Have We Met? [Sequel to A Deer and A Baozi]

"Come in."

The door to the dark office swung open, revealing the cold office that brought many to their doom. The cause of it all sat in his large armchair, back facing the door and showing no signs of welcoming the new visitor.

"Did you take care of it?" The armchair swung sideways slightly revealing the aged face of Kim Youngmin.

The blonde girl placed the contract on the table and crossed her arms before her. "Of course."

Youngmin stood up from his seat and walked around his large desk, taking the stack of paper and flipping through it quickly. His beady eyes moved quickly down the page, taking in every single piece of information quickly and silently.

A sigh escaped his lips as he replaced the contract on the desk.

"Good Borin," He nodded and patted the girl on the head. "Now Kris has no reason to leave."

Borin pursed her lips and looked down to let her bangs cover her eyes. "Yes, he's bound by the contract."

"Shall we wait then?" Youngmin smirked. "For the show to unfold?"

He turned back towards his desk with his fingers stroking the edges of the stack of papers, his eyes filled with delight, unaware of the tears that rolled down the girl's face just behind him.

Tears of sorrow.

-----
Ling's POV

Nothing they said could bring me out of the room I was in, not even if the members were there to see me. I covered my face with my blanket and curled up in a ball as I hear the scuffling of footsteps that approached the door.

Please, no.

"Hey," A hand pats me on the head, soft and gentle. "Don't worry about it okay?"

Kris.

I still had no answers for his actions, he refused to explain anything and insisted that I will know in due time. Repeatedly, over and over again, I tried to remember if I have ever met Kris before, but nothing ever came to mind. Just who was he, and what did he mean by anything he's doing right now?

The door swung open with a loud click before I was even ready. Subconsciously I must've stiffened because I could feel Kris's hand move over my shoulders and squeeze them hard.

Not knowing what he was doing, it did not help my state of mind at all.

I still couldn't speak.

"Ling!" Baekhyun's voice was sweet enough to give me a cavity. "Ling we missed you at the house, it should've been me on the operating table rather than you."

That was followed by an impact on my bed, to which I assumed Baekhyun had jumped onto.

"Baek, it's lucky enough we aren't in her position, you don't have to rub it in." Suho's voice was, as usual calm and collected.

"I didn't mean it that way," Baekhyun muttered. "It's not like you left unhurt, you did break your arm."

I bit my lip. Yeah well I lost my voice. How about that.

Mentally, I kicked myself for being so bitter.

"Ling, Minseok and Luhan are here to see you too." Chen cut in before the two of them started fighting.

Silence followed, digging into my brain as I remembered the precious time I've spent with the two of them. Luhan, the one that I had always been fond of. Whether it was the way he treated me, or the way he looked at me, I couldn't remember. Minseok, the one that was always there. Even now, he cared, he had always cared.

"Why don't you sit up at the very least?" Kris whispered.

I didn't want to, but I complied. I sighed deeply and sat up, opening my eyes immediately to see Baekhyun's forehead pressed against mine. His brown eyes peered into mine in a playful smile.

"Hey!"

Not even a second passed before Chen yanked him back by the collar, pulling him off the bed and onto the ground with a soft flop. I smiled and suppressed a laugh, then, quickly remembering that no sound would come out anyways.

I looked up at them and waited for someone to say something, hoping with all my might that they weren't expecting me to say anything. I studied their faces, all of which had no make up on, and were sleep deprived, from the looks of their eyebags. Minseok stood furthest from me, his eyes peeking at me over the shoulders of the others, and yet, not daring to make eyecontact. I could tell that he was itching to get closer, but with the swarm of people already around me-

"Something's wrong." Luhan muttered, eyes wide and, with a blink of an eye, shook me firmly by the shoulders. "Ling?"

I could feel the tears already rushing to the edges of my eyes as he held my stare. The suffocating feeling of anxiety collected at the base of my throat, making me feel like choking, sobbing, or a bit of both.

One by one, the members must've caught on and instantly everyone was at my side. Everyone but Minseok.

"Ling!" Chen's voice cracked when it never used to before. "Ling talk to us."

"Hey!" Suho's slinged arm hung uselessly at his side. "Don't tell me-"

Slowly, the voices drowned out into silence as my eyes locked with Minseok's brown ones. His brows met at the centre and his pupils dilated in shock and disbelief. I could see his shoulders shaking uncontrollably and it only made me feel worse than I was already.

Minseok, the one person I didn't want to see hurt, was once again hurt because of me.

'I-' I opened my mouth and tried to speak.

~Silence~

'Minseok, I remember!' I screamed at him, I wanted to return everything back to normal.

"It's okay." Somehow, out of everyone's voices, Kris's voice was the only one that broke through to me. "I'm here Ling, you don't need anyone else but me."

Only you?

My vision blurred slowly and the next thing I knew, I could feel Kris's slender hands holding me by the waist. My useless body leant against his broad chest, trying to find ground to rest on. My eyes closed as if on command.

"Ling!" The member's voices came back, breaking into my thoughts with their shrill and urgent voices. "Ling!"

Only you?

-----
Minseok's POV

I watched the events unfold as I struggled to regain control of my body. Ling needed me. I could see it in her eyes, I could see it all.

I blinked as my eyes connected the words she mouthed. I- remember?

I almost choked on my breath the minute I realised just what she was saying. I stumbled forward, trying to get to her. Ling remembers! She remembers!

The members wouldn't let me get closer. Everyone was in a frenzy of confusion.

Ling's bell like voice was gone.

Ling was mute.

In the blur of motion in front of me, I saw something else. Something that needed an explanation.

Ling falling unconscious.

The look of hunger in Kris's bloodshot eyes.

Notes