No.

No no no no no. Maxi's not dead. He's not. He's just sleeping.

Look! Look how peaceful he is. I know he's just joking. You know how much he likes to play. That's all he's doing.

Let go of me, obba! You're wrong! He's not dead. Maxi can't be dead. He promised that he'd always be with me. He promised!

I said to let go! I am not a child!

Obba, you don't understand, he promised. He promised that he'd go back to Korea with us and meet daddy. He was looking forward to making daddy throw a fit, and then making daddy love him as much as he loves us. He figured with all it took to get you to tolerate him, much less like him, making daddy come around with be a snap.

So you see, he can't be dead. If he is, it would make him a liar, and whatever you like to say about Maxi, you know he keeps his word.

. . .

Obba? Why isn't he waking up? Why are his eyes still closed? Why won't he get up? Why?

No! I will not stop shouting! Maybe he's just tired, and that's why he's not waking up. That must be it.

Maxi! Maxi! Chagi-ya! Get your lazy ass up! The night's a-wasting, Maxi! Get up! Maxi!

Maxi?

Obba . . . Obba, make him get up. Make him all better. Please? For me? I promise if you make him better, you'll never have to yell at me again. I promise. . .

Why's there so much blood? We need to clean it off him. He hates it when he gets messy. There's so much . . . I can't get it off. It's not coming off.

Why can't I stop crying? Why doe it have to hurt so much? Obba, make it all better. Please. Just make it all better.

* * * * * *

"Is she asleep?"

"Yes."

"Will she be alright?"

"I think so. We need to give her time."

"I'm sorry . . ."

"For what? It's not your fault."

"I know, but . . ."

"It's not your fault, Kilik."

"But. . ."

"'But', what?"

"If I'd just gotten there sooner!"

"Oh, Kilik. . ."

"I could have helped him."

"What would that have changed?"

"Then he wouldn't be dead."

"You don't know that. Even if you could have finished your own fight sooner, it might not have made a difference."

"But-"

"No, Kilik. It. Wasn't. Your. Fault."

"But--!"

"Kilik! It wasn't your fault!"

"I just can't. . . I can't believe he's gone."

"I know."

"Why the hell'd he have to die? He was supposed to be indestructible. He constantly laughed in the face of danger! Why, Sung-kyung? Why?"

"I don't know, sarang-a, I wish I had an answer for you."

"I'm sorry . . ."

"There's nothing to apologize for, Kilik."

"I'm crying all over you like a child."

"You are a child."

"Quiet, old man. . . . Thank you."

"For what?"

"For being you. I . . . I don't think I could deal with this if you weren't here."

"Sh. . . There's no need to thank me. What's wrong? Kilik?"

"Oh, gods . . . I already miss him, Sung-kyung."

"Sh. . . Sarang-a, sh. . . kwen chan al guh yah. Chigeum eun mol eu getji man, shigan man joo myun, eegut do chinal guh ya. . ."

"You do realize I don't understand a single word you're saying."

"I know."

"What are we supposed to do now?"

"We go on."