Saviors

8

   Jihoon turned off the faucet and quickly dressed in normal clothes. He dumped the wet clothing into his hamper then grabbed the suite from the back of his closet. He neatly folded it and placed it into a gray back pack. Also in the backpack went his phone, wallet, black dress shoes, and socks. He swung it over his shoulder and began to leave his room, a grim look on his face. The door to his room opened and he bumped into Soonyoung. Immediately he sneezed on him. Of course I sneeze when it's least convenient. I hope I'm not sick. In a split second, Jihoon looked into a mirror on the wall before Soonyoung could say anything. His eyes were ringed in red.

   "Mianhaeyo Hyung." He sneezed again.

   "Didn't you say you were leaving at 3:30? You still have 20 minutes. And if you're sick, maybe you should stay home."

   "I can't! I'll be fine. And I need to stop at a few places before I get to where I need to go. Bye Hyung, see you later." But Soonyoung rushed off before Jihoon could move around him. "Strange."

   He almost made it out the door when Seungcheol stopped him.

   "If you're sick, you're not going."

   "I have to."

   "No." He insisted.

   "Move." Jihoon growled.

   "Fine. But you aren't working until you get better!" He called out the door as Jihoon pushed past. Jihoon shrugged. If it was possible to clench your teeth and bite your lip at the same time without biting something off, that's what Seungcheol would have been doing. He was slightly pissed about Jihoon's whole 'whatever' attitude but also concerned about Jihoon being sick and the reason why he needed to go to wherever he needed to go.

   Jihoon slipped into the fragrant flower shop and went into the bathroom to change. He quickly got into his full black suite. He examined himself in the mirror. His red-rimmed eyes, longish black hair, ghostly white skin, and pure black outfit made him look like some sort of demon. He thought it was fitting for a funeral. Jihoon picked up his bag and walked out into the shop. He picked the whitest flowers he could, even though they still looked yellow next to his skin. Calla Lilies and Baby's Breath. When he went up to pay, the cashier jumped a little before smiling sweetly. He payed in cash and left a twenty dollar tip hidden in the stack of bills. He walked away with the flowers as the cashier called out to him.

   "Sir! Sir! Your change!"

   He exited the shop, not even knowing why he did that in the first place.

   He propped his backpack up against a tree as he entered the graveyard. He already knew where she was going to be buried so it wasn't difficult finding it. His sister was already there when he arrived. Immediately they wrapped each other in a hug. His sister started crying again. A few tears slipped down his cheeks, leaving icy trails. But not many came, he had already cried most of his sadness out. Now he was just numb. They walked up to the hole. Since it was basically just them and a few others who were their Grandma's friends, they skipped the whole church part. Their family was never one for religion anyways. They both went through the motions of a funeral without really registering anything. They said their goodbyes, made speeches that were award worthy, buried the grave, and set down flowers at the grave stone.

Jihoon looked at the two other grave stones next to the new one. The one on the right was was from almost 18 years ago, the other from about six years ago. They set down some extra flowers for their mother on the right. Then Jihyo set down flowers for the grave on the left. Their father's grave. Jihoon didn't have any flowers left for his fathers grave, nor did he want to get anymore. He watched his sister as she talked to their dad's grave instead of doing it with her like he did with their mother's grave.

He looked away from her just as she finished. Jihoon looked over the tops of the gravestones. Over the tops of hills. Over the tops of clouds. To someplace that was better than there. He hugged her as she started crying again. They stayed like that for a long time. The 22 year-old girl hugging the almost 18 year-old boy. Jihyo's hair whipped around them in the breeze. Jihoon sneezed again.

"Are you sick?" She asked, her voice scratchy.

"A little."

"You should go home."

"I know."

"Do your members know?"

"No." Jihoon said bluntly.

"Let them in eventually, Jihoon." She whispered in his ear.

"Maybe."

"Promise me. I don't want you to be alone in your life."

"Maybe when I'm 81. And are you planning on leaving me?" He joked bitterly.

"No. It's just a just in case." Jihoon nodded into her hair. "You should go back. It's been two hours already." They let go of each other and noticed that they were alone in the graveyard.

"I guess we took too long." They smiled but it was strained, forced. They were both trying to smile for each other.

"Come on, I'll give you a ride." They linked arms and walked back to her car. On the was Jihoon grabbed his backpack off the ground.

The drive to his dorm was in silence. When they arrived very few words were spoken before Jihyo drove off. Jihoon stepped inside and remembered that he was in his suite. He managed to make it to his room without anyone seeing but when he pushed open the door to the room, Soonyoung was in there. After about a minute of Jihoon standing frozen by their door, Soonyoung noticed him.

"Jihoon? Why are you dressed like that?"

"I-" he stopped.

"I see. You still don't trust me." Jihoon's stomach dropped. His hand shot out and grabbed Soonyoung's arm before he could leave.

"I-I w-was at a-a funeral. Please don't ask me to expand and please don't tell anyone else." Jihoon sounded close to tears. Soonyoung nodded and pulled Jihoon in for a hug.

"I know this probably doesn't sound sincere, but it is. I'm sorry for your loss Jihoon." He mumbled into Jihoon's hair.

   "Th-thanks Hyung." They stayed like that for a bit and Jihoon cried a little bit more. He didn't think he could cry anymore, but he did.

   "Get dressed in different clothes. Dinner will be ready soon." Soonyoung said while pulling away from him.

   "Alright." Soonyoung left Jihoon alone in the room. He changed and heard a knock at the door.

   "Jihoon?"

   "Ne?"

   "Dinner is ready." Jihoon opened the door to reveal Seungcheol standing there, waiting for him.

   "Okay Hyung. Let's go."

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