You Make Me | Lee Eunhyuk

24

"It's her appendix. I think she had appendicitis," Eunhyuk's voice cut through the tense atmosphere as people gathered around a sweaty and pained Jisu.

"How long has it been hurting?" Jiwon's concern was evident in her voice as she questioned Jisu.

"A few hours?" came Jisu's weak reply.

Jiwon exchanged a knowing glance with Eunhyuk, who had been discussing medical matters with her from his textbook. They silently acknowledged the seriousness of the situation.

"It's still early," Eunhyuk said, trying to maintain a calm demeanor.

He quickly delegated the task of watching over Jisu to one of the tenants before leading Jiwon, Jaeheon, and Eun into the hallway for a private discussion.

"We have 48 hours at the most. It's early, but later her appendix could rupture, and the infection will spread," Eunhyuk explained, his hands betraying his inner turmoil.

"She needs surgery," Jaeheon stated the obvious.

"There's nothing I can do about it here," Eunhyuk admitted, his voice tinged with frustration.

"So you're going to do nothing?" Eun's anger was palpable. "You need to! I need to get even with her!"

Jiwon intervened, gently grasping Eunhyuk's hand. "Eunhyuk, go tell her the risks. If she still wants to undergo the surgery, then it's her choice. Please."

Taking a deep breath, Eunhyuk nodded and returned to the room, leaving the others to wait anxiously.

"I'm going to get Yuri. Be right back," Jiwon announced before Eun could protest.

"How do you know we're going through with it?" Eun questioned.

"I know. Just trust me," Jiwon reassured him before hurrying off to find Yuri.

Returning to the group, Eunhyuk asserted, "I'll do the surgery. I need saline, antibiotics, anesthetics, and surgical instruments."

"I'll come," Jaeheon volunteered, but both Sangwook and Jiwon immediately vetoed the idea.

"You're just a burden in that state," Sangwook pointed out, gesturing towards Jaeheon's injured arm.

"I'll go," Jiwon asserted firmly, gripping her jingum tightly.

"I'll go too," Yuri chimed in, though Gilseob, the elderly man she cared for, seemed apprehensive.

After some deliberation, Yuri convinced the group of her essential role in acquiring the necessary surgical instruments.

As the makeshift surgical team prepared for the surgery, another group was formed for the expedition outside: Jiwon, Hyunsoo, Sangwook, Gilseob, and Yuri.

Watching Jiwon prepare to leave, Eunhyuk couldn't help but feel a surge of conflicting emotions. He wanted to resent her for her selflessness, knowing that he himself was being selfish. He silently pleaded with her not to go, but her response was always the same: "Now who would I be if I didn't help?" as she smiled. Though he wished she would stay, he knew her commitment to helping others was unwavering.

Steeling himself, Eunhyuk approached Jiwon from behind, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Please be careful, and stay safe," he murmured softly.

Turning to face him, Jiwon promised, "I will, I promise. And I'll be back before you know it."

"Come back. And I'll tell you something really important. So you need to come back, okay?" Eunhyuk implored.

With a nod and a bittersweet kiss, Jiwon left, leaving Eunhyuk to watch her depart with a mix of worry and hope in his heart.

As Jiwon signaled for Sangwook to start driving, she knew they had to act fast. The fate of their friend rested in their hands, and time was of the essence.

"Damn it!" Jiwon's voice echoed through the chaos as she surveyed the scene. Her head pounded violently as the overturned vehicle lay beside her, a stark reminder of the peril they faced.

Frantically, she peered inside, her heart sinking at the sight of Yuri and Sangwook, both unconscious and bleeding. Panic surged within her as she realized the severity of their injuries.

Searching desperately, she scanned the area for any sign of Hyunsoo and Gilseob. Relief washed over her as she spotted Hyunsoo lying unconscious nearby, but her anxiety only deepened when she couldn't locate Gilseob and realized she might be the only one conscious.

To her relief, coughing sounds came from Hyunsoo as he began to stir, so Jiwon got to her feet and began walking over to him. But that relief barely lasted a second as she heard loud thumping sounds behind her, and Hyunsoo looked past her with wide eyes.

"Jiwon, move!" Hyunsoo yelled.

Before she could react, a gigantic arm knocked her off her feet and into a pile of rubble nearby. Pain seared through her body, every nerve ablaze with agony. She watched, paralyzed, as Hyunsoo attempted to confront the monster, only to be thrown aside like a ragdoll.

Amidst the pain and chaos, a strange urge overcame her. Was it anger or desperation? Perhaps a combination of both. With gritted teeth, she pushed through the pain and sprinted towards her jingum lying near the car.

"Try to hit me again, you ugly monster!" she screamed, darting around in an attempt to confuse the lumbering brute.

As she circled the monster, an unexpected person emerged. Gilseob appeared with his Molotov cocktails, hurling them at the creature with determination. The monster howled in agony, momentarily distracted from its pursuit of Jiwon.

Seizing the opportunity, Jiwon rushed to Hyunsoo's side, not addressing the blood that suddenly spewed from Gilseob's mouth. She knew the old man was ill, but the thought of losing someone weighed heavily on her heart.

The monster, however, was far from defeated. Rising once more, it prepared to strike, its massive form casting a shadow over Jiwon and Hyunsoo. Was this the end? Jiwon couldn't say for certain, but she refused to go down without a fight.

Yet, before the final blow could land, Gilseob intervened, pushing them out of harm's way with his last ounce of strength.

"Choose life," he whispered.

As if answering their prayers, a firetruck suddenly careened into view, crashing into the monster with thunderous force. Jiwon could only watch in stunned disbelief as the creature was then engulfed in flames.

With the unexpected aid of the firetruck and Yikyung, who suddenly showed up, the group managed to vanquish the threat.

Exhausted and battered, they returned to the apartment, their faces streaked with blood and ash. Jiwon, unscathed despite the ordeal, felt a mixture of relief and disbelief wash over her.

And so, with the harrowing encounter behind them, the group prepared for the next challenge: the surgery that would determine their friend's fate.