SEVENTEEN | SICKFICS - HURTFICS I

Dino | Broken Part II

Once they reached the ER, Joshua reluctantly handed Dino over to the medical staff, feeling the sting of helplessness deep in his gut. They immediately began working on Dino, hooking him up to monitors and moving with practiced precision to stabilize him.

Joshua was left standing outside the emergency room doors, pacing back and forth in the sterile, quiet hallway. His thoughts were spiraling. How had they all missed it? How had none of them noticed that Dino was in pain too? The thought that they had all been so caught up in Mingyu's injury-and that they'd neglected Dino, who had been right there-made Joshua feel sick to his stomach.

*I should've checked on him. Why didn't I check on him?* The guilt weighed heavily on him, pressing down on his chest. *I should've known something was wrong. He was so quiet, but I... I just assumed he was fine. But he wasn't, and now look at him.*

Time seemed to slow in the waiting room as Joshua ran through his thoughts, the guilt and worry overwhelming him. He couldn't stop replaying the moments when Dino had been standing there, silently enduring his pain. His heart broke thinking about how alone Dino must have felt. How could they not have noticed? How had he let Dino suffer in silence like that?

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, a doctor emerged from the emergency room doors. His face was serious but not overly grim.

"Is he okay?" Joshua asked immediately, his voice tight with tension. His hands were clammy, his stomach churning with anxiety.

The doctor nodded, though there was a hint of concern in his expression. "He's stable for now, but we found that Dino has three broken ribs. One of those ribs punctured his lung, which is why he was coughing up blood."

Joshua felt his heart drop at the news. "Three broken ribs?" His voice was barely above a whisper, the reality of it sinking in. "And his lung...?"

The doctor continued, his tone clinical but not unkind. "Yes. The rib punctured his lung, causing internal bleeding. He's lucky he made it here when he did. If he had been left alone much longer, his condition could have worsened. We're going to monitor him closely for a while and make sure the lung heals properly. He'll need rest, and he'll be in pain for a while, but with time, he should recover."

Joshua was silent for a moment, the weight of the doctor's words settling over him like a cold fog. He should've been okay... Why didn't we see it?

"I... I don't understand," Joshua murmured, struggling to process the information. "How did he even manage to keep going like this? Why didn't he say anything?"

The doctor gave him a sympathetic look. "Sometimes, in situations like this, the adrenaline and sheer willpower can mask the pain. He probably didn't want to worry anyone, especially with everything going on. It's common for people to push themselves past their limits without realizing the damage they're doing."

Joshua nodded slowly, the pieces falling into place. Dino had been so quiet, so determined to make sure no one noticed him, all while he was suffering in silence. And they had all just... missed it. The realization stung more than he expected, and his stomach churned again with guilt.

"Can I see him?" Joshua asked, his voice thick. "Is he awake?"

The doctor paused for a moment before nodding. "He's resting now, but you can visit him for a short while. Just be careful not to agitate him too much-he'll be groggy from the medication."

Joshua thanked the doctor and followed him down the hallway to where Dino was being treated. When they reached the room, the sight of Dino lying in a hospital bed-pale, bruised, and hooked up to an IV-made Joshua's heart ache. His normally bright, energetic face was now slack and fragile, a shadow of the vibrant person he was just hours ago.