A STAR FOR A STAR (XIAH FANFIC)

CHAPTER 23

            Xiah slowly walked to where the DBSK boys and the managers were all waiting.

            "Hyung . . . . Iqa has just been moved to her room . . . ." Max said to Xiah.

            "Where is Se7en?" Se7en's manager asked Xiah.

            "He . . . . . He just wants to be alone for now," Xiah answered.

            Somehow all the men understood what he meant.

            "The doctors said that as soon as Moniqa is set in her room . . . . We can all see her then," the DBSK boys' manager told Xiah.

            Xiah nodded. He tried to think if he was even strong enough to see Iqa in her condition now. He was very much afraid that the moment he saw her. He wouldn't be able to control himself and that he would suddenly break into tears.

            "Hyung . . . . are you all right?" Max asked with concern. They all could see that he wasn't himself. He was obviously thinking about something else.

            "Yes. . . ." Xiah replied.

            After several minutes . . . . Moniqa's acting manager arrived. Moniqa was already in her room. And the doctors have already allowed them to see her.

            "We can all go to her room now . . . ." Moniqa's manager announced.

            All of them were very nervous as to what they would see. Se7en had already joined them as soon as he found out that Moniqa had been moved to her room.

            "I don't think I want to see Moniqa . . . . in such a pitiful condition," Micky said to Jaejoong.

            "Yes . . . . me too. I don't think I can take it if I see her in a hospital bed and still unconscious. It is too saddening . . . ." Jaejoong replied.

            Xiah could hear everything that his friends were saying. And somehow everything that they had said had also been on his mind. He was also asking himself . . . if he can stand seeing Iqa lying in a hospital bed . . . . pale as a ghost . . . .unconscious . . . . dying . . . . Just thinking about it was already breaking his heart.

            Xiah tried to close his eyes . . . .

            "Please . . . . let this just be a dream . . . . a bad dream . . . . Let me wake up please," he begged in his mind.

            "Xiah . . . ." U-Know suddenly tapped Xiah's shoulder. "Are you all right?" he asked.

            Xiah looked at U-Know. "I . . . . I am afraid . . . . I will break down once I see her," he honestly answered.

            U-Know suddenly smiled. He was happy that his friend had finally admitted his true feelings. "Just be strong . . . . You need to be strong . . . . for her sake . . . ." he said to    Xiah.

            Xiah tried to smile even if his heart was slowly aching. They quietly entered Moniqa's room with all of their hearts pounding heavily. They were all afraid of what they were about to see.

            As soon as they entered her room . . . . all their fears suddenly became a reality. Xiah immediately cupped his face in total disbelief. He didn't want to accept what he was seeing was real. He wanted to just turn back and pretend that he didn't see Moniqa in such a pitiful situation.

            All the men's hearts were instantly broken after they had finally seen Moniqa. She was lying in the hospital bed with different machines attached to her body. She had several bandages on her arms and some cuts on her beautiful face. She seemed so lifeless . . . . that Xiah's tears immediately fell the moment he saw her.