The machine sounded, as Seohyun's body jerked upwards and back down.

The whole world seemed to slow down, as the team of nurses and the doctor was staring at the heart rate monitor, hoping for that dead straight line to show some sign of life.

10 seconds....

9 seconds.....

8 seconds......

Was this really it?....

7 seconds....

6 seconds.....

5 seconds.... 

4 seconds.....

3 seconds.....

2 seconds..... 

Guess... It's really over.... 

1 second...

Nothing....

The doctor looked down, and had the worst feeling in the world. He felt like this was the biggest failure in his career that he had ever experienced. Hesitantly, he finally spoke the words he was so dreading to say.

Doctor:"Record death time.... 1.47am..."

He finally cried the tears he was holding back for the longest time. He made his way to the door to relay the news he was so dreading to say. They still do not know anything that was happening as Taeyeon and Yonghwa had their backs against the glass and their senses blocked temporarily from the world. The doctor looked at the backs of these 2 people who loved Seohyun dearly, he could not do it. He could not bring himself to say it. He took heavy and slow footsteps towards the door. He imagined the reaction they were going to give which made him tear up even more. He failed. He thought...

Nurse:"Neh........."

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*ALTERNATE ENDING BEGINS HERE (Continuation from Chapter 9)*

The doctor bit his lips and quickly wiped his tears away with the sleeves of his coat. How was he going to break it to them? His hands were shaking, as he held the door knob, he peeked over and saw a glimpse of the two leaders as they tightly clasped their hands together. Their tears hitting the ground. One drop, by one drop. He mustered what little courage he had left. The sound of the door knob opening made his heart squirm in pain.

Immediately, as they heard the door opening, Taeyeon and Yonghwa stopped whatever they were doing and almost pounced at the doctor as he walked out.

The doctor looked at them. He couldn’t do it.

Taeyeon:”Please…. Please tell me, my kid is okay…”

Taeyeon eyes, full of plead. No one would ever thought to see the world famous girl group leader in such an extremely vulnerable state.

Yonghwa couldn’t say anything, and just stood beside Taeyeon. Looking at the doctor’s face, he knew what was coming. That’s it. He blamed himself. “You ing stupid bastard. Look at what you’ve done.” He was too tired and worn out to even react anymore. His baby girl’s gone.

Doctor:”I’m sorry… I really am… I.. couldn’t save her….”

Hearing this, Taeyeon’s breaths got heavier, she stumbled backwards almost falling. Yonghwa immediately held onto her. Tears started to well up in her eyes. Did she hear wrongly? She thought. 

Doctor:”I’m sorry…”

She snapped.

“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! JUHYUN AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Taeyeon lost it. She went ballistic. She just went screaming and crying, couldn’t tell if her screams or her bawling was louder. Her screams silenced the whole level.

The girls heard their leader screamed at her top of her lungs. Immediately ran towards the door, “no no no no no…” They thought.

“Bam!”

The door swung open. Tiffany still holding on to door knob. All the girls’ eyes in shock as they saw their leader on the ground in a ‘paralyzed’ state, continuously bawling in Yonghwa’s arms.

The doctor couldn’t bear to watch this painful scene no longer. He promptly left the room as he held onto the tears.

Tiffany:”Taeyeon ah!”

She exclaimed running over to Taeyeon. Yonghwa quickly handed her to Tiffany and he ran out of the room. He needed the time alone before he ends up snapping like Taeyeon.

By now, looking at how their leader is acting. The girls quickly realised what happened.

Their Maknae was gone. Forever.

Jessica peered through the glass window and saw the white sheet covering their Maknae’s body and face. She soon broke down and the other girls followed suit.

Taeyeon still bawling and slowly losing her sanity. Tiffany felt helpless as she couldn’t do anything and all she could do was cry and cry, and cry.

Their whole world came collapsing.

-Outisde the hospital-

Yonghwa was outside on his own. He hasn’t shed a single tear yet. He stared into space looking at the dark dark sky. No stars were seen. The breeze today was exceptional cold as it felt like it was slicing his face.

It hasn’t sunk in for him.

Delusional, thinking his baby girl is just taking a long slumber and she’ll soon wake up afterwards.

“ting…”

Something fell out of his pocket. He stared at the ground. The necklace resting on the ground as the pendant lost its shine.

It hit him.

Tears started streaming down his face as he slid down the back of the wall, eventually reaching the ground.

His hands trembling as he picked up his dear treasure. Realising he will never get the chance to have his girl put on the necklace back on him ever again. He hung the necklace over his ring and pinky finger as he placed the base of his two palms over his eyes.

He cried. Like he never had. He lost the love of his life. Regretting and regretting, but knowing what was the point of regretting. She’s gone.

He made his decision.

He pulled out his keys. He looked at sharp tip of it. He was going to finally go back to her.  He put on his necklace as he quickly wiped his tears.

He pulled out his left wrist. Shaking, he held the key and the moment the tip almost had contact with his skin, a voice spoke to him. A memory to be exact.

-Flashback-

Seohyun pounced onto Yonghwa as she back-hugged him from behind.

Yonghwa:”Ah!”

Seohyun snickered.

Seohyun:”What’re you doing Oppa?”

Yonghwa was busy on his laptop and keyboard.

Yonghwa:”Working on my new album my dear…”

Seohyun:”Ahh..”

Seohyun stared at him for awhile. She loved how he looked when he’s so serious about his work. She thought that was when he looked the most handsome and mature. She really loved her Oppa like that.

Seohyun:”Oppa..”

Yonghwa:”mmmm..”

Yonghwa muttered, as he fiddled with the keys.

Seohyun:”Promise me one thing.”

Yonghwa stopped what he was doing and turned to her.

Yonghwa:”What is is Juhyun?”

He asked caressing her face.

Seohyun smiled as she continued.

Seohyun:”Don’t ever give up, no matter how hard it gets okay?”

Yonghwa touched, hearing that.

Yonghwa:”Of course.. for you… I’ll push on no matter what.”

-End of flashback-

He dropped the keys, knowing he promised his girl to be resilient. For her.

-Back at the ward-

Things finally calmed down a little . Taeyeon calmed down a little so as the other girls. They decided to finally go in to see their Maknae for the last time.

Taeyeon and Tiffany went in first. Taeyeon took a deep breath, tears started to form again. Her hands were trembling so much as she held onto the door knob. They stood there for a while not daring to open the door.

Tiffany:”Let me…”

She pulled Taeyeon’s hand of the knob as she mustered the courage to open the door. The door creaked open. Both of them stood outside not daring to lay a foot inside. They couldn’t do it.

Tiffany held onto Taeyeon's hand tightly as she led themselves in. Immediately the air in the room was so different it felt empty and dry.

Step by step, they walked over to their Maknae. Finally, they reached her bedside which felt like battle to just walk over.

Taeyeon’s tears started to form again as her trembling fingers hovered over the white sheet as she removed the sheet which revealed their baby girl’s face.

Taeyeon’s eyes were so swollen and red but she couldn’t care less. Tear after tear fell. Tiffany couldn’t bear to look at Seohyun's face as she looked away with the worst dread ever.

Seohyun’s face was as white as the sheet that was covering her, her lips lost all color and you could clearly see the dried up trail of tears from her eyes to the bottom of her face. However, she looked at peace. It was as if she left without any pain or suffering.

Taeyeon carefully searched under the sheets for her Maknae’s hand. Taeyeon held on to her ice cold hand, it almost startled her how chilly her hand was. This hand she always held ever since Seohyun was a kid was full of blood and warmth. But now, it’s nothing but an empty limb.

Taeyeon:”Juhyun ah….”

Her raspy voice called out. The main vocalist has damaged her vocal chords from all the screaming. However, she didn’t care if she couldn't sing a single note anymore. All she wanted in this moment was her little girl back. But she knew very well that wasn’t going to happen.

Taeyeon held her hand to her cheek, trying to restore some warmth into her Maknae’s hand. Her other hand tidied up Seohyun’s lose hair from her face as she cleaned up the dried up tears with her thumbs.

Taeyeon:”Unnie is so sorry. Unnie is really sorry… Will you ever forgive me Juhyun ah? Unnie loves you very very much. You know that right?”

She spoke to her, thinking she was going to get a response back.

--TO BE CONTINUED--