Trigger ↬ [ P.JS ]

Chapter 40:

Jisung blankly stared at the ceiling. He was wondering if they can leave already, seeing that they're already recovering but the doctor said that they still needed to stay for at least one more day.

He can hear Astrid's occasional murmurs. He couldn't understand them though, since it wasn't quite loud. They haven't seen each other yet, none of them made the effort to do so. He was just waiting for her to barge in his room and maybe receive a big hug, but he also thought that they need to think by themselves for now.

So much have been happening and they need to let it all sink first.

"Astrid?" he called out quietly.

"Hm?" the girl answered.

"Doctor said we can leave tomorrow."

"Can't we just stay? It's so cozy in here, it's also free. Why would I want to go?"

"Are you crazy? We need to find our friends!"

"Oh shit, you don't know?" Astrid nibbled on her lips. She got out of her bed, got ahold of her IV, and started walking briskly to Jisung's room.

Meanwhile, Jisung was curious why the other room got so quiet. "Astrid? What do I not kno-" he jumped when he felt the door burst open. "Astrid, what are you-" he was shushed by the girl. He furrowed his brows, looking at Astrid's distressed face. His mouth kept shut, waiting for the girl to start speaking. He looked at her walking towards him going fast as if she's got a time limit, pulling her IV with her before sitting at the end of his bed.

"I'm so sorry, I forgot to tell you but Rina, Jeno, Mark, Hwayoung and Hayoon... They're here.." Astrid stared intently at the man, waiting for his reaction. Surprisingly, he had a still face. "Are you not mad..?" she cautiously got closer.

Jisung never took his eyes off of hers. "Where are they? When will they leave? Where are they? Astrid, where's- where are my friends?" he slowly got closer to her, not realizing that he's gripping her arm.

Astrid leaned away from the agitated boy. "I saw Rina and Jeno yesterday when my nurse came to me. I heard them talking about Mark and the kids. I don't know where they are—"

His grip tightened

"—I just, I'm sure I wasn't hallucinating! They're here, I promise! Jisung, just- you're hurting me!" she pulled her arm away.

"We've been trying to figure out where our friends are, Astrid. Why didn't you run after them! They were there! Right infront of you! Now we have to find them in this hospital. God, they can be out there now. They might've been discharged! Astrid, why couldn't you just walk up to them? You're so-" he stopped his words when he saw her looking down on her lap, not knowing if there's tears in her eyes.

He realized what he was doing. He took his hands away, gaze frantic. He saw how his touch marked red in the girl's arms. His eyes softened, "Astrid, I'm sorry." Jisung hesitated in taking her hands and intertwining it with his. "I just want to know, is there any reason why you didn't approach them?" he continues.

"I'm dumb," Astrid looked up at him and laughed sarcastically. "I'm dumb, and I didn't try to do what you said. I was feeling drowsy and their words almost flew my mind but somehow they stuck before I passed out. The nurse warned me about that, she gives me so much medication." she sniffed, playing with Jisung's fingers.

Jisung stayed quiet, nodding at what the girl said. He tugged Astrid's arms, signalling her to get up. She raised both her eyes up at him, standing slowly. She followed him with her eyes, now looking at his standing figure. He wordlessly walked to the door and excited the room. Astrid followed him without hesitation, just like what she always did. She trusted him, she trusted him about the plan, and ridiculously they did end up in South Korea.

The girl trailed her eyes to their connected hands. She always relied to her friends before. She couldn't imagine that she would be doing something as foolish as almost putting her own life into the hands of what she can say a stranger. But life is strange sometimes. The unexpected comes, and the expected never shows up; just like what happened to Gray.

Gray. She thought.

Gray, Gray, Gray. 

She missed her. She missed her best friend. Oh how different could the situation be if Gray was still alive. They didn't even say a proper goodbye to her. They were out of time before.

Please don't be too late.

All she could do was hope. Hope that Rina was still in the same building, the same place, the same time. She thought about what she would do if Hwayoung and Hayoon were reunited back with their parents. She doesn't know where her mom is, where her dad is, where will she go? Will she stay with Jisung? Will she stay with her newfound friends? She doesn't even know if she can let Hwayoung go. That sweet little girl, that sweet sweet girl.

Her birthday is tomorrow.

Astrid realized that she might break her promise. She glanced at her wrist, flipping her hair to one side. Doom is destined.

Jisung noticed her spaced out, full of thoughts, he squeezed her hands gently. "Try to see if they're around. I'm gonna ask the nurses or maybe receptionist too." he took his hand away and turned the opposite direction.

She immediately protested. "No! I'll come with you. Last time people split up, it didn't turn out good." she gripped his hospital gown. He looked at her tight hold, "Let's go. They might be discharged already." His hands found their way back to hers, pinky linked together.

Astrid proceeded to fully hold his hands again. She looked down, still feeling the same hopelessness she always felt before. How she wished she could turn back time.

Tuning in to their little mission again, she squeezed Jisung's hand this time. She thought it was a very reassuring gesture they do to each other. Well, it was indeed comforting to her.

It wasn't romantic, it was just comfortable. It was soothing and familiar.

...............................................................................

hello! oh my goodness. it has been a while. how r u guys doing? im not doing good :) its been so hectic these days.

here's a long awaited update!

so sorry if it's short but im deciding that this will be the last update FOR A WHILE. im not discontinuing the story, people, im just halting the writing. im still planning to complete the series, whether that takes 3 years or more lol. code 9 is my first kinda successful story and though i thought that writing this book will be as easy as before i was wrong. i improved a lot compared to before but i also feel like i got a lot worse.

ive been considering a lot of things in the storylines and the theories and so on, so its taking a while to build the alternate universe. the plots are completed for the series and the books, it's just the writing process.

i dont know when the next update is gonna be. but im hoping that a lot of you will still stay. (who knows maybe ill update next week then ghost you again for 2 months)

i love you all! thank you for supporting trigger.