~*Your/Hye Ri's POV*~

I squinted my eyes and blinked a few times, attempting to adjust to the dim setting. I tried moving but found that I was immobilized, perfectly cocooned in layers and layers of insulation. Wanting a taste of freedom, I squirmed about until I was able to free myself from the constricting chains known as a blanket. In the instance that I had released my arms from the cover's restricting grasp, my hands flew to my aching head, clutching at it in an attempt to ease the pulsing pain. It aggravated me that no matter what I did, the pulsing didn't cease. In my irritated state, I hastily kicked the blanket from my body, only to miss the warmth when it was gone.

Releasing a stretched groan, I reached for the blankets and draped them around my shoulder, pulling myself into a sitting position before bringing my knees up to my chest and placing my head between my knees, squeezing my eyes tightly shut the whole time. Slowly, I began rocking myself back and forth, comforting myself as hot tears threatened to escape my eyes... it was inevitable that my tears would fall, no matter how hard I tried to hold them back. I wept without understanding the reason why, it just felt like it was something that I needed to do, something that my body yearned for; a release of my pent up emotions. It felt good to cry.

After a good fifteen minutes of bawling, my tears had run dry and it felt as if I could no longer cry, even if I wanted to. Opening my swollen eyes, it took me a moment to realize that I was not in my own room, but at the same time, I wasn't in a room I was not familiar with either.

L.Joe.

Somewhere in the back of my mind, it registered that I was in L.Joe's room, yet I couldn't pull up the reasoning behind why I was here. I furrowed my eyebrows, concentrating hard on retracing the events that led up to where I was now, but no matter how hard I tried, they wouldn't come to me. The last thing I remember was... running? I squinted, my eyebrows knit together as I focused on the slim lead I had. I remember running... it was cold. All around me. And I was shivering. Because it was cold. I was running... somewhere. Away from someone.

I closed my eyes completely for a moment, imagining that I was there again, running in the cold. Where was I heading?

My eyes popped open, frozen in shock. "The park." The words came out in a strangled croak as realization dawned on me. My heart thundered in rythym with my head, causing my migraine to pound at a fiercer rate. A strangled cry escaped my parted lips as my hands found their way back to my temples, clutching at my head as I willed for my body to cooperate and cease the pain. My shoulders were beginning to shake vigorously; I was reliving it all again in a matter of seconds. L and Sumi. The lies. The denial. The hurt. The cold. The experience of freezing to death. I bit down on my lips. Hard. I could taste the metallic tang of blood as my teeth punctured my skin.

Umma. Appa. Why am I here? I don't want to be here. I'm not supposed to be here. Why can't I go home with you? Why won't you take me with you? Why? It hurts. Everything hurts.

My hands balled up into tight fists as I pulled myself into the fetal position, wanting to feel protected.

I don't want to be alone, Umma and Appa. I want to be with you. I'm all alone here. No one wants me.

My fists unballed. My nails began scratching at my arms, leaving marks.

"Hye Ri-yah!" A distant voice calls for me but I don't look up. I don't look because I know no one will be there. It's just my mind playing tricks on me. I wish it wouldn't do that.

I hate being left alone. I hate it. I hate it so much.

"Hye Ri! Look at me! What are you doing to yourself?! Hye Ri!" The voice is coming closer, yet I still refuse to comply to its request. I don't know what's wrong with me. I'm imagining voices. I'm imagining people that aren't there just to quench my loneliness. I've become desperate haven't I-

Hands. Hands caress my face and hold me. I feel warm. I feel protected. Is this really my imagination? Can I imagine touch?  For a moment, I'm tempted to open my eyes to see what I may find, yet I restrain myself. 

"Hye Ri..." The voice whispers in my ear and I feel its warm breath. The realness of it causes a shiver to run down my spine. "Please open your eyes. You're worrying me. Please." Hearing the voice so weak, hearing it plead... it breaks down my resolve. Hesitantly, tentatively, I allow my eyes to open, prepping myself for disappointment.

With one eye barely open, I see him. He's peering down at me, worry written on his features. His arms, they're around me. He has me craddled like a small child and his touch, it's delicate. It's almost as if he's afraid I will break.

With both eyes open, I gaze into his chocolate brown orbs that are filled with worry. Worry for me. "L.Joe Oppa." His name escapes my lips and before I knew it, I was crying tears I thought I didn't have.

"Shh. I'm here. You're not alone." His words caused another wave of tears to flow from me. I was soaking his shirt, yet he didn't mind. He quietly held me, my head while I cried into his chest.

He sets me right. His words make me feel normal again. At least a bit more normal. I don't know what got over me but there's one I'm sure of. If it hadn't been for L.Joe, I wouldn't be sane right now.

You always know the right things to say, you're always there when I'm in trouble. You're like my gaurdian angel. What would I do without you L.Joe Oppa?

~*L.Joe's POV*~

As she calms down, so does my frantic heart. Gently rocking her side to side, I subdued her cries into small whimpers and soon enough, she's asleep once again. I can breathe.

I immediately set off to work, gently tucking her into bed before speeding to tend to her wounds.

I heave a weighted sigh as my brows knit together, a frown permanently chisled on my face. How am I supposed to keep my distance from her when she is this vulnerable?

All too soon, her eyes open once again and I'm captured by her mesmerizing gaze. "Oppa..." She croaks while attempting to pull herself up into a sitting position, but I gently push her shoulders back down onto the bed with a shake of my head.

"Go back to sleep, Hye Ri." 

"...I'm okay L.Joe Oppa. Really. I don't want to sleep." She insists, and there's nothing I can do to keep her from disobeying my wishes. 

Why must you be so stubborn? Why can't you see that it hurts me to see you pretend to be okay?

I don't speak a word so she decides to fill the silence for me. "There's somewhere I need to go..." She looked at me inquiringly. My eyebrows knit once again.

"You aren't feeling well. You can't go out right now." I interject not wanting her to tire herself out... and honestly, I didn't want her to leave. I wanted her to stay. With me.

But obviously I couldn't say that to her.

"I already told you I'm fine Oppa-" She insisted but I quickly cut her off, not believing her for a second.

"I can't let you go on your own-" I tried reasoning with her, pleading with my eyes, with my voice.

"Then will you go with me...?" This time she spoke over me, catching me off guard. My mouth hung open and I stood there, blubbering like a fish out of water. It was a simple question, yet I couldn't respond to it.

"I-I..." I stutter. I want to go, really, I do more than anything, but at the same time, I know it's wrong. I know I shouldn't get too attached to her. It would only hurt the both of us in the end. "I'm sorry." Looking away, I decline her request, unable to face her. My fist is clenched so tightly that my knuckles were becoming pale white. "...I'll call Sungyeol Hyung." I leave the room before I could take back my words, not looking back for fear that she would resent me for turning her down.

I'm sorry, Hye Ri-yah... I never should have agreed to this in the first place, yet I can't just back out of it now. I hope you'll have the heart to forgive me.