12 | Back in the city

 

 

***

 

 

It was a good jog around the town on a cold night, Yoong returned home feeling recharged with sweats all over his face. Bowing to Seohyun's parents by the living room, he makes his way to the kitchen and got himself a bottle of water and drinks it in two go. A huge exhale escapes his mouth as wipes his lips with his forearm. 

 

As he put the bottle on the trash bin, he heard Seohyun's voice from upstairs calling for him. He walks out and raises his eyebrows at her upstairs.

 

"Come inside the room." Instructed Seohyun as she returned to their room.

 

Casually Yoong followed and got the towel nearby to wipes off the sweats on his forehead, face and neck. "Wae?" 

 

"Tiffany called." Informed Seohyun while holding her phone with shaky hands.

 

"And?" 

 

"Your brother... He's in the hospital. So-someone stabbed him." She stammers to continue.

 

At the first second, Yoong couldn't understand it but as seconds pass and it slowly processes his brain, he hastily got his phone on top of the nightstand and checks his phone, just to see the miss calls from Tiffany and his Uncle. "Damn it. They've been calling me." He missed to answer it because he muted it.

 

Opening one of the messages, his heart skipped a beat.

 

Uncle Kim: He loses a lot of blood. The hospital has run out of the AB blood type. We need you here to donate yours. Otherwise, he'll be in great danger. 

 

". I need to return to Seoul."

 

Seohyun hastily grabs her boyfriend's hands. "I'll let you go there but you need to calm first. I don't want anything bad happens to you too." 

 

Yoong nodded and he closes his eyes to let himself relax. He did the breathing exercise for a couple of minutes and finally smiled confidently to Seohyun.

 

"Take care." Said Seohyun, giving him a hug and a loving kiss on the cheek. "I'll explain it to my parents later."

 

"I'll call you when I got there." Yoong said as he immediately went to the closet and took his coat. He grabs his wallet and kissed Seohyun again on the lips before he went out and just bowed to her parents as he left the house hastily.

 

Seohyun went downstairs to explain everything.

 

"I hope his brother will be fine." Mrs. Seo softly said she silently prayed.

 

 

:::

 

 

It took only an hour flight and 30 minutes to reach the hospital, Yoong was immediately guided to a room by a nurse and let him first, while lying down.

 

"Can you tell me any update on my brother?" He asks the nurse.

 

"He's still in the surgery room. But I have no idea of his status. We were only tasked to get your blood needed for him." The Nurse answered as she prepared the needed stuff to get enough blood from the doe-eyed.

 

"I'll be back in a few minutes, stay in the bed, and please keep calm. Clear your mind so your body has more reason to relax." Instructed the nurse before he casually left him.

 

Yoong took a deep breath and slowly exhales. He did this for the next few minutes until he feels his muscles relaxing. The Nurse returned and finally took blood from him through his arm. It hurts but he can handle it.

 

"Don't leave right away, take at least fifteen minutes before you get up." The Nurse instructed again after getting enough blood from him. He gives him some sweets to recharge himself back as he takes the blood to the surgery room.

 

Tiffany entered the room and greeted the doe-eyed with such a warm smile. "I'm proud of you, Yoong."

 

"He'll be fine right?" ask Yoong in a low voice. 

 

"He will be... let's keep the faith." said Tiffany softly, giving the younger Im a gentle rub on his hand.

 

Sighing, Yoong's lips curved into a small smile. "Thank you for immediately calling Seohyun, Noona." he softly says.

 

"It's nothing." Tiffany gently shakes her head. "I got this call out of a sudden and yeah, I immediately think of you."

 

"My Uncle called you?"

 

"Nope. A nurse. I think they saw my number on his speed dial."

 

Yoong nodded as he understands. "But... just when did he assign you in his speed dial?" And it got him curious.

 

"We're friends and he does that to his friends." Tiffany smiled amused at the innocent question from the doe-eyed. "But he's definitely a special friend. You know he helps me a lot during the time I was too new in my work."

 

"Are you guys... dating?" ask Yoong, teasingly.

 

"What? No! We are not." Tiffany chuckled softly. "I'm... dating Yul rather." She hesitantly confessed.

 

"Omo, Chincha?" 

 

"Yes, last week."

 

Yoong scoffs in disbelief. "And Yul never shared about that. That bastard." he chuckled at the end and slight cough.

 

"We're keeping it for the meantime." Tiffany shyly shares. "And he's a bit busy so we barely meet. Maybe when the project is done... we'll definitely tell the world." and she playfully added earning laughs from the doe-eyed.

 

 

:::

 

 

As soon as the surgery room opened, Yoong hastily checks on his brother, who is still asleep and looking so pale that breaks his heart that instant. He took a step on the side to let the doctor continue transferring his brother. It was a success but he seems to be having a hard time breathing still.

 

"It'll take some time for him to have his recovery." One of the doctors told him, who just came out of the room.

 

"Wae?" He weakly asks.

 

"The stab he got from behind injured his right lung. That's the reason he's still in oxygen. But we'll do our best to treat him." The doctor said with an assuring smile to the doe-eyed and his Uncle behind before he bows and followed his patient.

 

Yoong almost lost his balance after hearing it but his Uncle got his arm almost immediately.

 

"Stay strong, Yoong." His Uncle told him, rubbing his back gently for comfort.

 

"Did the detective contacted you already?" ask Yoong when he thought of the person who did it to his brother.

 

"Tomorrow, they'll be here. But good thing they have tracked the van that left the company. The person who stabbed your brother seems to be the same person who stole your files. The detective confirmed to me earlier." His Uncle shared seriously. 

 

"Taehyung." Yoong muttered as he clenched his fists. 

 

"I doubt so, but that person is definitely connected to him."

 

Yoong pause as he thinks over. "K-Kyungpyo?" As there's only one person he knew that's close to his old friend.

 

"The actor?"

 

"Yes. They're friends."

 

"We'll see in their investigation result, hopefully, they have it right."

 

Yoong heaved a sigh and cursed inside his mind. 'He did not only hurt my girlfriend but also my brother. Damn him.'

 

-

 

"You should go home first, Yoong." said Tiffany upon seeing the doe-eyed is still sitting next to his brother in a chair, staring at him with concerned eyes.

 

"No, I'm staying." Yoong shakes his head. "You should be the one leaving by now." and he added as a matter of fact.

 

"Nah, it's okay. I will only stay in the apartment thinking of him." Tiffany declined, taking her seat on the sofa. "And Yul will be here later in the morning."

 

Yoong was about to react when his phone beeps. He took it out from the pocket of his coat and saw Seohyun's name on the screen, bringing a little smile on his face as he opens it.

 

 

"Um, Noona, do you have an earphone with you?" He asks the older as he gets up.

 

"Yup." Tiffany took the earphone from her sling bag and handed it. "Wae?" she got curious.

 

"I'll just listen to some songs." Yoong flashes a cute smile as he returned to the chair and listen to the voice his girlfriend sent.

 

 

His smile got wider hearing her voice that flutters his heart. The song is one of his favorites and listening to her voice just cheers him up. He couldn't help and loop it as he sent her a message.

 

-

 

Husband♥: I love you too, always. Good night~ 

 

Seohyun smiled a little as she reads the response that she needed before she put aside her phone and closes her eyes, falling asleep later next to her mother.

 

-

 

"Look this pathetic punk." Tiffany suddenly said which cause Yoong to turn to her. "Taehyung, he's trending because the people that use the AI are complaining about the down servers. Also because there are privacy concerns."

 

"He didn't get that project well?" Yoong raises his brows.

 

"That wasn't his original idea, of course, there are bugs around. Must be the reason he sent a man to try to barge into your lab." 

 

"Why can't he make his own?"

 

"I don't know, he's an insecure . Or he's just really stupid to even think of his own. Tsk." Tiffany couldn't hold and said those words, earning a small chuckle from the doe-eyed.

 

Yoong returned his attention to his brother and sighs heavily again, looking at him. 'Please get well soon, bro. I don't think I can handle the company without you.' he thought worriedly. 'But of course, you need to get well... you still have to see me marrying and your niece.'

 

 

:::

 

 

Three days later since the detective has responded to Yoong's call for help, Kyungpyo and Taehyung are captured in an internet cafe. Yoong didn't think twice and he went to the police station before the two came. He waited at least thirty minutes until they arrived, he couldn't control his urge to throw a punch at Kyungpyo, almost knocking him down if the police weren't holding his arm.

 

"You happy now? Huh? You did not only steal my work but also hurt my brother. This is over. YOU ARE ING OVER!" He shouted at him and attempted to punch him again when two police finally hold him back. Kyungpyo only laughs as he walked pass at him. But Taehyung is hanging his head low when he follows his friend.

 

"Aish." Yoong yanks everyone's holding on to him as he glares at them. He turned and walked out of the station to calm himself down and also breathe for air. He however had to step on the side immediately when a lot of reporters rushes to the station to get a scoop on what happened to the actor. "He deserves that." he mutters and took his phone to check a portal site just to see Kyungpyo trending and netizens are cursing at him. 

 

Putting his phone back in his pocket, he stepped into his car and drives himself back to the hospital.

 

 

:::

 

A month later~

 

 

Heartbeats fast, footsteps fast and breathing is uneven, Yoong is running all the way to his brother's private ward when he learned the doctors are giving him CPR. He thought he will be waking anytime but it looked like his condition has worsened and he was in a coma for a month. Now, it scares him to completely not see him sleeping forever.

 

Everything from the past flashing back before his eyes, the feeling of losing their parents, it's the same. It's the same.

 

Upon reaching the room, he was blocked when he tried to enter. "Hyung! Please don't let go!" He yelled in desperate, as tears drop in the corner of his eyes while he couldn't look away, watching the doctor straddling on him while pumping on his chest.

 

"Yah! You promised me!" He wailed struggling to the strong arms preventing him from coming inside. His heart is torn into pieces the more he just watches from the outside. He is scared to lose the only family he has left. "Please!" He begs and begs as he finally didn't badge on the bodyguard.

 

"Kyungpyo is already in jail with Taehyung. It's them who should be suffering here, not you neither me." He added as he sniffles.

 

"Don't let them win please..." He cried and cried, as he dropped on his knees and clasp his two hands, silently praying and begging for his brother.

 

After a while Tiffany and Yul came, just on time, the doctors stopped what they are doing. 

 

Yoong looked up and had chills down his spine when he saw the lines are now moving zigzag again and that the doctor is smiling warmly at him. They were able to revive him but he has yet to wake up. At least he isn't in danger anymore.

 

Getting on his feet, he approached him and leaned down to hug him. "Thank you... Thank you... Bro... Thank you, Lord." Whispered him as he continues to cry on his brother's shoulder.

 

Yul and Tiffany are smiling with their watery eyes.

 

*

 

"Yoong!"

 

Upon hearing the eye-smiled girl from behind, Yoong stopped from his tracks as he raises his brows.

 

"You're going to Seohyun tonight, right?" Ask Tiffany.

 

Yoong was about to answer when his phone rings, quickly making him hold Tiffany as he checks his phone and smiles to read his wife's caller ID: my cutie wife

 

"Hey." He greeted softly.

 

[I'm in the airport.]

 

"Omo, what?" Are you stupid?" He couldn't help ad exclaimed.

 

[It's our baby's fifth month. I don't want you to fly back again for me. But I'll be back in a week so no worries. I'm with my midwife, Hyo Unnie either way. Also, I want to visit your brother.] 

 

"Ugh, what else can I do?" Yoong groaned in defeat. "I'll fetch you guys. Don't go anywhere."

 

[I was about to ask you that.]

 

"Okay, I'll see you later." With that said, Yoong ended the call and turned his attention back to Tiffany. "She's here, Noona. Do you want to tag along?"

 

"Oh, that's great to know! But I'm looking after your brother tonight. Here, just send my regards to Hyun." Smiled Tiffany genuinely, handing a small paper bag to the doe-eyed.

 

"What's this?" Yoong got confused as he checks what's inside the paper bag.

 

"We missed visiting you guys the day you registered your marriage. It's a gift." Explained Tiffany as she smiled briefly.

 

"Right. But you shouldn't have to."

 

"Nah, I am going to be your baby's godmother. Just take it." Said Tiffany as it also excites her.

 

Yoong bowed in gratefulness. "Thank you for this, Noona. I'll make sure to hand this to my wife." He flashes a brief small smile and finally went to the lift.

 

Tiffany waves her hand and turned her body around to walk back to the ward.

 

 

:::

 

 

Taking their luggage, Yoong brought it to the trunk and hastily opened the door fro