Invisible String || PURINZ

20 • back to your roots

Yunjin sighed into her sheets. The hotel room was dark and cold, but her bed was nice and cosy. She didn't dare open her eyes in fear of not being able to fall asleep again.

She hummed and shifted onto her side. She felt around the bed, searching for Chaewon's warmth; but her fingers only reached an empty spot.

Her eyes fluttered open. There was some shuffling in the hallway– and then the sound of a door opening.

Yunjin sat up and rubbed her eyes, hoping to wipe her sleepiness right off.

There was whispering in the living room. It sounded distant, and she couldn't quite understand what they were saying.

The voice got louder. It was Eunchae.

"Chaewon, what are you doing?" She asked.

Yunjin frowned as she swung her legs over the side of the bed. She slumped towards her door, dragging her numb feet over the floor as she was still waking up.

"Are you okay? You don't look well," Eunchae softly said. "Should I wake Yunjin up?"

She opened the door. She had to blink at the blinding hallway lights, but once she got used to it, she saw Sakura and Kazuha poking their heads out of their doorway. They looked at Yunjin, their eyebrows raised.

Yunjin shrugged in response: she didn't have a clue what was going on either. She walked down the hall, rubbing her arms.

Eunchae stood by the open balcony doors in the living room. The curtains were swaying in the wind, waving the cold air inside.

The young girl took a few steps forward, disappearing onto the balcony. As Yunjin closed in on it, the pair appeared into view.

Chaewon held onto the railing tightly. She was hunched over, clutching her stomach with her other hand. Her chest rapidly rose up and down, and she barely kept her balance.

The younger girl rubbed her back, looking completely lost. Her eyes found Yunjin– she could see the panic in them. "Yun, I don't know what to do," She squeaked.

There were a few splatters by Chaewon's feet. Yunjin could hear her hard breaths from where she stood: it was much worse than the last time she witnessed it.

She rushed over to the girl, giving Eunchae a nod. "Chae-chae, talk to me." She whispered.

Chaewon's eyes darted over her. Tears rolled down her face, over her lips; she tried to speak, yet nothing but shallow breaths left her mouth. Her hand left her stomach to hold onto Yunjin's arm.

"Try to– try to count. That worked before, right? Four seconds in–",

The short girl stumbled. Yunjin managed to catch her, barely managing to keep her own balance. She felt Chaewon's heart thumping against her ribcage.

Eunchae's eyes went wide when Chaewon stayed still. Too still.

All her weight was on Yunjin. Her chest rose up and down, slightly calmer now. Her eyes were closed and she was completely limp.

"Chaewon?" Yunjin asked.

She didn't answer.

"Eunchae, she'll be okay. I need you to dial 9-1-1. I'll carry her inside." The older girl ordered. She held onto Chaewon for dear life, trying to avoid dropping her on the ground whilst she searched for a better way to pick her up.

Eunchae nodded. She felt around her pockets for her phone, and quickly walked back inside to the hallway to ask the others for help.

Yunjin wasn't entirely sure if it would be okay.