Jongho puts down the hot chicken soup and rice that he's going to eat himself while listening to what Serim has to say, but grumbles when his twin immediately pulls it towards him, stealing his comfort food. Giving a glare to San he returns back to the kitchen to get another bowl of soup and rice, and he sits down. He finally has the food to himself as Serim is placing the book in the middle of the table.

Both the twins have no idea why Serim had wanted to meet them, but it looks serious as even the busy trainee doctors are here with them. The only people missing from their group are the nurses, who say that their shift doesn't finish until 5. Serim's boyfriend, Seonghwa is together with them, looking equally curious as to what she is about to say to them.

"If you may forgive us, we haven't had anything to eat since breakfast," Jongho utters as he plops the rice into the bowl of chicken soup and mixes them together. "Cafeteria's up and running busy."

"No worries, both of you are welcomed to eat," Serim says absent-mindedly as she flips open the pages. "Anyway, whatever I'm going to say is going to sound really crazy, so I hope that all of you can sort of have an open mind while listening to what I have to say."

"We're... listening," Mingi says but there's a slight wariness at the end of his sentence. "What is this about?"

"Okay, I'm going to make this as simple as possible. All of you know that Jinju had been writing a story, and you know the rough idea of the story, right?" As they nod to give their agreement, she continues almost immediately, "Long story short, when she fell into coma, occasionally I would read her story because I missed talking to her. The story that she had managed to write was until chapter 17, and even then it was made up of points, not full sentences. Rough ideas of her story. But, when I was leafing through the pages of her book just now, there was suddenly chapter 18."

She pushes the book towards them, urging all five with her to read the content through. They peer over the page to read until the end of chapter 18.

"I think I get what you're trying to say," Yunho utters. "But it's crazy."

"Exactly."

"Oh crap, if it's true, that's amazing," San and Jongho say simultaneously.

"Am I the only one who currently has no idea what the hecking is going on here?" Seonghwa relays.

"Me too," Mingi lifts up his hand shoulder-level.

"Seonghwa, Mingi." Serim's face is serious as she balls her hands into fists. "What we're trying to say is during her coma... Jinju was probably experiencing all of this, but when chapter 18 came-"

"-was the day she passed away," Mingi comes into realization. "That was what it meant when she mentioned about being a phantom stuck in two dimensions."

"Are we... becoming crazy because we miss her a lot?" Jongho laments.

"Maybe we are," San agrees. "But if every one of us somewhat agree to this... it... doesn't hurt... to try... I mean, we're only writing some words on the pages to let the story continue."

"We just think of this as writing a letter to her," Yunho suggests. "That way it doesn't feel like we're turning crazy."

"This book is magical," Seonghwa says subconsciously, still trying to wrap his head around the concept. "It even writes itself. I might need a strong alcohol on this one."

Serim chuckles before squeezing his arm. "You bought this book for her, silly. You gave it to her when you found out that she liked to write. Where did you even buy this book?"

Seonghwa creases his forehead, the details not appearing to him. "Great question. Now that I think about it, the stationery shop is tucked somewhere in an alley, and the grandma manning the shop does seem a little bit suspicious..." He narrows his eyes. "I might have even walked into a witch's den and I'd never know."

"You're always so innocent like that," Serim coos as she pinches his cheek.

The rest roll their eyes before San deadpans, "Uh, respect to people who are still trying to find their significant other, pretty please?"

"Sorry San," Seonghwa says, although he doesn't sound like he means it.

"We may never know if it will work," Jongho says through a mouthful of rice. "Unless Jinju appears in our dreams and tells us that she's happily living in her realm."

"You're right," Yunho sinks back into his chair.

"But hey, at least we try. If it happens or not... we'll just have to believe it will." Mingi bites his lower lip as he mulls over something. "Remember when it was four of us together in the ward," he gestures towards his fellow trainee doctor and Serim. "That Jinju mentioned briefly about wanting to put us up as co-writers? Maybe..." he tilts his head, "now is the time to put that title to use."

"Let's say what we write in the book does happen to her..." Seonghwa puffs up his cheeks. "...wandering soul." He's still the only one who looks unsure of this whole idea. "We can't leave the story hanging because if so, we wouldn't know what would happen to her after. We need to write a proper ending... something that can suggest that the story can still go on on its own."

"This feels so wrong but at the same time it feels right," San sucks in a sharp breath.

Serim takes out a pen from her beg and lays it down on the opened page of the book. "Just to play safe, this is the exact pen Jinju used to write."

"This feels like writing in a Death Note," Jongho relays.

"Except for the fact that what we want to see is Jinju living the life that she deserves," San rebutts.

"Somewhat of a parallel universe," Yunho adds. "It's kind of amazing if you think about it. That somehow another version of us exists somewhere in this universe."

"Where does exactly the story stop?" Mingi asks.

Serim helps to read it out loud, "By the time the line is nothing but a straight line, Park Narae's body is almost reaching the ground, the point where this world will finally end."

"That's it, that's the loophole!" Yunho exclaims. He presses his forefinger on the table and drags it around as he helps to explain. "In the other world, it was described that Narae has yet to reach the ground for that world to end."

"If that's where the story is said to stop, then we can make something different, someone can save her, anyone," Jongho agrees. He puts down his spoon noisily when something else comes to mind, "For that world to continue to exist, there must be an indicator that it can. No such thing as the end in that story."

"No the ends, got it," Serim snaps her fingers. "What we need to write is that someone needs to save her- but I'm not good at making beautiful sentences."

"It doesn't matter," San butts in, his brows furrowing. "Something precise, straightforward."

"So something like..." she clicks the pen, takes a deep breath as she writes down while her mouth continues mumbling, "...Hongjoong steps over the wall and races down to save her-"

"Awh," Seonghwa pouts. "I wanted to be the hero and save my sister."

"Not now, Seonghwa," she chastises as she continues writing. "Let my Jinju have her romantic saved-by-her-lover scene. So Hongjoong goes down to catch her before her body can touch the ground, protecting the princess in his embrace as she curls up her body in his hold, gripping his arm and feeling his muscular body..."

"I thought she said she didn't know how to write beautiful sentences," Yunho whispers to Mingi.

"Serim, I'm starting to think that you're starting to go overboard with this romantic scene-" Seonghwa starts.

"Shhhh," she shoots before continuing to write. "As they reach the ground, the king makes sure that he holds the princess tightly and that she is safe and sound. She opens her eyes to see the king staring at her, and despite having a near-death experience a few moments ago, she starts feeling butterflies in her stomach. The king untangles himself from her, asking with worry evident in his voice whether the princess is hurt. Filled with gratefulness, the princess throws herself to the king and they kiss-"

"I... think that's enough for that scene." Seonghwa grabs the pen from her and closes the book as Serim struggles to take it back. "I swear your mind is already running wild with these kinds of imagination. What are you thinking in that head of yours?"

"Come on, I'm just trying to make them have a pure interaction-"

"I think they can figure that out themselves," San utters.

"Are you thinking of pursuing a career in writing fiction?" Mingi chuckles. "You sound like you're about to write the cheesiest romantic novel."

"Well," she shrugs. "I guess I got a little bit carried away. I never knew writing could be so fun." She sighs as she looks at the book, running her hand over the cover. "I really wish it somehow worked, and that her life will continue over there. No matter if the world only started when she woke up from the coma, even though she woke up as a different person."

"Are we leaving it simply as that, hoping that the story will continue on its own?"

Serim smiles before sliding back the book to herself, then stealing the pen from her boyfriend. "Just... a little bit more of essence. A kickstart for a whole new life for our princess over there."

They peer over to look at her writing and all of them agree with what she has written down.

"If there truly exists a parallel universe like this, I do hope that Oh Jinju gets the best possible treatment she deserves."

---

Hongjoong makes sure that his sleeves are properly covering his arms as he steps out of the centre and hugs his bag. After giving a proper goodbye to the nurse manning the front counter and making sure that he's not feeling fatigued, he changes his intention of going back home to the main tower of the hospital instead, where his usual spot is.

His heart feels empty as he makes his way past the funeral halls, and he doesn't even turn his head to take a peek into the halls; it's as if he's scared he's going to break down again as he imagines the portrait of Oh Jinju placed on top of the altar. Steeling himself as he walks among the people attending the ceremonies held there, he looks straight ahead, his destination being at the end of a long hallway where he'll be alone.

From afar he sees the piano empty, and it's as if a feeling of great relief floods over him. He doesn't want to lose something else, now that Jinju is gone. The piano is of course the hospital's property but no one else does use it except for him. He started playing around 8 months ago, when he received the news that he'll have to be a regular visitor here and that he has no hopes of getting better except by having an organ transplant. Having a rare blood type means that he's to wait longer, if not until forever, for a donor to come along.

In fact, he'll have to accept the fact that if it weren't for technology, he would've probably died back then.

He takes a seat in front of the piano, resting his hands on the keys after he opens the lid. He remembers how Jinju had wanted him to play the piece at her funeral, and when the day came, he did. But it was full of tears that he was pressing the keys wrong and the melody came out different. By the time he finished that piece, he couldn't bring himself to play the piece that he composed for her, because it reminded him so much of how that was the last time he talked to her, even though she wasn't listening.

In frustration, anger and sadness he slams his fists onto the keys before his head drops on the keys. He hits his head against the surface slowly, feeling that he doesn't have the motivation to play anymore. He had started playing the piano here because of the sorrow he felt when he received his diagnosis, that he wanted something to take his mind off of it. He found that he accepted his fate better when the music wrapped around him, until it didn't even matter if he was playing it at the hospital, where it went wrong for him.

He likes it; the solace he gets when he's playing the piano. He was alone, until Jinju came along and told him that she liked what he played. When she came, he thought that maybe having another person beside him while he plays the piano wouldn't be as bad as he thought it'd be. At first he thought that maybe the feeling was because she was the first person to ever show appreciation for his music, that he felt the need to cherish that. Over time he realized that it was more; he wanted to play music exclusively for her, compose music that she'd like. So he spent his time creating a piece for her, all through having no idea that she was stuck in a coma.

By the time he finished composing the song he named after her, she could no longer open her eyes.

He gets alarmed when his name is called out that he almost hits his head against the piano, but calms down when he sees Jinju's best friend and her boyfriend. They look guilty for disturbing him that Serim almost looks like she's going to say that she's going to leave him alone. They look relieved when he stops them from moving away. He brings them to a nearby table, as if he knows that they're about to talk for some time.

When Serim and Seonghwa are nudging each other to ask any one to start the conversation, Hongjoong beats them to it as he calmly asks, "Is there a reason that both of you are here?" He can't help but add in a slower tone, "Usually you're only here because of Jinju."

"We..." Seonghwa trails off as he looks at Serim. She's giving him support by smiling awkwardly, so he sighs and continues, "We wanted to meet you... because you weren't there during Jinju's burial two days ago."

"Ah, I was busy," he says simply, but he diverts his gaze. "But in case you were wondering, I did visit her grave yesterday."

"When did it start?" Serim asks, her voice so concerned that Hongjoong turns to look at her again, and relents.

"So you know?"

"Wooyoung-" Seonghwa starts, "Jinju's nurse figured it out. That you weren't at the hospital just to volunteer. You're also a patient here."

"I hate being called a 'patient'," he says bluntly. "Technically I'm not. I just happen to have to start going to the centre 8 months ago." He looks down, "End-stage kidney disease, so I have to undergo dialysis three times a week. That's why I play the piano here three times a week."

She looks even guiltier as Hongjoong casually mentions about his illness, and she feels Seonghwa poking at her leg underneath the table to prompt her to say something to break the tension. She steps on Seonghwa's foot while glaring at him, before turning to Hongjoong, trying to wear the friendliest smile ever.

"Sorry, Seonghwa can be a bit-" She pinches Seonghwa's arm, "-dense. We wanted to give you something." She fishes out the book from her bag, and slides it to him. "Jinju wrote a letter addressed to no one, but we think that if there's one person she'd write to, it has to be you. It's the page where it's bookmarked."

"Is this the book where she wrote her story?" he asks, opening the book and he almost looks away even as he reads the title. He feels like he can't do it without crying. "Can both of you-"

"Of course we can," Serim announces before signalling to Seonghwa with her eyes, jutting out her chin to say that they'll leave. "We'll be at the farthest table there, and you can call us anytime you're done."

"Thank you."

As they move away he reads the title again, and he runs a hand through his hair as he's reminded of how Jinju came into his life.

Did you think that the nights were lonely too, Oh Jinju?

He reads through the paragraphs, trying to absorb every single emotion Jinju expressed through her letter. Grief, scared, anger? When he reaches the part dedicated to him, her calling him her muse and the reason she wanted to write again, he stops as he tries to contain his tears. He folds his arms on the table and buries his head, his shoulders shaking as he cries to his heart's contents. It never occurred to him; it was as if he had yet to accept that Jinju had passed away. After reading through the letter, feeling her raw emotions penned down, he drowns in his own denial.

He wipes away his tears, stands up and closes the book. The couple gets surprised when he marches towards them, a stony expression across his face, and returns the book to them. He doesn't say anything else but leaves them perplexed, unsure of what he's trying to tell them, or what he's planning on doing next.

Through the main entrance he exits the hospital, almost running if not for the fact that he's not feeling his best. He doesn't know where he's going to, his feet are merely prompting him to move, to get him away from the hospital. He hates the hospital, because even though that was where he met her, that was also the very same place he lost her. Even if he's walking he feels out of breath that he stops by the bridge, sliding his back against the railing and dropping his bag to the ground.

People only watch him warily as they avoid him, as he's sure that he's looking crazy at this moment. He ignores them as he watches the cars passing by, going over the bridge that spans across the river. He ruffles his hair and he laughs while having tears in his eyes.

He swears he's not turning crazy.

He closes his eyes, fatigue taking over him. He just wants to rest, that he's too tired to even go back home. He rests the back of his head against the railing as he evens his breathing. Colour starts to fill the blank canvas as he feels like his body is floating. As if his feet are not touching the ground, he gets carried away to the sound of the own music he composed; Narae.

So that these people will be able to fly to where they'll find peace and happiness.

The music abruptly stops as he hears ugly noises instead; shouts and screams, loud blaring, insults. The bright light coming at him at full speed. The hard slam against his body. He's floating, but not long as he gets dragged across the rough asphalt. His vision gets fuzzy and the only clear thing he can see is his torn bag, scattering the music notes he keeps inside it. Some crumpled, some ripped, some coloured in red. People are gathering around him, help apparently on its way.

A name comes to his mind, a somewhat familiar but foreign name to him. He doesn't know who this Park Narae is, but as her face and figure appear in his limited sight, he reaches out to her, telling her that he won't let her die again.

Again?

I need to save her.

I need to save Park Narae, even if it means changing the course of the story.

I need to save Park Narae, even if it means losing life on this side.

---

[A/N: Syaamss and I have an online test tomorrow. Yeet.

This is still not the end.

Love y'all.]