Deeply sorry. It's been a year since I last updated, so I strongly advice to read the chapters again before this one. Once again sorry. It won't take that long ever again.

The rest of the members came back at around midnight extremely tired, especially after their desperate trials to calm Jiyeon down. They failed, though they at least sent her back to her hotel room safe and sound asleep, which was a great achievement as Hyuk narrated when he showed up at the older line’s hotel room. There was still confusion in his eyes after he spilled everything that happened from the moment both members left the place, caused by the fact that Leo refused to let Hyuk enter the room, or check on N who left abruptly. Refusing to explain the reason for N’s sudden departure, Hyuk was shoved away to sleep and supposedly they’ll talk about it later, though Leo wasn’t really sure what to say to Hyuk, to everyone as a matter of fact.

He just needed him away at that moment because he needed to finish that conversation he was having with N. He was in need of explanations, and hopefully, after N recovered from his shock, he’d be able to give them to him. That didn’t look like it’ll happen anytime soon, since the moment he was in front of N again, he asked the same question he’d been asked for more than half an hour now.

“What just happened?”

“I said,” Leo repeated for the God-knows-how-many-times-now “I could hear that girl’s voice earlier”

N looked like he’ll ask the same question once again, before he changed his mind “H-how?!”

“I don’t know. I was in front of the room listening to a one sided argument-you screaming replying to no one- when I suddenly heard her” he tapped his chin before adding “I was extremely shocked when a women’s voice was suddenly heard, and it was as if she appeared half way through her words”

“Wow,” Lily suddenly said “That’s the longest I've ever heard him say since I came here"

“I can still hear you” he glared to the air causing Lily to step away in fright, muttering something about him killing people with a simple glare. Although N really enjoyed the small interaction between those two, he couldn’t help but sigh deeply at how abnormal this whole situation was.

“So, you can now hear her?” Leo nodded “But you still can’t see her?” he nodded again “Good then,” ," N gave him a half-hearted smile "At least I won't be the only one listening to her rants from now on"

Silence filled the room after Lily sighed and Leo locked eyes with N. It was one of those moments when N let his perfect mask slips, showing a peek of how mentally and physically exhausted he really was. Lily was already cursing everything on earth for putting him in such position, while Leo just wanted to choke the life out of the girl who made his best friend end up this tired.

“What are you going to do now?!” Leo sighed, as he sat next to his friend.

“Sleep? We both need all the energy needed for the concert tomorrow, so let’s worry about this whole situation tomorrow. Oh, and do I look okay?”

Leo looked genuinely confused to why his friend, who looked like a walking zombie, was asking him if he looked okay. Obviously he wasn’t. At all. 

“You look miserable Hakyeon” they heard Lily whisper, causing Leo to immediately glare.

“I just don’t want anyone to worry” N sighed once again.

“You really think no one will notice?! You look horrible and in great need of rest.” She argued.

“I’m quite sure he looks that horrible thanks to you.”

That was all Leo needed to say to silence Lily. He was obviously right. Too damn right. Right to the point it pained the void Lily. The ghost that should never feel a thing was pained by few words that were for her worse than brutal. It took a moment for N to realize the sudden change in Lily attitude, who took several steps backwards till she was hidden in the corner with her head hung low. Knowing how she beats herself up whenever he’s tired, thinking she’s the reason, he panicked a bit as he tried to think of something to say. 

“Shut. Up.” roared Leo from the other bed.

“You should wake up as well, mister.”

“Whtistimit?!” mumbled Hakyeon.

“Please be coherent once,” she giggled “It’s seven. I know you should be up by eight but I’m so bored and I wanna show you around-

“Hakeyon, Stop her!!!” groaned the half-awake Leo, already throwing his pillow on N’s face.

“And suffer alone?! Ha ha. Hell no.” Hakyeon deadpanned, receiving a glare from Lily.

“Said the guy who couldn’t survive without my awesome alarm”

“I did not!” Hakyeon protested, already on his way to the bathroom.

“Oh yeah?!” she smirked “weren’t you the same guy pouting all day when I wasn’t there to wake you up and you got scolded?”

“How does that translate-

“Are you seriously going to question my logic?!”

He sighed “I’m so going to have a headache today…”

“Well, you should’ve gotten used to it by now”

He shrugged, as there was some truth in that. He somehow got used-maybe even addicted- to the morning rants, the annoying alarm and unreasonable logic of Lily. He could already see the pain constructed on Leo’s face, since he’s a newbie to the unstoppable Lily.

As he watched Lily annoy his best friend in his sleep, a warm smile was drawn on his face. It was that kind of scene that you could easily live in for the rest of your life without getting bored.

“What are you doing?” asked Lily “Come on Hakyeon. I only have one hour before your fearless leader mode is switched on! Hurry up!”

“Shut. Her. UP!!!” Leo roared a lot louder this time, though this time fully awake.

“He would if he could you know”

“It’s Lily”

“Just what exactly do you want?”

“Nothing” she shrugged “Just wanted to cheer Hakyeon up”

He scoffed “Out of guilt?”

“NO” Lily was quick to reply “Because I care! I know I can cheer him up, so just let me be”

He glared at where he assumed she was seated, and if N was around, Lily would’ve playfully called him a killer. However, he wasn’t.

No need to act cheerful.

“If you cared enough, you would’ve left him along”

“Maybe. Maybe I really should’ve done that. But I was stuck, there was no other way. Whether you believe me or not, I don’t really care. But that’s the truth.” She sighed, already feeling more and more depressed with each passing second “and I’m sorry for hurting him”

“You better be.”

Lily felt like she was in a court and Leo has decided to act as N’s lawyer. Though she was so grateful and slightly envious of their wonderful friendship, she felt like cursing herself over and over again for being the criminal, the one responsible for N’s misery.

So taking the decision to leave forever wasn’t that hard in her state of mind.

She just needed to say goodbye.