𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗕𝗥𝗢𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥-𝗜𝗡-𝗟𝗔𝗪

part 30 ( A Fragile Recovery)

Chapter 30: A Fragile Recovery

Jisoo’s eyes fluttered shut again, the exhaustion pulling her back under. Hae-in watched her slip into sleep, his mind racing with concern. He didn’t know much about her—her life, her pain—but something about the way she collapsed in his arms told him that she was running on empty. He could see it in her hollow eyes, feel it in the frailty of her body.

As the hours passed, Hae-in remained by her side, refusing to leave. There was something magnetic about her—something in her vulnerability that made him want to protect her, even if he didn’t fully understand why.

When Jisoo woke again, the sunlight was beginning to filter through the blinds, casting a warm glow across the room. She blinked against the light, her body aching with every movement. For a moment, she forgot where she was. Then, the sterile smell of the hospital brought it all back.

“Good morning,” Hae-in’s voice broke through her thoughts. He stood up from his chair, offering her a small, reassuring smile. “How are you feeling?”

Jisoo stared at him for a moment, trying to process everything. The kindness in his eyes felt foreign to her. She had grown so accustomed to pain, to loneliness, that she didn’t know how to respond to someone who cared without asking for anything in return.

“I… I’m okay,” she whispered, though her voice trembled with uncertainty. “I’m just… tired.”

“You’ve been through a lot,” Hae-in said gently. “The doctors said you’re physically exhausted, but emotionally too… Do you want to talk about it?”

Jisoo shook her head quickly, the idea of opening up to a stranger too overwhelming. She had spent so long hiding her pain, burying it deep inside herself, that the thought of letting it out was terrifying.

Hae-in seemed to sense her hesitation and didn’t press further. Instead, he handed her a glass of water, his actions gentle and unintrusive. “You don’t have to talk about anything you’re not ready to,” he said softly. “I’m just here to help, in any way I can.”

Jisoo took the glass, her hands trembling slightly as she sipped the cool water. She didn’t know why this man—this stranger—was so willing to help her. She didn’t understand why he cared. But at that moment, she was too drained to question it. All she could do was accept his kindness, even if she didn’t feel she deserved it.

As the day wore on, Hae-in stayed by her side, never asking too many questions, never prying into her personal life. He simply sat with her, offering comfort in his quiet presence. It was a kind of support Jisoo hadn’t felt in a long time—gentle, patient, and free of judgment.

---

Meanwhile, in Russia, Taehyung and Jennie were doing their best to make their relationship work. But despite their efforts, the shadows of the past still lingered, casting a long, dark cloud over their every interaction.

Jennie’s sickness persisted, the nausea and fatigue gnawing at her constantly. She tried to push through it, refusing to let it affect her work or her relationship with Taehyung. But the strain was beginning to show.

One evening, as they sat on the couch together, Taehyung noticed the dark circles under Jennie’s eyes, the way she seemed to be forcing herself to smile. He reached out, gently placing a hand on her arm.

“Jennie,” he said softly, his voice laced with concern. “Are you okay? You’ve been so tired lately… I’m worried about you.”

Jennie looked at him, her heart aching with the weight of everything she was carrying. She didn’t want to burden him with her sickness, didn’t want to add to the already fragile state of their relationship. But Taehyung’s eyes were filled with so much concern, so much love, that she couldn’t bring herself to lie.

“I’m… I don’t know,” she admitted, her voice barely a whisper. “I’ve been feeling sick for a while now, but I didn’t want to worry you. I thought maybe it was just stress or something…”

Taehyung’s brow furrowed with worry, his hand tightening on hers. “Jennie, you need to take care of yourself. We can’t just ignore this. Have you been to a doctor?”

Jennie shook her head, guilt flooding her chest. “No, I’ve just been… trying to push through it. I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it.”

Taehyung sighed, his heart aching at the sight of her struggling. “Jennie, you don’t have to do this alone. We’re in this together now. Please… let me help you.”

Jennie’s eyes filled with tears, the weight of his words breaking through the walls she had built around herself. She nodded slowly, her voice trembling. “Okay… I’ll go to the doctor. I promise.”

Taehyung pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly as she cried softly against his chest. He hated seeing her like this, so fragile and worn down. But he was determined to be there for her, to help her through whatever was going on, just as she had been there for him through all the pain and heartache.

---

Back in the hospital, Jisoo was slowly regaining her strength. The nurses had encouraged her to eat more, to rest, and to let her body heal. But it was Hae-in’s quiet support that made the biggest difference. His presence was a constant reminder that she wasn’t alone, even though she had felt that way for so long.

One afternoon, as they sat together in her hospital room, Jisoo finally broke the silence that had hung between them for days.

“Why are you doing this?” she asked softly, her voice filled with a mixture of confusion and vulnerability. “Why do you care so much about a stranger?”

Hae-in looked at her, his expression gentle yet serious. “You’re not just a stranger, Jisoo. I don’t know what it is, but there’s something about you… something that tells me you’ve been carrying a lot of pain. And I can’t just walk away from that. I want to help you, even if it’s just by being here.”

Jisoo’s eyes filled with tears, her heart aching at the kindness in his words. She had spent so long feeling alone, so long believing that no one cared. But here was this man—a stranger—offering her the support she had craved for so long.

“I don’t know how to let someone help me,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “I’ve been alone for so long… I don’t know how to accept kindness anymore.”

Hae-in reached out, gently taking her hand in his. “You don’t have to do anything, Jisoo. Just let yourself heal. And if you ever need someone to talk to, or just someone to sit with you, I’ll be here. You don’t have to face this alone.”

Jisoo looked at him, her tears spilling over as she squeezed his hand. She didn’t know what the future held, didn’t know if she would ever be able to fully heal from the pain she had endured. But in that moment, with Hae-in by her side, she felt a glimmer of hope—a tiny spark that maybe, just maybe, she could find her way back to herself.

And for the first time in a long time, she allowed herself to believe that she didn’t have to face her darkness alone.