boss (nct.)

chapter one.

It's like one of those dreams. A dream where something so horrible, so unimaginable happens but all you can do it just sit there and watch it unfold, unable to wake up from the eternal nightmare. When you finally wake up, all you can think about is the imaginary experience and the comfort of knowing that it was all just a dream.

Except, this isn't a dream and it's all too real. I can't just wake up the next day, forget about it and never worry about it ever again. The scene before me was so shockingly confronting it couldn't possible be real.

I never quite understood why characters in books and movies could be so consumed by grief and sorrow that they would not eat, nor drink, nor talk to friends and family and lock themselves in their rooms all day and night. The idea of something being that upsetting was just too far of a feeling.

I was expecting, yet again, another night of endless arguing, meaningless fights over the smallest inconvenience. My Mum always managed to find something she could nag me about, endlessly suffocating me between expectations and stress. My Dad however, spent his nights fixated watching the Tv, drowning out whatever petty fight we were having.

I unlocked the door to our small, falling apart flat after a long day of University, and called out to my parents letting them know I was home. I walked into our kitchen to grab something to eat when I heard loud sobs coming from the direction of our living room. Strange, my Mum never cries... never even knee she could be empathetic...

"Mum? Dad?" I called, as I stepped into the hallway and walked towards the direction of the room.

"Chaeah? Is that you? Oh, go get the phone and call the ambulance, please, quickly!" My Mum shouted before bursting into tears again, her red eyes glistening from the moonlight in the window. I lift my head up watching the scene before me. I could hardly believe what I saw. There under the collapsed bookshelf was my own Dad, lying in a pool of blood, his eyes drooping and blood pouring out of his mouth. Shards of the Tv shattered on the floor of the room, some jagged within my father.

"Mum? What happened?" I froze, my voice cracking. I slowly pulled out my phone calling emergency services.

"I didn't mean to-, I swear it was all an accident-, He just-, He wanted an-," she choked, cupping my father's face in her hands, rocking slowly back and forth. I could hardly believe it. She killed him? I glanced around, the scene before me finally had made sense, in one of her blinded rages she must of knocked a bookshelf which fell onto him. The one person I considered family to me was gone...

You could say that my love for my parents was only because we were related. I didn't really feel any actual attachment to them and, by looking back my dad was the only reason I hadn't just run away and lived by myself.

The next 10 minutes were all a blur. The emergency services were on the way and whatever the caller was saying was a muddle of words, entering one ear and leaving the other. My mum's shrieks and cries breaking  the harsh silence.

Sirens pierced the cold, quiet night air, everything happening in slow motion. Several paramedics had came into the room, almost all of them surrounded my dad, as they tried to push off  the massive and heavy bookcase, in which he was trapped beneath. I sat there, helpless as everything happened. I couldn't even help him.

Ding! Ding!

Kim Yoojung
Hey Chae-ah, it's our two year anniversary in a week! Wanna try out that new restaurant this weekend? I heard they have really good ramen! Love you as always <3

A sense of comfort rose over me, the fact someone cared about me reassured me a little. The looming sense that atleast one person out there thought about me had always gave me a sense of belonging. If only I'd known.

My hands shaking, slowly typed a response,

Jung... my Dads got into an accident I don't know what do, I'll be at hospital for a few days. I'm really sorry. Maybe another time.

I turned my phone off, unable to bear any more messages.

"Hey, are you Nam Chaeah? Would you like to come to the hospital with us? We're transporting your father with us now," a paramedic tapped on my shoulder. I shakily nod yes, keeping my eyes to the ground, hiding the tears in my eyes. They guided me to the ambulance where my mother was already seating, clutching my father's pale hand, her head resting on his body.

"You bitch! It was all your fault! If you hadn't been such an awful and useless daughter than we wouldn't of been arguing! I just hope you feel guilty!" I flinched looking upwards to see my mother shouting at me, her eyes glowering into mine, "Get out of this ambulance now! I never want to see you again. Don't you ever show your face in front of me or my husband ever again!" The paramedics sat helplessly as this crazy women pushed me out of the ambulance, trying to focus on the health of my father. They gave me an apologetic look as they left, trying to leave personal and family matters out of the situation.

The ambulance took off, sirens blazing. I stood there alone as the sounds faded and the night returned to it's usual stillness.