Bully Me ✔️

24. Drowned Heart

"The paramedics are here!" The neighbor exclaims, moving away to make room for three men in white, carrying a stretcher, to get in. One of them pushes Kihyun away from Sehyuk.

Kihyun falls on his butt, his shoulders sagging in defeat. He has lost all fight in him. The boy's eyes are trained on the floor till he's pulled by Sehyuk's neighbor.

"Let's get into the ambulance," the man says, urging him to walk.

When he looks at the spot where Sehyuk is lying, it's empty. The paramedics already took him away on the stretcher. Kihyun shakes his head. "I-I can't..."

"You have to be brave." The neighbor sighs, patting the boy. "You need to be there for him even if Sehyuk doesn't live."

Kihyun flinches at his words, wondering how easy it is for the man to navigate through the situation. That's how the world works, unless and until they have a connection to someone, an individual's death, or their miserable life is just a post that one randomly comes across on social media. Look at it once and then move on with life the next second.

Kihyun gulps thickly and follows them to the hospital. By the time he collects himself and prepares for the worst, Sehyuk is already taken into the emergency ward. He sits outside the room, elbows digging into his thighs as his head cushions between his hands. When he headed for Min Sehyuk's place, he had an inkling that they would get into an argument or even planned on punching the younger for how he attacked him last time. Or maybe, they would've had a civil conversation. But the last thing he expected today was to be here, praying for Sehyuk's life.

Kihyun doesn't know how to deal with all this, why in the world would Sehyuk commit suicide? His life isn't too crappy from what he's seen. But then again, who is he to judge which person qualifies for suicide?

"You look pale, wash your face, and drink a glass of water," Kihyun hears the neighbor say, he doesn't know when he took a seat beside him. "I'll be here till then."

The boy shakes his head in response. "No, I'm alright..." He doesn't know how long they stay seated in one place, not moving a muscle as if it would help somehow.

Kihyun has thought about killing himself on several occasions. He thought just dying would solve all his problems because life had been cruel to him since he was a child. Cursed him with a father who would've been better if he didn't exist at all.

The images of Sehyuk's lifeless body seep into his mind. Being on the other side of the spectrum, the one who's left behind, Kihyun's gut churns, knotting torturously.

The boy curls his toes, grounding his teeth together. He never thought about what would happen to his loved ones if he suicide. How would his brother feel? The guy who shared the same unfortunate fate of being born into a dysfunctional family. Would his mother cry and finally break free from the shackles that bind her? Their relationship is teetering at the edges but he knows she loves him in her distorted way. What about his friends? Captain Namshin and Vice Captain Jiseok would probably come to his funeral and would offer a flower but Jinyoung wouldn't even visit because he broke his promise to push forward even at their lowest. And Sehyuk? He would punch him even then.

The door slides open, driving Kihyun out of his thoughts. He jolts up with the neighbor in tow.

"Are you the family of the suicide patient? What's his name?"

Kihyun winces, shaking his head. "He lives alone. I'm his...friend and this is his neighbor." He points at the man beside him. "His name is Min Sehyuk."

"He's alive."

Kihyun pushes a breath that has been stuck since he laid eyes on Sehyuk's body. He puts a hand on his heart and wills it to finally calm down.