-Hayeon-
News spread through pretty fast. The news of Wong Yukhei being found after seven months.
School had ended and I didn't waste any time rushing to go home. I was first at the bus stop for the first time and I boarded the bus I needed to quickly.
The only thing running through my mind was, had my brother heard? And if he had, how was he holding up?
"Hurry up, hurry up." I mumbled to myself, my foot fidgeting up and down, making my whole leg shake.
As soon as the bus arrived at my stop, I got off and ran home. My heart pounded against my chest.
When Yukhei was suddenly gone, my brother broke down completely. He wouldn't eat, sleep, or talk. He wouldn't leave his room, he'd refuse to talk to his other friends. Sure, he's quiet, but at that time, he seemed like he didn't even want to live.
Once I reached my house, I pulled my keys out to unlock my door only to see that it was already unlocked.
I quickly opened and closed the door as I rushed in. Removing my shoes, I threw my bag down.
"Jungwoo!" I called out, trying to sound chirpy and excited to see him.
But the fact that there was no response was enough for me to know— he had heard.
"Jungwoo!!" I called out, a bit more scared now.
I rushed up the stairs, miraculously not tripping on any of the steps.
"Jungwoo!" I cried out.
Please, please, please let him be okay.
I knocked on his door thrice before opening it.
"Jungwoo—" I gasped, "Jungwoo..."
There he was, my brother. My brother who had always had a smile on his face, who had tried to be strong in front of me, who had fought so many battles with himself.
There he was.
Breaking.
"H-Hayeon..." he gasped, "Hayeon, he's... they..."
I rushed to him and quickly engulfed him in an embrace. I felt tears pricking, making my eyes sting, but I refused to let them fall. The last thing I wanted was for him to feel bad about making his sister cry.
"Hayeon," he sobbed, "why now?"
He hugged me tighter and I held onto him as tight as I could, afraid that if I didn't hold hard enough, he'd disappear.
I couldn't say it was fine because it really wasn't.
"Everything will work out." I said gently. "Everything has to work out."
He sobbed harder and my heart ached.
If I thought he was broken when Yukhei disappeared, this was something else.
•••
My fingers were running through his hair comfortingly.
His head was rested on my lap, his eyes closed, his breathing even, unlike a while ago where his breaths were heavy and forced.
I sighed heavily before speaking quietly, "Jungwoo... you don't have to be so strong in front of me. I'm aware that you're hurt and breaking, but I pretend not to notice it because I didn't want to hurt your pride. But if it's to this extent, you shouldn't hide it from me anymore."
I heard footsteps and I looked up to see Jaemin. I gave him a small smile.
"Hey." I greeted.
"Hey." He greeted back.
He took a seat across of us and kept his eyes on my brother.
"How's he holding up?" He asked softly.
"Not good."
"How are you holding up?" He asked as he looked at me.
"If he isn't good, I'm not, either."
"Right on the night of your birthday."
My eyes widened as I stopped caressing my brother's hair.
I had almost forgotten that I was turning 18. That I was going to receive the damn clock. The very clock that destroyed my brother.
He and his soulmate have met, but they weren't dating. They were friends, yeah, but after the incident, he didn't talk to her.
"Fuck, I forgot about that."
Jaemin sighed. "You have less than an hour. Have you even done any of your homework?"
I shook my head. "I had to stay with him. There's no way I would've been able to focus on my studies when I knew that he was breaking."
"That's understandable. But you know our teachers aren't like that." Jaemin reminded me.
I chuckled lightly. "I know, but that's nothing coffee can't fix."
He pouted. "Hayeon, that's not good for you."
"Eh," I shrugged, "it's something I need at the mome—"
I winced as I felt a sharp pain in my left wrist. It felt like fire, burning right into my skin, carving shapes and lines.
Fuck, is this what it feels like?
The pain increased but I held in my scream and tried not to move around too much, not wanting to wait Jungwoo up.
"Hayeon, we have to wake hyung up." Jaemin said, sounding worried.
I shook my head, unable to speak, the pain was too much.
"No, I'm sorry, I can't." Jaemin apologized. "Hyung! Hyung, wake up!"
Jaemin shook my brother and Jungwoo awoke with a start, sitting up straight.
"What? What is it, Nana?" Jungwoo asked, panicked. "What is it? What's—"
His eyes landed on me as I crouched down, holding my left wrist with my other hand. I opened my mouth but no sound came out.
"Oh no, Hayeon, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I've been so insensitive, I'm sorry little sister."
He hugged me tight as I rocked back and fourth, tears streaming down my face.
"M-make it s-stop. Make it stop, make it stop!" I screamed out. "It hurts so much, make it stop!"
"Let it out, Hayeon, let it out."
"We're right here," Jaemin added, "we're right here."
