Fate

14

Vernonie 😉: Can you let us in? I think we're standing outside your apartment

I got up from my couch and hopped to the door before realizing how stupid I looked when I wasn't using my crutches. I shrugged to myself once I remembered I had left them in my room, and I made sure that I had my keys before leaving the apartment.

Sure enough, Vernon was standing outside the entrance to the apartment complex with Seungkwan, Joshua, S.Coups, and Dino. Something I was definitely not expecting.

I opened the door for them, and Vernon instantly rushed forward to hug me. Which practically almost knocked me over.

"It is so good to see you in person again! And you're walking?" He stood back and looked me up and down just to be sure he didn't miss the crutches.

"I left the crutches in my room since I didn't feel like grabbing them." He nodded in realization and motioned towards the guys behind him who had congregated in the building.

"I know you know them, and they know you, so introductions are pointless." I smiled and bowed slightly, but only ended up in losing my balance causing Vernon to catch me.

"Annyeonghaseyo." I used like the only Korean I know, which made them smile.

"You can come into my apartment, but don't expect too much." I said as I hopped down the hallway awkwardly, and Vernon looked as though he was constantly ready to catch me. Not that it was really needed, but the thought was comforting.

"Welcome." I dramatically opened my arms as soon as I opened the door, and the boys filed in behind me.

"Woah! Your view is beautiful!" Joshua ran up to my window, and Dino followed up behind him to admire the city skyline.

"The view is the only notable thing in this apartment. There really isn't much else." We all migrated towards the love seat, and I let Seungkwan, S.Coups, and Dino take it while Vernon, Joshua, and I took the floor. Dino was more on the armrest than the couch though.

"Should I be using honorifics? I don't want to seem rude." I whispered to Vernon, and he talked to everyone else in Korean for a minute.

"We understand if you're not comfortable with honorifics, so it's all up to you." I nodded and the six of us continued to converse.

I ended up learning some more Korean while they used their broken English. We were able to talk for almost four hours until S.Coups got a phone call from their manager.

Seungkwan's eyes lit up as soon as S.Coups had mentioned something, and everyone immediately started reacting to it. Dino even ran into my room, and came back with my crutches for me.

"They want you to come with us to kcon rehearsal. S.Coups even said you could." Joshua translated, and Vernon noticed how uncomfortable I was getting.

"We won't make you and there will be a ton of people there, but I'll stay with you and nobody will say anything. Do you want to borrow a hat and come with us?" Vernon whispered to me, and I hesitantly nodded after thinking for a second. I mean, what's the worst that could happen?

"Well, we should get going then." Joshua stated before helping me up off of the floor before Dino gave me my crutches.

"Kamsamnida." I muttered, hopping I hadn't messed up the pronunciation, and Dino smiled so brightly before excitedly saying something to Seungkwan.

"I got Woozi hyung to bring you a hat since we're getting picked up here and going." I nodded and made sure I had everything I needed before locking up the apartment.

"Do they know where to pick you up? Do the managers know I'm coming?" Vernon translated for S.Coups, and the leader nodded.

"I show you everyone." Seungkwan said, and I'm pretty sure he meant he was going to introduce me to literally everyone at kcon.

"No, that's okay." I muttered while looking at my partial left hand and crutches. Vernon said a few things to Seungkwan, which ended up in Seungkwan hugging me tightly.

I looked at the English speakers for a translation, but they just shrugged with a smile. Once he finally let go, S.Coups motioned towards the door, and we left my apartment.

Three vans were pulled up in front of the building and the members started splitting up into their unit vans. As soon as the members in the vans saw us come out of the building, Woozi jumped out of the vocal unit van and put one of his hats over my head.

"Kamsamnida." I said it a bit more confidently this time since I knew I was saying it right, and Vernon lead me to the hip hop unit van.

"Seungkwan hyung and Joshua hyung are a bit upset that I stole you, but the vocal unit van is crazy." Vernon said while helping me in, and I greeted the manager up front in the drivers seat. S.Coups was in the passenger seat up front, and Wonwoo and Mingyu took the back so Vernon could stick next to me, and so it was easier for me to get out in the middle.

As soon as we were all buckled in and the van pulled out onto the street, feelings from a time I don't even remember flooded back to me and caused me to seize up. My eyes were squeezed shut, and my entire body was tensed, but I was shaking. I barely even noticed that Vernon had gently took hold of my left hand and was trying to calm me down.

"Doe, what's wrong? Can you hear me?" He spoke in an urgent whisper so I wasn't causing too much of a scene. I squeezed his hand and tried to block out all of my surroundings.

"Hey, just breathe. You're okay. We're almost there, just breathe." I tried to just focus in on Vernon's words and do as he said. But even breathing was becoming difficult.

"Hyung." Vernon whispered to Wonwoo who was behind me, and he said a few things urgently in Korean.

"Just get my brother and mom out before the van blows up." I muttered through clenched teeth, but it didn't feel like I was in control of myself anymore. A pair of arms wrapped around me from behind, and I slowly unwound my muscles when my brain snapped back to reality.

"Gwenchanna." Wonwoo whispered huskily into my ear, and I slowly taught myself how to breathe again, but I didn't dare open my eyes.

"Sorry." I whispered and Wonwoo released his arms from around me.

"You don't need to apologize, Doe. Just open your eyes." Vernon tilted my head towards himself, and I slowly did as he said. A sigh of relief escaped his lips once I opened my eyes.

"How exactly did you end up in the hospital?" I tensed up a bit more, and Vernon squeezed my hand comfortingly.

"Doctor Scott said I was in a car explosion, but I don't remember anything. I'm sorry, I didn't know I would react this way." The van pulled up along the entrance to the kcon venue, and Vernon helped me out before handing me my crutches.

"We can just walk back later if it isn't too late. But welcome to kcon!"