omg I put this story on a halt for like a wEEK (or two idk) aw but its back now. it is only because I'm writing a new story (actually planned out this time) and I don't know whether I should start the story now, along with "Nicotine" or just do it after. (it's an EXO fanfic btw for all you EXO-L's out there) SO YEAH comment below which one I should do (start it now or finish nicotine before starting it) and enjoy this short update since I'm really sick whoo. ps. - not really sure if I already posted this oops - kpopidiots26 💋

Darting from one side of the hospital to the other, Soohyun was frantically searching for the man claiming that he was Jinhwan's father.

By the time she had reached the entrance to the operating room, he had vanished. That bastard forced Jinhwan into the operating room while sedated with only a click of his pen, and Soohyun didn't know a single detail about anything.

God, how could she be so stupid?

But what kind of sick man would do such a thing? Jinhwan had no family, and the man had no right to impersonate. But looking back, Soohyun has been doing the same thing. And to top it all off, she had let Jinhwan down with everything she's done.

She couldn't get in the operating room. Since they already started, there was no way to stop the operation or to get any information, leaving Soohyun as clueless as the first day that she and Jinhwan met. If this happened a month ago, Soohyun would've been screaming, kicking, and crying to see her boyfriend. But knowing that their relationship progressed, Jinhwan wouldn't want her to do that.

But oh, did she want to.

But no tears were of any use now. She just had to wait until the surgeons came out, and to hear the nurses say that he was going to be okay. She heard that surgeries can last for hours only to have the patient die on the table. Getting down on her knees in front of the entrance, Soohyun prayed to Jinhwan's mother to let him stay with her for a while. It may seem selfish, but she didn't want to see Jinhwan leave her for his mother yet. It was too early.

Soohyun must've fallen asleep because when she woke up, a crowd of hospital staff was looming over her. "Ma'am, are you alright?" Soohyun was hooked up to a machine identical to Jinhwan's. She sat up, peeling the wires off of her and sighing. "Yes, I'm absolutely fine. Where is Kim Jinhwan?"

"He's been moved to a different room in the intensive care unit. Apparently, an infection spread during the operation and..." The nurse couldn't continue. Soohyun couldn't look her in the eyes, because if she did, she was afraid that she would see the worst.

"He's going to be fine." Soohyun whispered, entangling her fingers with each other nervously. The doctors and nurses all looked at her quizzically, surprised at her reaction since this wasn't usual. She mustered her courage and gazed into each of their faces, not noticing the tear rolling down her cheek as she smiled.

"He promised me that he is going to be okay. I believe him more than I believe any of you." She stood up from the bed, flicking the last wire off of her arm. She stood outside the ICU, staring at the plain white wall. The squeaking of a wheelchair sounded behind her, and a familiar voice called out.

"Your effort is futile."

Soohyun turned around only for her eyes to meet with Mrs. Min's, who slumped in the wheelchair with heavy breaths. "He will walk out of there, and you will be sorry for doubting us." She even surprised herself with the venom that was spewing from her own mouth, but she couldn't help but be defensive for Jinhwan.

Mrs. Min narrowed her eyes before a nurse rushed her down the hall. Her eyelids fluttered until they slammed onto the bottom of her eyes, and her last breath escaped mercilessly. And Soohyun felt no sorrow towards the woman. Like before, if this happened a month ago, Soohyun would've been running after the wheelchair to beg for forgiveness.

But she only slid her back down the wall until she was sitting in an uncomfortable position. "I killed her." she squeaked to herself, the old Soohyun starting to come back.

"And I'm going to kill my boyfriend, too."

Mrs. Min's words drifted around her head in an elliptical path until they rammed themselves into her ears. Your efforts are futile. Your love is so innocent, so pure...so fatal.

This hospital was supposed to save people, not pack them away while invading the visitors' minds with the worst thoughts for the patients' futures. It was a deathtrap at that, and Soohyun so desperately wanted to escape with Jinhwan. Only a wall stood between that, and neither of them were allowed to see each other for the time being.

The infection isn't fatal. It will go away, the nurses will tell me how I can help, and we can get out of here. She repeated these words so frequently that she was starting to get sick of her own voice, but she couldn't do anything now except bang her head against the wall and whisper.

And if she focused hard enough, she could hear Jinhwan whispering back.