What felt like an electric current had zapped Dawn the moment her body got plunged into the freezing cold water.
She was being dragged down, immobilized. She saw the bright sky slowly getting far away, far from her reach. No... I need to go.
Paddling her feet, she desperately batted her arms, trying to haul herself up. But her movement became sluggish as her limbs were getting tired of constantly fighting with the water. Her clothes weren't helping either. They were weighing her down.
Wait a minute. She has magic.
She wanted to give herself a concussion for forgetting that important matter. She could get out of this freezing cold water long ago if her brain was functioning well.
Just as she was about to propel out of the water, she suddenly noticed an unmoving figure from the corner of her eyes. Her eyes narrowed as they try to see through the slightly murky water when the sky brightened and illuminated the figure as if someone was helping her out.
Soobin!
Her eyes widened in alarm, seeing his motionless figure and closed eyes. Immediately, she pushed herself to his side, using her magic. Grabbing onto him, her worry elevated when the man didn't even react to her touch.
Quickly, she hooked an arm around his waist and made them shoot out of the water. Gasping, she felt her lungs relaxing as she breathed in the air. Looking around, she searched for a place to land.
"DAWN!!! OVER HERE!"
Her head snapped to the source of noise and saw the others, fortunately, safe. Flying to them, she carefully dropped Soobin down to the ground. Beomgyu was quick to nurse the unconscious Archer, the others following close behind him.
"He's not breathing." Beomgyu choked out.
"No..." Kai sobbed, his grey eyes clouding up in tears. He felt guilty and regretful. The last memory of Soobin had of him was the two of them fighting.
"No. That's not possible." Yeonjun was close to pulling his hair out of stress. Soobin can't just die like that. They still have a mission to do. They still have to make the King pay for what he had done.
He can't go just yet!
"Do something, Taehyun!" Kai begged his friend, who was already searching for some spell in his magical book.
"I'm trying." Taehyun retorted, trying to ignore the shakiness of his hands.
Dawn, who had sat to the side, was confused. Shouldn't they be trying to resuscitate Soobin by doing CPR on him? She stared down at the unresponsive Archer in dread. If they don't do it now, it'll be too late.
"Move." She pushed Beomgyu aside and immediately placed Soobin on his back, tilting his head.
She placed her hand's heel on the center of his chest and interlocked the other hand with the hand on his chest. Then she started pumping his chest as fast as she could.
1...2...3...4...5...
"What is she doing?" Kai asked, bemused by the girl's unknown action. Was what she was doing will make Soobin okay? Because the way she was pressing his chest, she might accidentally break a rib on his body.
15...16...17...18...19...20...
"I think," Beomgyu observed the girl, although he was slightly confused by the unfamiliar technique. "I think she's trying to make his heart pump again."
That was impressive. It was like Dawn was trying to bring a person back to life. But that was impossible. She can—!!!
...30
The four men could stare wide-eyed, dumbfounded and flabbergasted at the action that the Witch did next. Their jaws went slack, and cheeks reddened in embarrassment. She just put her lips on Soobin's!!!
What is she doing!?
The four were flustered and stupefied, out of their mind.
They just saw their leader get his first kiss stolen by somebody they had known for only a few days! And Soobin wasn't even aware!
Astonishingly, they saw Soobin lurched back to life, sputtering water out of his mouth.
"SOOBIN!!!" The four cried, their mind forgetting what happened a few seconds ago. They rushed to the confused Archer, tackling him to the ground and showing him their love.
"I thought you were dead, Soobinie."
Yeonjun was crying dramatically as he hugged the life out of the confused man. Even if he was acting like this, the others knew that he was genuinely glad that Soobin was alive.
"It's my turn now, hyung!" Kai suddenly pulled the eldest out of the way and hogged the Archer all to himself. "I'm sorry Soobin hyung... I'm sorry for being mean to you. I just don't want you to get hurt by your plans. I know you always wanted the best for us. But I, too, want the best for you. So, please hyung. Try to understand that I'm just worried and not angry with you, okay?" He blubbered, snots coming out, but he didn't bother wiping it away as he was too carried away by his emotions.
"It's okay, Kai. I'm sorry too..." Soobin then turned to Dawn. "And to you as well, Dawn. Because of my reckless planning, you almost got killed in the woods by the bandits. And I haven't gotten to say thank you for saving Yeonjun hyung."
Dawn could only smile, forgiving him instantly, knowing that he was being sincere. At least now he knew how to acknowledge his fault.
"I'll try my best to listen from now on." Soobin rubbed the summoner's back comfortingly.
"HYUNG!" Beomgyu bawled like a child as he jumped to the taller man, burying his head in his chest.
"There, there. You big baby." The others chuckled, seeing the healer continue clinging to the Archer.
Soobin suddenly looked around, noticing another person was missing. Oh, there he was. The secret big baby of the group.
"Oh, Taehyunnie..." Soobin sighed, feeling his chest tighten painfully, seeing the Sorcerer's ocean doe eyes glistening in tears and quivering lips. "Come here."
Taehyun wordlessly walked to the Archer's arms and buried his face in his shoulder. He felt his hands patting his head, which made him close his eyes, reveling in the feeling.
"I'm glad you're alive, hyung."
"Me too, Taehyun. Me too."
"And you just got your first kiss stolen." Beomgyu blurted out, still sobbing, erasing the heartwarming atmosphere.
"What!?" Soobin shrieked, horrified.
"Beomgyu! Don't say it like that!" Dawn squeaked, flushing red when Soobin's eyes snapped to hers. "I'm trying to save his life! Don't you guys know what CPR is?"
"CPR?" They spoke the unfamiliar word confusingly.
"Yes! CPR. Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation. You know 30:2? 30 compressions and 2 breaths?" Dawn rambled, growing bewildered when they still looked like they didn't have a clue. Didn't they learn this in high school?
"You really don't know what CPR is?" She almost staggered in surprise when they shook their heads. "Whaaaa— How do you not know the fundamentals? Didn't they teach you this in high school?"
"High school?"
Dawn halted. Not only did they not know CPR but also Highschool too?! What the hell is going on here? Are they joking or something? Because if not, she didn't know what she would do.
"From the past few days, we've been hearing unfamiliar words from you. We don't want to offend you or something, but it's really bothering us. Where are you really from, Dawn?"
『• • • ✎ • • •』
I cringed writing this... I'm sorry!!! 😭