The days passed slowly, a haze of exhaustion and anxiety hanging over the hospital as everyone waited for news of Bambam's condition. Nayeon had been discharged but refused to leave his side, staying by his bed in the ICU with their newborn baby in a bassinet nearby. The gentle hum of machines and the occasional beeping of monitors filled the silence of the room.
Jin and Taehyung made their rounds regularly, each time providing updates that seemed to blur together-no significant changes, still stable, but unresponsive. Nayeon tried to stay strong, but with each passing day, her hope began to fade. It was impossible not to think about the worst-case scenario, especially when every day looked the same, and Bambam showed no signs of waking.
Then, on the fifth day, something shifted.
It was early in the morning, just before the sunrise. Nayeon was asleep in the chair beside Bambam's bed, her baby swaddled in her arms. She stirred awake to the sound of movement-a soft rustling of sheets, the faintest sound-but in the stillness of the ICU, it was enough to jolt her upright.
Her eyes shot to Bambam. His hand, which had been motionless for days, twitched slightly. It was barely noticeable, but for Nayeon, it was everything. She held her breath, heart racing as she stood up and moved closer to him, gently placing her hand over his.
"Bambam?" she whispered, her voice trembling.
At first, nothing. The machines continued their steady rhythm, the room remained quiet. But then, slowly, his eyelids fluttered, and his fingers curled weakly around hers.
Tears instantly welled up in Nayeon's eyes. "Bambam, can you hear me?" she asked, her voice thick with emotion.
His eyes opened, just a sliver at first, as if the light was too much for him to handle. He blinked slowly, disoriented, his gaze wandering until it finally landed on her face. For a moment, there was a flicker of recognition, and then his lips parted, a hoarse, barely audible whisper escaping.
"Nayeon..."
Nayeon let out a soft sob, squeezing his hand tighter. "I'm here," she said, her voice shaking. "I'm right here. You're okay, you're going to be okay."
Bambam's eyes drifted downward, catching sight of the baby cradled in her arms. Confusion clouded his features for a second, but when Nayeon gently moved the baby closer, his face softened. He tried to speak again, but the words wouldn't come. Instead, his eyes filled with tears, overwhelmed by the sight of their child.
Nayeon smiled through her tears, bringing the baby closer so Bambam could see him more clearly. "This is our baby," she whispered. "You made it, Bambam. You didn't miss it."
Bambam's gaze locked on the baby, his tired eyes brimming with emotion. Though he was weak, he managed to lift his hand slightly, reaching out toward the newborn. His fingers brushed against the baby's tiny hand, and Nayeon watched as the corners of Bambam's mouth lifted into the faintest of smiles.
"You're here," Nayeon whispered again, her voice thick with gratitude. "You're really here. Let's go home"
The moment was fragile, yet filled with so much hope. Bambam wasn't fully out of danger yet-there was still a long road of recovery ahead-but he was awake. He was alive. And that, for Nayeon, was more than she had dared to hope for in the past few days.
She stayed there, holding his hand as the baby dozed between them, their little family reunited against all odds. As the sun rose outside, casting a soft glow into the room, Nayeon knew that no matter how hard the journey had been, they had made it through together.
And for the first time in days, she allowed herself to believe that everything would be okay.
