Chapter 1: Let the Stress Begin

Saku held Kim Ji-Hoon close as he wept harshly, afraid to let him go lest he break down even more. She repeatedly murmured sweet mantras into his ear until he began to lean heavily onto her body. Saku, as best as she could, pulled Ji-Hoon over to the chair by the hospital room door and set him down. She watched his eyes droop close as sleep claimed his exhausted body.

-Saku tentatively reached out to wipe the dried tears from Ji-Hoon’s cheeks

“Oh Ji-Hoon… this really shook you up… poor guy probably never cried that much before in his life…”

-She gently moved some of his hair away from his eyes

-Looking back at Yoo Ji-Min’s bed, Saku suppressed a shudder

“Never did I ever want to see something like this again… Kami-Sama please watch over her… let her wake up again…”

-And with that, Saku left Yoo Ji-Min’s hospital room in order to travel back to the children’s rooms

“Ji-Hoon will stay with his aunt, and I’ll stay with his cousins…”

 

Saku spent the night in the hospital, as did Kim Ji-Hoon. When the next day came, she reluctantly left in order to go to school. Ji-Hoon was still passed out in the hospital room and Saku let him sleep. Although she worried about the children waking up before she came back, she still had to go to school…

When school finally ended and Saku was back in the hospital, she was ecstatic to see that Seo-Hyun and Hyun-Woo were awake and waiting for her…

“Noona!

“Unnie!!”

-Saku laughed and placed a kiss to the foreheads of the injured children

“How are you doing? Does it hurt much?”

-Both shook their heads ‘no’

-Hyun-Woo smiled

“It isn’t so bad… we can handle it, noona! We’re strong like you and Hyung!”

-Saku smiled

-Seo-Hyun piped up

“And we just have to wait for mommy to come and get us so that we can go home.”

-Saku’s smile instantly dropped

-She began to feel the dread pooling in her stomach

 

“How do I tell these two about their mother? Hell, how the heck do you tell a seven year old and a five year old that their mom is in a coma?! How the heck did Tsuyoi get the strength to tell me my parents were DEAD?!”

 

-Saku gulped

“Um… listen… you guys… uh… your older sister… um… your shimai has to tell you something… very important…”

-Saku pulled up a chair between the twin beds and looked both children in the eye

“I’m not going to lie… okay? Your mom… she… she is-”

-At that moment, Kim Ji-Hoon walked into the room, a forced, yet gentle, smile on his face

“You two are gonna be staying with me and your older sister for a while. Your mom is… going to have to stay here… for a while… alright? Tomorrow, Saku and I are going to come and get you…”

-Seo-Hyun squealed at the news, but Hyun-Woo’s eyes darkened a shade

“What’s wrong with eomma, Hyung?”

-Saku saw Ji-Hoon flinch slightly, but answer immediately

“She isn’t… feeling well…”

-Seo-Hyun spoke up

“But she’ll get better right?”

-Saku answered her quickly

“In good time, dear, in good time…”

-She stood up and stretched

“Now you two need to rest up and prepare to come back to Ji-Hoon’s house tomorrow… we’ll be back tomorrow…”

 

Saku and Ji-Hoon walked home in silence… Ji-Hoon unable to say anything and Saku unable to think of anything to say. When they arrived back at the house, Ji-Hoon excused himself and went straight to his room. Saku decided to make something to eat for when he came back out.

Right when she finished cooking, Saku’s phone began to ring

-Quickly wiping her hands, Saku flipped her phone and put it up to her ear

“This is Saku Hana.”

-Goshippu’s scratchy voice answered her

“Is Ji-Hoon’s aunt really in the hospital?!”

-Saku blinked, Goshippu wasn’t even in school today… a cold she had said…

“Uh…”

“Is it true? Is that why he wasn’t there? Come on, you live with him!”

“Goshippu, I live with him but I don’t spread his business… you know that… check the news if you want information like that, I’m sure it’d be on there…”

“But I’m curious! And I don’t check the news all like that!”

-Saku stifled a groan at her friend’s reasoning

“Is it all over school? Is that how you heard since you don’t watch the news?”

“Sort of… no one knows for sure, but, you know how news flies around here…”

“Well, I’ll let him confirm or deny whatever he wants… and shouldn’t you be resting up and trying to rid yourself of that cold?! Stop looking for gossip to spread when you’re sick!”

-Saku hung her cell up with a sigh

“It’ll be all around…”

 

That night, Saku took the couch, for Ji-Hoon hadn’t left his room at all…

The next day, Ji-Hoon went to school and Saku felt her heart contort in pain whenever anyone brought up his hospitalized aunt �" which everyone did �" but he kept his appearance level, responding with small phrases and quickly escaping.

The time finally came for Seo-Hyun and Hyun-Woo to be picked up. Once home, everyone settled in.

An awkward silence resonated through the house… no one able to say anything… the grief thick in the air… Saku hated the feeling… Hated the silence… hated the feeling of not being able to do anything to ease up the pain and torture Ji-Hoon was going through…

When the children went to take a quick nap, Saku prepared to take Honjaui outside. Upon closing in on the door, Saku heard Ji-Hoon outside… and he didn’t sound happy at all…

“�"home from the hospital and you want what?!”

-Saku didn’t hear another voice… Ji-Hoon was on his cell

“I don’t give a s**t what he said to do! If you want new music, write it yourself!”

-Silence…

“Well, I’m having writer’s block so deal with it!”

-Silence…

“I’m not the only member of the band! Come up with something!”

-Silence…

“It is not that hard to write a song d****t! Do it yourselves for once!!”

-And then the angry snap of Ji-Hoon’s phone, ending the conversation

-Saku was uncertain whether she should comfort him or act like she heard nothing

-Saku jumped back when Ji-Hoon almost crashed into her while on his way back into the house

“NYAA!! Whoa, slow down…!”

“Go space out somewhere else where you won’t get in the way, Baka!”

-And he was off…

-Saku was surprised by the smart comment Kim Ji-Hoon made to her about standing in the way, but forced herself to believe that he was just angry

“And he is… just angry… Can’t let that get to me… come on Honjaui…”

-Pinning the reaction to his stress level, Saku tightened her grip on Honjaui’s leash and walked out the door

-She still couldn’t help but feel a bit hurt by Ji-Hoon’s smart retort though