Awake

Chapter 16

Tzuyu stared at the complex's door, waiting for Momo to run out. The fire was still going on and it was more than halfway through the building.

"She's probably at the top of the building. Don't freak out, Tzuyu. Don't freak out." She gulped.

"I got someone!" A firefighter yelled, climbing down from the ladder. Tzuyu looked up, hoping that the person they found is Momo. They put the body down where the paramedics were. Tzuyu looked down where they put the body. She started to gag once she saw who it was.

Momo's body was completely burned. Tzuyu could barely tell it was her.

"What the..." She fell down on her knees, right in front of Momo's corpse.

"Tzuyu? What are you doing here?" The paramedic asked. She had a black bag with her to put the corpse into it.

"It's Momo." She gasped. "I came here to make sure she stays alive but..." Tzuyu's head hung down, unable to show an emotion on her face.

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"Oh my god..." Jihyo started to shiver when she saw the condominium complex. She looked around and saw Tzuyu. "Tzuyu!"

"Jihyo?" She looked up. "Momo..."

"I know. She texted us in our group chat."

"She did?" Tzuyu took her phone out.

Text Message From: "No Longer" Twice, Hirai Momo

I'm sorry everyone... I won't be able make it. I love you all and I want you to have a good life, even if it's without me.

Tzuyu dropped her phone.

"I could've just checked my messages... if I did, I wouldn't have had to stupidly wait for her to run out of the building." She looked down. "I wouldn't have had to see her like this. I could've just left but..."

"Tzuyu... it's okay." Jihyo looked down. "I still came here even though I knew she was going to die... though a part of me hoped for her survival, and I'm pretty sure you still would've stayed even if you read it. You would've hoped that she'd make it out alive in the end. So, there's no need to say that you stupidly waited for her." Tzuyu nodded, finally letting her tears flow out of her eyes.

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Tzuyu opened the door.

"I'm... home." She said weakly. Mina and Sana immediately ran towards her and hugged her.

"Y-You're okay..." Mina whispered. Both Sana and Mina were crying. They were sad about Momo's message and they had no idea where Tzuyu was.

"N-Not really." Tzuyu looked down and started to cry. "I-I don't know what to do anymore. Momo's dead a-and I couldn't do anything about it."

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Jeongyeon laid down and stared at the ceiling.

"How... how did I manage to fail, yet again? Was I just destined to fail? Is this because I'm such a terrible person? Why am I so guilty?"

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A Week Later

"Dahyun." Jihyo sighed. "Kim Dahyun."

"Y-Yeah?" She looked up.

"Are you okay?"

"I guess... it's just, so much happened a week ago. A day after Chaeyoung's funeral, Momo died, our condo burned down, then there was a funeral for Momo four days ago. Then we had to go to Japan and we just got back today... yeah, too much happened. I never want it to happen again."