Ho. I’m sorry for making you worried. I will come back to the camp site now. Please tell everyone else to have a rest, okay? I’ll be fine.” Her left hand twisted the door knob and she walked out in silence, didn’t want to wake up the rest of the occupant. She heard a small mutter of goodbye from Min Ho before the call ended.

Finding her way out of the small house, Se Kyung kept the phone in her pocket before she stretched out her arms to make sure that she was leading to the right way. A small smile crept on her lips when she felt the big antic clock which stood in the living room. The main door is just eight meters away from this clock. I must be closer then. Her legs made its way slowly towards the door which was waiting for her across the antic clock. Se Kyung finally twisted the door knob and the door was opened. In an instance, the dawn's cold air gushed into the house and caused Se Kyung to shiver.

Stepping out of the house for the first time in her life, Se Kyung glanced back before she smiled slightly, happy to know EXO M even though their friendship only lasted for a day. Till we meet again, thanks for everything. With that, Se Kyung walked away in peace as she took out her phone, trying to lighten her way back to the camp site.

Her feet walked further and deeper into the forest but her mind was thinking about EXO M, or more precisely – Xiu Min. Guilt crept into her heart when she realised how abrupt her decision was to leave the one who saved her without sending him a single mutter of goodbye. Pressing her lips in a firm line, Se Kyung looked up and found herself in the middle of the darkness. She spun around in anxiety, feeling lost for the second time of her life. Her eyebrows knitted in confusion; every different ways in that forest looked similar in her eyes. Umma had thought me not to be panic if I face something like this. So don’t be panic, Kyungie. You will find the way out soon. Her mind keep repeating those words for encouragement but she secretly wished that Xiu Min was here to save her again. At least she could leave him with a proper goodbye.

Tired of walking in a direction which she was sure wrong, Se Kyung let out a small sigh. The phone in her grip was lifted up as she tried to find a signal, but failed to see that she was in the middle of the forest. I thought that I can recognise the route. A small pout can be seen on her lips as she looked around in astray when suddenly, the sound of a cracking branch can be heard from the gigantic trees there.

Alerted by the unusual sound, Se Kyung tilted her head up and saw nothing but darkness. She frowned in worry before she decided to walk a few meters away from the source of the sound. Her legs were pushing herself forward even without caring of which way she was leading to. Her conscience told her that a creature was following her from behind despite the fact that it was still 4 in the morning. But it was until she realised that she wasn’t stepping on a ground anymore. Beneath her feet was cold, liquid, wet.

Water.

Falling hopelessly into the freezing lake, Se Kyung’s body only fell deeper. She reached her hands up to the surface of the water with a hope that she can touches the ground and pull herself up. But no. She felt nothing but the harsh cold water which started to fill her lungs. was sore because of the amount of water which entered unexpectedly. She wanted to scream, but she felt as if her voice was gone. She knew that she can swim, but everything that she had learnt instantly dispersed into the icy lake. Suffocate and die were the only thing that she knew. Soon, Se Kyung was tired with the war of the cruel water. The flutter of her eyes closed and her body slowly shrank into the lake. She felt extremely hopeless, weak and scared. Her mind didn't help her with anything as it only produced the images of a dark pitch canvas.

Without even knowing, Se Kyung has fainted.

»  People were running in the specific room along with a wheel bed, where a girl whose life was depending on their hands laid. The poor girl looked terrible with her pale skin which was highlighted with her jet black hair, lips were chapped apart, coloured in dark purple, and the whole part of hers was wet with cold water of the merciless lake. Se Kyung never looked so miserable like that.

“Will she be all right, doctor?” The worried Mrs Baek grabbed the man in the white clothes fearfully. A high hope flashed clearly in her brown orbs.

Nodding curtly, the doctor turned around and rushed into the emergency room without giving the parents an assurance of their daughter’s life. The door was closed by one of the nurses there which caused the parents of Se Kyung to be left in lurch.

Mr Baek rubbed his wife’s back slowly as she cried on his chest. He whispered comforting words into her ears while eying the young man who stood in front of the door in anxiety. “We should thank this brave man for bringing our daughter here before things could’ve been worse, honey.” Mr Baek spoke up as he patted his wife’s back.

Watching the scene silently, Xiu Min bowed in respect. He turned around lightly as he tore his gaze off the door where the doctor and nurses were trying to save Se Kyung from death. Indeed, he was the one who saved her. He knew that something was up during the dawn when he heard the door of his old room creaked open. Yes, he was a light sleeper and had a sensitive hearing – thanks to that features of his, at least Se Kyung wouldn’t suffocate like his ex-girlfriend.

“What’s your name, dear?” Curtly, Mrs Baek asked before she wiped the tears off her youthful face despite the fact that she was already 43 years old.

Gazing at Se Kyung’s mother lightly, he answered. “Xiu Min, madam.” Awkwardly, he introduced himself, didn’t get used to talk to anyone else except s before.

Nodding in the acknowledgment of the new person who entered their family live, Mrs Baek approached Xiu Min slightly along with Mr Baek tagged from behind. “If our daughter is completely safe, then please let us to give you a reward. But if it happens otherwise —” A long silence filled the corridor of the hospital as soft sobs escaped her lips. Mr Baek wrapped an arm around her shoulder in a comforting way. Only God knows how much they loved their only daughter.

Exhaling a soft sigh, Xiu Min continued her unfinished words, knowing what to do if their only daughter’s life will be taken away. “If that happens, I promise that I wouldn’t appear in front of you again, Mrs –”

“Excuse me.” A nurse with a petite body and a small smile on her face interrupted their intense conversation. She looked at the parents calmly before a declaration can be made. “Your daughter is safe, but she needs some rest. We are going to place her in the wards but please don’t wake her up.” She exclaimed clearly as she eyed the notes on the clipboard.

Mr and Mrs Baek nodded slightly before the wife hugged her husband tightly, relieved to hear that their daughter was safe. “Please place her in a private ward. We want this hospital to serve the best for our daughter.” Mr Baek requested before a wheel bed made its way out of the emergency room. In a flash of light, Se Kyung’s pale skin can be seen, laid on it with her purple lips and wires on all over her wrists.

“Soo Jung, have you informed the parents’ patient about her condition?” The doctor who treated Se Kyung earlier with a name tag of ‘Kim Jong In’ appeared from the emergency room before he bowed at Mr and Mrs Baek politely. He gazed at the nurse, Soo Jung while gestured her for an answer.

Checking the notes slightly, the nurse spoke up. “Yes, I have doctor. They are requesting for a private ward.” Briefly, she stated before a declaration from the doctor to lead the wealthy family into their best private ward can be heard.

»  The loud sound of footsteps were heading towards the private ward of the hospital; the most expensive and the best hospital of South Korea. Adrenaline was rushing out of each of the 5 handsome boys along with 2 gorgeous girls tagged from behind. They panted heavily with a small mutter from the leader, telling them that they have arrived at the front door of the private ward.

Pushing the pure white door gently, Onew gestured for the others to quiet down as the sight of Se Kyung’s weak figure can be seen, lying on the hospital bed. Their heavy pant disappeared slowly before they walked closer towards the bed where Mr and Mrs Baek sat on the couch besides the bed.

Sulli tapped Mrs Baek’s shoulder from behind with a small bow. Her eyes found its way towards an odd man who sat on a single chair across the bed with the cold appearance of his. She somehow felt that there was a warm feeling hidden behind his façade; a warm feeling when his eyes landed at Se Kyung’s pale face. “Who is that, Aunt Baek?” Sulli whispered in curiosity when Min Ho placed his hands on her shoulders from behind.

Glancing at the said person with the corner of her eyes, Mrs Baek answered. “That’s the kind man who saved our dear Se Kyung, Sulli.” A soft smile curled up her lips slightly.

Due to the silence of the private ward, the rest of SHINee and Tae Yeon could hear the small conversation clearly even when they were whispering to each other. Key gazed at Xiu Min curiously, observing him from the outer image into the inner image. “If you saved her just because of money, then there will be no point for you to be here anymore because I can pay any amount of money that you want if you are not sincere in saving the precious life of our dear friend.” Abruptly, Key spoke up, trying to test Xiu Min’s cold personality. There’s a thick wall which surrounds his heart. But why was he even bother to woke up early in the morning and saved Se Kyung from suffocating? There must’ve been something behind that façade of his.

Despite the fact that Xiu Min was irritated by Key’s statement, he stared up at Key with an emotionless reaction. “I don’t want your money. I came here for a visit.”

“And why is that? You are just a mere stranger to our friend.” Key snapped up in the diva way of his. Jong Hyun was trying hard to hold on Key’s sharp curiosity for Xiu Min, but failed in a blink of eye, as usual.

Sighing towards Key’s arrogant manner, Xiu Min retorted. “I knew her, somehow. And I do care.” That last words slipped out from his tongue without him knowing. It must've appeared randomly in his mind due to Key’s harsh attitude to him. Xiu Min mentally face palmed himself for this. He only knew Se Kyung for two days and now his mind was telling himself that he cared for her? Oh wait – it wasn’t Se Kyung who he cared for, it was the similar incident which happened to his girlfriend before that filled his mind and leaded him to think on that way.

Scoffing lightly, Key shifted himself closer towards Xiu Min while observing the latter who seemed to be deep into his thoughts. “Who are you to care for her? Have you even met -” His words were cut off by Onew who sternly told Key to stop investigating about Xiu Min’s mysterious background. For the sake of Se Kyung who needed more rest, Key tore his gaze away from Xiu Min and went towards the bed where the others sent him a curious look. He sat on the milky couch which was place on the left side of the bed with knitted eyebrows. This stranger hyung is a puzzle. What is his relation to my bestie, really?

»  Xiu Min tightened his fists with gritted teeth. He stared sharply at Kris who stood in front of him, crossing his arms across his broad chest. “You need to look after her. This is a command and a part of your way to control the beast inside of you.” Kris exclaimed sternly with furrowed eyebrows, couldn’t tolerate with Xiu Min’s rejection of his words earlier.

“I’m saying this once again, Kris.” Xiu Min spoke up while coldly walked closer at the leader. “My presence in that hospital wasn’t inviting and I almost get into a fight with a diva-ish looking guy there. It would be worse for me to stay there and look after her – who I don’t even know – because this ing power could freeze those annoying brats in a blink of eye.” Panting, Xiu Min retorted angrily. Upon feeling that his heart was tightening, the wall of the small house started to be frosted despite the fact that it was rather a warm day.

Sighing heavily in return of Xiu Min’s stubbornness, Kris gazed away slightly before he glanced back at Xiu Min. “I’m doing this for your own good, Xiu Min. With the presence of them guys, you would have more control over your power no matter how much you hate them. Besides, you don’t want to freeze a human, don’t you?” Slowly, Kris tried to put on his persuading trap for Xiu Min.

Come to think about it, being with Se Kyung wasn’t a bad idea. Even though Xiu Min knew that the diva looking guy would annoy him to death again, but he was sure that he wouldn’t want to create such problems for him and s by freezing that guy into an unbreakable ice. “Fine. But once she is cured, I’m going to leave.”