BEFORE I OPENED MY EYES, I HEARD MUSIC playing softly in the background. I couldn't quite figure out who was singing, but his voice was calming. I breathed in, letting the melody float over me before deciding to open my eyes. They didn't open very wide. 

My eyes were swollen and puffy, and my entire body ached, espeically my chest. I eased myself out of the curled position I'd locked myself in throughout the night. Though he wasn't in the rom, Sehun had left behind the comforting lyrics flowing through the speakers. 

I sat on the edge of the bed and breathed in deeply. I felt empty, like everything inside me had spilled out and there was nothing left. I rose from the bed and went into the bathroom, not bothering to look at myself as I passed the mirror, having seen the vacant look one too many times. 

I stripped off and climbed into the shower, allowing the hot water to beat against my skin. The exhaustion held tight, even after the long shower. A pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt were set on the floor in front of the door when I got out. Evidently Sehun knew I was awake. 

I dressed in the T-shirt that hung past my hips, and folded the waistband of the pants over so I wouldn't trip on them. I braided my wet hair before stepping back into the room. He was waiting for me, sitting up against the headboard, flipping through the channels with the television on mute. 

Sehun clicked off the TV when I slid on to the bed and curled up on his chest.

'How are you doing?' he asked gently, wrapping his arms around me. 

'Okay,' i rasped, my throat raw from the strain of emotion.

He squeezed me against him before asking, 'Can you tell me what happened last night?' 

I swallowed hard. Tears filled my eyes at the thought of saying it out loud. 

'If you can't -'

'It's okay,' I choked. Sitting up, I took another cleansing breath, and met Sehun's smoky blue eyes. Worry forged a line between them. I knew I had to try to explain.

'My mother blames me for my father's death.' Just hearing those words coming out of my mother hurt me. 

His back stiffened. 'How?' 

'He died on my birthday,' I explained. 'On his way home from buying the cake.'

'How is that your fault?'

I shrugged. 'Logically, it's not. But.... she hurts, and I give her a reason for her pain. I ruined her life.'

'SooJi-ah, you didn't. She's an adult. She should realize that accidents happen. You can't believe that it's your fault.' 

'I...' I couldn't find the words to say what he wanted me to - that I knew I wasn't at fault. Guilt captured the words off my tongue before I could say them. I understood what was true, but I couldn't deny how devastating it was to be the reason he had