Tranquility

Hell

Mingyu POV

I was currently trying to get dressed and ready to go see Jihoon, when a knock sounded on the bathroom door.

"Gyu can we talk? Please..." came a quiet plea.

I sighed. "Hold on a moment Seok," I grumbled.

I finished slidding on a pair of joggers and a plain shirt. I then brushed my teeth and hair before finally leaving the small bathroom to face Seokmin.

I'd been living with him for two full weeks as of today, but I've done my best to avoid him all this time.

I love my best friend, but I fear that him trying to comfort me will only hurt more.

I quietly exited the bathroom, throwing my dirty clothes in the hamper before going to face Seokmin in the living room.

I slowly and cautiously sat down on the ottoman in front of where Seokmin was on the couch. He sighed anxiously as I did so.

"Look Gyu..." he paused. "You know I love you right?" I nodded already knowing what was to come.

"I'm saying this because I love you, but you have to go home," he frowned. "It's not good for you to avoid your apartment just because Jihoon isn't there right now. You can always come and visit, but I think even you need time away from me," he chuckled sadly.

I sighed before finally speaking up. "I know Seok, I'm sorry. I'll pack up and leave after I visit Jihoon if that's okay?"

"Of course," he smiled softly.

"Thank you for everything Seokie," I mumbled before reaching for a hug.

He wrapped his arms around me and replied, "Anything for you Gyu."

When he pulled away I smiled sadly. Without another word, I quickly grabbed my keys and phone before heading out into the real world.

As I drove to the hospital these last couple of weeks I found that people are quite obnoxious. They fill the streets with laughter and joy, yet there are others like me who are suffering tremendously. It's annoying to drive past them every day, but it's also heartbreaking.

I focused my eyes back on the road in order to ignore the hole in my chest these people obviously don't understand.

Upon arriving at the hospital, I slowly made my way to the front desk. The usual lady was there, and she nodded her head slightly at the sight of me. She knew where I was headed.

I made my way down the left hall and to the nearest elevator. I then waited patiently as said elevator rose silently to the fourth floor.

Jihoon's been in the hospital for as long as I've been living with Seok, two weeks as of today.

After spending almost three full days running tests and analyzing the crime scene, we were finally able to figure out not only Jihoon's current condition, but also what had happened that day.

He had been badly beaten in the bathroom of the theater. Not only that, but he had been raped as well. His body gave out soon after he had been brought to the hospital; the torture and despair of what had happened finally taking its toll.

Initially after hearing this news, all I could manage to do was ball my eyes out. Then, by the time I had run out of tears, my body had gone numb with pain. It's been that way ever since.

With his brain chemically imbalanced, the doctors aren't sure of when Jihoon will wake up, if at all.

After exiting the elevator, I made my way to room 4011. Upon opening the door my eyes fell on Jihoon's seemingly sleeping form.

A few tears started to slowly slip from my eyes. I didn't wipe them away though. Them burning my eyes was the only thing I could feel anymore.

I silently walked over to Jihoon and sat down in the old hospital chair I had grown accustumed to. I then took his hand gently in my own and stared down at his peaceful face.

My mind began to wonder, and I thought about how someone so beautiful, inside and out, could be so broken.

I also couldn't help but worry about what Jihoon would be like when...if he woke up.

He's already been through trauma before, and being raped again after years of being free of it. I can't even begin to imagine what was going on in his mind.

I sat there, silently, for hours on end. The day passed slowly with nurses coming in and out to monitor Jihoons status. The doctor even stopped by, but he said as far as he could tell nothing has changed.

The time finally came for me to leave the hospital and go home. As much as I didn't want to, I made my way slowly down to the exit. I had to go home, to the place we had only just made ours. Staying with Seokmin was ideal in my head, but he was right, I needed time alone.

I made the short trip back to his place to grab my things. Before leaving, I thanked him once more for taking such good care of me over the past couple of weeks. Then I was on my way back to my own apartment.

After arriving, I stayed in my car for almost an hour while the internal battle going on inside my head slowly killed me. That being said, I eventually forced myself to climb out of the car and make the seemingly long trip up the stairs.

I felt like a zombie as I absentmindedly unlocked and opened the door to my apartment.

I walked inside the dimly lit place that once felt like home. Tears slowly travelled down my cheeks as I closed the door behind me and made my way into the livingroom.

Memories of dying Jihoon's hair played in my mind. We were so happy that day. I would give anything to do it over again. Anything...

I pressed on into the kitchen. There, even more memories flooded in. I couldn't stop them. Nothing, not even my sadness, could stop my mind from replaying our joy. The joy I feared we may never get again.

Finally, I willed myself into the bedroom we shared for a brief amount of time before the incident. Even before we were officially together we spent so much of our time in here.

Before I could even process what was happening, my legs gave out and I fell to my knees. An ugly sob broke from my mouth, followed by a scream of agony.

I felt so lost. Confused. Angry. Betrayed. Scared even. But worst of all, I felt trapped. Dark thoughts danced through my mind as I continued to scream and cry like an insane person.

What felt like a lifetime had gone by before I finally passed out on the ground, too tired to go on.

~ ~ ~

All I did anymore was sleep and cry. I couldn't bring myself to eat. It just made me feel sick anyways. I was like an empty shell.

This vicious cycle called life, if you could even call it that, continued on for almost an entire week after I returned to my apartment.

It was as if I was living inside my own personal Hell.