3 Ways

He's Gone

>_____<;;

"How's your sister?" Hyerin questioned while polishing the glassware in her store. "It's been almost a week, hasn't it?"

It had gotten quieter at home without troublemaker Namjoo around. The atmosphere had become kind of desolate and lonely as well. She and Chorong would often talk about small things here and there and of how they wanted to improve their ways of bonding to become a better family. What hurt most was that while they talked on, they knew Namjoo wouldn't be there to offer her ideas or make any silly remarks. Even so, she and Chorong continued talking for the sake that Namjoo would wake up to join them again.

"Yea," Victoria quietly answered running her fingers across the shiny top her boss had just finish wiping.

"Is your sister with her right now?"

"Her..." Victoria paused to think before answering, "friend is there for her. Chorong is kind of job searching right now."

"It must be hard," her boss sympathized, "why don't you knock off early? You'd probably rather be at the hospital with your sister than here, huh?"

Victoria smiled and thanked her before leaving the shop.

>_____<;;

Through the darkness Namjoo could hear the heart monitor beeping in a much lively manner than she felt at the moment. The room was cold and she knew she was alone even if she couldn't see. The air freshener let out a gasp as its cleaned air seeped through its lips.

Someone had just walked out. This person had loud, but soft footsteps. She wasn't sure if she recognized who this person was.

This morning the nurse had pulled the blanket down to her chest so now her neck was a bit cold and chilly. She lie there listening to the rhythm of the heart monitor sizzling through her ears before a warmth enveloped her neck. A calm peace fell over her like another blanket before she felt someone sit on the edge of the bed.

Who was there today?

A light warmth hovered over her hand, but there was no voice. She could hear no one. Was she dreaming?

Then very slowly she felt this presence lie down beside her. It wasn't Chorong. Chorong sat on the chair by the bed and Victoria would stand by. This person wasn't any of her sisters.

Then who?

"Hey," she knew that voice, "it's only been a few days, what are you doing here?"

Luhan?

"What are you doing here, Namjoo?" he asked. "It must've been...really hard." A painful smile crossed his face and he reached for her hand. "You did well."

Namjoo could feel her heart racing. She really wanted to see him, but she couldn't open her eyes.

"Can you hear me? Namjoo, don't dwell on me. I didn't mean to make you lonely. I never meant to hurt you. Let me go and live. I know you can do it."

No...Namjoo didn't want to. She didn't want the life without him, but how was she supposed to tell him when she couldn't respond? Namjoo wanted so much to plead or ask him to take her with him, but her body wouldn't do what she wanted.

"I know you can and you know you can," Luhan persuaded, "your sisters need you, more than you know. So wake up, Namjoo. Hmm? You have to pull through this. Wake up."

Namjoo felt the tears squeeze themselves out of her eyes, but she still couldn't move. She missed him and she loved him and she wanted nothing, but him. The desperation quickly filtered through her, but she couldn't move. If he was there, she wanted to see him before he would leave again, but her eyes wouldn't open and it hurt her heart more. Her heart was crumbling again into so many pieces, but she couldn't express it.