SooYoung finished packing her things while she cried her eyes out, her friend was there, watching her mom saying those hurtful things to her own daughter, but none of them could do anything to prevent her from doing that. She was tired. SooYoung wasn't perfect, she wasn't the best daughter ever, because she was actually pretty lost at the moment, her life was going down pretty fast, and she sat there watching it happen...  

After getting out of her house without saying goodbye to her mother, her friend took her hand, leading SooYoung to her house, she was going to let her live with her for a while. 

...

SooYoung POV

I was living with my friend for a week, and I was pretty comfortable with her family and about sharing a room with her. I had to find a job to help with the bills, even though her family declined every time I offered myself to help them with that. They were nice, they didn't even ask me what happened when I entered their house crying and with all my clothes packed on a backpack. 

It was time to grow up, without my family's help, without my mother's help... I was definitely alone this time. 

I know people have fights and I know it's not that uncommon a fight between a mother and a daughter... But my mom and I weren't like that. We never fought. Ever! She was everything to me, she was the only reason why I lived for many years, she was that person keeping me steady on my feet, because she needed me. I was a mess, but she said she couldn't go on without my help, because I was the only one she had to lean on, so I needed to be there. But why wasn't she there for me when I needed her the most? 

Nothing will ever hurt as much as that day when we fought and I left her house for good, I needed a hug, I needed to feel protected, but this time... this time my brother wasn't there to help me and I really needed to get on my feet by my own and move on. 

...

I've searched endlessly for a job and I was almost losing my hopes and having a mental breakdown on the streets, I was on a corner trying to get some air to enter my aching lungs, when I saw this light in front of me. When I felt a pair of hands on my forearms... That was when I heard this rusk voice asking something I couldn't understand. 

I can't breathe and think at the same time when I'm having an anxiety attack. It just won't happen... But when I felt those hands keeping me steady, I somehow, felt less preoccupied. I wasn't going to fall and hurt myself, so I just needed to focus on breathing. I felt him blowing some air on my face, and I thought it was very cute, because it wouldn't help, but his intentions were good, so I had the urge to laugh... If I didn't need air, I would be laughing at him. 

I don't know why Kris was there, but he was, and thanks to him, I was still on my feet. 

...

Kris needed to buy himself some snacks, because he was starving while waiting for the staff to arrive at the place where  his group was schedule to do an interview, but it was taking too long and he couldn't wait anymore, so he put on his hoodie and covered his hair color which would call everyone's attention, and went out. 

He bought a lot of craps and coke, he ate it all there at the convenience store then payd for it all and decided to walk around the center of the city to relax a little before going through all the pressure of being a leader around his friends again. 

He looked around at every building, analyzing the structure and the plain colors, there were a lot of young people typing on their phones, barely looking ahead of themselves, not even worried if they were going to bump onto someone, which actually, happened to him, whom wasn't even with his cell phone in hands. 

He saw that short girl trying to stay steady supporting herself with an arm  on the wall of a building, he was contemplating whether he should or should not go over there to help her, because people were passing by too fast and weren't even noticing how sick she looked even from behind. He decided to walk faster and when he got closer to her, he saw who she was, he entered her camp of vision and he looked at her scared face... SooYoung was as white as a ghost.  

"Hey, what is happening? Are you not feeling well?" He held her forearms tightly trying to support her, instead of letting her support herself on the wall. 

He saw how she looked at him, her eyes were wide open and kind of moved, but there wasn't any sound leaving her lips. He took a moment to realize she was struggling to breathe, he didn't know what was going on but he had to help her because he was afraid she was going to die if she didn't breathe properly. So, instead of waiting for an actual answer, he took her in his arms bride style, and ran, yelling like a mad man for a taxi to stop. 

Gladly, a good old man stopped his car instead and told him to get in, which he did without thinking twice. The old guy seemed to be nice, he had gentle traces all over his face and Kris didn't feel the need to deny his help to keep looking for a taxi cab. 

"What is wrong with her young boy?" The old man's face was giving him a worried look now, after looking at her inside his arms, struggling to breathe and whiter than his cleaned social shirt. 

"I don't know sir, she just isn't breathing with facility and when I try to get an answer, she struggles even more. I think she is awake but kind of unconscious at the same time. Can you please, hurry and take us to the hospital?" Kris was half panting because he ran with her in his arms, and half yelling, trying to in some air to his own lungs. 

"Of course, but quick question... what are your names?" He said after taking off his phone from the car glove compartment. 

"I'm Kris, and she's SooYoung." He said looking at the old man's face through the rearview mirror. 

"And how old are you both, Kris?" The man was dialing a number now. 

"I'm 22 and she's 18. Why, sir?" Kris looked down at her who were still struggling to breathe, now she looked half dead already, her lips were bruised and her tiny hands were ice cold. He her hair, taking it off her forehead and he tried to make her comfortable inside his huge arms. He kind of put her sitting on his lap while he hugged her body and her left cheek was touching his chest, she was able to listen to his heart beats. He tried to shush her, caressing her back and saying that she would be fine, but he didn't get any answer back. He stopped paying attention to her, to hear what that kind old man was saying through the phone. 

"Hello Christina, I need a room with a psychiatrist free to help a patient with a really bad panic attack, her name is SooYoung and she's 18 years old, prepare oxygen and sedatives. Yes, intravenous. Thanks." The old man smiled through the mirror looking at Kris, who was clueless now. 

"A-are you a doctor, sir?" He spoke and kept caressing her back. 

"Yes, Kris. She'll be fine, don't worry. It's not my area, but I have a good friend who will take care of her when we get there," He smiled kindly, reassuring the giant young man hugging a girl ten times shorter than him inside his arms.

"Thank you, sir. I hope you're right."

~~~ 

SooYoung POV 

I was going to die this time. I was inside a stranger's car, being hugged and suffocated by someone I didn't knew that well. I was being vulnerable in front of two people I barely knew... I don't know how, but instead of feeling even more anxious, I felt dizzy and safe. His warmth welcomed me, that was all I asked for, for those past days were I was hopeless, lost, scared, I just wanted a pair of warm arms to hug me and reassure me I was going to be okay. It was such a pity it had to be a while before my death, I wanted to enjoy that feeling for a little more, but...

I felt my lungs stopping, because my brain wasn't getting oxygen enough to work, I felt my cheeks burning, my lips not obeying me, I felt the warmth of my own body leave me, I felt my face numb, I felt the adult world kicking me out and when I fell down, I out. 

~~~

Kris POV

I don't know why I was so scared. Looking at that girl laying on that hospital bed made me feel sick. She was so vulnerable and even when she was sedated, her face was not peaceful. I don't know what was going on with SooYoung, but something pretty bad must have happened, because the bubbly girl I met a few weeks ago wasn't like the one I met on the streets today at all.

I called Tao asking for her friend's number, then I called to tell her what happened and she made me promise I wouldn't leave SooYoung's side until she comes, but how could I? She was unconsciously holding my hand and the difference between our hands was enormous. I kept playing with her chubby little fingers until she moved on the bed making me let go of her hand. 

She was still sleeping, and I couldn't be more awake... I don't know why, but when we arrived at the hospital, even though she was already almost drained but her incapacity of breathing, she held my hand tight, considering she wasn't strong at all in that state of hers, but she tried and she asked me to not leave her alone, she mumbled something about being scared and those words sank into my heart making something grow stronger inside me, I wanted to understand what happened, I wanted to stick closer even though we didn't know each other that well. 

The situation wasn't good, but still I wanted to be there for her... I don't know why though, but something clicked inside me and watching the girl who was all smiles on the day we met so quiet now made me want to tickle her chubby tummy until she was out of breath but for the right reasons, not the bad ones. 

I needed to know what happened and I for sure, needed to help her out, I don't even know why, but something on her made me want to stay for a little while, she looked like she needed a friend... And I needed one too, maybe we would be good for each other... Maybe we should give it a try. 

~~~~

After a few hours, Gabi arrived at the hospital and she went to SooYoung's room where she Kris and her talking, she didn't want to interrupt even though she was worried, Tao went along with her, just to make sure she wouldn't freak out before getting to the hospital. So both decided to leave them alone for a while, since they  wanted Kris and SooYoung to get closer to each other, to be good friends, or more than that, accordingly to their point of view. Both or lonely and needed a good company, so they wanted to help their best friends... Without even asking if that was what Kris and SooYoung wanted.  

Inside the room, SooYoung's appearance was still like someone who just saw a ghost, she was pale and her lips were still purple. She was whining about a needle inside her vein, when a tear rolled down her cheek, Kris wiped it away with his huge thumb. Making SooYoung feel a little embarrassed. Then, he took his chance to pick on her, saying she was cute when she was shy, which led them to a huge discussion of how tough and not ridiculously shy she was. She said shyness is a word not printed on her dictionary, but then he retorted that almost everytime they met each other, at some point, she felt embarrassed so she was just a liar, saying she isn't the shy type. 

After having a bit of a laugh, both stared at each other in silence, she knew it was time to tell him something, to explain things... But it was difficult, so they took three long minutes to speak again. 

"S-so... I know you're wondering what happened..." SooYoung turned her face to her left side, staring out of the window... it was a cloudy day, her favorite. 

"If you don't want to talk about that... you know you don't need to. Just when you feel comfortable enough." He said that against his own will and curiosity. He wanted to know, he wanted an explanation, but by judging how she couldn't even look him in the eyes now, Kris knew it wasn't the right time to ask for answeres. 

He knew he got it right when instantly she turned her face back at him, with a confused expression,.

"Ehm, are you sure?" She cautiously asked, not wanting him to change his mind.  

"Yes, I'm sure." He smiled... 

When she saw his teeth and how his lips were different from everything she's ever seen, her heart felt at ease. All her troubles vanished away and she just hoped she could see that smile over and over again. Secretly, his presence there was having more affect at her than the sedatives she took. Somehow, she felt like he could distract her from her own mind and problems, so it would be really awesome to have him as a good friend... 

Maybe Gabi knew him better and knew he would be a good friend, so she needed to thank her friend for that. 

Kris also realized how her facial expressions changed suddenly, so he was certain now, that he made the right decision... When she was comfortable enough she would tell him everything, he thought... Because after this day, he wasn't planning on leaving her life now... 

He actually, asked for her number and for her safeness. 

Though he wanted to stay, he still had his schedule to finish and people would probably be really mad at him already. He saved her number, got up from the chair he put on the side of her bed and kissed her forehead. 

It was a light and weird kiss... but it was like a promise. A promise of not leaving, a promise of telling each other things, a promise for them to get to know each other better... 

A promise of a good friendship that had just started for good. 

***TO BE COTINUED***