Fantasize E.S

35

Eric was trembling.

Drenching in the cold sweats, his heart was beating way too fast that his chest felt stuffy. He was unable to breathe normally.

He couldn't believe what he had heard, he refused to believe either. There was no way Haneul was sleeping for all this time. No, that couldn't be it.

Hyunjae too had lost for words. When Haknyeon and Sunwoo told him about Eric, he thought it was ridiculous. He almost thought that maybe those two were exaggerating things. But, after witnessing it with his own two eyes, hearing it with his ears, it broke his heart that all were real.

Eric had been silent along the car ride, probably he had lost in his thought. Hyunjae noticed how the younger every so often would wipe his sweaty palms against his jeans, huffing frustrated air out in the process.

At the red light, Hyunjae slid his hands down from the steering wheel, slowly rolling his head towards the boy.

"Have your parents talked to you about the therapist I suggested?"

That's it.

The thing - the content of the envelope. That was the reason behind the argument Eric had with his parents. The therapist.

"I-It was from you?" Eric hoped Hyunjae would deny it, he hoped it wasn't as what he thought it was. Because if it was true, then his whole life for all this time was merely a lie.

But Hyunjae nodded.

"I supposed you were affected a lot after witnessing the accident. After all, she fell from the building right in front of you," Hyunjae sighed, remembering that particular dreadful day was hard for him too. "So, I suggested that therapist for you."

It was affecting Eric the most right now. So, that wasn't a dream or his nightmare. Eric kept remembering Haneul's bloody face because he had witnessed it by himself. Haneul's accident was real.

Tugging his hair, Eric wanted to scream. The burden inside his chest was so heavy that it was suffocating.

But he had lost his voice, he couldn't scream it out nor he could say anything. He couldn't even think of anything. What he did was shedding silent tears.

Hyunjae's soft squeeze on his hand was a bit helping. Probably the older knew what was playing inside his mind. He kept saying sorry that Eric didn't know for what.

Walking through the lobby of the hospital was the hardest part. It felt like Eric had forced himself to go further in, though deep inside he apparently, was unwilling to.

He took a break, supporting himself against the wall, his sight was now blurry.

Was he really, ready for the outcome that was about to unravel? Would he be okay? Could he accept the fate that had been waiting for him?

"It's hard right?" Hyunjae rubbed circles on his back, knowing too well how Eric felt about it.

It was the same for him too on the first week he had to come here. It almost felt like a nightmare but the encouragement he got from his friends was somewhat helping.

A ding from the elevator not too far from them couldn't be helped from having their attention, being a little distraction in the current mood. The door slowly opened, and the person inside slightly flinched upon seeing the two.

"Is everything fine?" Jacob ran towards them, instinctively inspecting Eric's condition first.

Ah, so he was here when Hyunjae called, Eric thought alone as he slowly steadied himself on his feet.