Inferno Hearts | Xu Minghao

18. Echoes of Pain

⚠️ sensitive content

══════⊹⊱≼≽⊰⊹══════

𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒲𝑒𝑒𝓀𝓃𝒹 - 𝒞𝒶𝓁𝓁 𝒪𝓊𝓉 𝑀𝓎 𝒩𝒶𝓂𝑒

↻ ◁ II ▷ ↺

In that moment, she stood poised, her head resting gently against the wall. The syringe remained lodged in her arm, while her eyes were shut in a tight embrace.

Bruises and traces of blood painted her form, a stark contrast against her delicate features.

With her lips slightly parted, she teetered on the edge of surrender, on the verge of delving into the realm of unconsciousness.

All gazes fixated upon her form, Nabi began to sense a numbing wave emanating from the pain she had weathered.

Allowing her body to gradually ease its tension, she granted herself permission to slip into the embrace of unconsciousness.

Minghao, whose unwavering gaze remained locked onto her, discerned Nabi's faintness. Swiftly, he removed the lingering syringe from her arm, his touch gentle as he pressed his fingertip against the lingering prickle left by the needle's intrusion.

As his finger delicately grazed the spot where Nabi had administered the injection, Minghao's gaze remained inevitably drawn to her form.

Wounds and traces of blood adorned her face and body, painting a vivid picture of the trials she had endured.

Abruptly jolted from his reverie, Minghao's awareness snapped back into focus. In that moment, he registered the presence of the culprit responsible for this assault, standing just behind him.

Drops of Nabi's blood fell unrepentantly from his hands, each one a damning testament to his sinister deeds.

Casting a final, lingering glance at the now unconscious Nabi, Minghao rose with deliberate grace, pivoting his focus towards the inevitable confrontation.

There, a resolute Jeonghan met his gaze head-on, their eyes locking in a silent exchange. He bore the weight of anticipation, fully aware that this confrontation had been a long time in the making.

"Why?" Minghao's voice rang out with a calm but piercing clarity. "Why did you do that?" he continued, is voice a sea of calm amidst the storm of emotions, his eyes fixed on Jeonghan.

Jeonghan responded in the same measured tone, his words resonating with a quiet resolve. "She wasn't willing to cooperate," he explained, his gaze shifting toward the motionless figure of Nabi laying on the floor.

"I asked about the medicine, affording her numerous opportunities to voice her perspective. Yet, she opted for this course of action," he gestured towards Nabi's unconscious form.

Minghao felt a mixture of inevitability and doubt. He knew that Nabi was destined to face this situation, especially considering his own intention to end her life.
But at the same time, he questioned whether Nabi was truly responsible for what happened to his sister. This uncertainty made him uncomfortable with the idea of hurting Nabi.

What if she was innocent all along? The thought of causing her more pain, only to find out later that she wasn't guilty, troubled him deeply. He didn't want to live with the regret of making a terrible mistake.

"Can't you control yourself?" Minghao's voice carried a palpable intensity as he confronted Jeonghan. "Is it truly so difficult for you hyung to be in her presence without giving in to the urge to end her life?" The gravity of his emotions resonated in his words, underscoring the weight of the situation.