16 Chapter Twelve

They had to put Kino out with a sedative, but I didn't leave his side until he was in bed, arms wrapped, sleeping soundly.

"Thank you," I muttered to the nurse.

"You're welcome." She left soon after.

I watched Kino for a moment. "God... what happened to you...?"

He looked so calm and peaceful in sleep. His bangs fell in his eyes slightly. I wanted nothing more but to move them, to stroke his face, but I didn't want to break his trust. Plus, that would be quite creepy if I did that while he was sleeping...

I sighed and stood up from the chair I had pulled over to the bed. "Sleep well Kino... I'm so sorry..."

He was really stunning. Like, really stunning. How could someone that beautiful be so broken?

I left quietly. I still had Yuto and Wooseok to talk to.

I went to Yuto first. He was finally awake. I remembered Hongseok telling me that Yuto and Wooseok were going to be hurt tonight, and I immediately teared up.

"What's wrong, Jane?" He asked me as he stood, using his cane to help him.

"Oh... um..." I wiped a tear that managed to start rolling down my face. He looked at me with concern. "It's nothing, Yuto. I have some good news though! I get to take you on a walk."

He blinked. "The Headmaster caved?"

"Yep!" I said excitedly. "Come on, sit back down Yuto. I'm gonna get you down the stairs and we're gonna walk down the driveway and back, okay?"

"I thought we were going to use the hallway," he said, sitting back down slowly.

I crouched in front of him and grinned. "Well, I'm gonna get you outside for some fresh air. Although..." I pulled the handcuffs from my sweater pocket. He blinked.

"Wait!" I gasped. "I'm not gonna handcuff you! No offense, but..." I trailed off and Yuto laughed softly.

"I"m not gonna be moving very fast, I understand." He looked down at me with warm, happy eyes. "I'm just glad you're helping me."

My heart had been melted. I put the cane across his lap and smile. "I'm gonna try my best not to accidentally dump you down the stairs."

"I won't hold it against you if you do. That would be the most excitement I've had in years."

"You sound old," I laughed.

"I am old!" He exclaims. "I'm 22!"

"Hey, so am I!" I said in amusement. I turned him around and started toward the door.

"Well, I think I'm a step ahead of you. I already have a cane AND a wheelchair," Yuto said. It was nice to hear him joking.

"I guess you have me beat, but have you found a gray hair before?" I asked. I opened the door and rolled him out into the hallway?"

"I have."

"Me too," I agreed. "I guess we're both getting there, huh?"

Yuto smiled. "I guess so. Wow... it's been a while since I've been out here."

In all seriousness, I was so scared I would accidentally lose control of him and he'd go flying down the stairs. "Hongseok said the same thing," I told him.

"Yeah... we're in the rooms all the time now."

I stopped at the top of the stairs. "I don't know... should we do it?" I asked, starting to have second thoughts. He looked up at me.

"Only if you want to, Jane. I know this is difficult."

I frowned. "You know what, I'm going to do it. I'm not gonna let a flight of stairs keep you from going outside for the first time in over a year."

I started to carefully push him down the stairs, pausing on each step.

"Okay... this is terrifying..." I said nervously. I held the wheelchair tightly, so tightly my knuckles were white.

"Take your time," Yuto said. I could tell he was a little bit scared, but he was trying not to show it.

"Okay... okay..."

I got him down the stairs after about 10 minutes. It was quite the experience. I saw the HM watching us through the main office, but I ignore it as I push Yuto toward the doors of the institution.

I grinned. "Ready for some fresh air?"

"I'm so ready."

I opened the door, then wheeled him outside. He had to shield his eyes from the sun, but he seemed to enjoy it. "Oh wow... this is what wind feels like. I almost forgot."

I smiled, but his statement hurt me. "Yeah... this is wind."

Yuto's hair blew in his eyes, but he didn't even move it. He smiled. "Wow, this feels amazing..."

I pushed him to the driveway and smiled. "We can do this as often as you want."

"Awesome..."

I stopped and helped him up. "Okay Yuto, I know the driveway is a tad long..."

It really was. The Institution sat far back from the road, behind a wall of trees. The driveway was paved, but had a few cracks in it that we'd have to watch out for.

He grimaced slightly as he put weight on his legs. I held his sides to steady him. "You got this, okay?"

"Okay, let's do it."

I looped my arm through Yuto's and we started walking slowly. He took some short breaths as he gets used to walking. He was putting a lot of weight on the cane.

"This isn't so bad," he said, smiling. I moved my arm so it was wrapped around his waist.

"Great!"

He leaned into me a little, trying to walk a bit faster.

"So this is going to help?" He asked.

"It'll reduce your pain a bit," I told him. "But what you have isn't curable."

"Ah..." Yuto blew through his lips. "Well, hopefully with this and the medicine, I'll get the pain down to the bare minimum."

"Exactly," I said, smiling.

I couldn't shake my sadness though. I wanted to take him back to the cottage with Wooseok for the night so they wouldn't get hurt. I looked down, sighing.

"What's wrong?" Yuto asked me. He stumbled a little but I kept him upright.

"Yuto... I know something happens with you guys at night."

He stopped walking, looking at me with wide eyes. "You do?"

"Yes... and I know tonight... you and Wooseok..." I squeezed his arm. "I want to help so bad... Yuto you have no idea how much I want to help you escape... but I can't do anything. Not tonight..." I ended up crying. "I hate that I know this is happening to you but I can't help you!"

Yuto wiped away one of my tears. "Don't feel sorry. You can't just help us escape. You have to wait and plan..." He started to walk once more, this time pulling me along. "We can handle it, okay? You don't have to help us-"

"What?! Yes I do!" I gasped. "I can't just leave!"

Yuto smiled softly. "It shouldn't be your responsibility. This is a lot for you to take on. Not that I don't think you can do it, it's just... a lot, you know?"

"Yeah... but I already care about you guys. I am going to try to come up with something, okay?"

Yuto nodded. "Okay Jane."

We took up our entire hour long session on the walk. It took me fifteen minutes to get Yuto up the stairs, and after we got halfway up, he decided he'd try and walk it. It hurt him terribly, but he didn't take it out on me. He was kind, and when we got back to his room, I helped him get into bed and lay down.

"I enjoyed our walk," Yuto told me, smiling.

I smiled back. "Me too... and Yuto?"

"Yes?"

"Good luck tonight, okay?" It was torture, complete torture. There was no way I'd be sleeping tonight. I'd feel too guilty.

He sensed my guilt and held my hand for a moment. "You are wonderful, okay? This is not your fault. We'll be okay. We've lasted three years. We can last a little longer."

"But how am I supposed to rest when I know you are all being hurt...?" I asked through tears.

He squeezed my hand. "Just focus on getting us out, not what's happening right now, okay?"

I nodded. "Okay Yuto." He was so strong.

He smiled. "You'll check on me tomorrow?"

"Of course I will."

"Okay, great." He yawned. "I'll see you then."

"Okay Yuto, goodbye."

"Goodbye Jane."

I left Yuto and went to Wooseok. His arm was still bandaged, but he seemed to be feeling better. We also went on a walk together.

I told him the same thing I told Yuto. That I knew, and I felt horrible. He echoed Yuto and told me it wasn't my fault they were in this mess.

I really enjoyed Wooseok's company. He was quite talkative about the things he used to be into when he was young. I had not written anything down today, but it wasn't too hard to remember. Each person was so different and unique.

"Hey Jane?" Wooseok said to me.

"Yes, Wooseok?"

He was now sitting on the end of his bed.

"Is everyone doing okay? I know you can't tell me anything personal... but how are they? I... really miss them."

I was trying not to cry once again. I smiled softly. "They're... they're okay. They miss you too Wooseok."

"I don't want them to forget about me," he told me.

"They won't," I replied. "I'm going to try to get you guys to meet. Even if it's just one at a time, I need to make it happen. You should all be there for each other for moral support."

Wooseok grinned. "I hope I can see them."

"You will, within these walls or out of them, you'll see them again."

Wooseok seemed content.

I told him good luck, and, with my heart broken, I quietly made my way back to the cottage.

I needed to clear my head, so I went out to town once more. I got a chocolate shake from McDonald's and tried to sort through everything.

The beepers should be coming soon... there's a pattern to their... their experiments... I have to get them out of here... but how...?

I looked up to see the same guy from before staring at me. I blinked, waved, then turned my attention back to my shake and the table in front of me.

Before I knew it, he was sliding into the booth.

"Who are you?" I immediately asked. "Why do you keep staring at me?"

"Are you the new therapist at Pentory State?"

I blinked. "I... yes, I am. Who are you? How did you know who I was."

He smiled. "I saw you pull into the Institution, and I recognized your car."

"Again, who are you?"

He smiled again.

"My name is Yanan, I'm a former patient at Pentory State."