(Fiftieth-seventh chapter)
"It's my fault."
A hand rubbed over her small back and Sowon glanced up to see her father standing there, a pitiful gaze settled over her hunched figure.
"He tried to protect you Sowon, don't blame yourself."
"B-but if I had not been so stubborn and childish to pick a fight with him, or went out in dark alone then this would have never happened."
"Look dear," Mr Han retracted his hand and she almost missed his warm comfort, "if you had not argued or went out alone then Namjoon won't have come searching for you."
"Dad I-"
"Think of it as this way. If Namjoon did not save you or this incident did not happen, you could have met those thugs some other day when no one could be around. Now they are arrested so nothing much at disadvantage right?"
Mrs Han who was pacing in the hospital hallway scoffs.
"Namjoon getting hurt is not disadvantage? How could you be so relaxed?"
"Because I know he is a strong man."
"Does that mean you ignore the part he is injured? God knows if anything happens to him, I won't be able to bear it. What will we even tell his family, that we allowed the heir of Kim family to be wounded?"
Mr Han straightens up beside his daughter.
"Now you don't have to worry that far. Sowon is also shaken up because she was harassed by those thugs. We will do our best to explain."
"Whatever! You still cannot guarantee if he will be okay-"
"Mom. Dad." Sowon sat up, giving a heavy look at both her parents who stopped their bickering and now were staring at her in surprise. "You should go home if you want to continue arguing."
"What? How dare-" Mrs Han started when Sowon gave her a sharp look, now rising to her feet.
"Our first priority is making sure Namjoon is okay. Then comes informing his family and other things. We are not here to bicker which is more important but how we handle the situation."
Both the parents gaped at their daughter who was previously so shaken up that she was shivering and now, was teaching them how to handle their worries like an adult.
Mrs Han looked like a fish thrown out of the water, dramatically coughing as she became speechless as if all the air around her was too little for her to survive.
"And if you are scared of his family then I will speak to them, formally apologize about everything. Would that suffice your worries now? Can we please focus on a way to help Namjoon if he comes out?"
"I-I. . ."
Mrs Han remained stunned by Mr Han smiled proudly as he nodded. Sowon finally heaved a sigh of breathing she was holding in since her parents started to raise their voices.
Running footsteps caught her attention and she swirled around to see a certain redhead running towards her direction with a worried expression.
"H-hey," Haneul took in a deep breath, "how is he?"
Without a word, Sowon hugged her best friend who, though confused, returned the hug with a warm gesture. Tight and secure. She fought the urge to cry, remembering that it had been ten minutes since Namjoon was taken inside but no one came out yet.
"It will be alright Sowon."
"H-he'll be f-fine. . .right?"
Haneul moved away and frowned when she saw the tears on her best friend's face. She wiped them with her shirt sleeves.
"He is a strong man Sowon, please don't cry like this."
"T-this was never s-supposed to h-happen Haneul. I-I had no idea t-this could-"
"Hey. Shhh, relax Sowon. Nothing is your fault here okay?" Haneul did her best to comfort her friend who continued to sob. "If you don't stop crying then I'll smack you now."
Despite her tries, Sowon could not stop crying. She looked up at her friend with red teary eyes and a broken voice.
"It feels l-like my heart- its b-being torn apart-"
Without further words, Sowon dived for another hug at her friend who opened her arms and accepted the embrace. She rubbed her back, whispering soothing words into her ear in hopes to make her hopeful.
Damn it, Haneul thought. She could not bear the sight of stubborn Sowon crying uncontrollably like this. She would have smacked Namjoon for causing Sowon to cry like this but she only sighed in the air.
Both of them clearly liked one another so why did they have to be silent and suffer, cry behind the scenes for one another when they could just confess and be happy? What was so hard there? Haneul could never understand this saga.
"Do you think Namjoon will be happy if he sees you cry like this?"
"I d-don't care," Sowon mumbled.
Haneul sighed. "Fine. Let me take out my phone and record you crying like this. I am sure he will love to tease you."
Immediately Sowon turned her back on Haneul, quickly hiding her face as she tried to wipe her tears dry.
"Don't you d-dare Haneul."
See? Their egos are bigger than their brains. Haneul rolled her eyes.
The door in front of them opened and a doctor walked out. Everyone rushed to the doctor for inquiry but Sowon remained in her position as she stared at the figure behind the doctor.
Namjoon was struggling to straighten his body, face wrenched in pain as he held his wounded chest. Sowon felt relief that he was not majorly injured but also guilty because she was the reason he got hurt in the first place.
Should she go to him? Or stay here?
She bit her lip and watched. Her question was answered when Namjoon tried to walk and stumbled with obvious agony. Sowon did not waste any second to think as she ran towards him.
"Namjoon!"
Sowon wrapped his arm over her neck, doing her best to act like a crutch and help Namjoon walk. He stared at her for a moment.
"I-"
"No. You are injured, let me help you."
Namjoon chuckled. "It's not that. I can walk by myself, you don't have to help me."
"What?" she frowned. "But I saw you almost fell just now."
"Because the floor was slippery? Jeez Sowon, the knife only grazed the skin on my chest. I didn't get shot or something serious."
Sowon's cheeks flushed warm red. Namjoon took her silence as a cue to move away but she held onto him tightly. He gave her a curious look but she looked away and softly mumbled.
"Let me help you for today, please."
A/N: Brief but important chapter! Hope you liked it :) Also, Merry Christmas❤