DOWNFALL -HIERARCHY

Chapter 21: The Accident

TW: mention of mental illness
Narrator's POV:

Nabi slowly opened her eyes, her vision adjusting to the familiar surroundings of her room. The plain white ceiling, with a faint sunlight streaming through the window, came into focus as she regained her consciousness. For a moment, she lay there, disoriented and confused, trying to remember how she ended up in her bed.
The room was quiet, apart from the soft hum of the air conditioner. Sunlight streamed through the partially open curtains, casting a warm glow on the bedroom furniture. Nabi blinked a few times, trying to clear the disoriented fog in her mind.

Her entire body felt heavy and tired, as if she had run a marathon. Slowly, she tried to sit up, but another wave of dizziness hit her, making her lay back down again. Nabi groaned softly, both from the discomfort and the realization that she was not fully recovered yet.

As her head hit the pillow again, memories of the party and the video flashed in her mind. The trauma and the events that had unfolded played in her thoughts. She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to push away the recollection.

Nabi slowly opened her eyes and her gaze fell upon one of their family maids, Im Sol, who was diligently cleaning the room. The soft jingle of the cleaning bottles and the gentle movement of the dustcloth filled the silent room.

Im Sol, hearing a soft rustling noise, looked up and noticed that Nabi was awake. She immediately stopped her cleaning and approached Nabi's bed, "Oh my, Miss Nabi, you're awake!" Im Sol exclaimed, her eyes widening in surprise. "How are you feeling?"

Nabi gave a small, weak smile, appreciating the concern in the maid's voice. "I'm... okay," she said, her voice a little hoarse. "Just... tired." Sol gently helped Nabi sit up, holding her with a firm but comforting grip. Once Nabi was in an upright position, the maid settled on the edge of the bed, her eyes filled with a gentle concern.

"You gave us quite a scare," Sol said softly, a gentle smile on her face. "We've been worried about you for the past few days." Nabi nodded slowly, a small frown appearing on her forehead. The events of the party flashed in her mind again, "I'm... I'm sorry," she managed to say, her voice still weak.

Sol noticed Nabi's discomfort and rested a hand on her shoulder. "You have nothing to apologize for," she reassured Nabi, her voice soothing. "You've been through a terrible ordeal. You need to rest and recover."

Sol continued to speak, her hand gently rubbing Nabi's shoulder in a comforting manner. "The doctor came to check on you yesterday evening," she said. "He said you just need more rest and to avoid any stress."

"How many days have I been unconscious?" Nabi, her voice still soft and weary asked
"You've been unconscious for three days," Sol replied, her expression still filled with concern. "You've been sleeping ever since. We've been taking care of you here in your room."

"We thought... we thought..." She paused, not wanting to voice her fears aloud. Nabi absorbed this information, her eyes widening a bit. Three days. It felt like an eternity. No wonder her body felt so heavy and weak.

Nabi, realizing the concern Sol was feeling, tried to reassure her with a small smile. "I'm... I'm alright, really," she said, her voice a bit stronger. "I just feel tired and weak... but I'll be okay."

Sol gave a small, relieved sigh, seeing the slight strength in Nabi's words. "That's good to hear," she said gently. "But please, do not push yourself. You need time to recover completely."