Chapter 33
Their flight was swift and no major headways happened. Jia feels like in the cloud floating incredulously, she sighted Penelope sleeping beside Yejun and Hyuk while Juno and Yumi were talking nonstop about romantic-comedy films they watched in a while. Haru is quiet and sleeping soundly beside Jia. She didn't know that Haru would sit beside her but it turned out like this much to Jia's surprise.
They landed at the airport and Jia first noticed the very vast and neat airport. Hyuk is busy on his phone, and they have already retrieved their luggage.
"We just landed, yeah. Thank you." Jia heard Hyuk on the phone. They walked to the exit and found a petite girl with a huge smile on her lips.
The girl waves at them especially to Hyuk who also smiles in return. They bow to each other. The girl also acknowledged their presence, with a gleeful expression and an amusing grin on her face.
"Welcome to Tokyo! I am Jazzaliz Alvarez at your service." She speaks in English and Jia nodded on greeting her politely.
"Thank you, Miss Alvarez," Hyuk muttered in English. Jia heard them discussing the plans and how much time they will travel from the airport to the hotel. The concert was also the day after tomorrow and she was glad that they made it on time. Juno, who knows how to speak Nihongo to Jia's surprise, converses with the girl and quickly makes her his acquaintance. Jia smirked at the sight of Juno being the friendly one.
"You can just call me Jazz. I don't mind." She said and led them to the van that they will ride to the hotel.
"Alright." Yumi also smiled at her.
--
Jazz was gone after the quick escort from the airport. She reminded them to enjoy staying in Japan and that she will fetch them on the day of the concert. It was a luxury hotel that Yumi managed to book, kudos to her mother.
"Are you guys going to eat or sleep?" Hyuk asked before they separated in the hall. Jia shook her head instead feeling tired because of the flight while the rest also liked to rest first before eating. Hyuk nodded his head then gave them the individual room keys which Jia was delighted to accept.
Jia opens the door of her room. The familiar amenity of the room made Jia's tense body cool off. She doesn't mind the huge space, rather she felt more tired and her chest was hurting since before their departure. Jia isn't oblivious about the things in her surroundings but this time she doesn't know why she was hurting. She doesn't remember upsetting her friends. It was never gullible, Her breath hitch, the customary pain spread on her body that Jia shivered from the heavy pain.
"Ughhh..." Jia mumbled, hand on her chest as the pain compressed her lungs. It was not that severe like she experienced last time but the pain was still there making her suffer.
Jia heard the knock on the door and she doesn't know if she can crawl in the door from the couch where she was lying in.
After the knock, Jia's phone beeps. It was a message from Yumi asking if she wanted to go out for a while. Jia's trembling fingers type the word tired before a desperate moan escapes from her lips. The room is cozy and Jia was thankful for the high technology of the hotel that lends her comfort. The knock stopped and Jia sighed after she made sure that no one was outside.
Tears shimmer down on her face. The pain is not receding while Jia whirls her face side by side. The sweat was mixed with her tears as his chest beat the painful symphony. It was excruciating.
The pain only stopped after Jia lost consciousness. She opens her eyes, and in a dizzy state, she recognizes the room. The sun was already set and Jia had 16 miscalls and 5 messages from her friends. She quickly tapped her chest. She's breathing normally and Jia sighs in relief. She quickly went to the bathroom to check her face. Jia's hair was messy, her eyes were swollen and her nose and cheeks were both pink. Jia bit her lip and decided to take a bath so that it washed away her sickly state.
--
"Hello? I'm sorry Yumi, I just woke
up. Yeah... Dinner?" Jia dialed Yumi's phone after she changed clothes. She checks the time and to her surprise, it was seven in the evening. She mentally scoffed, now annoyed that she missed checking out the place. Jia rarely visits southeast countries. Her vacations are always in Europe, Germany, or South America. She never really visited Japan or other neighboring places. It was her first time in Japan and the odds were ludicrous because she was already dead.
"Jia?" Yumi called her, Jia stopped her dazing mind and answered her friend that she was about to get down.
--
Jia opens the door and sees Juno waiting for her in the hallway. He was wearing a black hoodie with jeans and converse shoes. He was scrolling through his phone when Jia approached him.
"What are you doing outside my room?" Jia countered brow-raising but the mischievous grin hinted on her face.
"Finally! I thought I would gain roots waiting for your ass to come out." Juno rolled his eyes on Jia. He kept his phone in his pocket and started walking after confirming Jia was on his tail.
"You're exaggerating. I was quick." Jia muttered giggling.
"Oh yeah? Yumi will kill me if I come back without you! You people constantly made me do stuff! I am not your errand boy." Juno pouted to Jia's delight. It was a rare moment but Juno is surely pitiful when he does that. Jia feels like an older sister while she was with Juno.
"Says the boy who begged me to be his boss." Jia narrowed her eyes. Now she looks intimidating, like the evil Jia expression she was used to when she was eyeing people in her past life.
"That look! Like that! This is bullying!" Juno retorted. Jia can't help laughing out loud when they walk to the elevator. They made conversation on how Juno and the others spend their time and Juno had so many things to say that their elevator journey was entertaining. Jia was giggling in the entire journey while listening to Juno's comical story.
"Even if that panda ignored me, it was her loss. hmf!" Juno muttered. Jia shook her head, hand covering her mouth to avoid making a face disturbance in public because Juno was whining to the animals that kept ignoring him. They made their way to the fine restaurant and Yumi's eyes gleam when she saw Jia's twinkling expression.
Like every happy moment in life, it has an ending but this is close to Jia's taste. When she meets Penelope's heavy gaze, the familiar pain in her chest is like a blade slicing Jia's heart to pieces. Her mouth withdraws a whimper, even Juno frowns when Jia stops walking and grips her chest like it was her lifeline.
"I-I need a toilet..." Jia manages to speak as the tear escapes from her eye. Juno is quick to action. He dragged Jia away from their friends that earned a frown from everyone. Haru's eyes narrowed and without muttering a word. He made his way to Jia's walking figure, with Juno beside her.
"W-What's happening?" Juno asks when Haru is quickly beside them.
"She has an attack. It will only be for a few minutes but Jia looks like it was her second time today." Haru mumbled while holding Jia's waist.
"Can you manage?" Haru asked the girl who was crying from the pain while clasping her chest.
Jia shook her head. She was dying. She never experiences the pain twice a day, making her in the worst condition. Jia stares at Haru who has a stern look on his face. Juno was confused and worried, eyes on Jia never leaving her.
Jia's vision was blurred. She bit her lips to the point she was tasting blood. "Jia! Jesus!" Juno exclaimed when blood started to drip from Jia's nose. "Shit!" Haru curses and lifts Jia into his arms. Jia's eyes fluttered as she smelled and tasted blood, the pain making her body go numb. It was so painful to the point that she thought she was cut half-open. Deep breathing made her lungs mourn even more and Jia was gasping for air vehemently. Her body was tense and cold. Everything about her was hurting.
Jia watery watches Haru sneered, gone off his usual playful grin.
"The reason why I told you to watch out. You really stubborn Jia Kim." Haru whispered.
Jia blinks her tears back, afraid to hear more words from Haru because they comprehend what is happening to her. She was dying and Jia was oblivious to the reason why she was in pain. It was just a stare from her. Jia never knew the consequences of those emotions until she felt how painful it was until she was experiencing it on hand.
"Please..." Jia didn't know why she was saying or begging Haru. The hidden words received a more grim response from Haru. He was mad and that made Jia's emotions in check because she felt that she relinquished something she was standing for. It was cold, icy render her body made her mind hazy.
She sees black and she thought for a second that it was better this way.
End of chapter 33.