Downfall || Seongjoong

- eighty-one -

Yeosang || Jongho 

When Yeosang's eyes finally fluttered open and took in the room, I felt a surge of relief and joy. But that joy was short-lived. His eyes scanned over the eight of us—his seven friends and Lia—and instead of the reaction we were hoping for, he recoiled, moving away in his bed with a look of panic.

"What... what are they doing here?!" he exclaimed, his voice trembling as he looked at the doctors with fear and confusion. He didn't want to see us. The realization hit me like a punch to the gut.

"I want them out now! Get them out! Are you not hearing me!?" Yeosang's voice rose in desperation, and he turned his eyes to Lia, his expression one of betrayal. "Lia, stay away from them... and take them out of here!"

We were all stunned, our hearts sinking at his reaction. He was mad, and he had every right to be. We had abandoned him, and now, seeing him in such a vulnerable state, I understood the depth of his hurt. Yeosang started coughing, his weak body struggling to keep up with his emotions. I could see the tears welling up in his eyes, mirroring my own.

Desperate to reach out to him, I took a step forward. "Yeosang, we—"

"Do not talk to me," he cut me off, his voice filled with a mixture of pain and anger. "Get out if you're sorry and don't show your faces to me ever again."

The room was filled with tension, and I could see everyone else was just as devastated as I was. Yeosang's panic grew, his breathing becoming more erratic as tears streamed down his face. He was having a panic attack, and the doctors quickly intervened, escorting us out as they ran more procedures on him.

As we were pushed out of the room, I could barely see through my own tears. The image of Yeosang's tear-streaked face and the sound of his distressed voice echoed in my mind. The weight of my guilt and regret was almost unbearable, and I felt like I had failed him in the worst possible way.

After what felt like an eternity, the doctor finally emerged from Yeosang's room. My heart pounded in my chest, and I could see the same worry etched on everyone else's faces.

"The panic is over," the doctor began, his tone clinical but not unkind. "Yeosang is awake and stable now, but he has made it very clear that he needs to be left alone. This is not something we typically recommend after a coma this long, but he insisted."

A collective sigh of relief passed through us, but it was short-lived. The doctor continued, "I have to escort you all out of the hospital and forbid you from meeting Yeosang ever again. Clearly, your presence is causing him significant distress. Lia is the only one allowed to visit, and even then, her visiting hours are limited to one hour per day."

Disbelief washed over us. I couldn't accept it. "Please, doctor, just one last talk with him," I begged, my voice breaking. "We need to explain, to apologize properly."

The desperation in my voice mirrored the expressions on everyone's faces. Yunho stepped forward, his eyes pleading. "We just want to make things right. He means so much to us."

Mingi, usually so composed, looked shattered. "We can't leave things like this. He has to know how much we care."

The doctor shook his head firmly. "I'm sorry, but Yeosang's mental and physical well-being are our top priority. He explicitly stated he doesn't want to see any of you."

Lia stood off to the side, her disappointment palpable. She glanced at us with a mix of sympathy and distrust. "I trusted you," she said quietly, her voice laced with hurt. "I believed you were here to help him, but seeing his reaction... I'm not so sure anymore."

Her words cut deep, and I felt the sting of her doubt. The room was heavy with regret and unspoken apologies. Hongjoong, usually so fiery, looked lost for words, his hands clenching and unclenching at his sides.