Mystic Messenger: Life After

Chapter 5

"Where are you?!"

Zen's worried voice greeted Ha Eun on the phone. He sounded very worried, it surprises Ha Eun. But still, he does get worried easily.

"Oppa, listen, I went to the bakery to buy bread. I thought of eating bread this morning. I texted you, didn't you read it?"
"Ah, oh I must've been too .... rash. Are you on your way home, then?", Zen replied, now with a much calmer voice.
"But there was a hit and run nearby. A bike hit a pedestrian when he is crossing, it's quite bad. He's wounded and unconscious...."
"What? Oh my... where are you now then? Are you hurt?"
"No, I'm not hurt. I'm accompanying him to the hospital until his relative arrives. I'm in the ambulance now, we are going to X Hospital, will you meet me there?"
"Right! Sure, I'll see you there."

Zen let out a big sigh. His mind thought of a million things when he couldn't find Ha Eun anywhere in the apartment. He couldn't stomach this kind of shock ever again.
This suspenseful morning should not happen often.

---

Ha Eun sat at the row of steel chairs near the hospital's entrance. The nurses know where to find her in case there's an update on the patient. She stayed there so Zen can find her easily.
She looked at the phone. She didn't have Zen's photo or their photo together as her wallpaper, if so it'll be a huge scandal and talking stuff in the lab. She did keep some of their selcas inside her password protected photo gallery. Exactly the opposite of Zen's phone in which he has her photo as his phone wallpaper. Sometimes she really thinks she doesn't deserve such doting boyfriend. But still, she enjoys browsing through Zen's performance photos shared by his fans in his fan café.

Finding Zen amongst the crowd is easy. Tall, long silver hair, extremely handsome. Finding Ha Eun, on the other hand, requires the skill of a special person, Zen. He can spot her anywhere, finding her in a row of not-so-crowded seats was easy. Even though she was just wearing a plain shirt, jeans and a messy tied up hair, for him she still caught his eyes.

"Honey! I surprised you, didn't I!"
"Oh, oppa."
"What are you doing? Browsing the fan café again?", asked Zen.
"I'm amazed, there are new photos every day."
"You promised you are just going to browse in the fan café right?"
"Yes. I don't say anything or stood up when there is anyone bad commenting you. I'm just a silent reader.", answered Ha Eun.
"I just don't want you to be worried if there are people bad mouthing me there."

Ha Eun stood up and placed her phone back in her small handbag.

"I need to go find the nurse again. They were the ones that ID-ed him and called his relatives. I feel bad if I just left him like this.", she explained.
"My babe so cool~ What, is this your doctor senses tingling?"
"What, no. It's called conscience."

They walk to the nurse station where some busy nurses were focusing on their work. Zen saw a policeman sitting outside a room, writing things down his note. He tries to avoid meeting people's eyes to avoid attention.

"Nurse, did you manage to reach the family?"
"Oh Miss, we called earlier and they said they're coming immediately."
"Well, that's great. So, I'll leave him in your care."
"You're welcome, Miss. You did a great job for giving emergency treatment. It was very important."

Zen smiled proudly even though it wasn't him that was being complimented. At least he was happy Ha Eun got appreciated once in a while.
They were leaving the ward when suddenly a man and woman entered the ward. Their faces familiar, too familiar for Zen.

"Father..... Mother.....?"

---

The sky was in clear light blue, the wind was blowing gently. It wasn't particularly hot that day, so a walk in the afternoon was very relaxing. Ha Eun and Zen trekked the road, hand in hand. Meaningful silence.

"Ah, it's too much of a coincidence isn't it? You saving my hyung's life. Or is it fate?", said Zen.

He looked at Ha Eun beside him that was preoccupied inside her own thoughts. She has been like this since they had lunch with Zen's parents. They checked in with Zen's brother that is currently sleeping and resting. One thing lead to another and all of them ended up having lunch together. It was Ha Eun's first meeting with Zen's parents.

"Babe, what is it?", he asked.
"I feel bad."
"What? Why?"
"Your parents should not have seen me like this, plain clothing, bed hair. They must've been surprised their successful actor son is dating a plain girl like me.", she answered in a concerned voice.

Zen stops in his spot, surprising Ha Eun as he pulls her even closer to him. It's broad daylight and they are in the middle of the road.

"Hey, don't say that. Your looks doesn't matter. They haven't known you long enough to truly understand who you are. When they do, they'll realize you are a very very special person."

Ha Eun felt a smile slowly appearing on her eyes. With Zen's hopeful eyes, she felt better a bit. Zen pulls her next to him and leaves a small kiss at the top of her head. They continued their journey with Zen's hand constantly on her waist, keeping her next to him.

"They were nice people.", she commented.
"They are not actually bad or anything like that. They're just quiet and conservative. Well, I am still trying to find my way back to them."

This talk about Zen's family just makes Ha Eun worry about her own dad even more.

---

Zen hummed as he walks toward his apartment, a bag of banana milk in hand. He realizes they're running out of boxed banana milk, Ha Eun would be very happy.
He pushed the door open, but it was dark. It was weird. Ha Eun should've come home first and turned on the lights. His heartbeat starts to pace faster.

"Ha Eun-ah?"

He carefully places the bag at whatever table he can reach and turned the lights on. A figure was standing by the window took him by surprise.

"Babe, don't scare me like that!", he said surprised.

Ha Eun was facing the window, hands to herself. No answer.
Something's wrong, Zen thought to himself.

"Ha Eun-ah? Is everything alright?"

Zen approaches Ha Eun slowly and tries to touch her arm gently. She backed so fast, Zen was surprised. The rapid tears falling down her eyes, surprises him even more.

"What happened?"

Zen quickly took her in his embrace and caught her as her body crumbles down.

"Hey, what happened?", he asked again in a calmer voice.

"The keys, he changed them...."

A set of keys lying on the floor not far from Ha Eun caught Zen's eyes.

This.....