?????? ?????????. psh

CHAPTER NINETEEN :
FAMILY DINNER.

MINSEO 'S POINT OF VIEW

i burst through the hospital doors, the sounds of people shuffling, talking, and moving all around me blurring into a chaotic hum.

nurses and doctors rushed past me, their hurried footsteps creating a rhythmic beat in the air, while patients and visitors muttered in quiet conversations. my heart raced faster than my legs could carry me.

the moment the phone rang with an unknown number, my heart dropped.

my fingers trembled as i answered, barely able to process the words on the other end.

"park sunghoon has been in a car accident. he's on his way to the hospital."

those words hit me like a punch to the gut.

i didn't even let my grandmother finish whatever she was doing before i rushed out the door, her voice calling after me, but i couldn't hear it anymore.

the only thing in my head was sunghoon, and the image of him in that accident.

all that mattered was getting to him.

my heart raced as i scrambled into my car, my hands gripping the wheel so tightly, knuckles white, as i sped toward the hospital.

i couldn't stop thinking about him, wondering if he was okay, wondering if i'd make it in time.

and then, my phone buzzed again. another call from my grandmother.

i sighed, annoyed by the constant interruptions, but i didn't want to risk hearing her voice right now. i just couldn't focus on anything but him.

"spam calling me now?" i muttered under my breath, eyes fixed ahead as the city blurred by.

but no matter how hard i tried to focus, thoughts of sunghoon's accident kept creeping in. everything felt so surreal. what if something worse had happened? what if... what if i couldn't make it in time?

tears threatened to spill as i ran down the endless corridor, my mind spinning in a whirl of panic and fear.

my breaths were shallow and frantic as i pushed past everyone, hardly noticing the soft brushes of people as i tried to keep my focus.

finally, i reached the receptionist, nearly out of breath. "patient park sunghoon?" my voice cracked with desperation, and the woman behind the desk looked up, her eyes widening in surprise. she quickly pulled her lips into a sad smile, a look i couldn't decipher.

"he woke up a few hours ago," she said, and the relief that washed over me felt like a brief moment of peace. but as she spoke, her expression shifted, as if something was still weighing heavily on her mind.

"room 1130," she added, her tone steady but something in it made my stomach twist.

without another word, i nodded and took off, ignoring the exhaustion creeping into my legs as i jogged past room after room, my only focus on getting to him.

     i stopped right in front of the door, my hands trembling as i adjusted my scarf, wiped away the few stray tears that had escaped, and took a deep breath.

with a shaky exhale, i knocked gently and pushed the door open slowly, my heart pounding in my chest.

inside, a small group of people stood around sunghoon's bed, their faces warm and familiar, but the laughter that filled the room seemed to freeze the moment they noticed me.

their gazes shifted to me, all eyes suddenly on my every movement. i felt the heat of their stares, my palms growing clammy.

"uh, hi," i said, offering a small, uncertain wave as i locked eyes with sunghoon, my breath catching in my throat.