Fic: Family Arc II - 31
Title: Family Arc II - 31
Author: vic_sim
Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the plot. I apologise for any incorrect portrayal of people or any inaccurate details mentioned in my story.
Pairing: None at the moment.
Category: Angst/Comfort
Rating: NC-16 (just to be safe)
Summary: Kyuhyun wanted to surprise his hyungs. He wanted to make dinner for them.
Arc I Arc II
Kyuhyun stared at the computer. It was flashing ‘Game Over’ on the screen. He was left alone for the day as his hyungs went for a performance today. Yesterday he spent his time playing games on the computer, reading a book and spending some time with vocal practice. At night, he waited for his hyungs at the sofa, leaving the television that was showing Super Junior performances switched on. He didn’t want to sleep in the apartment alone. It was not the emptiness that scared him. It was the fear that his hyungs might not return.
This action was something he did often before his debut when he often found himself home alone. He wanted to be reassured that he was not left alone. It was a fear that resulted from his father leaving in the middle of the night that made Kyuhyun bid at least one of his hyungs good night before retreating to his bed. Kyuhyun knew that it was an unreasonable fear, but no one said that fears had to make sense.
Kyuhyun looked around him. The day was still early. It would be at least another four hours before his hyungs would be back. Now he knew how Hankyung-hyung and Heechul-hyung felt whenever they performed without them. Maybe I should do something for them. Anything beats sitting here with nothing to do.
Kyuhyun ventured into the kitchen, wondering if he could make dinner for them. First he needed to check if there was enough food for thirteen people. The fridge was almost empty. Kyuhyun closed the fridge door, pondering on his next step. Should he head for the supermarket down the road or wait for his hyungs to come back? Kyuhyun knew that Eeteuk-hyung would prefer that he stayed and waited for them, instead of venturing out on his own. It was a wonder that Eeteuk-hyung didn’t tell him to stay home and not go out before they left in the morning.
But Kyuhyun wanted to surprise them. Kyuhyun wanted to thank his hyungs for being there with him throughout his recovery, which he knew was not over yet. Spending the days alone had given Kyuhyun a lot of time to think about the things that had occurred to him in his life. He thought about the accident. He thought about the things he remembered in his fevered dreams. He thought about his hyungs who continued to stay by him even when Kyuhyun knew that he made them frustrated with his non-existent answers regarding his past. He remembered all the smiles on his hyungs’ faces over the little things he did, even if Kyuhyun didn’t see the jokes in his actions. Kyuhyun remembered their picnic, his hyungs’ comforting presence that had surrounded him even before the accident. Kyuhyun had refused to believe that those would last in the past.
But now, he finally saw what was in front of him. It had been glaring at his face, and yet time and time again Kyuhyun chose to ignore it. He chose to believe the words of people who should not even matter to him. He had a family, a family complete with Appa and Umma, a family where he would never feel alone or bored with, a family which chose to always be by his side. He was no longer alone in the world. He had a family. Kyuhyun giggled to himself, loving the feel of the word ‘family’ rolling off his tongue.
Making up his mind, Kyuhyun grabbed his favourite cap from his bedroom. He wrote a message and stuck it on the wall, remembering his promise with Eeteuk-hyung and Hankyung-hyung since his unexpected disappearance that day. Looking at where he stuck the note, Kyuhyun thought. Most likely only Siwon-hyung will see the note. Wondering for a moment if he should stick the note somewhere else, Kyuhyun shrugged. Besides, I’m going to message Eeteuk-hyung and Hankyung-hyung. Kyuhyun sent the message to his hyungs and left the house.
Walking down the street to the supermarket, Kyuhyun thought about what he should get from the supermarket for dinner. It was not the first time he was cooking, but it was the first time he was cooking for thirteen people. But there was a smile on his face. He couldn’t wait for his hyungs to come back and see what he had made for them. If he could, Kyuhyun would have bounced down the road. He did not notice all the giggles and pointing around him in the supermarket as he was engrossed in finding the ingredients for dinner tonight. Satisfied with the bags of food that he had bought, Kyuhyun flashed a smile at the cashier lady, glancing at his watch. There’s just enough time for me to get back to the dorm and make dinner.
Kyuhyun exited the supermarket excitedly. Humming a song under his breath, Kyuhyun made his way back to the dorm.
“Watch out!”
A scream echoed in Kyuhyun’s ears. He spun around. He witnessed in slow motion a body getting slammed in the back by a sports car, the bags of food slipping out of his hands. He saw the pain etched to the boy’s face, a boy who couldn’t be older than him. He heard the sickening crunch of the bones as the boy hit the floor. Time froze around him.
No, this can’t be happening again.
Kyuhyun dashed across the road, not caring if there were cars on the road, ignoring the pain in his hips. The cap fell off his head as he kneeled down next to the foreign boy. He vaguely heard someone around him call for an ambulance. The boy was bleeding badly from the open wounds and a serious head injury. Kyuhyun ripped his jacket off, pressing it tight against the head wound.
He’s not going to die. He’s not going to die.
The boy was gasping something. Kyuhyun leaned forward to hear.
“Tell…my…parents…that…”
“No, don’t tell me. Tell them yourself.”
Kyuhyun choked a little on his words, but he wanted the boy to hold on.
“You…can do it. You will tell them yourself.”
Kyuhyun said again, wanting to put his words across to the boy. He wanted the boy to find the strength in him to survive. Kyuhyun wanted to look around for the ambulance, but he was afraid that if he lifted his gaze off the boy for one moment, the boy would be lost to him forever. It was what happened with Jong Ki.
His jacket was getting soaked with blood. He could feel the warm sticky liquid on his hands.
“Hyung! Don’t die! You can’t leave me alone!”
His voice echoed in his head.
“No, you can’t die. You can’t die.”
Kyuhyun mumbled to the boy as he was being carried up the ambulance. He had followed the boy up the ambulance, holding the bloodied jacket in his hands. The paramedics wanted to make sure that Kyuhyun was not hurt as well, but right now, their priority was the boy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kyuhyun was left on a hospital bed, forgotten as the doctors and nurses focused on the boy. Kyuhyun knew that he was going into shock when the world around him turned silent - just like it did when he met with the car accident - but he made no move. Kyuhyun could distinctly remember his terror at being woken up with a sharp pain in his back. He remembered the panic when he couldn’t find any of his hyungs, only seeing the dark sky above him. He wanted to move, but it hurt to even breathe. However, compared to the pain, the fear that something horrible had occurred to his hyungs overwhelmed him.
Kyuhyun did not pay attention to the doctor and nurse that were tending to him. The jacket was removed from his hands and the blood was washed off his hands. They wanted to make sure that he was not injured. After checking, the doctor found no wounds on him and proceeded to sign him as an out-patient. Although the doctor knew that Kyuhyun was in shock, not knowing his past, the doctor decided to just let the shock wear off.
Kyuhyun followed the nurse stoically to the waiting area where a family sat. Kyuhyun spared no glance at them, still absorbed in his own world. He did not hear his phone ringing in his jacket, which was handed back to him by the nurse.
The nurse was worried at the boy in front of her. She didn’t feel comfortable leaving him alone when he was unresponsive to the world around him.
“Sir, your phone is ringing.”
The nurse said, although cell phones were not allowed in that area of the hospital. They had gotten his name, the only time he spoke to them. Looking at his condition, the nurse answered the phone call, hoping that it was someone - preferably his emergency contact - who could come over to the hospital straight away.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kibum, Siwon, Donghae and Eunhyuk ran straight to the counter once they had paid the driver.
“Excuse me, where can I find Cho Kyuhyun?”
Siwon asked the nurse behind the counter, while the other three looked around the emergency department trying to find their magnae.
“There!”
Eunhyuk exclaimed, pointing to a figure sitting on the plastic chairs.
Kyuhyun was leaning on the chair, staring at the white wall in front of him, but not seeing it at all. They dashed towards Kyuhyun, wondering what exactly happened. The police only told them that one boy was critically injured from the accident while two boys were sent to the hospital.
“Kyuhyun!”
Kibum and Donghae shouted, ignoring the fact that they were in the hospital.
Kyuhyun was stuck in the position on the floor, staring at the sky. He wanted so much to move and find his hyungs, but he couldn’t. As he was about to panic, a shout pierced through his mind.
“Kyuhyun!”
Kyuhyun snapped his head up in the direction of the voice. He saw four figures running towards him.
“Hyung!”
Kyuhyun sprang up from the seat, wanting to dash to his hyungs as he did not want to be trapped in the silent world again. But his body was not ready for the sudden movement and his hips could not support the sudden weight. Kyuhyun fell forward, losing his balance. Siwon ran faster, seeing Kyuhyun fall. He managed to reach Kyuhyun, lifting him up in his arms.
“Are you okay?”
Siwon asked worriedly, setting Kyuhyun back on the ground. He held Kyuhyun by the shoulders, holding him at a distance and scanning his dongsaeng for any injuries.
Siwon registered the blood on Kyuhyun’s shirt. Siwon was scared by the large amount of blood that was soaked in the pale blue shirt. By then, the other three have reached the two, surrounding them. Kyuhyun got over the sudden shock of falling to register that four of his hyungs were standing in front of him.
“Hyung…”
Kyuhyun turned his head around to see Donghae, Kibum and Eunhyuk.
Eunhyuk-hyung!
Before Siwon could comment on the blood, Kyuhyun pounced onto Eunhyuk, the remnants of the accident still fresh in his mind.
“Hyung!”
Eunhyuk was not prepared for Kyuhyun to jump on him that suddenly. Donghae stabled him from the back. Eunhyuk wrapped his arms around Kyuhyun. Kyuhyun hugged Eunhyuk and was reassured that that was simply his memory and that things were alright now.
It was then that Kyuhyun let the events that occurred tonight occupy his mind. He could still see the body flying through the air after being hit by the car. Kyuhyun shut his eyes, burying his head in Eunhyuk’s shoulders. Eunhyuk tightened his hold on Kyuhyun, feeling the trembling going through his dongsaeng’s body. Kibum flashed a worried look to Eunhyuk as he patted Kyuhyun on his back. They didn’t know what was going on. They had no details about the accident or Kyuhyun’s involvement.
Siwon looked around for a nurse or someone who could give him some insight about what had happened, choosing to focus his attention on something that he could do then. Siwon had concluded then that the blood did not belong to his dongsaeng, making him sigh mentally in relief. The nurse who was tending to Kyuhyun previously had returned from attending to her duties. Siwon talked to her, finding out that Kyuhyun had been at the scene of the accident and learning that his dongsaeng had helped to keep the injured boy alive to the hospital. The nurse told Siwon that Kyuhyun was in shock, but it would most likely wear off soon, seeing that he was finally reacting to his surroundings. Siwon returned to the group, after thanking the nurse. He repeated what the nurse had told him, stunning the three with the similarity of this accident with the one that had killed Kyuhyun’s best friend. It was no wonder that Kyuhyun went into shock.
“Kyu…”
Kibum said, wanting Kyuhyun to lift his head from Eunhyuk’s shoulders. But before Kibum could say more, the light from the surgery room went off. The family that had been sitting at the other chairs stood up.
For some reason, Kibum found his attention being drawn towards them. Kibum watched as the doctor spoke to the family. The mother - or who Kibum assumed was the mother - collapsed into her husband’s arms with the devastating news from the doctor. The family disappeared into the room. Kibum continued to stare at the flapping door long after the family had entered the room.
“Kibummie?”
Donghae called, wondering why Kibum was staring at the door.
“Huh?”
“Your phone is ringing.”
Kibum looked down, and indeed his phone was ringing and vibrating in his pocket. Eeteuk-hyung. Kibum answered the call.
“Hello, Teukie-hyung?”
“Kibum, did you find him?”
“We’ve found him at the hospital. He’s uninjured.”
Kibum wondered if he should explain what happened through the phone.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
Kibum decided to not tell Eeteuk that although Kyuhyun had no visible injury, his mental state was something they had to watch out for. Kibum could hear Eeteuk telling the other members that they had found Kyuhyun.
“Hyung, is it possible to send someone with the van over to the hospital? We won’t be able to fit in to one taxi as there are five of us here.”
“Sure. Just wait at the hospital. Someone will be there to fetch you all.”
Kibum hung up the call, turning back to the rest.
Kyuhyun was still buried in Eunhyuk’s embrace with Siwon hovering around. Donghae was behind Eunhyuk where he had been trying to make Kyuhyun lift his head and speak to them before he turned his attention to Kibum.
“Was it Teukie-Umma?”
Kibum nodded, telling them that they had to wait for a while for someone to pick them. Siwon and Eunhyuk nodded their heads while Kyuhyun did not appear to have heard him at all. Donghae turned to Kibum, pulling him closer to them. Donghae wondered if he should say something to Kyuhyun, instead of just letting Kyuhyun stay in Eunhyuk’s embrace. But he didn’t know what to say. All he knew was that he was thankful that their magnae was not hurt.
Kyuhyun was not crying. He only wanted to seek comfort from his hyungs, something that he did not have when Jong Ki died in the car accident. The door opened and the lady walked out of it. She seemed upset, yet comforted. She headed towards the group with Donghae and Kibum immediately forming a wall in front of Eunhyuk and Kyuhyun as they remembered what happened to Kyuhyun previously with his best friend’s family.
“Erm…”
Kyuhyun shifted his head out a little at the foreign voice.
“I would just like to thank you for letting us have a chance to bid our child goodbye.”
The lady bowed at them and left, leaving them bewildered at her actions.
Kyuhyun buried his head into Eunhyuk’s shoulders again, upset at the news that the boy had passed away. He had failed. He had failed Jong-hyung. And now, he had failed the boy as well. He could never do anything right. The rest did not understand Kyuhyun’s reaction as they thought that the lady was merely praising Kyuhyun for his actions. Eunhyuk looked at Kyuhyun, worried about the trembling boy in his arms.
“Kyuhyun, are you okay?”
A slight shake of his head from Kyuhyun increased the worries in the other four, as well as created conflicting emotions. They were shocked that Kyuhyun admitted that he was not fine, but they were also worried that he was not fine.
“Let’s head out to wait for the van.”
Siwon said, not wanting to remain in the dreary atmosphere of the hospital any more.
Eunhyuk tried to move, but found it impossible with Kyuhyun hanging so tightly to him. Not once had Kyuhyun relinquished his hold on Eunhyuk since he clung onto Eunhyuk when he first saw him.
“Kyu, we need to move.”
Kyuhyun shook his head, refusing to let go.
“Don’t leave me Hyung.”
Kyuhyun didn’t want to leave the comforting embrace that chased the fears away from his mind even if it sill lingered a little in his heart.
“We’re not leaving you. We’re heading home with you.”
Kibum said from Eunhyuk’s side, remembering Kyuhyun’s reaction to the word ‘home’ the previous time.
Kyuhyun lifted his head, looking at Kibum as if to confirm his words. Slowly, Kyuhyun released his grip on Eunhyuk, turning out to face the rest.
It was then that Kibum, Donghae and Eunhyuk saw the blood on Kyuhyun’s shirt. It had dried by then but some had managed to transfer onto Eunhyuk’s shirt.
“Kyuhyun! Are you injured?”
Eunhyuk exclaimed, terrified by the blood. Kyuhyun looked down and gently shook his head.
“They’re not mine.”
Kyuhyun refused to elaborate further, but Eunhyuk deduced that it belonged to the boy. He kept his silence, knowing that Kyuhyun was not ready to say anything yet to anyone.
“Alright, let’s head home.”
Donghae stood in front of Kyuhyun, placing his beanie on top of Kyuhyun’s head. He smiled at Kyuhyun, wanting to alleviate the fear in Kyuhyun. Siwon wrapped his jacket around Kyuhyun - one to cover the blood and two to offer some comfort to Kyuhyun. Kyuhyun nodded, taking a tentative step forward.
Kyuhyun gripped onto Eunhyuk’s arm tightly as he walked, his body protesting against the movement. Kibum hung back, picking up Kyuhyun’s jacket from the floor where it had fallen when Kyuhyun stood up. He wondered if Kyuhyun still wanted the jacket as it was soaked - although the blood had dried - but Kibum just took it with him just in case. He turned, about to leave when he felt someone staring at him. He spun around, but there was no one.
Am I being paranoid?
“Bummie, what are you doing?”
Donghae had noticed the absence of their other magnae. Kibum turned to Donghae, shaking his head as he ran to catch up.
I need more sleep. I’m starting to imagine things.
Unknown to the rest and Kibum, someone was staring at them.
How could I forget about you?
The dark figure hidden at a corner turned away, answering another person.
You will be the one to help me.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kangin kept staring at the rear view mirror, wanting to ask if Kyuhyun was really okay, but not daring to voice out his words. Kyuhyun remained wrapped in Siwon’s jacket as they made their way up the lift to their dorm.
Everyone had been waiting anxiously ever since Eeteuk called them to tell them to come home as Kyuhyun was found. They returned back to the dorm thinking that Kyuhyun would be at the dorm, only to find Eeteuk and Heechul sitting restlessly by the phone. Upon further clarification, they learned that Kyuhyun had been caught up with another accident and was now at the hospital.
Before Hankyung could rush out of the house, Heechul said that Kyuhyun was fine and was being released. Hankyung still wanted to dash out and find his dongsaeng to wrap him in his arms. He had not been there when it had first happened to Kyuhyun. He had not understood Kyuhyun when Kyuhyun had been upset on the anniversary of Jong Ki’s death. But he would be there for him now. Kyuhyun would not be alone.
Just then, Eeteuk shouted at them that the four had found Kyuhyun and that he was uninjured. The subdued atmosphere in the dorm was lifted, but for some, they had caught the use of the word ‘uninjured’. It meant to them that Kyuhyun was still hurt, just not in the physical way. All of them fought to be the one to drive to the hospital to pick the five up, but Kangin won out in the end because everyone trusted his driving skills. Hankyung went into the kitchen to cook, as it was the only way he thought of to relieve the tension in him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kyuhyun continued to latch on Eunhyuk as they entered the dorm with the rest immediately clamouring around them. Heechul hushed all of them, making them make way for the six to enter. It was only when they had made it about halfway into the dorm that Kyuhyun let go of Eunhyuk, finding himself back in familiar grounds.
“Hyung…”
“Kyuhyun, do you need anything?”
Eunhyuk asked Kyuhyun.
“Can I go and bathe?”
Kyuhyun asked, as if it was an embarrassing question. Eunhyuk looked around. The rest didn’t seem willing to let Kyuhyun out of their sight as yet.
“Go ahead, Kyu. We’ll be here.”
Kibum answered the question, knowing that Kyuhyun must feel uncomfortable in his bloodied shirt. It was lucky that the rest had not caught sight of it yet. Kyuhyun threw a grateful look at Kibum and stumbled away. Donghae ran after him, supporting him. It was the simple action that did not occur - the act of rejecting the help - that alarmed the rest.
“What happened at the hospital?”
Heechul turned to the five.
“We weren’t really sure what had occurred during the accident when we arrived at the hospital. But Siwon managed to find out some details from a nurse.”
Eyes turned from Eunhyuk to Siwon.
“She said that…”
Siwon’s explanation captured their attention, some of them shocked at the similarity of this accident with Jong Ki’s one just like how the others had been. He even explained the mother’s actions to them, stating that Kyuhyun looked even more upset hearing those words. Sungmin frowned at those words.
“So it means that the boy didn’t survive?”
His words came out as a whisper, though they were heard by all.
Eunhyuk turned towards him, with eyes opened wide. He had not considered that. His mind had only registered the fact that Kyuhyun had helped the boy to survive to the hospital.
“And knowing him, he would probably be wondering why he couldn’t save the boy.”
Hankyung mumbled the strangled words out.
Sungmin looked up to the ceiling. Why does this always happen to him?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kyuhyun stood in the shower, scrubbing his body. He wanted to get rid of the sticky feeling on his body. He scrubbed and scrubbed, not caring that his body was turning red, or that his hips were getting painful. He knew that he didn’t have to face it alone, but he was still not used to the fact that there were people around him who cared for him. Water rolled down his face as he scrubbed, tears mixing in between as well. The water allowed Kyuhyun to believe that he was not crying.
“Kyuhyunnie, are you done?”
Donghae’s voice travelled through the door, snapping Kyuhyun out of his cleaning obsession.
“Coming, Hyung.”
He quickly answered, not wanting Donghae to dash into the bathroom, and not wanting to worry his hyungs even more. He turned off the water, resisting the urge to remain in the shower.
Kyuhyun quickly dried himself and dressed. More than once, he wanted to step back into the shower. He still didn’t feel clean enough. The blood was vaguely visible in his eyes. As he turned to pick up the clothes, he hesitated when he saw the blood. He backed away from the clothes, hitting the door.
“Kyuhyun?”
He composed himself and opened the door. Donghae scanned Kyuhyun, noting the long sleeve shirt and pants that Kyuhyun was wearing and more importantly, the pale face of his dongsaeng. Kyuhyun forced a smile at Donghae, letting Donghae lead him back to the living room. Donghae spared a glance at the abandoned clothes on the ground. He would deal with those later.
Kyuhyun didn’t want to be alone right now. He was placed on the sofa, squashed between Eeteuk and Heechul. Hankyung came into the room, with the help of the others, and served dinner. Kyuhyun shook his head at the food, not having the energy in him to swallow. But with Heechul's wide eyes staring at him, Kyuhyun accepted a bowl of porridge from Heechul.
He knew that his hyungs were all worried about him, but he simply had no energy in him to lay their worries to rest. Kyuhyun took a few bites before setting the bowl back on the table. It was not that Hankyung's cooking today was horrible. It was just tasteless in his mouth. He was supposed to be the one who was cooking dinner for them tonight, and instead, he was the one who was making all of them wear that frown on their faces right now. I never do anything right.
Kyuhyun wanted to curl up in his bed and forget everything that had happened today.
"Kyuhyun…"
Kyuhyun shook his head, indicating that he did not want to say anything now. He knew that his hyungs were there for him, but he didn’t know how to accept the help.
If he's not going to make the first move, then I will.
Heechul pulled him into his arms, allowing Kyuhyun to bury his face in his chest. Kyuhyun did not protest to that embrace; willingly bury himself in Heechul's arms.
I'm not alone.
The tears that he kept back at the hospital flowed as the fears from witnessing the accident came back on full force. No one had the appetite to eat that night, watching and guarding their youngest as he closed himself from the world.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Hello? Get me the address of this woman."
A gruff voice spoke into the cell phone. The person nodded and hung up the phone.
"So, she's still living in that house. I would have thought that she moved out with all her success with her company. Well, it's time to pay her a visit."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kyuhyun woke up in the middle of the night, his eyes snapping open from shock. There was a body flying through the air in his mind as he fell further from the body.
Jong-hyung…
His mind was replaying the scene from that fateful day, the day which made him close the doors to his heart. The despair at not being able to do anything except cry, the knowledge that he was not enough to save his one and only friend - these feelings swarmed Kyuhyun, drowning him.
He looked down at his hands, feeling the wet, sticky - even warm - liquid on them. It was dark, but Kyuhyun could almost see it dripping from his hands. He scrabbled off the bed - not even bothering to wonder how he got there in the first place - and ran to the bathroom.
Hankyung felt someone move around and sleepily opened his eyes. He had claimed the place to be next to Kyuhyun for the night besides Heechul. He saw Kyuhyun staring at his hands, which puzzled him as there was nothing in Kyuhyun's hand.
"Kyuhyunnie?"
Hankyung called out, but Kyuhyun did not seem to have heard him. Instead, Kyuhyun climbed off the bed, away from Heechul's embrace and ran out of the room. Hankyung wondered how Kyuhyun managed in the darkness to move so quickly as he tried to chase after him.
Heechul was shaken awake by Kyuhyun's actions and looked around him. The room was empty. The drowsiness forgotten, Heechul got out of the room to look for Hankyung and Kyuhyun, turning on the lights as he moved down the corridor.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Kyuhyun! What are you doing?"
Hankyung found Kyuhyun in the bathroom, frantically washing his hands.
"Getting rid of the blood."
Kyuhyun answered without looking up from the sink.
Blood? What blood?
Hankyung took a step forward to be next to Kyuhyun.
There was nothing red in the sink. Only bubbles of soap flowing down the pipe and his dongsaeng's hands that were turning red from all the washing.
But Kyuhyun was rubbing vigorously at his hands, as if trying to scrap off some invisible blood from his hands. Hankyung grabbed his hands, stopping him from causing injury to himself.
"Hyung, what are you doing? Let me go. I need to wash it off."
Kyuhyun struggled against his hold, the faint feeling of the blood still on his hands.
"Kyu, there's nothing on your hands! Nothing at all! You're just going to rub your skin off if you continue like that!"
"Can't you see it Hyung? It's there on my hands!"
Kyuhyun nodded his head towards his hands hysterically.
I need to wash it off. I need to wash it off. It's his blood. It's his blood. It's Jong-hyung's blood. No. Come off. Why doesn’t it come off?
Kyuhyun kept squirming, using his fingers to try and scrap off the remnants of the dried blood. He dug so hard that his skin tore, leaving streaks of blood forming on his hands, but Kyuhyun did not notice. All he wanted was to get rid of the constricting feeling on his hands.
Hankyung was shocked. He immediately slammed Kyuhyun's hands up against the wall separately. It hurt Hankyung to slam his dongsaeng's still weak body against the wall, knowing that it would hurt him. But that was the only thing he could do then to stop his dongsaeng from scratching himself further.
Heechul reached the bathroom, wondering what the two could be doing in the bathroom.
"Hannie? Kyu? What are you…"
Heechul called out as he turned into the bathroom. He stopped.
Hankyung had pinned Kyuhyun against the wall with Kyuhyun's arms stretched out above him and Kyuhyun was struggling.
"Kyuhyun!"
Yes! I finally finished this chapter! It's not as long as the previous one, and I think it's not very well-written the emotions. But I think my points got across.
My apologies for not being able to stick to my statement of posting that day. But my computer had crashed. L My computer is not fixed, but I managed to retrieve most of my files. So, I'm rather happy today. Hope you like this chapter. I will reveal more in the next chapter!
Happy reading!
Author: vic_sim
Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the plot. I apologise for any incorrect portrayal of people or any inaccurate details mentioned in my story.
Pairing: None at the moment.
Category: Angst/Comfort
Rating: NC-16 (just to be safe)
Summary: Kyuhyun wanted to surprise his hyungs. He wanted to make dinner for them.
Arc I Arc II
Kyuhyun stared at the computer. It was flashing ‘Game Over’ on the screen. He was left alone for the day as his hyungs went for a performance today. Yesterday he spent his time playing games on the computer, reading a book and spending some time with vocal practice. At night, he waited for his hyungs at the sofa, leaving the television that was showing Super Junior performances switched on. He didn’t want to sleep in the apartment alone. It was not the emptiness that scared him. It was the fear that his hyungs might not return.
This action was something he did often before his debut when he often found himself home alone. He wanted to be reassured that he was not left alone. It was a fear that resulted from his father leaving in the middle of the night that made Kyuhyun bid at least one of his hyungs good night before retreating to his bed. Kyuhyun knew that it was an unreasonable fear, but no one said that fears had to make sense.
Kyuhyun looked around him. The day was still early. It would be at least another four hours before his hyungs would be back. Now he knew how Hankyung-hyung and Heechul-hyung felt whenever they performed without them. Maybe I should do something for them. Anything beats sitting here with nothing to do.
Kyuhyun ventured into the kitchen, wondering if he could make dinner for them. First he needed to check if there was enough food for thirteen people. The fridge was almost empty. Kyuhyun closed the fridge door, pondering on his next step. Should he head for the supermarket down the road or wait for his hyungs to come back? Kyuhyun knew that Eeteuk-hyung would prefer that he stayed and waited for them, instead of venturing out on his own. It was a wonder that Eeteuk-hyung didn’t tell him to stay home and not go out before they left in the morning.
But Kyuhyun wanted to surprise them. Kyuhyun wanted to thank his hyungs for being there with him throughout his recovery, which he knew was not over yet. Spending the days alone had given Kyuhyun a lot of time to think about the things that had occurred to him in his life. He thought about the accident. He thought about the things he remembered in his fevered dreams. He thought about his hyungs who continued to stay by him even when Kyuhyun knew that he made them frustrated with his non-existent answers regarding his past. He remembered all the smiles on his hyungs’ faces over the little things he did, even if Kyuhyun didn’t see the jokes in his actions. Kyuhyun remembered their picnic, his hyungs’ comforting presence that had surrounded him even before the accident. Kyuhyun had refused to believe that those would last in the past.
But now, he finally saw what was in front of him. It had been glaring at his face, and yet time and time again Kyuhyun chose to ignore it. He chose to believe the words of people who should not even matter to him. He had a family, a family complete with Appa and Umma, a family where he would never feel alone or bored with, a family which chose to always be by his side. He was no longer alone in the world. He had a family. Kyuhyun giggled to himself, loving the feel of the word ‘family’ rolling off his tongue.
Making up his mind, Kyuhyun grabbed his favourite cap from his bedroom. He wrote a message and stuck it on the wall, remembering his promise with Eeteuk-hyung and Hankyung-hyung since his unexpected disappearance that day. Looking at where he stuck the note, Kyuhyun thought. Most likely only Siwon-hyung will see the note. Wondering for a moment if he should stick the note somewhere else, Kyuhyun shrugged. Besides, I’m going to message Eeteuk-hyung and Hankyung-hyung. Kyuhyun sent the message to his hyungs and left the house.
Walking down the street to the supermarket, Kyuhyun thought about what he should get from the supermarket for dinner. It was not the first time he was cooking, but it was the first time he was cooking for thirteen people. But there was a smile on his face. He couldn’t wait for his hyungs to come back and see what he had made for them. If he could, Kyuhyun would have bounced down the road. He did not notice all the giggles and pointing around him in the supermarket as he was engrossed in finding the ingredients for dinner tonight. Satisfied with the bags of food that he had bought, Kyuhyun flashed a smile at the cashier lady, glancing at his watch. There’s just enough time for me to get back to the dorm and make dinner.
Kyuhyun exited the supermarket excitedly. Humming a song under his breath, Kyuhyun made his way back to the dorm.
“Watch out!”
A scream echoed in Kyuhyun’s ears. He spun around. He witnessed in slow motion a body getting slammed in the back by a sports car, the bags of food slipping out of his hands. He saw the pain etched to the boy’s face, a boy who couldn’t be older than him. He heard the sickening crunch of the bones as the boy hit the floor. Time froze around him.
No, this can’t be happening again.
Kyuhyun dashed across the road, not caring if there were cars on the road, ignoring the pain in his hips. The cap fell off his head as he kneeled down next to the foreign boy. He vaguely heard someone around him call for an ambulance. The boy was bleeding badly from the open wounds and a serious head injury. Kyuhyun ripped his jacket off, pressing it tight against the head wound.
He’s not going to die. He’s not going to die.
The boy was gasping something. Kyuhyun leaned forward to hear.
“Tell…my…parents…that…”
“No, don’t tell me. Tell them yourself.”
Kyuhyun choked a little on his words, but he wanted the boy to hold on.
“You…can do it. You will tell them yourself.”
Kyuhyun said again, wanting to put his words across to the boy. He wanted the boy to find the strength in him to survive. Kyuhyun wanted to look around for the ambulance, but he was afraid that if he lifted his gaze off the boy for one moment, the boy would be lost to him forever. It was what happened with Jong Ki.
His jacket was getting soaked with blood. He could feel the warm sticky liquid on his hands.
“Hyung! Don’t die! You can’t leave me alone!”
His voice echoed in his head.
“No, you can’t die. You can’t die.”
Kyuhyun mumbled to the boy as he was being carried up the ambulance. He had followed the boy up the ambulance, holding the bloodied jacket in his hands. The paramedics wanted to make sure that Kyuhyun was not hurt as well, but right now, their priority was the boy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kyuhyun was left on a hospital bed, forgotten as the doctors and nurses focused on the boy. Kyuhyun knew that he was going into shock when the world around him turned silent - just like it did when he met with the car accident - but he made no move. Kyuhyun could distinctly remember his terror at being woken up with a sharp pain in his back. He remembered the panic when he couldn’t find any of his hyungs, only seeing the dark sky above him. He wanted to move, but it hurt to even breathe. However, compared to the pain, the fear that something horrible had occurred to his hyungs overwhelmed him.
Kyuhyun did not pay attention to the doctor and nurse that were tending to him. The jacket was removed from his hands and the blood was washed off his hands. They wanted to make sure that he was not injured. After checking, the doctor found no wounds on him and proceeded to sign him as an out-patient. Although the doctor knew that Kyuhyun was in shock, not knowing his past, the doctor decided to just let the shock wear off.
Kyuhyun followed the nurse stoically to the waiting area where a family sat. Kyuhyun spared no glance at them, still absorbed in his own world. He did not hear his phone ringing in his jacket, which was handed back to him by the nurse.
The nurse was worried at the boy in front of her. She didn’t feel comfortable leaving him alone when he was unresponsive to the world around him.
“Sir, your phone is ringing.”
The nurse said, although cell phones were not allowed in that area of the hospital. They had gotten his name, the only time he spoke to them. Looking at his condition, the nurse answered the phone call, hoping that it was someone - preferably his emergency contact - who could come over to the hospital straight away.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kibum, Siwon, Donghae and Eunhyuk ran straight to the counter once they had paid the driver.
“Excuse me, where can I find Cho Kyuhyun?”
Siwon asked the nurse behind the counter, while the other three looked around the emergency department trying to find their magnae.
“There!”
Eunhyuk exclaimed, pointing to a figure sitting on the plastic chairs.
Kyuhyun was leaning on the chair, staring at the white wall in front of him, but not seeing it at all. They dashed towards Kyuhyun, wondering what exactly happened. The police only told them that one boy was critically injured from the accident while two boys were sent to the hospital.
“Kyuhyun!”
Kibum and Donghae shouted, ignoring the fact that they were in the hospital.
Kyuhyun was stuck in the position on the floor, staring at the sky. He wanted so much to move and find his hyungs, but he couldn’t. As he was about to panic, a shout pierced through his mind.
“Kyuhyun!”
Kyuhyun snapped his head up in the direction of the voice. He saw four figures running towards him.
“Hyung!”
Kyuhyun sprang up from the seat, wanting to dash to his hyungs as he did not want to be trapped in the silent world again. But his body was not ready for the sudden movement and his hips could not support the sudden weight. Kyuhyun fell forward, losing his balance. Siwon ran faster, seeing Kyuhyun fall. He managed to reach Kyuhyun, lifting him up in his arms.
“Are you okay?”
Siwon asked worriedly, setting Kyuhyun back on the ground. He held Kyuhyun by the shoulders, holding him at a distance and scanning his dongsaeng for any injuries.
Siwon registered the blood on Kyuhyun’s shirt. Siwon was scared by the large amount of blood that was soaked in the pale blue shirt. By then, the other three have reached the two, surrounding them. Kyuhyun got over the sudden shock of falling to register that four of his hyungs were standing in front of him.
“Hyung…”
Kyuhyun turned his head around to see Donghae, Kibum and Eunhyuk.
Eunhyuk-hyung!
Before Siwon could comment on the blood, Kyuhyun pounced onto Eunhyuk, the remnants of the accident still fresh in his mind.
“Hyung!”
Eunhyuk was not prepared for Kyuhyun to jump on him that suddenly. Donghae stabled him from the back. Eunhyuk wrapped his arms around Kyuhyun. Kyuhyun hugged Eunhyuk and was reassured that that was simply his memory and that things were alright now.
It was then that Kyuhyun let the events that occurred tonight occupy his mind. He could still see the body flying through the air after being hit by the car. Kyuhyun shut his eyes, burying his head in Eunhyuk’s shoulders. Eunhyuk tightened his hold on Kyuhyun, feeling the trembling going through his dongsaeng’s body. Kibum flashed a worried look to Eunhyuk as he patted Kyuhyun on his back. They didn’t know what was going on. They had no details about the accident or Kyuhyun’s involvement.
Siwon looked around for a nurse or someone who could give him some insight about what had happened, choosing to focus his attention on something that he could do then. Siwon had concluded then that the blood did not belong to his dongsaeng, making him sigh mentally in relief. The nurse who was tending to Kyuhyun previously had returned from attending to her duties. Siwon talked to her, finding out that Kyuhyun had been at the scene of the accident and learning that his dongsaeng had helped to keep the injured boy alive to the hospital. The nurse told Siwon that Kyuhyun was in shock, but it would most likely wear off soon, seeing that he was finally reacting to his surroundings. Siwon returned to the group, after thanking the nurse. He repeated what the nurse had told him, stunning the three with the similarity of this accident with the one that had killed Kyuhyun’s best friend. It was no wonder that Kyuhyun went into shock.
“Kyu…”
Kibum said, wanting Kyuhyun to lift his head from Eunhyuk’s shoulders. But before Kibum could say more, the light from the surgery room went off. The family that had been sitting at the other chairs stood up.
For some reason, Kibum found his attention being drawn towards them. Kibum watched as the doctor spoke to the family. The mother - or who Kibum assumed was the mother - collapsed into her husband’s arms with the devastating news from the doctor. The family disappeared into the room. Kibum continued to stare at the flapping door long after the family had entered the room.
“Kibummie?”
Donghae called, wondering why Kibum was staring at the door.
“Huh?”
“Your phone is ringing.”
Kibum looked down, and indeed his phone was ringing and vibrating in his pocket. Eeteuk-hyung. Kibum answered the call.
“Hello, Teukie-hyung?”
“Kibum, did you find him?”
“We’ve found him at the hospital. He’s uninjured.”
Kibum wondered if he should explain what happened through the phone.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
Kibum decided to not tell Eeteuk that although Kyuhyun had no visible injury, his mental state was something they had to watch out for. Kibum could hear Eeteuk telling the other members that they had found Kyuhyun.
“Hyung, is it possible to send someone with the van over to the hospital? We won’t be able to fit in to one taxi as there are five of us here.”
“Sure. Just wait at the hospital. Someone will be there to fetch you all.”
Kibum hung up the call, turning back to the rest.
Kyuhyun was still buried in Eunhyuk’s embrace with Siwon hovering around. Donghae was behind Eunhyuk where he had been trying to make Kyuhyun lift his head and speak to them before he turned his attention to Kibum.
“Was it Teukie-Umma?”
Kibum nodded, telling them that they had to wait for a while for someone to pick them. Siwon and Eunhyuk nodded their heads while Kyuhyun did not appear to have heard him at all. Donghae turned to Kibum, pulling him closer to them. Donghae wondered if he should say something to Kyuhyun, instead of just letting Kyuhyun stay in Eunhyuk’s embrace. But he didn’t know what to say. All he knew was that he was thankful that their magnae was not hurt.
Kyuhyun was not crying. He only wanted to seek comfort from his hyungs, something that he did not have when Jong Ki died in the car accident. The door opened and the lady walked out of it. She seemed upset, yet comforted. She headed towards the group with Donghae and Kibum immediately forming a wall in front of Eunhyuk and Kyuhyun as they remembered what happened to Kyuhyun previously with his best friend’s family.
“Erm…”
Kyuhyun shifted his head out a little at the foreign voice.
“I would just like to thank you for letting us have a chance to bid our child goodbye.”
The lady bowed at them and left, leaving them bewildered at her actions.
Kyuhyun buried his head into Eunhyuk’s shoulders again, upset at the news that the boy had passed away. He had failed. He had failed Jong-hyung. And now, he had failed the boy as well. He could never do anything right. The rest did not understand Kyuhyun’s reaction as they thought that the lady was merely praising Kyuhyun for his actions. Eunhyuk looked at Kyuhyun, worried about the trembling boy in his arms.
“Kyuhyun, are you okay?”
A slight shake of his head from Kyuhyun increased the worries in the other four, as well as created conflicting emotions. They were shocked that Kyuhyun admitted that he was not fine, but they were also worried that he was not fine.
“Let’s head out to wait for the van.”
Siwon said, not wanting to remain in the dreary atmosphere of the hospital any more.
Eunhyuk tried to move, but found it impossible with Kyuhyun hanging so tightly to him. Not once had Kyuhyun relinquished his hold on Eunhyuk since he clung onto Eunhyuk when he first saw him.
“Kyu, we need to move.”
Kyuhyun shook his head, refusing to let go.
“Don’t leave me Hyung.”
Kyuhyun didn’t want to leave the comforting embrace that chased the fears away from his mind even if it sill lingered a little in his heart.
“We’re not leaving you. We’re heading home with you.”
Kibum said from Eunhyuk’s side, remembering Kyuhyun’s reaction to the word ‘home’ the previous time.
Kyuhyun lifted his head, looking at Kibum as if to confirm his words. Slowly, Kyuhyun released his grip on Eunhyuk, turning out to face the rest.
It was then that Kibum, Donghae and Eunhyuk saw the blood on Kyuhyun’s shirt. It had dried by then but some had managed to transfer onto Eunhyuk’s shirt.
“Kyuhyun! Are you injured?”
Eunhyuk exclaimed, terrified by the blood. Kyuhyun looked down and gently shook his head.
“They’re not mine.”
Kyuhyun refused to elaborate further, but Eunhyuk deduced that it belonged to the boy. He kept his silence, knowing that Kyuhyun was not ready to say anything yet to anyone.
“Alright, let’s head home.”
Donghae stood in front of Kyuhyun, placing his beanie on top of Kyuhyun’s head. He smiled at Kyuhyun, wanting to alleviate the fear in Kyuhyun. Siwon wrapped his jacket around Kyuhyun - one to cover the blood and two to offer some comfort to Kyuhyun. Kyuhyun nodded, taking a tentative step forward.
Kyuhyun gripped onto Eunhyuk’s arm tightly as he walked, his body protesting against the movement. Kibum hung back, picking up Kyuhyun’s jacket from the floor where it had fallen when Kyuhyun stood up. He wondered if Kyuhyun still wanted the jacket as it was soaked - although the blood had dried - but Kibum just took it with him just in case. He turned, about to leave when he felt someone staring at him. He spun around, but there was no one.
Am I being paranoid?
“Bummie, what are you doing?”
Donghae had noticed the absence of their other magnae. Kibum turned to Donghae, shaking his head as he ran to catch up.
I need more sleep. I’m starting to imagine things.
Unknown to the rest and Kibum, someone was staring at them.
How could I forget about you?
The dark figure hidden at a corner turned away, answering another person.
You will be the one to help me.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kangin kept staring at the rear view mirror, wanting to ask if Kyuhyun was really okay, but not daring to voice out his words. Kyuhyun remained wrapped in Siwon’s jacket as they made their way up the lift to their dorm.
Everyone had been waiting anxiously ever since Eeteuk called them to tell them to come home as Kyuhyun was found. They returned back to the dorm thinking that Kyuhyun would be at the dorm, only to find Eeteuk and Heechul sitting restlessly by the phone. Upon further clarification, they learned that Kyuhyun had been caught up with another accident and was now at the hospital.
Before Hankyung could rush out of the house, Heechul said that Kyuhyun was fine and was being released. Hankyung still wanted to dash out and find his dongsaeng to wrap him in his arms. He had not been there when it had first happened to Kyuhyun. He had not understood Kyuhyun when Kyuhyun had been upset on the anniversary of Jong Ki’s death. But he would be there for him now. Kyuhyun would not be alone.
Just then, Eeteuk shouted at them that the four had found Kyuhyun and that he was uninjured. The subdued atmosphere in the dorm was lifted, but for some, they had caught the use of the word ‘uninjured’. It meant to them that Kyuhyun was still hurt, just not in the physical way. All of them fought to be the one to drive to the hospital to pick the five up, but Kangin won out in the end because everyone trusted his driving skills. Hankyung went into the kitchen to cook, as it was the only way he thought of to relieve the tension in him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kyuhyun continued to latch on Eunhyuk as they entered the dorm with the rest immediately clamouring around them. Heechul hushed all of them, making them make way for the six to enter. It was only when they had made it about halfway into the dorm that Kyuhyun let go of Eunhyuk, finding himself back in familiar grounds.
“Hyung…”
“Kyuhyun, do you need anything?”
Eunhyuk asked Kyuhyun.
“Can I go and bathe?”
Kyuhyun asked, as if it was an embarrassing question. Eunhyuk looked around. The rest didn’t seem willing to let Kyuhyun out of their sight as yet.
“Go ahead, Kyu. We’ll be here.”
Kibum answered the question, knowing that Kyuhyun must feel uncomfortable in his bloodied shirt. It was lucky that the rest had not caught sight of it yet. Kyuhyun threw a grateful look at Kibum and stumbled away. Donghae ran after him, supporting him. It was the simple action that did not occur - the act of rejecting the help - that alarmed the rest.
“What happened at the hospital?”
Heechul turned to the five.
“We weren’t really sure what had occurred during the accident when we arrived at the hospital. But Siwon managed to find out some details from a nurse.”
Eyes turned from Eunhyuk to Siwon.
“She said that…”
Siwon’s explanation captured their attention, some of them shocked at the similarity of this accident with Jong Ki’s one just like how the others had been. He even explained the mother’s actions to them, stating that Kyuhyun looked even more upset hearing those words. Sungmin frowned at those words.
“So it means that the boy didn’t survive?”
His words came out as a whisper, though they were heard by all.
Eunhyuk turned towards him, with eyes opened wide. He had not considered that. His mind had only registered the fact that Kyuhyun had helped the boy to survive to the hospital.
“And knowing him, he would probably be wondering why he couldn’t save the boy.”
Hankyung mumbled the strangled words out.
Sungmin looked up to the ceiling. Why does this always happen to him?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kyuhyun stood in the shower, scrubbing his body. He wanted to get rid of the sticky feeling on his body. He scrubbed and scrubbed, not caring that his body was turning red, or that his hips were getting painful. He knew that he didn’t have to face it alone, but he was still not used to the fact that there were people around him who cared for him. Water rolled down his face as he scrubbed, tears mixing in between as well. The water allowed Kyuhyun to believe that he was not crying.
“Kyuhyunnie, are you done?”
Donghae’s voice travelled through the door, snapping Kyuhyun out of his cleaning obsession.
“Coming, Hyung.”
He quickly answered, not wanting Donghae to dash into the bathroom, and not wanting to worry his hyungs even more. He turned off the water, resisting the urge to remain in the shower.
Kyuhyun quickly dried himself and dressed. More than once, he wanted to step back into the shower. He still didn’t feel clean enough. The blood was vaguely visible in his eyes. As he turned to pick up the clothes, he hesitated when he saw the blood. He backed away from the clothes, hitting the door.
“Kyuhyun?”
He composed himself and opened the door. Donghae scanned Kyuhyun, noting the long sleeve shirt and pants that Kyuhyun was wearing and more importantly, the pale face of his dongsaeng. Kyuhyun forced a smile at Donghae, letting Donghae lead him back to the living room. Donghae spared a glance at the abandoned clothes on the ground. He would deal with those later.
Kyuhyun didn’t want to be alone right now. He was placed on the sofa, squashed between Eeteuk and Heechul. Hankyung came into the room, with the help of the others, and served dinner. Kyuhyun shook his head at the food, not having the energy in him to swallow. But with Heechul's wide eyes staring at him, Kyuhyun accepted a bowl of porridge from Heechul.
He knew that his hyungs were all worried about him, but he simply had no energy in him to lay their worries to rest. Kyuhyun took a few bites before setting the bowl back on the table. It was not that Hankyung's cooking today was horrible. It was just tasteless in his mouth. He was supposed to be the one who was cooking dinner for them tonight, and instead, he was the one who was making all of them wear that frown on their faces right now. I never do anything right.
Kyuhyun wanted to curl up in his bed and forget everything that had happened today.
"Kyuhyun…"
Kyuhyun shook his head, indicating that he did not want to say anything now. He knew that his hyungs were there for him, but he didn’t know how to accept the help.
If he's not going to make the first move, then I will.
Heechul pulled him into his arms, allowing Kyuhyun to bury his face in his chest. Kyuhyun did not protest to that embrace; willingly bury himself in Heechul's arms.
I'm not alone.
The tears that he kept back at the hospital flowed as the fears from witnessing the accident came back on full force. No one had the appetite to eat that night, watching and guarding their youngest as he closed himself from the world.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Hello? Get me the address of this woman."
A gruff voice spoke into the cell phone. The person nodded and hung up the phone.
"So, she's still living in that house. I would have thought that she moved out with all her success with her company. Well, it's time to pay her a visit."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kyuhyun woke up in the middle of the night, his eyes snapping open from shock. There was a body flying through the air in his mind as he fell further from the body.
Jong-hyung…
His mind was replaying the scene from that fateful day, the day which made him close the doors to his heart. The despair at not being able to do anything except cry, the knowledge that he was not enough to save his one and only friend - these feelings swarmed Kyuhyun, drowning him.
He looked down at his hands, feeling the wet, sticky - even warm - liquid on them. It was dark, but Kyuhyun could almost see it dripping from his hands. He scrabbled off the bed - not even bothering to wonder how he got there in the first place - and ran to the bathroom.
Hankyung felt someone move around and sleepily opened his eyes. He had claimed the place to be next to Kyuhyun for the night besides Heechul. He saw Kyuhyun staring at his hands, which puzzled him as there was nothing in Kyuhyun's hand.
"Kyuhyunnie?"
Hankyung called out, but Kyuhyun did not seem to have heard him. Instead, Kyuhyun climbed off the bed, away from Heechul's embrace and ran out of the room. Hankyung wondered how Kyuhyun managed in the darkness to move so quickly as he tried to chase after him.
Heechul was shaken awake by Kyuhyun's actions and looked around him. The room was empty. The drowsiness forgotten, Heechul got out of the room to look for Hankyung and Kyuhyun, turning on the lights as he moved down the corridor.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Kyuhyun! What are you doing?"
Hankyung found Kyuhyun in the bathroom, frantically washing his hands.
"Getting rid of the blood."
Kyuhyun answered without looking up from the sink.
Blood? What blood?
Hankyung took a step forward to be next to Kyuhyun.
There was nothing red in the sink. Only bubbles of soap flowing down the pipe and his dongsaeng's hands that were turning red from all the washing.
But Kyuhyun was rubbing vigorously at his hands, as if trying to scrap off some invisible blood from his hands. Hankyung grabbed his hands, stopping him from causing injury to himself.
"Hyung, what are you doing? Let me go. I need to wash it off."
Kyuhyun struggled against his hold, the faint feeling of the blood still on his hands.
"Kyu, there's nothing on your hands! Nothing at all! You're just going to rub your skin off if you continue like that!"
"Can't you see it Hyung? It's there on my hands!"
Kyuhyun nodded his head towards his hands hysterically.
I need to wash it off. I need to wash it off. It's his blood. It's his blood. It's Jong-hyung's blood. No. Come off. Why doesn’t it come off?
Kyuhyun kept squirming, using his fingers to try and scrap off the remnants of the dried blood. He dug so hard that his skin tore, leaving streaks of blood forming on his hands, but Kyuhyun did not notice. All he wanted was to get rid of the constricting feeling on his hands.
Hankyung was shocked. He immediately slammed Kyuhyun's hands up against the wall separately. It hurt Hankyung to slam his dongsaeng's still weak body against the wall, knowing that it would hurt him. But that was the only thing he could do then to stop his dongsaeng from scratching himself further.
Heechul reached the bathroom, wondering what the two could be doing in the bathroom.
"Hannie? Kyu? What are you…"
Heechul called out as he turned into the bathroom. He stopped.
Hankyung had pinned Kyuhyun against the wall with Kyuhyun's arms stretched out above him and Kyuhyun was struggling.
"Kyuhyun!"
Yes! I finally finished this chapter! It's not as long as the previous one, and I think it's not very well-written the emotions. But I think my points got across.
My apologies for not being able to stick to my statement of posting that day. But my computer had crashed. L My computer is not fixed, but I managed to retrieve most of my files. So, I'm rather happy today. Hope you like this chapter. I will reveal more in the next chapter!
Happy reading!