Beautiful Tragedy || A BTS Fan Fiction || AU Time Travel

Precious Bargain

A soft brush on her cheeks bolted Lou back to consciousness. She immediately winced in pain coming from the right side of her head.

"Hey..take it easy." A familiar voice soothingly tried to calm her down.

"Nico..." She muttered as she laid back down with her eyes closed. "NICO!" Her eyes fluttered open as images of the recent events flooded her brain. She grasped Nico's arm and intently looked in his eyes with so many questions.

"Yes it's me, Lou...." He looked away and seated on the chair near the hospital bed.

"What happened? Where's Mina?!" Panic started creeping into her as she thought of the last time she saw her best friend.

Tears started welling up her eyes as Nico lowered his head and started sobbing.

"I'm so sorry, Lou." he managed to say in between heavy sobbing.

"Why...what are you sorry for, Nic?" Her tears blurred her vision. Tears escaped from her eyes as though they're racing to get out of her system. "Where...is...she?"

"She's...she's gone."

"You have to be really careful of what you say, Nico." Her grip tightened, her nails slowly piercing his arm's skin. Nico leaned in to hug her as he winced in pain. His sob intensified as if he's manifesting the weep that won't escape from Louisa's throat.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Lou. I'm sorry." He hugged her tighter, hopelessly wishing he could take in all the pain from her.

She let go of her grasp when the tragic truth finally dawned on her. Nico felt the tension in her body loosen up. He looked at her face after gently pulling her away.

He expected to see a calmer expression but he was confused by her terrified face.

"It's...m-my fault." Louisa trembled, finding it hard to speak. "I...killed our best friend."

"It's not your fault." Nico responded sternly as he felt a pang of guilt strike his chest. "You've got nothing to do with her death, Louisa. Please don't say that."

Louisa looked up, a look of comprehension spread across her face.

"Why? Is it more accurate to say...." She paused as she intently stared at his eyes. She knows for sure that she's going to sound irrational. However, there's something in the back of her head telling her to say it.

"...that we both caused our best friend's death?"

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Louisa has been staring on the walls of her work room for god knows how long. Her thoughts have wandered in every possible memory she had with Mina. Her tears have been running down her cheeks, dried, and poured down again.

"If I haven't called you that night..." She whispered as she whimpered from all the guilt she's been feeling.

Her mind took her to the events before the incident and wondered what could have happened to Nico that night. She has not seen him since she got out of the hospital three days ago.

It must be because of the last words she said to him. She didn't know what came over her to include Nico on the blame she's put on herself. Now the guilt over Mina's death has an added weight on it.

Remembering Nico made her think further back and recollected his unusual disposition, days before that night. For a few days after the big announcement from the GM, he's been strangely quiet during their lunch breaks. There were some days that he would ditch the breaks and refuse to get out of his work room. Louisa also realized that she has not seen him at work on the day of the incident..