Veil of Vengeance | JUNGKOOK FF

Chapter 34

Jeongguk rushed Y/N to the hospital, the weight of panic pressing heavily on his chest. As soon as they arrived, the medical staff whisked her away, immediately hooking her up to an IV and administering some injections. Her pale face and ice-cold hands made his heart race with fear. He sat by her side in the OPD, his hands clasped tightly together, silently praying that she would regain consciousness soon.

"What happened?" he whispered to himself, his mind racing. He couldn't figure out what had caused Y/N to collapse like this, and that uncertainty gnawed at him. He had no idea if she had been sick or hiding something from him, and now all he could do was wait and hope.

As time passed, a sense of helplessness consumed him. He was always in control of his life, making calculated decisions, but sitting here now, watching Y/N lie unconscious, Jeongguk felt completely lost. His mind kept circling back to her faint smile earlier that evening, her laughter as they shopped together. How could things change so quickly?

Suddenly, he heard the sound of hurried footsteps approaching. A young woman in hospital scrubs came rushing into the room, her face pale with worry. "Y/N! Oh my God, Y/N!" she called out, her voice trembling.

Jeongguk looked up and immediately recognized her—it was Yoona, Y/N's best friend. He stood up, his eyes scanning her face, noting the worry etched into her features.

"Yoona," he said, his voice low but urgent, "she just... collapsed. I don't know what's going on."

Yoona's eyes welled up with tears as she approached the bed, her hand trembling as she reached out to touch Y/N's arm. "Not again... please, not again," she whispered under her breath, her face pale with dread.

Jeongguk frowned, confused by her words. "What do you mean 'again'? What's going on?" His voice was tense, his mind racing to make sense of Yoona's reaction.

Yoona turned to Jeongguk, her eyes filled with a mixture of fear and sadness. She hesitated for a moment, her lips parting slightly as if she was unsure whether to speak. Then, as if deciding it was necessary, she asked, "Has Y/N been sleeping well lately? Has she been eating properly?"

Jeongguk froze, his throat tightening as the weight of her question hit him. He didn't know. He hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary. How could he, when he barely paid her any attention? His heart sank, guilt creeping in, but before he could respond, Yoona spoke again, her voice filled with quiet urgency.

"She must have been having nightmares again. If she hasn't been sleeping or eating well, that would explain why she collapsed." Yoona glanced at Y/N, her face clouded with concern. "The same thing happened seven years ago."

Jeongguk's brow furrowed. "Seven years ago? What are you talking about?"

Yoona hesitated for a moment, her expression pained. "We had a best friend. Her name was Ji Eun."

At the mention of Ji Eun's name, Jeongguk's heart clenched painfully in his chest. The memories of Ji Eun's death, the rumors, and his own burning desire for revenge flooded back in an instant. But now, something was different. There was something Yoona was telling him that didn't fit with the story he had believed for so long.

Yoona's eyes shimmered with tears as she continued. "Y/N witnessed Ji Eun's death firsthand. She was with her when it happened, and she blamed herself for not taking Ji Eun to the hospital in time. After Ji Eun died, Y/N spiraled. She stopped eating, stopped talking... she couldn't sleep because of the nightmares. She kept reliving that moment over and over again, until one day, just like this, she collapsed."

Jeongguk's breath caught in his throat. "What... what are you saying?"

Yoona looked at him, her eyes filled with the weight of the truth. "She loved Ji Eun. She was traumatized by what happened. And for a long time, she carried the guilt of her death. Y/N thought it was her fault. That's why she's like this now... it's the same thing all over again."