off limits ✧ zb1 applyfic

✧ ninety two

Before even Hanbin could leave Yanmei's side and rush towards Irang, Yujin was already crouched by her side, his heart hammering in his chest so violently he thought it might tear a hole through his ribcage. Any rational thought, any helpful gesture he could have mustered up was completely written over by panic, as he looked at her. Her breath was ragged as her two hands remained firmly wrapped around her ankle, as if the pressure on it was the only thing keeping hell from breaking loose.

"Irang!" Yujin exclaimed, his hands flailing around aimlessly. "Are you hurt?!"

She winced, but still managed to look up at him, a barely convincing smile on her face. "It's okay, I think I just twisted my ankle."

Only then, did Hanbin finally close the distance, and he bent over to look at her ankle. Usually, Hanbin would have been the panicked one, always overly protective and worried about his sister's safety. But seeing Yujin's jittery state, he knew he had to be the calm one. Pulling her sock down slightly, he sucked a breath in.

"Yeah, it looks pretty swollen already," he observed. "Come on, let's get you on a chair."

At least, with Hanbin's reassuring guidance, Yujin was able to get enough of a hold on his emotions to help Irang up. As soon as her injured foot touched the ground, she yelped, and almost collapsed, but he caught her side, sliding his arm under her shoulder. Hanbin took the other side and, under the nervous gazes of all their friends, they helped her out of the rink. Jiyeon had already prepared a chair for her, her eyebrows knitting together in a worry mirrored on her brother's face. Hanbin gently deposited Irang upon the chair, but Yujin held onto her a little longer, his stomach hard and painful. While Hanbin carefully removed her skate to get a better look at her injury, Yujin couldn’t help but feel useless. No, guilty.

"I..." he started, but found his mouth completely dry. After swallowing the lump in his throat, he crouched down to Irang's height, grabbing her hands in his. "I'm so sorry! It's my fault, I shouldn’t have made you race me, I—"

"It's okay, Yujin," she cut him off with a soft, yet clear voice. "I'm okay. This isn't the first, nor the last time I twist my ankle, you know?"

He fell silent for a second, observing the gap between the optimism of her words, and her drawn features as her brother even slightly brushed his fingers against her ankle. It was obvious she was trying to make him feel better, which only made him feel worse. He wasn’t much of a man, to be comforted like that by the very person he'd gotten hurt.

"Are you sure?" he asked, wondering if she would finally admit the pain, let her tears out, curse him for being an idiot. It would only be natural.

But Irang's smile only deepened. "I'm sure. We can just say I won the race though, right?"

Her question, still so playful and lighthearted, hit him square in the face. He'd always known Irang was an incredible girl, but now he knew beyond the shadow of a doubt, that she was miles stronger than he could ever be. Despite the tightness in his chest, Yujin mustered up a smile too, so that he could be just a bit stronger, as well.

"Of course. You definitely won," he said, and she chuckled triumphantly in response, as if her ankle wasn’t all red and swollen.

Hanbin rose. "It's not too bad, but we definitely need to reduce the swelling," he declared, before placing his hand on top of Irang's head. "Let's go ask for some ice and bandages. Yujin, you come with me."

Yujin didn't even have the time to get nervous, or to apprehend a scolding from Irang's older brother. All that mattered to him right now was his girlfriend's safety, and if that meant getting yelled at while getting her some relief, he could endure hours of it. Reluctantly letting go of Irang's hands, he jumped to his feet.