8
As the evening wore on, Namjoon and Jin continued to keep watch over Jimin. The room was filled with a quiet tension, the kind that comes when people are trying to stay calm in the face of uncertainty. Jimin had dozed off, and Jin was sitting by his side, his fingers gently brushing Jimin's hair away from his face, worry etched deeply into his features.
Suddenly, the door to the room swung open, and the doctor entered, his expression serious. Jin immediately stood up, sensing that something was wrong.
"Mr. Kim," the doctor began, his tone professional but urgent, "I'm afraid there's been a complication. Jimin's condition has worsened, and we need to perform an emergency surgery to stabilise him."
Jin felt the ground shift beneath him. His breath caught in his throat, and his eyes widened in shock. "Surgery?" he whispered, his voice trembling. "Is it that serious?"
The doctor nodded solemnly. "I'm afraid so. We need to act quickly to ensure the best possible outcome. However, before we can proceed, you need to arrange for the payment. The total cost will be $5 million."
Jin's heart sank. He knew he didn't have that kind of money readily available. Panic began to rise within him, and he felt his knees grow weak. He glanced at Jimin, who was still asleep, unaware of the severity of his situation. The thought of losing Jimin, someone who was like a brother to him, was unbearable.
"I... I don't have that much money," Jin stammered, his voice cracking as tears welled up in his eyes. "I don't know how I'll get it in time..."
The doctor's expression softened with sympathy, but there was nothing he could do. "I understand this is difficult, but we need to act quickly. The sooner we receive the payment, the sooner we can start the surgery."
Jin felt utterly helpless, the weight of the situation crashing down on him. He couldn't imagine a world without Jimin, but he didn't know how to come up with such a large sum on such short notice. Tears began to spill down his cheeks, and he buried his face in his hands, his body shaking with silent sobs.
Namjoon, who had been standing quietly by the door, felt a deep pang of empathy watching Jin break down. He had never seen Jin so vulnerable, and it tore at his heart to see his friend in such pain. Without a second thought, Namjoon made a decision.
He walked over to the doctor and asked, "Where do I need to go to make the payment?"
The doctor looked at Namjoon in surprise but quickly provided the information. Namjoon nodded and without saying a word, he turned and left the room, making his way to the hospital's reception desk.
When Namjoon arrived at the reception, he didn't hesitate. He immediately arranged to cover the full amount, transferring the $5 million needed for Jimin's surgery. The transaction was swift, but the weight of what he was doing wasn't lost on him. Namjoon knew this was a significant amount of money, but it didn't matter. What mattered was that Jimin got the help he needed, and that Jin wouldn't have to carry this burden alone.
After completing the payment, Namjoon returned to the room. Jin was still standing by Jimin's bed, his face streaked with tears, his hands trembling. He looked up when Namjoon entered, his eyes full of despair.
"Namjoon-ssi, I don't know what to do," Jin choked out, his voice thick with emotion. "I can't lose him. I just can't..."
Namjoon walked over to Jin and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "You won't lose him," he said firmly, his voice steady. "I've taken care of the payment. The doctors can start the surgery now."
Jin blinked, staring at Namjoon in shock, as if he couldn't believe what he'd just heard. "What... What did you say?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
"I've paid the $5 million," Namjoon repeated gently. "The surgery will happen. Jimin will be okay."
Jin's eyes widened in disbelief. "Namjoon-ssi, you... you did that? For Jimin?" His voice was filled with a mixture of gratitude and astonishment.
Namjoon nodded. "You're like a brother to me, Jin. And Jimin is important to you, so he's important to me too. I couldn't just stand by and do nothing."
Jin's face crumpled with emotion, and he let out a sob, overcome with gratitude. He stepped forward and hugged Namjoon tightly, clinging to him as if his life depended on it. "Thank you," Jin whispered, his voice breaking. "Thank you so much, Namjoon-ssi. I... I don't know how to thank you enough."
Namjoon hugged Jin back, holding him firmly, offering whatever comfort he could. "You don't need to thank me, Jin. We're in this together. Jimin is going to be okay."
The doctor, who had been observing the exchange, cleared his throat gently, bringing their attention back to the urgency of the situation. "We should proceed with the surgery now," he said, his tone respectful but firm.
Jin quickly pulled away from Namjoon, wiping his tears with the back of his hand. He nodded at the doctor. "Yes, please, do whatever you need to do to save him."
The doctor nodded and quickly made the necessary arrangements. Within minutes, Jimin was prepped and taken to the operating room. Jin and Namjoon were left standing in the hallway, watching as Jimin was wheeled away.
Jin felt like his heart was being squeezed in a vice, but he drew strength from Namjoon's presence beside him. He turned to Namjoon, his eyes still red from crying, but filled with a deep, sincere gratitude.
"Namjoon-ssi," Jin began, his voice still shaky, "I don't know how I'll ever repay you for this. What you've done... it's more than I could have ever asked for."
Namjoon shook his head, a small, reassuring smile on his face. "You don't need to repay me, Jin. Just focus on Jimin and make sure he gets better. That's all that matters right now."
Jin nodded, tears welling up again, but this time they were tears of relief and gratitude. "You're a good friend, Namjoon-ssi. I'm so lucky to have you in my life."
Namjoon smiled softly. "We're all lucky to have each other, Jin. That's what matters."
They spent the next few hours in the waiting room, sitting in silence as the minutes ticked by. Jin was a bundle of nerves, his hands twisting together anxiously, while Namjoon stayed by his side, offering quiet support. The waiting was agonizing, but they both knew that they had done everything they could. Now, it was in the hands of the doctors.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the surgeon emerged from the operating room. Jin immediately stood up, his heart pounding in his chest.
"Doctor, how is he?" Jin asked, his voice trembling with fear and hope.
The surgeon smiled, a warm and reassuring expression. "The surgery was successful. Jimin is stable now, and we're confident he'll make a full recovery. He'll need to rest and recover, but he should be just fine."
Jin let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, his body sagging with relief. "Thank you," he said, tears of gratitude streaming down his face once more. "Thank you so much, doctor."
Namjoon placed a comforting hand on Jin's shoulder, sharing in the relief. They both knew that the road to recovery would still be challenging, but the worst was over.
As Jin turned to Namjoon, his eyes shining with gratitude, he said, "I owe you everything, Namjoon-ssi. You saved Jimin's life today. I don't know how I can ever repay you."
Namjoon shook his head again, his expression soft and understanding. "You don't owe me anything, Jin.We takes care of each other."
Jin nodded, his heart swelling with emotion. "Thank you," he said again, his voice filled with all the gratitude and affection he felt for Namjoon.
As they both looked towards the room where Jimin was resting, they knew that this experience had strengthened their bond in ways they hadn't expected. Namjoon had shown Jin what true friendship and loyalty meant, and Jin knew that he would always be there for Namjoon, just as Namjoon had been there for him.
The night had been long and difficult, but in the end, they had come through it together, stronger and more united than ever.
To Be Continued
