The Day You Saved Me

2.

The emergency room is quiet, you sit next to Chris waiting for your name to be called by one of the doctors. Your right foot can't stop its rapid bouncing up and down, and you keep looking from one side to the other, trying not to look too much at Chris, avoiding his gaze.

"Mrs Park, please follow me" one of the doctors calls from the hall, you get up and start walking, Chris following along with you. "Is this your husband?" the male doctor asks. You stop and look back at him, trying to figure out whether you should lie or not. "Yes, he is", looking back at the doctor and continuing your walk down the hall and inside the exam room.

They have your record here, they know he is your emergency contact, so if you tell them he is here with you, they won't have to call him, right? You had to at least try. Once you are inside the room and the doctor starts checking on your wrist for any damage, your eyes travel back to Chris's, he is sitting quietly in one of the chairs in front of the desk.

His eyes connect with yours, trying to figure you out. In the bright light of the exam room, he can see your features now, your dark brown hair falling down your back in soft waves, your beautiful brown eyes, filled with sadness and a nostalgic feeling to them. Your lips are full but delicate, pink from all the nervous biting you've been doing since you got to the hospital.

Your frame is covered by the doctor now, who's examining your injury now. "Tell me again how you hurt yourself?" You look down at your wrist, you've been thinking of excuses from where Chris found you till here. "We were riding our bikes and I lost my balance. I landed on my hand." You say surely, glancing at Chris now with pleading eyes as if you're trying to tell him to follow along with your lie.

"Actually..." He starts talking and you freeze, you're screwed, he is going to tell the doctor everything, your secret out in the open. "It was my fault, that's why I wanted to make sure she was okay. What do you see doc?" The doctor lets your hand go and goes back to retrieve something from one of the supply closets by the side of the room. Your gaze travels back to Chris, you look so vulnerable and scared, he gives you a wink and a small smile, reassuring you.

"Nothing too serious, just a sprained wrist. It's starting to bruise a little." The doctor returns with a splint and wraps it around your hand. "Ouch," you inhale sharply at the pain spread to your fingertips from the new pressure applied by the splint. "I'm gonna prescribe a few painkillers for the pain, just take them the first few days and you'll be fine." He turns, talking to Chris now, "Make sure she ices it, at least 2 or 3 times a day for the following week." He nods in response.

After receiving the prescriptions and clearance from the doctors, you finally leave the emergency room. Your phone died a while ago, you know he must be so pissed right now, it's so late and you have not come home or answered your phone. You know you are in trouble, for sure. "I'll take you home," Chris says, stopping your train of thought.

You stop walking and turn to face him, "Listen, Chris, I appreciate you coming here with me and everything you did for me back there, but I need to go home now." You cross your arms, trying to shield your body from the cold, "My real husband is waiting for me and he will not be happy to see me with you." He looks hurt after your words, his mouth falling open, but closing after a second, as if he is trying to find the words to speak.

"Is that why you lied to the doctors? You didn't want them to contact him?" his expression is serious, all glimpses of kindness and reassurance gone. "That's none of your business", you say, in an attempt of pissing him off, hoping maybe he would get tired of begging and leave.

"It's almost 3 am, please let me get you home safely. I promise I'll go after that." His gentle smile is back, and his hand travels back to your waist, pulling you gently, walking toward the street. Thankfully there are plenty of cabs by the end of the street, he helps you get inside and you mutter your address to the driver. The drive is quiet, and you feel so tired, yet the anxiety of what's about to happen as soon as you get home keeps you awake.

As soon as you get out of the cab, he recognizes you and comes storming out of the house. His body is hunched over, shoulders up and hands turned to fists, "Where the hell were you? Are you that stupid?" he screams angrily at you, not realizing you have company. "Yunho, please...", you take a few steps back, and Chris stands there, shielding you, until he is face to face with your husband. "Hyung?" Chris says with a curious voice. Yunho's face drops, recognizing the younger male.

"Bang Chan? What are you doing here?" His body language changes, relaxing as he stands in front of you, "And why are you two together?" your husband says in a lower, calmer voice. You're beyond confused now, looking back and forth between them, "You know each other?" you say in a thin voice, coming closer to the both of them.

"Yeah, umm. Yunho Hyung is one of the new producers me and my team have been working with", Chris looks back at you, his hand coming up to scratch the back of his neck. "You work at JYP?" you ask him, that's not possible, you've been working there for almost 3 weeks now, and you have never seen him.

"Bang Chan is the leader of Stray Kids, the idol group I told you about the other night", it's Yunho's time to talk, looking at you, he grabs you by your upper arm, pulling your body with force to hug you from the side. "My wife also works there, she is a makeup artist." He fakes smiles at Chirs, "But I'm sure you know that by now, considering you came to my house, with my wife at 3 am", his grip tightens on your arm, you're sure he intends to leave a bruise, he is much taller and stronger than you, your fragile body pressed up against his.

"Oh no, Hyung. It's not want you think, she hurt her wrist and I took her to the hospital, that's all" He signals to your hand and retrieves his hands back to his pants pockets. "I'm sorry, I couldn't call you, my phone died." You say looking at him with pleading eyes, trying to minimize his anger. "Yeah, my wife can be very clumsy sometimes", he says shaking your body with force.

You feel so embarrassed and humiliated, it hurts to even look at Chris. You raised your eyes slowly, looking at him with worried eyes, "Thanks for bringing me home, Bang Chan", your husband holds out his hand, shaking Chris's. "Yeah man, thank you. I guess I'll see you in a few hours." He lets go of his hand and turns your body, pushing you to walk to the front door.

Once you're inside, the panic grows, Chris is not here anymore to protect you from your abusive husband. "What the fuck were you thinking?" he pushes you further into the living room. "You wanna screw me over at my job as well?" he comes closer and you shrink stepping back, his hand comes up and grabs a fistful of your hair, pulling hard "You won't screw this for me, do you hear me? Get the hell away from that boy or any of the other boys he works with" he jerks your head a few times and then pushes you down making you fall to the floor.

Your face is stained with tears by now, your heart racing with fear, you know speaking to him or defending yourself is useless, so you stay quiet, trying not to piss him off even more. He towers over you for a few more seconds and then disappears into the bedroom, closing the door with a loud bang. You stay there, supporting your body on the couch, your head falling to your arm, crying and shaking from the emotions.

This couldn't be happening, the gentle stranger who saved your life and took care of you in your darkest moments cannot be the same person you and your husband just started working with. Let alone, he couldn't possibly be a famous idol, this whole situation was fucked up. If you had jumped earlier, the story would have definitely been different.