LOVESTRUCK ROYALTY

Chapter - 23

The hospital was a whirlwind of activity, fluorescent lights casting a harsh glow on the sterile white walls. Felix paced nervously in the waiting area, his heart racing. The echo of Hyunjin's labored breaths haunted him as they rushed him into the operating room.

"Hyung?" Jeongin's voice cut through his thoughts, concern etched on his face. "Are you okay?"

Felix shook his head, unable to form the words. He had saved Hyunjin, but at what cost? The fear gnawed at him, relentless and suffocating.

After what felt like an eternity, a doctor emerged, her expression grave. Felix's breath hitched as he rushed forward, his heart pounding in his chest. "How is he? Is he going to be okay?"

The doctor took a deep breath, her eyes flickering between Felix and the rest of the group. "Hyunjin will survive. We stabilized him, but..." She hesitated, and the air thickened with tension.

"But what?" Felix pressed, dread creeping into his voice.

The doctor's gaze fell, and the silence that followed felt like a crushing weight. "We couldn't save the unborn child."

The words hung in the air, each syllable hitting Felix like a physical blow. His world crumbled in an instant, the ground beneath him seeming to disappear. "No... no," he whispered, his voice trembling. "You're wrong. There has to be a way."Jisung's hand tightened on Felix's shoulder, a gesture of support that felt painfully inadequate. "Lix..." he started, but the words were lost in the rising tide of Felix's despair.

"I can't believe this," Felix choked out, his hands trembling as he stepped back, the realization crashing down on him. "This can't be happening. We were so close."

His mind raced back to the moments he'd shared with Hyunjin, the dreams they had built together. Now, those dreams felt like shards of glass, sharp and cruel. He had fought so hard to protect Hyunjin, and yet, everything felt utterly hopeless.

"Felix, we need to stay strong for Hyunjin," Minho urged gently, his voice steady but laced with sorrow.

Felix looked up, tears welling in his eyes. "How can I? How can I face him after this?" The anguish tore through him, raw and unrelenting. "He wanted this child more than anything."

"Let's just be there for him," Changbin said softly, trying to anchor Felix amidst the chaos. "He'll need us now more than ever."

Felix nodded, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. He took a deep breath, the weight of the news still heavy in his chest. "You're right. We can't give up on him."

As they prepared to enter Hyunjin's room, Felix felt a flicker of determination ignite within him. He would be there for Hyunjin, through the darkness and the pain. He wouldn't let despair win, no matter how insurmountable it felt.

Together, they stepped into the room, where Hyunjin lay pale but breathing, the machines beeping steadily beside him. Felix's heart ached at the sight, but he knew he had to be strong for both of them.

"Hyunjin," he whispered, taking a seat beside him, the warmth of his hand resting on Hyunjin's. "I'm here. I'm not going anywhere."

In that moment, despite the crushing loss, Felix made a silent vow: he would honor the memory of what could have been and fight to bring light back into their lives, one step at a time.

Days passed in a blur, the sterile scent of the hospital mingling with the bitter taste of despair. Hyunjin lay in his bed, surrounded by the rhythmic beeping of machines, his body healing slowly but his spirit shattered. Felix sat beside him, holding his hand, wishing he could bridge the chasm that had formed between them.

But Hyunjin didn't respond. His once vibrant eyes had turned to glass, staring blankly at the wall opposite him. It was as if he were trapped in a world of silence, the color drained from his face. Each passing hour felt like an eternity, and Felix's heart ached at the sight of him.

"Hyunjin," Felix whispered, his voice cracking. "Darling please, talk to me. I'm right here." But there was no reply, just the soft hum of the machines and the distant murmur of nurses outside the room.

Felix's throat tightened as he fought back tears. He couldn't bear to see Hyunjin like this-so lost, so distant. The warmth of their shared moments felt like a distant memory, overshadowed by the tragic loss of the child they had both looked forward to.

Meanwhile, the rest of their family was grappling with their grief. In the waiting area, Yeonjun paced restlessly, his hands clenched into fists. "This is all my fault," he muttered, anguish lacing his words. "If I hadn't-"

"Yeonjun, stop," Soobin interrupted, his voice firm but gentle. "You can't blame yourself for what happened. None of us could have foreseen this."

But Yeonjun shook his head, tears brimming in his eyes. "I should have done more. I should have protected him."

"Hyunjin's a fighter," Seungmin reminded him, trying to inject some hope into the heavy atmosphere. "He's healing. We have to believe he'll come back to us."

"Believing isn't enough," Yeonjun snapped, frustration boiling over. "Look at him! He's not even here anymore!" The words hung in the air, heavy with despair, as he turned away, unable to face the reality of their situation.

As the group continued to discuss their feelings, Felix remained in the room with Hyunjin, feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders. He gently squeezed Hyunjin's hand, desperate for a sign of life. "I need you to come back to me," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. "I can't do this without you."

But the silence stretched on, and the blank wall remained his only company. Felix felt helpless, trapped in a cycle of grief and worry. He knew they needed to face the loss together, but Hyunjin's detachment made it feel impossible.

Days turned into a week, and the atmosphere in the hospital felt stifling. Felix's family visited often, each trying to reach him in their own way, but nothing seemed to break through the fog that enveloped him. They shared stories, laughed softly, and reminisced about the good times, hoping to evoke a response, but Hyunjin remained still, an unyielding statue.

Felix finally stood, pacing the small room, his heart heavy. "What can I do?" he asked himself, voice cracking under the weight of his emotions. "How do I bring you back?"

Just then, the doctor entered, her expression serious yet compassionate. "Felix, I understand this is difficult, but it's important that we keep trying to communicate with Hyunjin. Sometimes, even when they seem unresponsive, they can still hear you."

Felix nodded, determined to try again. He sat back down beside Hyunjin, leaning closer. "Hyunjin, please listen to me," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "I know you're hurting. I can't imagine what you're going through, but you're not alone. I'm right here, and I love you."

For a brief moment, there was a flicker in Hyunjin's eyes, a subtle twitch that made Felix's heart race. "Please, come back to me," Felix urged, tears spilling down his cheeks. "I need you to fight. We all do."

Outside the room, Yeonjun continued to wrestle with his guilt, feeling the burden of the family's grief pressing down on him. He could hear the muffled conversations and whispered hopes, but they felt distant, like echoes in a void.

"We can't keep blaming ourselves," Chan said softly to him. "It won't help Hyunjin. He needs our support, not our guilt."

Yeonjun's shoulders slumped as he nodded, knowing deep down that they were right. But the pain of feeling responsible weighed heavily on him. "I just wish I could take it all back," he murmured.

"None of us can," Soobin reminded him gently. "But we can be there for him now. That's what matters."

As Felix continued to speak to Hyunjin, a fragile hope began to weave its way through the darkness. It was a small spark, but in the midst of grief, it was enough to cling to-a reminder that love could still bridge the gap between despair and healing.