Ineffable 𓇢𓆸 || Jakehoon

🍂 Chapter 56 🍂

The seconds turned into minutes. The minutes stretched into what felt like hours. Every breath I took felt heavier, as if the weight of the world was pressing down on me. Jake was still unconscious, his face pale and bloodied, his body limp in my arms. The sight of him like this twisted something inside me, something sharp and desperate. I wanted to scream, to throw myself at the world and make it stop, to force it to give him back to me.

But I couldn't. I had to stay calm. I had to trust Eunhee. I had to trust that she could save him.

Eunhee and Sunoo worked with quiet intensity, their hands moving fast, their eyes focused as they treated Jake's injuries. I wanted to help. I wanted to do something, anything-but I couldn't. I was useless here.

"Sunghoon," Eunhee said, her voice steady despite the urgency. "Get me some water. We need to keep him hydrated. The bleeding's slowing, but he's still at risk of shock."

I nodded, without a second thought. Anything. Anything to keep him alive.

I scrambled to the water station and grabbed a canister, my hands shaking with every movement. It felt like the air was pressing against my chest, making it hard to breathe. I couldn't get back to him fast enough.

When I returned, I was met with the sight of Eunhee and Sunoo working together, their faces grim. Jake's chest rose and fell in shallow breaths, his skin cold to the touch, the blood still staining his clothes.

My throat tightened. I had to believe he would make it. I had to hold onto that.

"Is he...?" I couldn't finish the question. The words felt wrong on my tongue.

"He's hanging on," Eunhee replied quietly, her voice uncharacteristically soft. She met my gaze for just a moment, her expression hardened but with something else underneath. "But he's not out of the woods yet."

I took a shaky breath, trying to keep myself together. It wasn't just Jake I was worried about. Jungwon was still laying a few feet away, his head resting against the ground. His condition wasn't any better, and seeing him like that, bloodied and still, only added to the storm inside me.

I moved closer to Jake, my heart threatening to break all over again. His eyes were closed, his face slack and motionless. He looked so vulnerable, so fragile. I reached out, tentatively, and took his hand in mine. His fingers were cold, unresponsive. My chest tightened painfully, and the desperation clawed at me again.

"Please, Jake," I whispered, so softly I wasn't sure if I even spoke aloud. "Please, wake up. I'm here. I'm not leaving you."

Eunhee's voice cut through the silence. "Sunghoon, keep pressure on the wound here," she instructed, pointing to Jake's stomach. "We need to stop the bleeding. Don't let go."

I nodded quickly and moved into position, gently pressing down on the bandages where the blood still seeped through. I could feel the warmth of his body beneath me, but it wasn't enough. Not when he was so still. Not when his breath was so faint.

I kept my gaze fixed on his face, watching for any signs that he was starting to stir. My hand was trembling against his chest as I held him, willing him to respond, to open his eyes, to speak. Anything.

But he didn't. He stayed motionless, his breathing slow but steady, like he was trapped in a deep sleep he couldn't wake from.

"Sunghoon," Eunhee's voice was sharper now. "You need to step back. I need to do more."

I didn't want to leave him. I didn't want to take my hand away, not even for a second. But I forced myself to move back, letting Eunhee take over. I couldn't help him like this. I wasn't strong enough.

I sat back on my heels, my hands still shaking, my heart still pounding. I couldn't stop watching Jake. I couldn't look away, not when I could still feel his presence here, still feel the weight of his hand in mine, even if he wasn't conscious.

Every breath, every heartbeat, felt like a prayer.

Please, Jake. Stay with me.

Eunhee and Sunoo continued to work. Sunoo had moved on to Jungwon now, treating his stomach wound with the same precision. The entire camp felt like it was holding its breath-waiting. The night stretched on, silent except for the quiet hum of anxious voices and the occasional muffled explosion in the distance.

Minutes passed. Hours, maybe.

I felt the pressure in my chest ease, just a little, as Jake's breathing seemed to stabilize. The worst of the bleeding had slowed, and the IV that Eunhee had set up was working, helping him regain some strength. But it wasn't enough. Not yet. He wasn't awake. He wasn't with me.

And I still wasn't sure if he ever would be.

But for now, I had to believe he would. I had to.