[A/N]

hello did yall see the foreshadowing from minas mom (that i totally forgot i killed off rip)

first of all im so sorry but the story must go on and this chap isnt as bad as some of u thought

yall are telling me to stop with this angst im so fhdsajk (but im finding it a good thing that im generating strong reactions it means my writing isnt as bad as i thought??)

anyway IM STILL NOT OVER THIS MINAYEON MOMENT OH MY GOOOOD https://twitter.com/fluffyminari/status/899507708570648576

*insert nayeon backhugging mina*

---

I will never let you fall

I'll stand up with you forever

I'll be there for you through it all

Even if saving you sends me to heaven

-

Nayeon solemnly stood in front of the hospital entrance. There was no more life left in her to step inside.

Passers-by bumped into her, cursed her, wondered why she was just standing in the middle of the way. Nayeon let herself be run into, no matter how hard, no matter how often. Her body felt weak, soulless, empty. Nothing mattered anymore. Not when she didn't have her Mina next to her.

She slowly lowered her head to check the time on her phone. She's been standing there for about 20 minutes. She saw that Mina's dad also texted her that he was waiting at the waiting room for her.

But there was another text.

A text that made Nayeon slowly regain life.

"She's alive."

-

Nayeon speed-walked, already breathing unevenly, into the waiting room to find him sitting down. He got up as he saw her and gave her a sympathetic smile. However, Nayeon didn't return it. Her mind was set on only one thing.

"Where is she?" Nayeon's features were cold. Her tone frigid. 

"Nayeon, they're running tests on her now," he said as he tried to comfort her for the time being. "The doctor told me to leav-"

Nayeon abruptly walked past him, interrupting him. She just wanted to know where she was. Why wasn't he answering her simple question? If he wasn't going to tell her, she would have to figure out herself. She made her way to the information desk, when she felt someone lightly grip her shoulder. 

"Nayeon." His serious tone made Nayeon more willing to listen to him. "If I could, I would tell you. They told me they were changing her room after the tests, but they haven't informed me of where yet. Please."

Nayeon tensed up and took a deep breath.

"Then why didn't you find someone who knows?" Nayeon retaliated, a hint of hostility in her voice. "If you cared, you would've-"

"Nayeon! Please..." he said. His compassionate smile couldn't hide how heartbroken he looked. "My... My little Mina... I can't lose her too..."

Nayeon caught herself. Her malicious eyes immediately turned apologetic. She suddenly regretted everything she had said.

How dare she be so selfish? How dare she accuse Mina's own father for not caring? How dare she forget about Mina's mother, his wife? Nayeon felt detestable. Disrespectful. She was disgusted at herself. She became a completely different person.

"I-I'm- I'm sorry," she rambled. Nayeon couldn't believe her actions. She nervously bowed to him for forgiveness. "I'm so sorry, I didn't think-I wasn't thinking-I-" 

"It's okay, Nayeon, it's okay," he softly said as he patted her head. "I'm not mad at you for caring about her. We just need to be a little bit patient, I promise you'll get to see her when they're done."

Nayeon's body was still inclined, in shame. She was too embarrassed and overwhelmed to get back up after her mistake.

"I'm s-sorry," she shakily whimpered. Her eyes slowly started to tear up. "I'm... I was just so... so worried..."

Nayeon didn't even know if her mumbling was audible. She slowly felt her face grimace with distress. She covered with her hand, trying to hold back her tears, trying to hide her pain. She refused to look so broken in front of him, in front of anyone.

Mina's father couldn't see Nayeon's face, but he saw the tears slowly falling on the floor beneath her. He hasn't seen Nayeon so sentimental about anything else but Mina. He felt reassured. His daughter married the right person.

"It's okay, Nayeon," he comforted her, gently rubbing her trembling back as she cried. "It'll be okay."

-

Nayeon couldn't stop fidgeting. They were waiting for a doctor to come see them. She had managed to calm down after she realized she couldn't do anything but wait. But she wasn't going to leave until she saw Mina.

She played around with her fingers and stopped as she stumbled upon her wedding ring. She lightly rubbed and twisted it around. She didn't know if thinking of Mina would worry her or calm her down more.

"Are you here for Myoui Mina?"

Nayeon quickly whipped her head up to see a tall doctor speaking towards her and Mina's dad. She had tanned skin and beautiful black hair. Nayeon could tell she was younger than her (and unfortunately taller than her). And very pretty.

"I'm Dr. Chou, but call me Tzuyu. I was assigned to take care of Miss Myoui as she recovers."

"Where-" Nayeon half-exclaimed. She immediately softened her tone, remembering what had happened earlier. "-is she now? A-Are we allowed to see her?"

The doctor gestured for them to follow her. Nayeon's heart beat faster each time she took a step closer to where Mina was.

"Her condition is stable at the moment, we just ran a few tests on her and..." she paused and side-eyed Nayeon. "You have the same wedding ring as her."

"Huh?" Nayeon blinked at the sudden change of topic and looked at her ring. "Oh! Yeah, I'm-we're married."

"She had to take it off for us to run the CT scan on her so I noticed the similarity," she smiled at the blushing Nayeon. "You guys make a cute couple."

"T-thank you," Nayeon replied, shyly smiling back. She was grateful to the doctor for lightening the mood.

They got out as the elevator reached the third floor. They were getting closer.

"We think the cause is hereditary. Her records show her mother also suffered from one."

Nayeon saw Mina's father's expression turn mournful. She could see he wasn't ready to face the same situation again.

"How is she now?" he asked.

"She's fine now, but she's still a bit shaken up by the..." Tzuyu stopped in front of a closed room and turned around to face them. "She's in here."

"Shaken up by what?" Nayeon pressed on. She wanted to see Mina as soon as possible, but she wanted the doctor to finish her sentence. Why was Mina still agitated?

Tzuyu stared at Nayeon for a moment, looking somehow relunctant about what she said.

"By the pain."

Nayeon's heart sank.

-

Mina's father took a step inside first, with Nayeon hiding anxiously behind him. She still wasn't sure if she was ready or not to face her. She should've washed her face or checked herself in the mirror beforehand.

Her father bent down to give Mina a big hug, and her arms slowly wrapped around him. Nayeon noticed that there was a catheter inserted into a vein of Mina's pale hand. She followed the long tube that was connected to an IV bag.

She watched as the liquid slowly dripped the life back into Mina. Nayeon couldn't do that. Nayeon could try her best to comfort her, to soothe Mina's heart when she was sad. But Nayeon wasn't a doctor. Nayeon wouldn't know what to do to soothe Mina's actual heart if ever something went wrong again. Nayeon wouldn't know what to do to soothe Mina's physical pain. Nayeon couldn't stop another attack from happening. She felt helpless as she watched every drop of the clear liquid do things that she would never be able to do.

"Nayeon?"

Mina's soft voice snapped Nayeon out of her daze. She looked around to find Mina's father gone, leaving only her and Mina in the room.

"He left for work. He has patients like me to tend to as well."

Nayeon was shattered at the sight of her. Mina looked frail, weak. She still looked delicate, but not in the way Nayeon always saw her. Not in the way Nayeon would brag about. Why would she brag about how close she looked to death? Mina looked like she had been up the whole night. Was she coughing again but didn't tell me?

Nayeon silently approached her, and Mina took her hand in hers. Mina's hand was cold. Nayeon only lightly squeezed her hand, as she felt like Mina could break into pieces if she pressed down too hard. 

Mina steadily lifted her other hand up to caress Nayeon's cheek. Her other hand was cold as well. Nayeon shut her eyes, leaning into the touch. Even the drips of life weren't enough to help Mina.

"You've been crying," Mina said, staring at her in concern, as if she wasn't the one in the hospital bed at the moment.

"You act like it's not a normal thing to do when you find out your wife almost died."

Nayeon put her own hand over Mina's hand that was on her cheek. She wanted to transfer all the warmth she could to Mina. She wanted to do what Mina has been doing to her for years.

"Don't worry, I have to live," Mina quietly stated. "I have to live for my mom. My dad."

"Me..." Nayeon mumbled, "How about me?"

"And for you-" Mina cupped Nayeon's face.

"Please don't leave me..." Nayeon whimpered as she felt tears coming up again.

"For you, I need to live."

-

The alarm set for 7am went off. Nayeon reluctantly rolled over towards the nightstand on her side of the bed to turn it off. The alarm was moved to her side, since Mina's side was now occupied. Occupied by various prescription drugs. Aspirin. A glass of water.