Originally posted on FanFiction.net, Link in bio. This will be an episode behind, so if you want to read ahead, (cause humans are impatient beings), check me out on the other site!
A/N: Heads up, there's a lot of time skips. I tried to make it flow as best I could, but hopefully it won't be confusing or anything. Yay 2 AM writing!
Today we have another music chapter! This time, it's "Sad Song" by We the Kings. I recommend checking it out for the best experience!
Mystic Radio Chapter 16: Not Again Pt.2
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Jaehee POV
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I lie with my head rested on the side of MC's hospital bed. The only noise coming from the heart monitor. There's a knock on the door, but I say nothing, too consumed in my own thoughts.
Will MC be alright? Or will history just repeat itself? The doctor said she was stable, she'll recover.
They lied once before, they could do it again...
It's hard to stay positive with this overwhelming sense of dread filled Déjà vu. I feel someone tap a hand on my shoulder.
"Jaehee?" I lift my head up and see Zen's eyes looking at me, a dark sadness fills his expression that I've never seen before. "How are you holding up?" he asks, rubbing my shoulder comfortingly.
I can't muster the words to speak. This feels more dreamlike than anything. I just need to wake up. Unwilling to speak, I look at him and he gives me a knowing glance.
Luciel groans, "Why is there a coffee machine in here if it's so slow?", gripping his hair in frustration.
They're all here. They all came. My lip curves upward just barely, I won't be alone. I look back at the battered and bandaged MC on the bed. 'You won't be alone either. I'll make sure of it,' I vow.
Yoosung moves to the wall and slides down it, banging his head against it, leaning back. His voice cracks, saying "I just raided with her last night. She was... And now she...". His eyes are hollow, and his usual perky personality has completely reversed.
Luciel is too busy tinkering with the coffee machine to notice what's going on. Or maybe he just can't handle it.
Jumin sits in the corner chair, his usual grumpy face looking even grumpier than usual. Even our stone-faced CEO is getting affected like this.
Zen is still standing behind me. His lower lip quivers and his rubs his eyes, taking deep shaky breaths.
Everyone is showing their concerns, but I just feel empty, and a numbness tingle takes over my body. Even my mind has gone silent. It's as if I'm watching a movie, or playing some sick twisted game. Nothing feels real. I slowly reach and grab MC's hand with mine, gripping it a little too tightly. I run my thumb in circles over the back of her hand, the monitor in steady pace with my movement.
"She's going to be okay," Zen says as he pulls up a chair next to me. "She's going to be fine.". He's trying to keep it together, but his voice cracks at the end. It feels more like he's reassuring himself more than me.
Luciel slams his hand on the counter, startling Yoosung. "I should have just picked her up!" he says. "Or looked at her car ages ago.". He paces back and forth in front of the complimentary coffee maker, now in pieces. Running his hands through his hair, "I'm supposed to be the smart one, I'm supposed to fix this stuff.".
"It's not your fault," I quietly say.
Yoosung agrees, "No one knew this would happen, the doctor said she should be fine.".
"How do you know she'll be fine?!" Luciel snaps. "Look at her!", he points, "Does that look fine?! How do you know it isn't my fault?!" he says, jabbing his finger in his chest.
'Because, It's my fault...'
The doctor quietly comes in, "You guys sound pretty worked up... I'm sorry, but visiting hours are over, unless you're family, you have to leave.".
'It's my fault. If I hadn't gotten so drunk, or if I had just...'
Luciel takes one last look at the hospital bed before storming out. He mumbles "I can't stand this anymore," under his breath as he leaves the room. Everyone else stands in stunned silence.
Yoosung stands up with an obvious lack of spirit, "We should go...".
"I'm not leaving," I state. rage bubbling up inside me. 'I can't leave after what I've done.'.
"But miss-"
"I said I'm not leaving!" I hiss through gritted teeth. "You can't make me leave! I have a black belt in judo. You- you can't make me," I say fighting back tears.
Zen wraps his arms behind me and hugs me softly but firmly. "Jaehee," he softly speaks, "I know you don't want to leave-".
Ignoring the pain in my head, I croak back "Then you know I'm not going to.".
I hear Jumin's voice behind me, "Give us a moment," he tells the nurse.
He walks up to me, and crouches down, so even though I'm sitting, I can clearly see his face. He opens his mouth and I prepare for a lecture. But instead, his face softens.
He stands back up, "Mister, my father owns this hospital, and this woman here is basically family to the patient," he speaks in the same voice he would use to pitch ideas for investors. One that I'm very familiar with, but still amazes me how he can sound so confident given the situation. "I assure you, if you do us this favor, the facility will receive a generous increase in budget. And possibly a generous raise for you...".
The nurse mulls this over before deciding, "I don't see much harm in it. As long as the lady pretends she is related or married to the patient, it'll be okay this once.".
I give a nod of thanks to Jumin as he exits the room, the others follow behind him. Zen gives me a light hug before leaving.
I stop holding back my tears and let them fall to the floor.
"I'm so sorry," I say through choked sobs. "Why did I yell at, at you? You, you were being stub- no, I should have just let you have your sp-space.". I lay my head on the bed again, covering my head with my arms as I stare at the floor. "If... If I didn't push you to talk these past few days... You wouldn't, you wouldn't be here.".
After an eternity, the sun peeks through the window. Have I really been here all night?
The doctors had come to check in every few hours, they explained MC was in a coma and she would probably wake up in a few days, possibly a few months. It did little to ease the feeling in my chest from seeing her like this.
I feel so... Helpless...
It's because I am. It's my fault she left. I should have stopped her, begged her to stay.
All. My. Fault.
The words echo in my head and I put my hands to the sides of my head and push as if I'll be able to squeeze out the voice. But I know it's true. I know it's right, and theres nothing I can do to stop it.
I get snapped out of my daze when there's a knock on the door. I ask "Hello? Who's there?" with a weak scratchy voice.
A police officer enters the room. "Miss Kang?" she asks. I nod. "We've figured out the cause of the crash. Your partner here had a bad ignition switch, causing the engine to choke out at the intersection.".
"The other car... how are they?" I ask, my eyes not meeting the officer.
"They got off with a few broken ribs. All things considered, everyone is very lucky to have lived.".
It doesn't feel lucky. It doesn't feel lucky at all. It's not fair that people were hurt, people could have been killed all because of some small little part.
"Is that all?" I croak.
"Yes ma'am.".
"Please, leave then," I ask, wanting to be alone. They give a nod and head out.
I curl my legs into the chair and wrap my arms around myself.
.
.
.
~~~
Jaehee POV, Tuesday.
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Luciel sips his coffee, "Jaehee, you have to go home soon.". His eyes have dark circles and he looks like he was the one in the crash.
"I don't want to," I say.
"I know, but you closed the shop yesterday," he points out as he sits on next to me. "It's already been two days and you haven't left since you got here.".
I know he's right, I can't stay here forever.
"You need to go home, get your bearings. Drink some tea or coffee or whatever," he sniffs, "and please for the love of honey chips, take a shower."
"But what if she wakes up while I'm gone?" I ask, still reluctant to leave.
"Then I'll have the doctors contact you. You need rest," he says, fixing his jaw. He looks sadly at the unconscious MC, "We can't help her by staying here.". He downs the rest of his blackened coffee and crumples up the paper cup.
"I thought you didn't like black coffee, because it's bitter.".
"I don't want anything sweet right now," he replies halfheartedly. He stands up, "Come on, I'll take you home.". He throws the crumpled cup at the trash can in the corner, but it hits the rim and bounces onto the floor. He doesn't acknowledge it and keeps walking.
I glace back at MC one last time. 'Please be okay.'.
Luciel drops me off at the shop without a word. I enter, running my hand along the tabletops and walls as I go upstairs. I half expect to see MC on the couch playing some game, or cooking dinner. Instead there's just silence. I turn on the light and put my keys in the bowl.
I decide to follow Luciel's advice and take a shower, but I can't focus on it. I end up staring at the wall until I'm forced to get out from the cold water. I go and get dressed in my room, and that's when I hear it.
The faint static of the Radio MC gave me. "Shut up," I tell it. The signal gets stronger. "Stop!" I scream as if it will have an effect on the old radio.
.
'-out you, I feel broke. Like I'm half of a whole
Without you, I've got no hand to hold...
.
I grab it and frantically turn the dials, trying to turn it off. I click every button, but it just gets louder.
.
...Without you, I feel torn
Like a sail in a storm...
.
I put it in the corner and start covering it with pillows.
I can't do this right now. 'Please stop, stupid mystic radio.'
.
Without you, I'm just a sad song.'
.
I finally smother it and block off the sound. Collapsing backwards onto my bed, I start wiping away the tears that have formed. I grip the covers and hide myself under the, allowing myself to drift asleep.
~~~
"Please come again," I say with a forced smile and unenthusiastic voice. I was able to keep it together when I opened, but as the day went on I just became more and more drained.
I almost don't notice when Cole comes up to the counter. "What happened?"
"What are you doing here? You're early," I say.
"No... I'm not," he turns and points at the clock above the doorway. "See, four o'clock, same time as usual.".
"Oh, I'll get your coffee right away.".
He leans over the counter to call after me, "Espresso.".
"...Right. Of course.".
I hand him his espresso, and he once again asks, "What happened? You guys were closed Monday, yesterday too. And MC isn't here today.".
"I don't have time to entertain your curiosity, I have to make more coffee," I say.
"For whom?" he gestures around the room. "It's pretty empty, aside from that old couple and those high school students.".
He points at the teenagers, some of our other regulars, Jacob and Emma*.
"It's complicated," I answer.
"You had a fight, huh? I was wondering how long it'd take before she snapped at your blatant unknowingness."
"Yeah, we had a fight... But what do you-"
He cut's me off, handing me the money for his espresso, "But that doesn't explain why you weren't here yesterday, or why MC's car has been missing.".
"You noticed?"
"I walk by almost everyday to get to band practice, of course I noticed."
"Oh..." A lump grows in my throat, "She... Her car...".
He notices my distress and doesn't push any further, saying "It's not my business though." He then walks off to his usual corner booth.
.
.
.
~~~
Jaehee POV, Thursday.
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Time flies by in a daze, and I find myself walking down the winding hospital halls. My feet moving on their own accord, already knowing their destination. I've been coming everyday after closing time. I'm pretty sure the route has become muscle memory by now.
I shrug off my bag the second I get through the door, returning to my usual seat by MC's bedside.
I lay my head on an empty spot below her hand, using my arm to prop my head up.
"Cole misses you," I say. "I still don't know if you can actually hear me... Zen came and visited earlier apparently. He's a nice guy, I don't know how you didn't see that.".
If you had just chosen him, maybe I wouldn't have made a move on you. Maybe I would have gotten over these feelings.
It always comes back to me...
"I miss you, please come back," my vision gets blurry, "There are things I need to apologize for, feelings I have to tell you... Please.". But the only response I get is the beeping from the monitor.
.
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~~~
MC POV
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Where am I? It's dark... My dreams don't usually take this long. I rub my eyes and my sight slowly comes to focus on a childs room. I'm hit with a wave of nostalgia and memories and I realize, this is my old room.
It's a small, cramped, room with several animal posters strewn on the walls. The blue paint is peeling off in some spots.
I hear shouting downstairs, "I can't do this anymore!" a mans voice yells.
Why does that voice sound so familiar... I go down the familiar hall and peek around the corner.
'Dad?'. With a stubble covered chin and hole filled shirt, I see my father for the first time in decades.
"I need a break, one way or another," he says as he slams the door behind him. I hear the car start outside, and I know that this is the last time I'll see him.
I run to the front door to try and stop him, tell him it was a mistake. I try and turn the handle but it doesnt open. I watch helplessly through the door window
I try to scream, "Come back!" but instead the voice comes from behind me.
I turn around and see my mother dressed in her diner uniform. I turn back towards the window and notice how late it's gotten. The furniture has moves slightly, and I know this is years after my father left. And I also know that means my mother is on her way to her third job.
"Come back," she says, but the voice isn't hers. It's more of a honeyed tone, unlike the protective motherly one.
"Come back," echos through the room. This time I identify it as Jaehee's.
"Jaehee? Where are you?".
I try the front door again and this time it opens. I step though and find myself in Jaehee's room.
What was I doing?
"Come back," she says, patting the spot next to her on the bed.
I look down and I'm in my usual flannel nightwear. Hesitantly, I lay next to her on the bed.
"Bad dream again?" she asks in a soothing voice. "Don't worry, I'm here now.". She wraps me in her arms and pulls me closer. "Do you want this to be real, MC?".
"What do you mean?" I laugh, "This is real.".
She whispers in my ear, "You need to wake up, and. Come. Back.".
~~~
Why is my leg suspended? It hurts a bit too. What happened?
I ease my eyes open only to be met with a blinding light. This isn't my room... I lift my head up a little. 'I'm in a hospital?'.
I look to see what's grabbing my hand. "Jaehee?"
She slowly lifts her head in disbelief. Her eyes are red, was she crying? Her face morphs from disbelief to pure joy.
With a teary eyed smile that goes from ear to ear, she says, "MC, you're back.".
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.
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Chapter 16. End.
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*Jacob and Emma might end up being recurring background characters in my fics, even though they belong to Choices "High school story" universe.
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The spaceship's sensors have caught the RFA members meaningless thoughts...
MC: "I feel like I'm in a trance."
Yoosung: "I can't focus on my game."
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Thank you for reading this chapter of Mystic Radio! If you liked it, make sure to leave a like and subscribe so you know when the next update is! Now, go enjoy some Honey Buddha chips, and I'll see you next chapter! ~Des