Jaebum was excited. He was finally going to have a special date with Jinyoung. They were also kind of celebrating their six month anniversary, although Jinyoung didn't know. The official day wasn't for two more weeks, but Jaebum couldn't quell his excitement. He had about thirty minutes until the date and he wasn't even out of his apartment yet.

 

PJY: Have you left yet?

 

IJB: I'm about to. Currently putting my shoes on right now.

 

PJY: Don't be late or I'll hunt you down.

 

IJB: Come find me.

 

PYJ: :P

        I'll see you soon.

 

IJB: See you soon. ;)

 

Jinyoung couldn't believe how late Jaebum was. It was the first time they were having a formal date. It also happened to be their celebration for the end of the school year ending successfully. How could he skip out on such an awesome date? He'd even texted him he was getting dressed almost two hours ago. What could have happened that he was missing their special date?

 

Jinyoung sighed he paid the check for the appetizer and the glasses of wine he'd ordered. If Jaebum was this late, there was no point in sticking around any longer. He was kind of irritated and getting very close to being pissed off. He was determined to find out as soon as possible so he set off to Jaebum's apartment. He blew up Jaebum's phone, but he didn't answer. That piece of better have a good reason for ignoring me.

 

As he was about to knock on Jaebum's front door, his phone rang. Without looking he answered.

 

“You better have a good reason for not answering my phone calls.”

 

“Jinyoung it's Jackson. Where are you?”

 

“I'm sorry I thought you were Jaebum. Do you know where he is? He totally skipped our date, and I haven't been able to contact him. It's been like three hours.”

 

“Jinyoung… Where are you?”

 

“I'm at his apartment. I wanted to see if he was here. Why?”

 

“You need to come to the hospital.”

 

Jinyoung froze. “W-why?”

 

“He's in surgery right now. He’s been in there for almost an hour. It's been such a mess. I just got here. Youngjae, Jaebum's parents, and grandparents are here too. You need to be here. It's very serious.”

 

Tears started to well in his eyes. “What happened?”

 

“I don't want to tell you over the phone. Just come to the hospital as soon as you can.”

 

Jinyoung hung up immediately and started running. He wasn't conscious of any of his actions. He wasn't conscious of which direction he was going in. He didn't realize how many tears were running down his face. He didn't even know how long it took him to reach the hospital. He was solely focused on Jaebum. All his earlier anger had disappeared. He was so worried he thought he'd pass out.

 

Jinyoung reached the sliding doors of the emergency room. He stormed through the electronically controlled doors with a supernatural speed. He looked at his phone and saw Jackson had texted him.

 

JW: Operating Room 306

 

Jinyoung quickly ran toward the elevator. He was running on adrenaline. He kept clicking the button to bring the elevator down. Once the metal box landed and the doors opened, he ran in. He quickly clicked the button for the third floor and closed the doors. He couldn't wait too much longer.

 

The doors brought him out of his trance like state. He looked at the signs hanging from the ceiling quickly. He ran through the empty white hallway. 301. 302. 303. 304. 305. 306. 306! This is the room.

 

It wasn't really a room. It was more of a small operating wing. There was a hallway leading to the actual operating room. There were a couple of benches and chairs lined against the walls. The people in the hallway, for the first time ever, did not make his heart soar.

 

Jaebum's mother sat with her head in her hands, her body shaking as crying wracked her body. His father’s body was rigid and his face hard. He looked devastated and sick to his stomach. Jaebum's grandparents were not their usual happy selves. His grandfather cried silently as he comforted his wife with tears streaming down his face. His grandmother cried relentlessly in her husband's embrace.

 

Jackson was leaning on the wall with a blank expression. It was anguished and dark. It didn't even resemble his normal expressions. Youngjae looked down at the tiled floor intensely. He bit at his fingernails nervously. Jinyoung had a terrible feeling that kept getting worse as he analyzed each person in the waiting room.

 

“What happened?” Jinyoung broke the silence with a surprisingly steady voice.

 

Everyone looked at him. Looked at his trembling figure. He looked like a deer in headlights. Cornered.

 

Jackson gulped and tried to steady himself. “Jaebum was stabbed multiple times and sustained other injuries.”

 

“W-what?” Jinyoung let the words soak in his brain for a few seconds. “He was stabbed?”

 

“Yes. He's been in surgery for about an hour now. He was rushed to the hospital soon after it happened, but he lost a lot of blood.”

 

Jinyoung collapsed on the ground. He started crying harder and harder until he was wailing. Tears streamed like a river down his face. His cries echoed throughout the hallway. He kept crying as he gasped for air and hiccuped. His Jaebum was hurt. His Jaebum was in pain. His Jaebum was in surgery. These thoughts only made him cry harder.

 

Jackson and Youngjae tried to console him, but nothing they did helped. Even after he calmed down a bit, he didn't stop crying. They forced everyone to drink water. The surgery went on for hours and the waiting area was silent. Jackson and Youngjae waited tensely on the floor next to Jinyoung who had balled up on the floor.

 

“Jinyoung. Jinyoung,” Jinyoung looked over to Jaebum's mom who'd called to him softly. “Come over here.”

 

Jinyoung slowly got up. He sat down in the empty space next to her and leaned on her shoulder. She leaned her head against his. She pushed him closer to her as she his hair.

 

“Jinyoung, Jaebum is very strong. He'll get through this. He's been through a lot in his few years of life so he'll be able to get through this. He's had many surgeries in the past, and they've all been successful. This one is no different. He'll make it through. He'll make it through.”

 

Jinyoung sniffled as he was spoken to. He should have been comforting her, but she was comforting him. With her words, his body relaxed slightly and he leaned his head against the wall. As he stared at the ceiling, he remembered Jaebum smiling, laughing, photographing anything, and exuding natural beauty from within. Jinyoung hoped to see him like that again soon.  His trance was broken when the doctor came out of the sliding doors and into the waiting area.

 

Jackson rushed up to her and asked, “How is he? Is he alive? How did the surgery go?”

 

“He made it through. That man is really a fighter. It was a bit hairy a number of times, but he pulled through. He suffered a lot of trauma though. Even with all we've done, we only kept him alive. He'll be in critical condition for a while. He also fell into a coma. He's alive though. I don't know when he'll wake up, but he has a chance of staying alive. He's not out of the woods yet though.”

 

Jinyoung moved to the floor on his hands and knees, giving the surgeon a deep bow. “Thank you so much Doctor for all of your hard work. Thank you for saving Jaebum.”

 

“I did thirty percent of the work, Jaebum did the rest, so when you see him, thank him.” The doctor started walking away. “The nurse will tell you where his room is and you'll be able to arrange visitation and whatnot.”

 

“Jinyoung, let's go see him.” Jackson and Youngjae pulled him up from the floor. They helped him follow the rest to the room, which was in the ICU. What seemed like hours was only a couple of handfuls of minutes passed, and Jinyoung was somehow sitting in a chair next to Jaebum and his bed. Jaebum's family were talking to the nurses while signing papers and filling out information.

 

Jaebum looked like himself but not himself. He was pale, his face adorned with scrapes, bruises, and cuts. His head was wrapped in a bandage. There was blood soaking into it at the front where they'd stitched a cut closed. His knuckles were bruised and cut. Evidence of his surgery was concealed by the thin hospital gown. Jinyoung hadn't been able to see him all dressed for his date, and he couldn't help but be sad.

 

He reached a hand up and started to his black hair. “Jaebum, I don't know how you ended up like this, but I know you had to have done something amazing. I wish this hadn't happened because I wanted to tell you something really important. I'll definitely tell you when you wake up. Until then,” Jinyoung gasped for breath as he started crying again, “until then please rest well. Don't rush. I want you to get better. I'll be by your side until you're better. We'll have to go on another date so that I can see how dapper you are in a suit.” Jinyoung surmised that the clothes he were wearing had been disposed of.

 

Jinyoung stood up and kissed his forehead before his hair once more. He sat back down and intertwined his with Jaebum's cold ones. He brought it to his lips and rubbed it with his other hand. Jinyoung was mentally and physically exhausted. He was extremely uncomfortable in his suit, but he wasn't really bothered because all of his attention was focused on Jaebum.

 

He eventually got up to let Jaebum's grandparents and parents have privacy. He wasn't going to leave the hospital tonight. He couldn't leave. His Jaebum was in so much pain and was fighting for his life. He had to be there to support him.

 

Jackson and Youngjae sat in the public waiting room of the wing. Jackson laid on the couch with his arm covering his face. Youngjae typed rapidly on his phone, telling his parents the bad news. Jinyoung joined them and plopped down into a chair. He was exhausted in every possible way.

 

After a couple minutes, Jackson suddenly sat up, “Do you guys want get something to eat?”

 

Jinyoung thought about saying no but then nodded, and Youngjae joined silently. They silently decided to eat at a traditional Korean restaurant. They walked a couple of blocks from the hospital to a small storefront. After being seated and quickly ordering, they sat silently. The food arrived, and they began to eat.

 

“Do you think he'll make it?” Jinyoung asked lifelessly.

 

“Yes.” Jackson paused before continuing. “Jaebum's a fighter. He's been through a lot, and in comparison to what he's been through, this is nothing.” He smiled brightly as he spoke such strong words, even though the words were lies. Both of his friends could see the toll this event had take on him. He was stressed and tired.

 

“Jackson’s right. Jaebum has never lost a battle in any hospital. He always told me not to worry about him because he's made of ‘tough stuff.’”

 

Jinyoung nodded. He lifted the spoon to his mouth, but it plopped back into his food. He tried to eat his stew, but tears kept falling in it. Wailing, Jinyoung cried loudly, but kept his thoughts within. “Jaebum what did you do? Why are you in this position? Why couldn't we have had dinner? Why didn't lose track of time picking out what earrings you'd wear or which pants? Why?” The other customers tried to avoid look at the distressed man.

 

He cried out relentlessly as Jackson and Youngjae held back similar emotions. The finished their food quietly. They ordered some food for Jaebum's family before leaving. They returned to the hospital feeling slightly stronger but in a similar detached state.

 

Jinyoung stood in the corner as Jaebum's family remained crowded around him. They tried to make him more comfortable. They all watched him silently until the doctor arrived.

 

“Hello, I'm Dr. Nam. I assume you are all Im Jaebum's loved ones?”

 

“Yes,” Jaebum's father answered.

 

“I've been assigned to preside over the care of your son, Patient Im Jaebum. Have you been informed about what happened to him?”

 

“No, we only received a call that he had been admitted into the hospital.”

 

The doctor nodded solemnly. He flipped through Jaebum's files “According to the initial police report, he was critically injured while performing his civic duties as a Good Samaritan. It seems that he was saving a female witness from an assault. The attacker used various methods to try and deter Patient Im from interfering further. The female witness was able to escape to find help while Patient Im and the assailant became involved in a physical altercation including a bladed weapon. By the time emergency services arrived, the assailant had escaped but has been apprehended in recent hours.”

 

The room was silent except the beep of the heart monitor and muffled crying. It was so heartwarming that his boyfriend had done something so noble, but it was heartbreaking knowing he paid such a high price. He hoped Jaebum would come out of this ordeal alright.

 

The doctor prattled on about his condition in detail and what to expect in the upcoming hours. Once he was finished, he left the room. The group sat silently. Jinyoung decided he needed some time away from the hospital, unlike his initial thoughts. The room was filled with too many people and too many emotions for him to process at the moment. He stood up and said his temporary goodbyes to Jaebum's family. Jackson and Youngjae left with him. They each took a separate bus to their respective apartments.

 

Jinyoung felt detached from himself. His brain vibrated against the cool glass of the bus window. He was in shock over the last few hours. Everything had been fine. Jaebum had been awake and not fighting for his life every minute. He fondly recalled one their recent in person conversations.

 

“Hey babe,” Jaebum bent down and kissed Jinyoung softly on the lips. He was back in their library area studying for rapidly upcoming finals.

 

Jinyoung muttered in acknowledgement. He typed frantically on his laptop, trying to finish his final paper for English. Mark was running late to assist him in editing.

 

“How’s it going?”

 

Jinyoung made some incoherent sounds that made Jaebum laugh. His Jinyoung was truly adorable

 

“You can do it. I believe in you.” Jinyoung looked up and smiled momentarily before shooting him a look. “Fine. I’ll be quiet now. I have a lot of editing to do for the showcase. You’re coming right?”

 

Jinyoung nodded as he leafed through a book and underlined. He stuck the highlighter in his mouth, and nibbled on the end.

 

“I won’t leave you alone if you keep being so .”

 

Jinyoung looked up at him with extreme focus. Jaebum rested his chin on his hand with a soft smile on his face. It made Jinyoung’s heart constrict at the sight. He thought about what he was doing and saw where Jaebum’s attention rested. He mentally examined himself before realizing what his boyfriend was implicating. With extreme force, he pitched the highlighter at him. Jaebum deftly avoided it, but the highlighter made a hard impact on the books behind him.

 

“You could try and focus on important things instead of me,” Jinyoung huffed.

 

Jaebum’s smile dropped a little. “You are important to me. Don’t you know that?”

 

Jinyoung sighed and rubbed his temples. His words were being interpreted incorrectly. “I know. I just want you to focus on your work, not whatever weird fantasies you have going on in your brain.”

 

Jaebum chuckled and smiled brightly. “Speaking of fantasies, I want you to fulfill one of mine.”

 

“Will it get you to shut up?”

 

“Probably.”

 

“What is it?”

 

“Go on a fancy date with me.”

 

Jinyoung cut his eyes at him. Jaebum’s face was playful, but his eyes were completely serious. “What?”

 

“We’ve never seen each other dressed up. We only see each other on impromptu dates and at school. Wouldn’t it be nice to put a little effort in appearing before each other?”

 

“You don’t like our dates?”

 

“No, I love our dates, but a planned thing seems exciting. It’s every couple’s duty to go on dates and dress nicely and eat at a fancy restraunt.”

 

“I don’t know…” Jinyoung didn’t exactly grow up in a fancy household. He knew how to put himself together, but the proper etiquette, he couldn't even fathom it.

 

“Come on. It’ll be fun. You’ll love it. It’ll be just like all those romance books you read in middle and high school. I’ll totally sweep you off your feet.”

 

Jinyoung contemplated it for a couple of minutes. “Fine, but after finals.”

 

Jaebum smiled widely. “Of course.”

 

“Now will you shut up and do your work so I can do mine?”

 

Jinyoung arrived to his apartment blank. He was completely drained of himself. He went into the bathroom and looked at himself. His previously immaculate hair was disheveled. His eyes were red. Tears had dried on his face. Jinyoung wanted to get rid of what he was feeling, even for moment.

 

He stripped and took a scalding shower. From head to toe, he scrubbed his entire body. The water and force he used on his skin turned it red. He washed all of the product out of his hair. He washed his face, letting the water stream beat against his face. Once he was properly washed, he stood in the shower for a few more moments. He concentrated on the sound of the water around him, until he started to doze off. He stepped out and lazily brushed his teeth. He patted himself dry, his skin still red. He exited the bathroom and crawled into his bed under enormous numbers of blankets. Jinyoung felt clean and refreshed on the outside, but his emotions were still in distress. He rubbed his face against his pillow a couple of moments before falling asleep.

 

When Jinyoung woke up, he had only one thought: to see Jaebum. He quickly got himself together and attempted to not look like a mess. The dark circles didn't illustrate that he had his life together, but other than that, he looked normal. He stopped by a nearby cafe and grabbed some sort of breakfast. The bus ride to the hospital was pretty good as he scrolled through their text messages over the past couple of months. He didn't know the next time Jaebum would respond to anything he said.

 

Once he reached Jaebum's room, Jinyoung's emotions were no longer able to be patched. The reality of the situation was in right in front of his eyes. Jaebum was hooked up to so many machines, he had so many tubes and machines attached to him. There was a small stitch on the corner of his forehead. He wasn't the right color, even with the late spring sun streaming through the open blinds. Everything about this scene reminded Jinyoung of reality.

 

Jaebum's parents slept uncomfortably around his bed. He wanted to relieve of their discomfort for a little while.

 

“Mr. and Mrs. Im, wake up.” Jinyoung slightly shook their shoulders. The couple slowly lifted their heads and looked around.

 

“Hello Jinyoung,” Mrs. Im said with a small smile. Jaebum smiled just like that. He looked so much like her.

 

“Hello. I can stay for a while. You two should go get some rest. It's not healthy to be couped up in a hospital room. Don't worry. I'll keep him good company.”

 

Jaebum’s mom smiled. She looked over to her husband and he nodded in agreement. The both stood up and stretched. She walked over to Jinyoung and gave him a quick hug while Jaebum's dad patted him on the shoulder. The couple left without too much fuss.

 

Jinyoung sat down where Jaebum's dad had been sitting. The sun wouldn't be in his eyes that way. He placed his bag on the floor set up his breakfast on a small pullout table.

 

“This is strange,” Jinyoung said after his first bite of food. “I know I did this yesterday, but now that I'm not running on so many emotions at the same time. It's strange talking to you when you're like this.” He ate some food and talked to him about it. He didn't really know what else to say.

 

“Jaebum, I'm sorry. I said some mean things not knowing you were in such a situation. I didn't mean it.” He took a deep breath and exhaled. “This is like all the romantic movies we watched. One person says something terrible to the other and has trouble taking it back. I'm sorry to have said such terrible things while you were doing something so noble. I hope you laugh when you hear my voicemails and read my texts. If not, I don't know what I'll do.” Jinyoung let a couple of tears fall before pushing them away with the back of his hand. He knew that crying wouldn't solve anything, but he couldn't help it.

 

After he calmed himself, he started to read a book out loud. They were supposed to read it together this summer as a lame couple activity, but now he wasn't positive they'd be able to do it. At least this way, they could share it, even if it's only in one of their memories. Jinyoung made sure to insert his comments and laugh at himself. He almost felt like Jaebum was enjoying it with him. Like when they cuddled on Jinyoung's bed at his apartment. Jinyoung read a book while Jaebum read a textbook. He'd be wrapped in the older's warmth, listening to his heartbeat as he read an old British poem inserted into a paragraph of a less old, but still old, novel. This position wasn't efficient, but it made the activities more enjoyable.

 

Jinyoung closed the book in the fifth chapter. It was thirty chapters long and complex. When he looked through the windows, the sun shone brightly, indicating the time as mid-afternoon. Just as he was about to pull out another book, one Jaebum refused to read as well, Jaebum's grandparents entered.

 

“Jinyoung! It's good to see you,” Jaebum's grandfather said brightly. He wrapped said man in a deep hug. “How long have you been here?”

 

“Since nine or so this morning.”

 

“Have you eaten since?” Jaebum's grandmother said as she set her things down.

 

“I ate breakfast when I arrived but nothing since.”

 

“We’ll relieve you of your watch duties. Go eat something, get some fresh air and some exercise.”

 

“If you're sure…”

 

“We're sure. Go. Take as long as you need,” Jaebum's grandfather said as he shoved Jinyoung out of the door. His wife pushed his bag into his arms.

 

Jinyoung sighed and decided to go get something to eat quickly. As he walked outside of the ICU, he saw a girl about his age with flowers in her hands wandering around.

 

“Are you lost?” Jinyoung asked softly.

 

“Yes.” She pushed her bangs behind her ear. “I'm looking for a room, but I'm not on the visitors list. I'm visiting a guy that I heard was here.”

 

“Well could you give me a description of him? I was in there a few moments ago.”

 

“Well he was taller than me, about your height. He had black hair. It was styled when we encountered each other. He was also wearing formal clothes and was holding a bouquet of flowers. He had number of ear piercings and rings.!He saved me from an attacker, but I heard he was critically injured.”

 

Jinyoung tried to swallow the lump in his throat. He looked her over, noting the bruises on her wrist and arms, the bandage on her knee, and the hospital bracelet on her wrist. She was the one Jaebum saved last night. “What's your name?”

 

“Park Sae Rim.”

 

“I'm his boyfriend. He saved you last night. His name is Im Jaebum. He's in a coma.”

 

The girl was shocked. She covered with one of her hands. Her eyes started watering. “I'm so sorry. I shouldn't be here. I just wanted to thank him. I'll leave. Whenever he wakes up, tell him I appreciate what he did.” The girl turned to leave, but Jinyoung caught her arm.

 

“Wait!” Jinyoung said passionately. “You don't have to leave. He's in room 6. His grandparents are in there, but they would appreciate your presence. When you're done, can we eat together?”

 

The girl nodded. Jinyoung let go of her. She pushed through the doors. Jinyoung waited anxiously across from the door. He wanted to know what happened that night, more than what she told the police.

 

After about thirty minutes, Se Rim returned. She had drying tears on her face. She bowed to him and started walking towards the exit of the hospital. Jinyoung silently followed. He followed her to this small cafe in front of the hospital. They ordered separately and seated themselves in a back corner area near a window. They didn't speak until after their food arrived.

 

“How are you?” Jinyoung asked. He could imagine how traumatizing an experience like she had could be.

 

“Well, I'll be honest…” she paused, “I didn't sleep at all last night. Once I called emergency services, Jaebum and I went to the hospital. The police questioned me after I was treated. I called my parents and told them what happened, which was really hard. I stayed overnight for observation, but I wasn't able to sleep. Everything that happened, I can still see it.” She took a sip of water before continuing. “I was discharged late this morning so I went to my apartment and changed clothes. I decided I wanted to thank my savior so I bought some flowers and tried my best to find him. I wish he hadn't been injured like that because of me. I was so stupid.”

 

“Can you tell me what happened?”

 

She took a deep drink of water. He knew it would be hard for her to talk about, something so fresh, but he needed to know what Jaebum went through. “I work at an office that's really close to my apartment so I walk. There's a convenience store that I pass everyday, and these creepy guys call to me and make rude gestures. Usually it's just verbal harassment, and I ignore it. Unfortunately yesterday one of the guys decided to get drunk and push his luck. He approached me, and I told him I wasn't interested.

 

I tried to go on my way, but he grabbed my wrist and pulled me into an alleyway. He cornered me and start advancing towards me. I kept objecting, but he kept saying disgusting things while trying to kiss me. I started struggling and he pushed me against a wall. He touched my leg and said some creepy things. Even though I was screaming, nobody would help me. I guess they thought we were in a relationship or they weren't paying attention.

 

Suddenly, somebody yanked him off of me. The drunk guy turned around and swung at my savior. He was still holding onto my wrist.

 

Jaebum told him to leave me alone and go home. The other guy told him to mind his own business. Jaebum insisted on intervening. He even asked if I was okay. I saw then that he was dressed nicely and had flowers in his hand. The guy pushed him, and Jaebum made a face like he was resisting getting into a fight. Then he got pushed again while that guy called him names and said rude things.

 

Suddenly, Jaebum threw the flowers to the side. He shoved the guy which made me fall. He let go of me as Jaebum started hitting him, telling him to be respectful to people. They exchanged some blows, but I guess Jaebum was winning when suddenly the guy pulled out a knife and stabbed him.

 

I couldn't believe it. I barely saw it. Jaebum didn't even give in. He kept fighting until the guy stabbed him a couple more times. This time I clearly saw what happened so I rushed to call emergency services. I fell a couple of times which is why I scraped my knees.

 

By the time I rushed back, Jaebum was on the ground. It seemed like he hit his forehead at some point. The knife was abandoned on the ground, and our attacker was gone.

 

We were rushed to the hospital in separate ambulances. I talked to the police at the scene. When I was done, I went to the hospital to be evaluated, and it was there I heard what happened to the guy I was saved by from the nurses. The sketch artist came by, and I described our attacker. You know the rest of what happened last night and earlier today.”

 

“I'm sorry you had to experience something so traumatic.” Jinyoung reached over and grabbed her hand. “Don't feel guilty about what happened. Jaebum knew what he was doing was right so there are no regrets on his part. You weren't in the wrong; that criminal who stabbed my boyfriend is.”

 

“How are you able to see it like that?”

 

“Jaebum's been through a lot so I'm glad he could use his life to help someone else. He also did what he felt was right so I won't blame you for his actions and their consequences.”

 

“I hope he gets better soon.”

 

“I do too.”

 

Later that night, before Jinyoung went to sleep in the chair next to Jaebum’s bed, he looked out of the window at the skyline. He moved Jaebum's bangs away from his forehead softly while playing in his hair.

 

“The girl you saved is really grateful.” He moved over a couple of strands. “You should wake up soon so that you can receive her thanks in person.” Jinyoung paused again. “Please wake up soon so that I won't be lonely. I want to go on a fancy date like we were supposed to. That may seem selfish, but I want to be with you. You make me so happy that I don't know how I'll survive with you like this. If you don't want me to suffer, please wake up. I'm sorry. That was selfish of me. I just want you back awake and healed.” He his face lightly. “Good night Jaebum.”

 

Jinyoung settled down for the night. He's having a difficult time. He was at peace with the situation which seemed strange. He understood how it happened, and he could accept that. The issue was the results. Jaebum was in a coma for an indefinite amount of time. It broke his heart thinking about it. He decided that the best way to encourage Jaebum to recover and accelerate his healing was to devote all of his time into staying by his side and helping his family through the difficulties.

 

---

 

Jinyoung opened the door to Jaebum's apartment weakly. He was exhausted, but he couldn't imagine doing anything else. He'd even established a routine: spend the night at the hospital, wake up and eat breakfast Jaebum's grandparents, go out to feed Nora, change her litter and clean Jaebum's place, go home and shower and change clothes and sleep a little while (this outing was for only about three to four hours total), go back to the hospital, eat a snack and read to Jaebum, eat dinner with Jaebum's family, and then spend the rest of the night by his side.

 

He'd decided to take a leave of absence from work which meant he wouldn't have a steady income. This would lead him to becoming late on his rent. It was concerning, but he'd find out how to handle it when the time came. Jinyoung was much more concerned with Jaebum. When he learned what happen, Jinyoung gained that much more appreciation of him. Jinyoung felt that taking care of Jaebum with his whole self was the right thing to do. Even if he was tired or uncomfortable, he felt that effort he was putting in was helping Jaebum recover.

 

It'd been about two weeks, and Jaebum was out of the danger zone. His wounds had healed significantly, even the stitch on his forehead had been removed. He was still in a coma, but at least his body wasn't on the verge of shutting down anymore. Jinyoung liked to think his storytelling contributed.

 

The next day, Jinyoung read silently by the window in a chair. It was nearing his time to leave. He so desperately wanted to sleep in a bed and cuddle with Nora. He'd probably just sleep in Jaebum's apartment liked he'd done the past couple of days. His habits had been weird lately with the fact he started trying to surround himself in Jaebum's scent, via body wash and shampoo, and his presence. Even though it didn't really satisfy his desire to be around Jaebum, he couldn't help himself.

 

“Jinyoung let's go get some food.”

 

Jinyoung nodded reluctantly. He wanted to be by Jaebum's side as often as possible. He wanted to be there when he woke up. He followed Jaebum's grandmother as they went to the hospital cafe and bought a boxed lunch and coffee. They ate in silence for awhile until she broke the silence.

 

“Jinyoung, you need to stop coming to the hospital.”

 

Jinyoung looked up. He was startled as his brain received the words. He started panicking and quickly became overwhelmed. Did they not like him? Did they blame him? Was he too much of a burden on Jaebum?

 

“We won't allow you to come here if you keep neglecting yourself, school, and your job. We know you really care for him and want to be there when he wakes up, but it's not healthy to be like this. This isn't what he would want. He would want you to go to school, to go to your job, to rest properly, and to take care of yourself. He never felt like he was more important than those things. His request would be for you to do what you have to do.”

 

“How can I go on with my life while he lays in a hospital bed? What if he never wakes up? How could I live with myself while going on with a daily routine without him?”

 

Jaebum's grandmother grabbed his hand. “My grandson cares so much about you. You've become the center of his universe. He wouldn't want you to spend the rest of your days waiting do him to open his eyes and say your name. He would want you to finish college, socialize, go to work, visit your parents, and let him fit around that. When he does wake up, we'll let you know. We don't want you to waste your time waiting for someone who always takes his time with everything.”

 

“What am I supposed to do?”

 

“We'll start by sleeping. Then go to your job and apologize for being absent for two weeks. If they fire you, accept it; go get a new job if necessary. Are you going to be late on your rent?”

 

“Probably. I can find a new place.”

 

“I have an offer.”

 

“What is it?”

 

“We want you to move in with Jaebum. He shouldn't be climbing stairs to get into his bed. We want you to move his stuff into a new apartment. He'll also need some assistance recovering from being asleep so long, and he probably won't want our assistance. I know that what I'm requesting is very forward, but I think it's the best option. The rest of our family agrees.

 

“Are you sure?”

 

“Yes. When Jaebum wakes up you'll be the best thing to help him recover.”

 

“After we move our stuff, what then?”

 

“Go back to work. Take care of Nora. It’s the summer, have fun, continue working, and as we see your return to normalcy, we'll allow you to visit more often and longer. From now on you're restricted.”

 

“I can't go back?”

 

“That's not what we mean. You'll only be allowed here for two hours a day and sleepover three nights a week which cannot be consecutive.” She took his hand. “It's not a punishment, but we don't want you to spend your days in a hospital. I know he wouldn't want that either.”

 

“I don't know what I'm supposed to do except be by his side. He was by my side through everything over the past months; I need to do the same for him. How else can I be there for him?”

 

“You'll have to figure that out for yourself. Whatever you decide we'll support you. You need to make decisions that make your life better. Don’t wait around for him. Enjoy life.”

 

How could he make his life better? A life without Jaebum by his side seemed bleak. Jinyoung desperately clung onto the belief that he would wake up soon, but what if he didn’t? Jinyoung knew that spending the rest of his days in a hospital of his own free will, when he was not physically or mentally ill, was not productive. With that revelation, he decided that he would do whatever to make Jaebum’s life easier when he woke up. He'd start by taking Nora to his apartment.