Whispers of the heart

Chapter 12: A HARROWING WAIT

I felt a sense of relief after my conversation with Hyunjin, knowing that we had agreed to focus on moving forward. Despite the pain, I found myself drawn to him, yearning to be by his side every day, to witness his smile, and to share moments of happiness with him. Deep down, I realized that I still loved Hyunjin, even though he remained unaware of my feelings.
Seojun continued to shower me with care and attention, but I couldn't reciprocate his feelings. Despite his efforts, I couldn't force myself to love him back. There was an emptiness, a void that only Hyunjin could fill.
One evening, as I strolled to clear my thoughts, ominous clouds gathered overhead, signaling an impending storm.
Lost in my thoughts, I hadn't realized how far l had wandered until I decided to return to the hostel. The deserted road ahead sent shivers down my spine as I encountered two men, clearly intoxicated and leering at me with suggestive remarks.

Feeling uneasy, l attempted to walk away, but they blocked my path, their advances growing more aggressive. Panic surged through me as I grappled with the realization that I might become another statistic in the daily plight of women facing harassment.
Suddenly, Hyunjin appeared out of nowhere.
"Wendy, are you okay?"He said as he stood by my side and took my hand
His voice, laced with concern, offered a glimmer of hope in the darkness.
"Hyunjin, I... I these men won't leave me alone."

"You don't have to be scared. I'm here now. Let's go." His words, a soothing balm to my frazzled nerves, gave me the courage to step away from the menacing trio. However, the men refused to back down, emboldened by their misguided sense of power.
As they recognized Hyunjin, their demeanor shifted, their taunts turning into threats.

"Hey, isn't that Kim Hyunjin? The rich kid? The one with the millionaire dad and celebrity mom?" One of them said with a smirk on his face

"Now that you mention it, it is him. He's quite a big shot himself, and this cutie must be his girlfriend. We can probably get some money out of him for her."

They then attempted to grab me, but Hyunjin intervened.
" I told you to Leave her alone". His demeanour changing and his expression darkened
"Wendy, get behind me."

But the men persisted, their aggression escalating with each passing moment.
Hyunjin fought them off. He was
accustomed to Taekwondo since childhood so he knew self defence.

One of the men came at me , out of instinct i kicked him hard between the legs. He looked at the with anger
"Now you have gone and done it, you little b*tch." He said pushing me to the ground where I fell hard, bruising my back and elbows.

He took out a knife and lunged forward, swinging it at me, but he missed and grazed my face. Then, he came at me, and I watched in horror as Hyunjin came between us, intercepting the blow, his body absorbing the force of the attack.

"Hyunjin!" I screamed, Rushing to his side, I cradled his injured form, fear and anguish flooding my senses.
The man who had stabbed him then threatened to do the unthinkable to me and those around me if I ever reported him to the police, they both fled the scene.
I looked down at Hyunjin who was laying there helpless and I started crying out of frustration. I didn't know what to do in this situation. The thought of anything happening to Hyunjin ate me up.

"I'm okay. Don't cry. You ain't hurt, are you?" He reached his hand out and touched my face where I had been cut.
Despite the pain etched on his face, Hyunjin's concern remained focused on comforting me and my well-being.
"We need to get you help, Hyunjin. Hang in there, please." With trembling hands, I applied pressure to his wound, desperately trying to stem the bleeding.
As he began to lose consciousness, l panicked, refusing to let him slip away.

"Don't close your eyes. Don't, okay?
Don't leave me. I won't forgive you if you do.
Don't leave me, even if I tell you to. Don't do this to me , Hyunjin. I need you." I said with tears filling my eyes, my hand still applying pressure to his wound.

An old couple who where passing by came to our aid and called for an ambulance which arrived minutes after.

"We need to stabilize him. Hold on tight, miss. We're almost there." A paramedic said to me

"Please, hurry. Hyunjin needs help."

"We're doing everything we can. Stay calm."
As we rushed to the hospital, I clung to Hyunjin's hand, praying for his safety.

"Hang in there, Hyunjin. You're going to be okay. Stay with me."

Upon arrival at the hospital, the medical team swiftly took over, wheeling Hyunjin into the operating room.

Doctor: "We need to prep him for surgery immediately. He's drifting fast."

"Please, do everything you can to save him. He's... he's everything to me."As Hyunjin's hand dropped from mine, a wave of panic washed over me. "No, no , no , no don't leave me, Hyunjin. Please, stay with me."

The doctors and nurses hurriedly worked to stabilize him, their urgent voices blending with the chaos of my racing thoughts.
Nurse: "We need to get him into surgery now. Prep the OR."
As the reality of the situation sank in, I felt my world spin out of control.

The sounds of hospital machines and urgent voices faded into the background as I succumbed to a wave of panic and darkness, my consciousness slipping away.

I woke up to find Minho and Jesse standing by my side, their faces etched with concern.

Minho: "Hey, Wendy, are you alright?"
Jesse: "We saw what happened on the news. Are you okay?"
I remained silent, still grappling with the shock of the events.
As Mr. and Mrs. Kim arrived at the hospital, the air was thick with worry and tension.
Mrs. Kim: Tearfully "Where is my son? Is he going to be okay?"
The hospital staff briefed them on Hyunjin's critical condition, explaining that he was undergoing surgery to save his life.
Mrs. Kim: Heartbroken "Oh, my poor baby please don't let anything happen to my son ..."
They were then informed about my involvement in the incident and my subsequent panic attack.
Hospital Staff: " If it wasn't for the young lady he was with, we would have probably lost him by now. Her first aid is what kept him alive upto now. Fortunately, the young lady wasn't harmed, she just got some bruises and a cut of her right cheek. She should be fine, she had a panic attack and passed out from shock."
They were Guided to my room, where they found me sitting there, overwhelmed with guilt.
Mr.Kim: "Wendy, dear, are you alright?"
Me: Tears streaming down my face "I'm so sorry... It's all my fault..."
Mr. Kim: Embracing me "No, dear, it's not your fault. Please don't blame yourself."
His comforting words provided a moment of solace amidst the chaos and despair.

We waited anxiously for hours, each passing moment feeling like an eternity as we awaited news about Hyunjin's condition.
Despite the throbbing pain from the cut on my face and the bruises all over my body, my sole concern was Hyunjin's well-being.
As the doctors finally emerged from the operating room, Mr. and Mrs. Kim rushed to them, desperation evident in their eyes.
Mr. Kim: "How is our son? Is he going to be alright?"
Doctor: "We managed to save him, but he's slipped into a coma. He's in critical condition and will be in intensive care for the next 24 hours."
Relief washed over me knowing that Hyunjin was alive, but the gravity of his situation weighed heavily on my heart. I felt knowing that Hyunjin's selfless act to protect me had led to this outcome.

"It's all my fault. If Hyunjin hadn't tried to save me... if anything happens to him I won't be able to to leave with myself".
Tears welled up in my eyes as I grappled with the overwhelming sense of responsibility.

Sensing my distress, Minho gently guided me to sit on the nearby bench, offering words of reassurance.
"Wendy, Hyunjin is strong. He'll pull through this. We just have to believe in him. None of this is your fault okay , you'd have done the same thing for me or anybody else in that situation so I need you to be strong for his sake". He said to me, giving me a reassuring hug while patting my back to comfort me.

As the police arrived at the hospital to take my statement, Mr. Kim stepped in, refusing their request. "I'm sorry officers, but Wendy is still in shock. You'll have to come back later," he firmly stated.

Mrs. Kim, visibly distressed, voiced her concerns. "But what if they need her statement now? What if it's crucial for the investigation?" she fretted.

Mr. Kim glanced at his wife, his expression resolute. "Her safety comes first. We can't risk anything happening to her," he replied, his tone unwavering.

Overhearing their conversation, I couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. Mrs. Kim's words echoed in my mind, and I realized she blamed me for what happened to Hyunjin. It weighed heavily on my heart.