376 days.

Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.

The texts have been more insistent, more aggressive. They're getting hard to ignore. But Yeonjun does anyway.

Walking through the hospital doors and having his nose flooded with the scent of antiseptic has become a cleansing ritual of sorts. It's as if the hospital is his sanctuary that he goes to when everything becomes too heavy.

It's relieving to shrug every other problem off and just focus on her. At least Yeonjun knows what went wrong here, not that he's proud of it.

It's nice to pretend that he's just an ex who wants to relive the past or a childhood friend who misses her presence. But it goes so much deeper than that. Yeonjun wishes he was just a passer-by in her life. Maybe then time wouldn't be passing her by.

He enters the room to see someone else already sitting in his chair next to her bed. It's a man, one of similar features to Kiera. With his eyes closed and head leaning forward slightly, he looks like he's asleep.

Yeonjun turns to leave but the man obviously was aware he was in the room.

"You're the guy, right? The one who visits every day?" Nodding, Yeonjun turns to make eye contact with him. "I'm her brother. Who are you?"

"Choi Soobin. I'm a friend of hers from school." The lie slips off his tongue easily, and her brother nods, not really listening. If he did, he would've known he wasn't who he claimed to be. 

Why? Because Choi Soobin was on the news a few months ago. Another dead high schooler, with no leads to who killed him or why.

The brother stands, looking over his sister one last time before walking to the door. He starts talking to Yeonjun, even though he's watching the girl in front of him.

"My parents are thinking about letting her go. No one thinks that she'll wake up." Clapping Yeonjun on the shoulder, the man looks at him with tears in his eyes. "So maybe you should say goodbye."

The door closes behind the man, leaving Yeonjun standing there in shock. Say goodbye? They can't give up. Not yet. He needs a few more days. He needs time.

He sits next to her, scooting closer and taking her small hand in his. Sighing, he stares at her pale hand, veins visible through the paper-thin skin. She's been lying under the fluorescent lights for more than a year, and it shows.

She's still beautiful in Yeonjun's eyes. Looking at her, he can almost remember what it was like before. He can practically hear her laugh now. What he wouldn't give to hear her tell him to study one more time.

Flipping her hand over, he rests his thumb above her main vein, tracing it gently. She looks half dead, barely breathing. And soon she'll be dead for real-

Yeonjun shakes his head, unwilling to think about it. She won't die. Not when she has him next to her. He won't leave her side. After all, it's his fault she's here in the first place.

Wake up, he silently begs her. I miss you. I need you.

He brushes his bangs out of his eyes, smiling a little at the random memory that popped up.

"Hey, remember when you used to cut my hair in class?" He looks down at her, a part of him still expecting her to answer.

"You would get so annoyed with how long it was that you would cut it yourself. Whenever the teacher wasn't looking, you'd turn around and point cut every so often. I teased you so much about it, but it always looked good. You never did me wrong." Yeonjun quiets, squeezing her hand once.

"Not like how I wronged you. If you come back, will you forgive me?" He sighs, eyes glazing over as he retreats into his mind. "I wouldn't forgive me."

Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.

At least this time, Yeonjun knows it's not that mystery texter. He knows what he's being texted for and what he needs to do.

Standing up, he lets go of her hand and pinches his lips together, gently moving her hand back to her side.

"Can you hear me?" He whispers, brushing her hair out of her face. A sing tear slips down his face as he bends down to kiss her on her forehead. 

"Probably not."