Chapter 9 (1/1)

The sirens are deafening, his mind is in a whirl, and his world seems to spin around him. Jiyong took Seungri’s limp hand in his—gripping it tightly as he kissed the knuckles over and over as if the other would wake up if he did it long enough. His eyes stung, and he felt asphyxiated. It all happened too fast. “Please, no, Seungri, please…” He chanted over and over even after the ambulance reached the hospital, and he was shoved out of the operating theatre. Jiyong paced up and down the walkway and nearly stumbled when he saw his best friend. “Youngbae!” He ran into the comforting arms and buried his face in the strong shoulders. The man stroked his back in soothing patterns as his tears soaked up his outer coat. “I’m so sorry, but I really don’t know who to call. I needed some—“ He choked on a sob and his friend hugged him tighter. “It’s okay,” Youngbae said gently. “I know, I know… and he’ll be all right.” He assured his distressed friend. “He will?” Jiyong suddenly felt like they were teenagers all over again, when Youngbae used to give him assurance and supported him in whatever he did. And Jiyong trust him more than he trusted anyone, he trusts only him. “Of course he will,” Youngbae gave him a thoughtful smile. “Trust Seungri, trust the man who loves you.” *** Hours passed and the operation is still on. Jiyong couldn’t sit still and it had taken his best friend a huge amount of effort before he was willing to sit down on the bench beside him. But even so, he was fidgeting in his seat. Just when he was near to pulling his hairs from their roots in desperation, the doors to the operating theatre opened. Both men shot to their feet. “Doctor—“ “He’s fine for now. We are lucky his broken rib was close but did not puncture his left lung. But we’ll need to continue to monitor his condition. His body went into shock due to the great impact and his heart… is trying really hard. Jiyong ssi…” The doctor paused as if considering. “Please be prepared… but if he gets past tonight,” The shorter man quickly added. “—then his ordeal will be over.” *** “Call me anytime if you need me.” Jiyong nodded silently. It was a long moment before he finally spoke. “Thank you Youngbae, thanks for everything.” The other man pulled his best friend into a tight hug. “Silly guy… Just call me anytime and remember—trust Seungri.” *** Jiyong sat staring down at the younger man who released hissing breaths with the oxygen mask secured over his face. He had been so frightened, so afraid he felt his heart drop when the door of the operating theatre opened. The news from the doctor hadn’t too much resolved his inner turmoil yet— after tonight, Seungri just have to hold on for a few more hours. Jiyong frowned at his own reaction towards the man. It shouldn’t feel this right worrying for Seungri. It shouldn’t feel this scary— waiting outside the operating theatre had been the longest 3 hours of his life. Jiyong puts his hand to his thudding heart, it feels so… heavy. The young heir had thought a lot—ever since the moment he saw the car speeding down, to the splitting second when it hit Seungri, to the moment they were both literally hauled up onto the ambulance. Everything was a chaos, and so was the state of his mind. Memories come flooding back to him and he saw their moments together flashed pass. The burning anger in Seungri’s eyes when they just met, the lust filled eyes during those passionate nights, and the pleading eyes when the younger had confessed—all seemed to replay right before him in that few ticking seconds. Jiyong sighed heavily as he puts his head down onto the bed beside the unmoving man. What is this feeling? So familiar yet so unwanted. Above his head, he gripped Seungri’s hand tight, afraid to let go. He hadn’t felt this warm achy feeling creeping around his heart in a long time. It was— weird. It feels weird to be able to feel again, to feel for someone ever since… Jiyong swallowed thickly and mused at the newfound feeling. He felt warmth, a tingling heat that spread throughout his body right down to his fingertips and he looked up at Seungri, then down at their linked hands. He tightened his hold, his thumb caressing the delicate skin. Jiyong’s eyes flashed, and there was something unreadable yet so determined. “Jiyong…” The almost inaudible sound had him snapping his head up. “Seungri?!” He leaned down closer to the other to make sure he wasn’t imagining things. The eyelids twitched and slowly blinked open. “Seungri! D—doctor!” *** Jiyong stood close when the doctor checked on Seungri—peeking over his shoulder, relief overflowing from him. He was surprised that the nurses haven’t hauled him out of the room yet. “You did great, Seungri ssi.” The doctor said in a light tone and patted gently on the fragile man’s shoulder before he turned to Jiyong, and smiled. “He’ll be fine now.” “Thank you doctor.” Jiyong gushed before sitting down next to the bed. “How are you feeling?” He held the other’s hand in his tightly. “Better?” Seungri struggled to get the word past his lips as he tried to push the sharp pain in his ribs out of his mind. He smiled when the other’s lips lifted at his reply. And for long moments, both men said nothing. The silence was thick yet comforting— Seungri loved it. But while eyes started drooping as fatigue start to overcome him, the younger man struggled to stay awake, not wanting to let this precious moment of peace slip through his hands. “Just a few more days and you’ll be out of here.” Jiyong ran his fingers across Seungri’s face, stroking his cheek and tracing the contour of his lips and whispered. And for the first time in those long agonising hours, the weight in his heart was finally lifted. *** “Careful,” Jiyong put his arm around the younger man’s waist as he led him into his house. He could barely contain his excitement at having the other back and out of the hospital. Those few weeks have almost left him exhausted having to juggle his time between his assignments, which were taking off quite successfully, and Seungri— not that he was complaining though. He actually found it rather stress relieving when witnessing the joy light up in the other’s face upon seeing him. “I’m good,” Seungri tried to pry away the hand at his waist. “I’m all good Jiyong. You don’t have to treat me as though I’ve lost a part of my body.” His lips stretched wide as he looked at the man who was now busying himself with Seungri’s belongings that was brought back from the hospital. “I almost lost you, so just shut up and let me take care of you.” Jiyong’s voice was a muttered response as he now busied himself with the other’s medications—reading the instructions on every pack of pills carefully and frowning in concentration. Seungri couldn’t stop the giggle that bubbled from his chest. It warmed him inside out as he just sat on the couch grinning at the back of the young heir. He loves Jiyong, has always felt that way, but then Seungri decided he really liked the Jiyong now. The tenderness from the other’s actions, and that pair of eyes that looked down at him right now was like a huge sunny blanket of flowers that makes him feel all the wrong emotions again. Makes him hope, and hope for nothing. Jiyong caught sight of the thoughtful expression on Seungri’s face. He sighed and cupped the other’s face and tilted it up to meet his gaze. He wanted to be sure that Seungri hears it clearly when he said it. “I won’t lose you again Seungri.” He watched every expression playing across the younger man’s face. The eyes slowly widen before the face turned serious, the smile slowly faded and Jiyong drew in a deep breath and held it before he whispered. “I love you.”