firefly | zhong chenle

CH26

"you take care of each and every one of us back at the station. let me take care of you too"

-

The ER door open, and Chenle's eyes was immediately drawn to the doctor who came out, taking off his mask.

"The surgery was successful and she's escaped the fatal situation but we still need to run some check-ups. She took a pretty hard hit so she's got a pretty bad concussion, with some surface wounds but she'll be okay" With that, the doctor left and placed a hand upon Chenle's shoulder as he let out a breath of relief.

"I'll go sign the papers" Chenle said, leaving Jisung alone in the corridor.

;

Chenle opened the room to the hospital room that Arin was in. His heart ache upon seeing her on this bed, completely out of his control. He had never felt so broken because of someone and because of this incident, he finally felt and understood what he wanted.

He wanted her. Badly.

Taking a seat next to Arin, he gently clasped her hand, pressing it to his forehead and letting a audible sigh of exasperation.

"Please be okay" Chenle muttered.

And just like that, him, with her hands in his, his body warmth next to hers, he spent the rest of his suspension days beside her. Every meal he would bring would be warm in a tumbler, just in case she woke up and was hungry. He continued this for consecutive days and he didn't even realise how much time he has spent in the hospital until he got the message that he was to return to the station soon. On the fifth day of Chenle bringing in food, he noticed that her position has shifted.

Widening his eyes, he clambered towards her, almost dropping the food as he simply glanced her from up to down.

"Arin" Chenle gasped, rushing towards her and almost tripping in the process. Arin begun to stir, but her eyebrows were knitted together and her hands began to clench. She looked like was in immense pain. Chenle analysed her expression, worry painting his face as he quickly embraced her in his arms when she looked like the pain had heightened.

"Arin. You're okay" Chenle sighed, putting her head against his neck in comfort whilst holding her tighter.

"It's hurts. Everything hurts" Arin exhaled, clinging onto his shirt. Tears were streaming out of her eyes, to a point she began crying into his chest.

"The doctor is coming soon. It'll be okay" Chenle hand caressed the back of her neck, his hands laying on her waist to try and console her. He didn't know what was happening and why she woke up with such immense pain, but he just wanted to be next to her to calm her down and make it better.

Jisung was on his break day, passing along the hallway to go see Arin. However, the moment he pushed open the door, he saw Arin and Chenle tangled together on the hospital bed. He felt his heart sinking, something smashing against his chest. He wanted to scoff, but he didn't seem to bring himself to even do so. Perhaps he was just not appealing enough for her. Of course, anyone would pick a captain over a mere reserve.

Chenle saw Jisung after a couple minutes of comforting Arin, where Chenle quickly spat "Get the doctor, quick, Jisung"

Jisung froze for a split second, before running off down the corridor, dropping the plastic bag full of snacks that he brought. Chenle didn't know what to do anymore. All he could do was just sit beside her, hold her and wait for the doctors to come.

"Sorry" Arin cried, trying her best to suppress the pain. She began pinching her own skin to try and make her trembling stop, but it all just hurt so much she couldn't control it.

"It's okay" Chenle shook his head, clasping his hand around her face and wiping the tears off her face. The precious jewels painted Chenle's finger tips, and his heart ached more than ever "I need to return to the station early tomorrow morning. I won't be here to take care of you but after my shift, I'll make sure I come back"

"Don't. It's okay" Arin mumbled, her words barely coherent as her voice became muffled in his shirt.

"You take care of each and every one of us back at the station. Let me take care of you too" Chenle's chin was placed on her head, his eyes closed, feeling her body warmth. Moments after, the doctors came rushing in and Chenle, quite hesitantly, let her go. He stood next to Jisung, worry etched in his every movement. It was evident that Chenle kept gulping and scratching his neck out of concern.

"Can we talk?" Jisung nudged Chenle as Arin was transported out the room. Chenle ran a hand through his hair, nodding belatedly.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?" Jisung asked, leaning against the wall in the empty room, arms crossed over

"About what" Chenle couldn't even bare to look at Jisung.

"About you and Arin. You like her, don't you" Jisung bit his lip, analysing the rare sheepish expression on Chenle's face.

Knowing his personality, he would've denied everything to just and protect his dignity because loving someone was a weakness. But when it got up to this point, denying it was doing nothing for him.

So he admitted it.

"Yeah" Chenle connected gazes with Jisung "I do"

Jisung scoffed "How long?"

This was a question that Chenle had to think about. He didn't know when he actually began liking her. It just all happened and there wasn't really a clear starting point. He knew his heart fluttered the first time he saw her, thinking she was one of the prettiest people he's ever seen, but he always thought that was just a one-time thing. Then he knew he fell again after seeing her scramble to save people, and her greed to want to protect people. He thought she was so incredibly strong, and it made him fall ten times harder. He simply didn't know when he actually began to fully fall in love with her.

"I don't know" Chenle shook his head

"So you're telling me. You agreed to help me get Arin when at the same time you liked her too. This entire time you watched me make a fool of myself because you know god damn well that she likes you more" Jisung pointed a finger at Chenle, who didn't know what to even say to him.

"That's not what I was trying to do" Chenle grunted "I agreed to help you because I refused to believe that I conformed for something as stupid as love. I didn't watch you make a fool of yourself. I didn't know anything"

"Chenle, you're my captain. My mentor. My anchor. My closest friend" Jisung's voice began shaking "You should've fucking told me when you first realised you liked her instead of watching me plead my way through to her. Why did you put me and Arin as partners in the checkup round? Because I know you wanted me to have a chance"

"Jisung" Chenle reached to touch Jisung's shoulder but was coldly shrugged off.

"I don't want chances given to me like that. If you like her, we can play it even. I feel pathetic knowing you let me have a chance like I'm some sort of...charity. That....that-"

"You know that's not true"

"Then why does it fucking hurt so much now"