Mirage

50

Being in this setting was sickening.

It seemed like Sunwoo would be hating hospital until his last breath.

He did not know what to do right now, nor he know what he should be feeling. His eyes were bloodshot after crying so much and maybe he would be crying again if anyone talk to him.

He stood there, leaning against the wall soullessly. Muffle cries were heard from a distance which erupted from a circle of Haeun's family members.

There was something about them that seemed alike with him - their feelings.

They had been too anxious whilst waiting in front of the big door that was separating them from their precious girl inside. The last time the family met the doctor, they even begged for the specialist to save her no matter what it took, no matter what the prices were.

Obviously none of them could let Haeun go - just like him.

Upon the arrival of the paramedics at the scene earlier, they had announced that Haeun was still here but her heartbeats were too unstable and too low that they believed, she might not be able to make it.

And here everyone was, praying and hoping for something that was unclear.

"Hey", Eric halted in front of Sunwoo, he too looked like he was just done with crying. "You forgot your belongings".

He shoved Sunwoo's duffel bag forward in which the owner gladly took it, thanking the latter.

Eric seemed deep in thought.

As he glanced over the circle which Haeun's parents and sister were crying whilst hugging each other, he felt tears brimming in his eyes too.

He had the urge to appear strong when everyone was falling. So he glanced away, focusing only on Sunwoo.

"Jia is somewhere crying too", he told him. Sunwoo could only hum, staring to the ground. "You know, it's only my wild thought but maybe... we need to let her go".

At that, Sunwoo stood straight, his breath hitched. His head was telling him to grab Eric's collar and throw him off on the floor but the voice in his head told him not to, for the sake of Haeun.

"Use your brain before you talk", he sternly said, glaring at his friend. "Are you willing to lose a friend, Eric?"

"Haeun was right, we are just denying the reality", Eric looked up to the ceiling, in order to avoid any tears puddling under his lids from spilling. "She could've said goodbye".

Eric was now crying. He did not mind if he receive any weird stares, he was sure that whoever within this space would have felt the same.

Fear of losing someone important which only led to feeling devastated.

"Go find Jia", Sunwoo patted his friend's shoulder. He really did not want to cry again but seeing Eric cry might as well make him do the same. "Stay with her".

Lucky that the boy obeyed, Eric dragged his feet despite unwillingness to leave the scary space.

Sunwoo might have pushed his friend away but deep down, he wanted a comfort as well. He wanted to hear some positive words from someone who was not related to Haeun, who did not have any attachment with her to understand what he was feeling right now.

So he decided to call Younghoon.

Rummaging into the bag Eric had given, he pulled out his phone, unlocking it just to see a notification of a message from Kim Haeun.

At the very moment, Sunwoo was drowning in a sea of mix feelings.

But he never waited long to read. He instantly pushed on the notification, reading it inside his head.