ᴡʀᴏɴɢ ꜱᴇɴᴅ ┆|| ┆ni-ki

~sixty six~

Soon, footsteps echoed outside the room, and her dad appeared in the doorway, his face filled with a mix of worry and relief as his eyes landed on her.

"Eunha," he murmured, stepping forward, his expression softening. He seemed hesitant at first, but then he came closer, taking in the sight of her sitting up in bed, alive and awake.

The lines of tension on his face eased just a little as he reached out, his hand hovering, unsure if he should touch her. "Are you... okay, sweetheart?"

She nodded, her eyes flickering from her dad to Niki, who gave her an encouraging look. She took a breath and gave her dad a soft smile. "I'll be fine, Dad."

Her dad let out a shaky sigh, relief washing over his face. He finally placed a hand gently on her shoulder, his touch hesitant, like he was afraid she might break. "I'm so sorry, Eunha. I... I never should have let this happen."

The heaviness of his words made her heart ache. She could see the regret in his eyes, the guilt that had probably been eating at him since everything happened. But she didn't want him to feel that way.

"It's... it's okay, Dad," she said with a small smile, trying to comfort him.

She glanced at Niki, who was watching her with a soft look, clearly giving her the space she needed with her father.

Her dad glanced at Niki, and his expression softened even more. "Thank you for staying with her... I don't know what she would've done without you here."

Niki gave a small, humble nod. "I wouldn't have been anywhere else, sir."

Her dad took a deep breath, then turned his focus back to her, trying to keep his expression steady. "Eunha... when you're ready, there are some things we need to talk about. But only when you're up for it, okay?"

She nodded, knowing what he meant, the reality of everything still sinking in. But having him there, and Niki's hand still in hers, made her feel a strange strength she hadn't felt before.

"So..." her dad said, trying to lighten the mood a little, "anything you want while you're here? Maybe a little treat? Ice cream, maybe?"

Eunha's eyes lit up a bit at the mention of ice cream, and she looked to Niki with a grin. "What do you think? Ice cream sounds good?"

He laughed, nodding along. "Definitely. Can't say no to ice cream."

Her dad chuckled, the tension in the room easing as he saw her smiling, even if it was just a small one. "Alright then. I'll get you some. And Niki, would you like anything?"

Niki held up his hands, shaking his head. "I'm good. Just... happy to see she's okay."

Her dad nodded, giving him a grateful look, before turning back to Eunha. "I'll be right back, sweetheart."

As her dad left, Eunha finally relaxed, letting her guard down with a soft smile as she looked at Niki beside her, his hand still wrapped around hers.

"I think, I'm really lucky," she said quietly, her eyes meeting his. "Lucky to have a dad like him, and lucky to have you. As my boyfriend, for real."

Niki's eyes softened, and he chuckled, a warm grin spreading across his face. "Then I must be the lucky one here."

She laughed, a blush creeping onto her cheeks. "I mean it. I don't think I could've faced all of this without you here."

Niki's face grew serious, and his hand gently brushed a stray hair from her forehead. He leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss against her forehead. She felt a warm smile spread across her face, her gaze still on him.

When she looked at him, his expression was full of quiet reassurance. "You're stuck with me now, you know," he murmured. "No more going through this stuff alone. Got it?"

She grinned, the weight of everything starting to feel a little lighter. "I got it," she replied, giving his hand a gentle squeeze in return.

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