Another Fairy Tale /Ateez

Chapter 47 - New Life

You think you're alone, but
I will always stand by you
Oh, why?
You don't have to be afraid, you can leave it to me

- Stay, Ateez

Chan and Rory ran into the hospital, hand in hand, both still in their sleepwear but none of them cared. Worried they looked at each other while searching for their friends. 

"Where did Jongho say they'd be waiting?", Chan asked, failing miserably at sounding brave. Rory pulled her brother into a hallway, knowing the hospital already like a third home. 

"Jongho!", Rory yelled as soon as she saw him leaning onto a wall, biting his nails. As soon as Jongho saw Rory, he sighed in relief, knowing she was good, but that feeling didn't last long. 

"She's in there.", he told them and pointed at the room opposite of him. Only then the siblings heard the painful screams of Lennie, causing Rory to suck in a breath. 

A nurse was about to enter the room but Rory stopped her. "Please let me in." 

"I can't, Miss. Family only." 

"We're the only family she has.", Chan added, his eyes filled with tears. The past few weeks he had grown close to Lennie, to the point he wasn't sure what to feel around her but now he was just scared about her. Scared she had to go through it alone. 

"I'm sorry-" 

"I'm the kid's godmother! Please, let me in.", Rory said again and for a split second the nurse's face softened. But then she shook her head. 

"Stay here. I'll do everything in my power so she won't feel that much pain." 

With these words the nurse entered the room, leaving Rory and Chan alone. Chan sat down on the floor next to Jongho who tried to comfort him, throwing a worried look at Rory, not sure what was going on inside her head. 

Rory just stood there, not sure what to do. She was helpless. Tears were streaming down her face as she held onto the wall, her vision blurring due to them. 

"Ro?", she heard someone ask and immediately turned around. There he was. Yunho stood there, tears in his eyes as well, only a few metres away. He opened his arms and Rory didn't waste a second, running straight into them. They held onto each other as if their life depended on it.

Rory cried into his chest, her tears now mixed by scared and happy one's. None of them wanted to let go, so they stayed like this for a few minutes, until Rory's legs gave up under her weight and Yunho hugged her tighter, not letting her go. Rory hadn't realized but just being apart for a few hours had completely destroyed her. Being there, in his arms, felt like a cure itself but she knew there was more that had to be done. Much more, even if it cost everything.

"I'm so sorry.", Rory whispered and sniffled. "It was my fault-" 

"No. I'm the one who should apologize. Nothing can justify leaving you alone. I'm so relieved you're not hurt." 

Yunho placed a soft kiss onto Rory's forehead, not sure how far he was allowed to go. He knew they would have to build up their trust in each other again and that it would take time, but he was ready for it. "I shouldn't have pushed you to tell me about- oh wait." 

Rory watched Yunho in confusion when he pulled out something from his pocket. As soon as she saw what it was, her face lit up and she hugged Yunho again. "Where was it?" 

"In the back of the car.", Yunho answered, putting the ring onto Rory's finger again. "If you don't want to tell me more about the ring, then I will try to under-"