Chapter 12: Leave

"Numbness's a temporary cure, just like pain killers for broken bones. Bones will remain broken."

~~~~

Jihye

I walk in while Sungyeon closes the door, my eyes explore my surroundings subconsciously as I acknowledge the modern apartment.

"Welcome, you could consider this as your home now." Sungyeon says from behind me, smiling, "let me walk you to your room then," she says when I don't reply.

Her arms that I come to claim familiar help me walk as she starts explaining what each door leads to, I already saw the kitchen in the distance when I came in but she still mentions everything in detail.

We pass by the bathroom, which she said was outside for guest use only while each bedroom had it's own bathroom en suite, "and this is your bedroom. There is a bathroom inside along with a walk in closet that we have to fill soon!" Her voice gets filled with excitement as she opens the door to what she called my room. I can't believe this.

I see a room fairly big, the pastel colors were prominent compared to the white walls and occasionally black items, "I didn't know what you'd prefer so I chose a range of delicate colors, because you seemed to be a little similar, along with the black and white contrast." She explains, I wanted to laugh at her flustered tone.

Preferred it or not, I appreciated every single thing you are doing to me. I will give you back everything when I get the chance. Just wait for me.

"I like it, tha--"

"Okay! I will put these inside your closet while you get yourself familiarized with your room," she cuts my gratitude and rushes into one of the two doors. I look around, then an alarm clock set over the white nightstand beside the similarly colored bed catches my eyes.

It reads 10:14 pm, the time certainly passed quickly all thanks to Daeyeol's everlasting talk. I smile as I remember the cute boy.

Being all alone, I couldn't help but remember what Sungyeon said earlier, she said that I seem delicate and something about that just sounded improper. Odd even.

"Strange," I whisper to myself, tilting my head to the side then move with my crutches to the white bed, when I reached there I took a seat on the soft baby blue sheets and glanced over at the closet door.

As I wait my eyes start feeling tired, I lean over the variously colored pillows and feel my eyes close and my muscles relax.

I feel someone lifting my legs over the bed and taking off my shoes then I feel the warm covers over me, "Good night Jihye," is the last I heard before I'm in deep slumber. And for that day, the last person I thought of before sleeping was my guardian, Sungyeon.

"Okay! Breathe breathe! You shouldn't be nervous at all, it's totally fine!" She twists her fingers while I stretch looking ahead of me at the tracks and finally settling my eyes on the finish line.

"I'm the one running," I laugh turning to her, "it's going to be okay, you shouldn't be nervous, not like it's the first."

"Yeah but this is different! It's her you are going against! I didn't even know she runs," she scoffed looking at my opponent, "that witch."

"Stop now! We shouldn't be doing this," I scolded, then whispered, "although I'd totally love to."

Cracking a few bones, I kneeled down securing my shoelace, "I know right. Oh my it's starting soon, I need to go and sit. Listen, you will win, okay! You will be faster than her turtle feet and snatch that finish line first! Hwighting!" She shouts walking away as I wave back, smiling.

I look in front of me as the whistle goes off and my feet hit against the ground hard, it's times like these that I feel the butterflies in my tummy. The will to do my best is the only thing I thought about, I didn't bother to look to my side as my opponent ran. I didn't care, all what mattered was for me to do my best and feel satisfaction.

That's why I run anyway, because of the pleasure it gives. It feels good, to just run and run not caring about anything else. I feel the light touch of the finish line on my torso as I run across it lifting my arms in the air.

Victory.

Refreshing, before I could scream in happiness I'm engulfed in a tight hug. I fall to the ground along with her and hear cheers of other people coming closer.

"You can't just do this!" I hear someone shouting. Feeling a soft surface under me, I shuffle under a warm cover and hear another shout, "this is insane Noona!" I try to open my eyes.

Squinting at the bright light coming from the window, I sit up looking around, where am I?

Flashes of yesterday started coming back to me and I sighed in defeat, then I remembered the weird dream I just had.

Running? I'm a runner?

It looks like it, that seemed too real to be a dream.

Standing up, I hiss in pain. Because of totally forgot my legs aren't working fine yet, I fall back on the bed. With the crutches on either side of me, I make my way silently to the bathroom. 

I could still hear the loud debate outside, I distinguished Sungyeon's voice yelling with someone else but I couldn't really pinpoint the other voice but it still sounded familiar.

I brush my teeth and fix my hair after washing up, I go out all done and sit on the desk chair scanning the room. I decided to stay here and not disturb whatever is happening outside.

The atmosphere quiets down and no more shouts come from outside, I assume that the second party left and Sungyeon was now alone so I open the door and walk out.

I struggle with exiting the hallway to the living room but after longer than expected I'm successfully standing in the living room, I look around to find a guy standing across from Sungyeon with a worked up expression and a heaving chest. His black hair falls on his pale forehead and his shirt defines his athletic build.

I immediately know he was the one shouting with Sungyeon and regretted ever coming out here, I'm about to turn back till his piercing eyes flicker to mine almost poisonously albeit I notice the sweet shade of brown that colored his orbs.

The eye contact makes me feel uneasy, scared even. I couldn't move a muscle under his gaze. I feel something's wrong, I'm way more scared than I was supposed to be. This isn't me, and then again, it's not like I know who I am.

"You, it's all because of you." He mutters walking past Sungyeon and towards me. I furrow my eyebrows, confounded.

It doesn't make sense, I didn't even see him before but there was something familiar about him.

"It's your fault, you--"

"Sungyeol!" Sungyeon cuts him off with a shout, I acknowledge the almost unnoticed difference of their names and only then it clicks, I saw him in the hospital once.

He grips my wrist harshly, my breath hitches and the skin he bands with his fingers starts to hurt. All I want is to go numb again. But I've been doing that since I woke up.

My heartbeats race in nothing but pure fear as he starts pulling me forward making my crutches fall out of my grip, "you should leave," he hisses pulling me to the apartment's front door.

I'm terrified, my legs lose control and I fall to the floor roughly causing my face to grimace as dark images of terror start flashing in my mind.

I couldn't take it and the only thing I feel next is my head hitting the cold marble floor before darkness starts seeping into my vision.

"Come on! We need to hurry! We can't miss the fight!" She blabbered pulling my wrist behind her in rushed steps.

"Why do we need to watch a boys' fight! What will we gain? It's pointless!" I retorted.

I heard a groan and saw her brown hair move as the girl shaked her head in disapproval, "you want to tell me it's not fun? Don't try lying to me please," she said still walking and dragging me behind.

I smiled to myself and tugged my hand with force not enough to shrug off her grip, not that I wanted to, "you know me well."

"Sure," she replied and we walked through the crowds standing around the fight, it wasn't the first time for this to happen apparently and it only makes me question how these boys aren't expelled yet.

Maybe too much girls wanted them to stay...

We watched as the boys threw punches at each other, one visibly handling the fight over the other. Lips got cut, and noses crack almost making me grimace in empathy. Almost.

"Oh my god, run!" She shouted and pulled my wrist away from the scene, not that she left it in the first place. Soon after, I heard a deep voice shouting.

"Stop right there! What's happening here! Another fight?!" The man shouts as we make our way out of the hall.

My eyes flick open, I try moving but groan when a headache strikes through my head. I remember the dream and frown to myself, what was that again? "You woke up! Oh dear I'm so sorry," I hear the feminine soft voice and soon I see Sungyeon looking down at me as I lay on a couch in the living room of her apartment.

I sit up as slow as ever, and look at her in puzzle, what was she apologizing-
Memories of the tall boy who pulled me across the room dismiss my question, "Are you okay?" She asks.

"Yeah, what happened?" I ask as I look around for Sungyeol, although I knew my answer I still wanted a thorough reply.

"He was just frustrated, don't worry about it. He'll get over it sooner or later," she answers with sad eyes. As if in a second everything clicks.

"You can't just do this!"

She can't just take me in and pay for all my survival needs, giving me a shelter, an identity and a whole family.

"It's all your fault,"

My fault because I don't remember what happen to me or who I am, my fault because I'm nothing, unknown, forgotten.

"It's all because of you,"

It's all because of me that she is busy; away from her family. Spending her time and money on a stray human, a burden.

"I'm- I think I-" should leave.

Where will I go? I need to remember first, who I am and where I came from. Even what happened to me. I need to remember.

Deal with it, remember in anyway possible. Remember, no matter what it takes.

That's now my goal, the one and only one that will occupy my mind and powers from now on. I just need to get my memories back and leave.

I can't just barge into a stranger's life and let her do all that, but just for now. Till I get the memories that I lost... Where did I lose them? How did it happen?

And more, various questions were spreading in my head. Demanding answers. And I was going to get them, eventually.

I can't bother these kind people for long, I will try and remember in anyway. And then leave after paying back everything I took from them all.

"What? Do you need something? Should I get you water? Are you feeling okay?" Sungyeon asks.

Concern and panic laced her face, it's all pity. I will end it soon. I shack my head with a grateful smile.

"Thank you,"

Just for now, I will make it as short as it could get. I'm sorry, it's out of my hand.

Words in my head were meant for one person most, Sungyeol. He was unconvinced with my existent, I don't blame him. I will disappear, I promise. Just when the time comes.

~~~~

I'm editing the book again because I discovered my chapters were too short and somehow hollow, so I'm kind of combining some here and there.

I don't like how Jihye is so confused, always thinking she should leave and all that beef, like gurl enjoy, you got infinite. I never know. But I'll teach her how to have some fun soon!

This is somehow the first direct contact Jihye and Sungyeol go through, it gets worse, or maybe it gets better?
What do you think?

Thank you for reading! Support please, the more you support the more chapters will come out!

See you all, have an amazing day.