Swapped by fate

Chapter 25

Nami’s POV

Alright, tomorrow's the big day—getting admitted to the hospital for my first round of chemo. I keep telling myself it’s no big deal. People do this all the time, right? I don’t want to make it more dramatic than it has to be, but everyone else around me? They’re acting like the world’s ending. I mean, I get it—they care, and I love them for that—but it’s like I’ve suddenly become this fragile thing everyone’s afraid to break.

Especially Hyunjin.

I glance at my phone, which is blowing up with messages from the group chat again. I roll my eyes, but there’s a smile on my face. These guys really can’t chill for five seconds.

Felix: "Yo, tomorrow we’re all going, right? No one’s missing this."

Jeongin: "Obviously. We’re going as a squad. No way Nami’s going in alone."

Stacy:"I’m already prepping snacks and charging all my devices for the long haul."

Hyunjin: "I’ll pick Nami up from your place, Stacy. Be there by 8."

Me:"Guys, seriously. It’s just the hospital. Chill. I’m fine."

Seungmin: "Nah, not happening. We’re going. Don’t even try to fight it."

I toss my phone onto the bed, flopping down onto the mattress. Stacy’s place has kind of become my second home ever since all of this started. Actually, it’s more like my *real* home now. After the diagnosis, I couldn’t deal with being at my own place, with all the heavy vibes and my mom crying every time she looked at me. I love her, but I couldn’t handle that 24/7. Stacy didn’t even hesitate to offer me her guest room, and I’ve been here ever since.

It’s been a blessing, honestly. Stacy’s place is calm, normal—exactly what I need. It’s like we’ve created this little bubble where everything can feel a bit less... overwhelming. She never makes a big deal out of my situation, which I appreciate more than she knows.

There’s a knock on the door, and then Stacy pokes her head in, holding two cups of tea. "You good?" she asks, handing me one of the mugs.

I take it, blowing on the steam. "Yeah. Just trying to get through the group chat blowing up every five seconds. They’re all planning this big hospital trip like it’s a party or something."

Stacy laughs, sitting down at the edge of the bed. "Well, you know they’re just worried about you. Hyunjin especially."

I roll my eyes, but there’s a warm feeling in my chest at the mention of his name. "Yeah, I know. But I just... I don’t want to make him worry more than he already is."

"You know he cares about you, right? Like, *really* cares," Stacy says, her eyes narrowing a bit as if she’s trying to get something out of me.

I sip my tea, avoiding her gaze. "Yeah, I know. That’s kind of the problem."

Stacy raises an eyebrow. "How is that a problem?"

"I don’t want him to feel like he has to be this perfect, supportive boyfriend just because I’m dealing with this... *thing*. It’s why I kept things slow with him. I didn’t want him getting wrapped up in all my crap."

Stacy sighs, giving me that "you’re being dumb" look. "Nami, you’re not *crap*, and Hyunjin isn’t sticking around out of some weird sense of obligation. He wants to be with you. And if you can’t see that, well, then you’re blind."

I open my mouth to argue, but my phone buzzes again with a text from Hyunjin, saving me from having to explain my messed-up feelings.

Hyunjin: "Be ready by 8 tomorrow. I’ll pick you up from Stacy’s."

I quickly type back.

Me: "You don’t have to come, you know? It’s really not a big deal."

Hyunjin:"Stop saying that. I *want* to be there."

I sigh, setting the phone down. Stacy’s still giving me that look.

"See? The boy is literally begging to be by your side," she says, smirking. "What’s it gonna take for you to get that through your thick skull?"

---

The next morning, I’m up way too early. I barely slept last night—couldn’t stop thinking about everything. The hospital, the chemo, how Hyunjin’s been acting, how I’ve been acting... all of it swirling in my head like a tornado. I roll out of bed, pull on a hoodie and sweatpants, and make my way downstairs.

Stacy’s already up, of course. She’s in the kitchen, making breakfast like the domestic goddess she is. "Morning!" she chirps, way too cheerful for this hour. "I made pancakes."

I smile, grateful for the distraction. "You didn’t have to do all this."

"I know. But I wanted to," she says, sliding a plate of pancakes in front of me. "Besides, you’re about to go deal with hospital food for who knows how long. Might as well have something decent first."

I laugh, sitting down at the table. "Thanks, Stace. Seriously. For everything."

"Don’t mention it," she says, smiling softly. "You know I’ve got your back."

Just as I’m finishing up breakfast, my phone buzzes. It’s Hyunjin again.

Hyunjin: "I’m outside."

I take a deep breath, grab my bag, and head to the door. Stacy gives me a quick hug, whispering, "You’re gonna be fine," before sending me off. And there he is—Hyunjin, leaning against the car like he’s been waiting for hours, even though he’s right on time.

"Ready?" he asks, taking my bag from me without even asking.

I nod, trying to play it cool. "Yeah. Let’s get this over with."

The car ride is mostly quiet, but it’s not awkward. It’s like we’ve reached this point where words aren’t even necessary. I stare out the window, trying to focus on anything but the fact that I’m about to start this whole chemo thing. I hate how real it’s becoming.

"We’re all here for you, you know that, right?" Hyunjin says softly, breaking the silence.

"I know. But I still feel bad, like... I don’t want to be a burden or anything."

"You’re not a burden, Nami," he says, pulling into the hospital parking lot. "And I don’t want you to ever feel like you’re going through this alone."

We park, and as we walk toward the hospital, Hyunjin grabs my hand. It catches me off guard, but I don’t pull away. His hand is warm, grounding me when I feel like I might float away with all the stress.

Before we walk in, Hyunjin stops, turning to face me. "Nami, I need to ask you something."

I look up at him, my heart suddenly racing. "What?"

"I’ve been thinking about this for a while, and... I know we’ve been taking things slow, but I really care about you. And I want to be with you. Like, officially." He pauses, swallowing hard. "Can I be your boyfriend? I mean, I want to be there for you through this, and I want to support you, not because I feel like I have to, but because I *want* to."

I blink, caught completely off guard. I’ve been so worried about not dragging him into my mess that I didn’t even think about the fact that maybe he *wants* to be here. For me.

I bite my lip, feeling emotions I didn’t expect rising in my throat. "Yeah," I finally say, my voice shaky. "Yeah, I’d like that."

Hyunjin’s face breaks into this huge smile, and before I can even react, he pulls me into a hug. "I’m glad," he whispers into my hair. "Because I’m not going anywhere."

I hug him back, feeling lighter than I have in weeks. I finally let out a small laugh. "You’re stuck with me now."

"And I wouldn’t want it any other way," he says, pulling back and giving me that smile that makes my heart do backflips.

As we walk into the hospital, hand in hand, I know things aren’t going to be easy. But with Hyunjin, Stacy, and the rest of the squad by my side, I’m ready to face whatever comes next.

Too be continued....