I Need You | Seonghwa

22

Wooyoung, Yeosang and Yunho stand around a bed solemnly, with San beside them in a wheelchair.

San frantically wipes his own tears as he stares down at the bed.

Wooyoung sighs and shakes his head. "You've cried enough, San. Seonghwa would probably tell you to stop crying over him too."

Yeosang smiles. "Exactly, you're being a bit dramatic now. The doctor told us that Seonghwa's surgery was successful hours ago," he states.

San now begins to wail. "I know, but I can't even imagine the amount of pain he's been for the past few months! And now his crazy stalker shot him," he sobs.

None of the other men can even joke about San anymore after he mentions Seonghwa's condition. The friends were so shaken to hear about it, they couldn't even fathom what their friend went through.

Suddenly, the said man's eyelids flutter open. 

Everyone watches him in shock. "I'll get the doctor," Yeosang blurts before dashing away.

Seonghwa stares blankly at everyone, trying to figure out what's happening. "I'm not dead?" is the first thing he utters. The memory of getting shot hurts, and it only feels worse when he remembers her face.

San cries loudly again as soon as the words leave his friend's mouth. "Yes, you survived and will recover!" Yunho chirps. Seonghwa nods slightly, still not even forcing a smile. The atmosphere is heavy in the room, even though it's the first time everyone's been together in over three months.

"Haerin?" he barely breathes out.

"She didn't survive since she shot herself in the head. She missed your heart, but she got herself right in her brain. You survived still because your neighbours heard gunshots and called emergency services immediately, so an ambulance brought you to the hospital two days ago. Your body was so weak and malnourished when the doctor checked you, they said it's a miracle you survived that risky operation," Yunho explains, voice wobbling as he speaks.

Seonghwa's heart aches as he hears the story. This is technically the first time he's seen sunlight in three months. The light brings him slightly to his senses and he frowns when he hears about how horrible his health is.

Other than the ache, a weight feels lifted off Seonghwa's chest. Haerin is finally dead and gone. He never imagined a day like this would actually come.

Now he can't stop a smile from forming on his lips.

His friends share worried glances. "Did you think of something nice?" Wooyoung wonders.

Seonghwa removes his stare from the ceiling and scans over his friends' faces, including Yeosang who walks in with a doctor in that moment.

He's been through hell and back, so he knows that he has wounds that'll take very long to heal from, as well as wounds that he'll never heal from. There are many problems that still persist within him and many issues for him to work on. His path to recovery will be a difficult one, and he needs to work on repairing his relationships as well as his battered body both inside and out. The journey seems rigourous right now but ultimately, he knows he can do it. And there's one big reason for it.

With the most joy he's felt in over half a year, Seonghwa whispers with glistening eyes.

"I'm finally free."

The end.