So I Don't Forget You

Moving Forward

The pressure increased as awareness came back. Why was it so difficult to breathe?? Kongpob forced his eyes open, his brain slowly comprehending he was immersed in water...was he in a pool?

Red hot pain shot down his back, body spasming involuntarily in shock. What had happened??

Another figure dove into the water, swimming towards him, and grabbed him to swim back up to the surface. Kongpob choked on the water still in his lungs and gushing from his mouth, black spots appearing before his eyes.

The other guy said something Kongpob didn't understand at first. Then...

"-come on, Taemin! Cough it all out and breathe for me! Shit, kid, you're bleeding out," the guy muttered the last sentence.

Kongpob was too dazed to be able to say anything back. The black spots overtook his vision and he passed out in the stranger's arms.

XXX

An annoying beeping was the next thing he heard.

An influx of memories not his own flooded his brain, causing his eyes to shoot open and his back to explode in agony when he tried to sit up. A groan escaped his lips, bringing movement from the right side of the room.

"Taemin? Hey, buddy, you with me?"

Kongpob squinted, grateful the lights were off the the curtains mostly drawn. He couldn't recognize the guy until he sorted through Taemin's recent memories. This was one of the seniors on the swim team, one of the few that were able to keep the bullies from doing too much harm to Taemin - until the attack, that is. None of the seniors were around when Taemin had gone to the pool to grab his bag, left behind by accident, and the bullies used that as their opportunity to rid themselves of the boy.

He blinked at the senior a few times, collecting his thoughts. He was Taemin now. Kongpob no longer existed. Now he had to start calling himself Taemin. That would be easier said than done.

"Siwoo hyung?" Taemin managed to croak out. He winced at how sore and rough his throat felt. "How bad?"

Siwoo grimaced. "You're going to have a nasty scar down your back. No getting around that. The doctors are making sure the water you got in your lungs won't cause you to develop pneumonia. Coach is down at the police station right now with Chulmoo's, Hakkun's, and Malchin's parents. They're being charged with (premeditated manslaughter). The cameras at the pool caught everything, so even though they're insisting they're innocent, it's an open and shut case against them."

Taemin closed his eyes, relieved and exhausted. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"Saving me."

Siwoo snorted. "Don't thank me. Any decent person would've done that. I should've been harder on them this whole time, knocked any idea like this out of their heads. Instead, I did nothing."

"No, you protected me, hyung," Taemin insisted in a weak voice, opening his eyes back up to attempt a glare at his senior.

From the sadly amused expression he was receiving, Taemin knew it was nowhere near a glare. "Get some sleep, kid. I'll still be here when you wake up. Coach is coming by when he can to visit and let you know what's going on."

Taemin hummed in acknowledgement, falling back asleep.

XXX

Physical therapy, for lack of a better word, sucked. Big-time.

The only good part? Taemin's friends and found family gathering around him and encouraging him every step of the way.

Taemin gritted his teeth, forcing his stiff legs to move across the floor using the parallel bars, his friend and hyung, Jeon Jungkook, waiting at the other end. Jungkook caught the younger guy as he collapsed in exhaustion, helping him back into his wheelchair.