𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐒𝐔𝐍𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐄 || 𝑺𝑬𝑶𝑲𝑺𝑶𝑶

chp4

When Joshua’s eyes fluttered open, the sterile, blinding lights above reminded him he wasn’t at home. The sharp scent of antiseptic and the distant hum of machines made his chest tighten. His head throbbed as he tried to sit up, the rough fabric of the hospital gown against his skin unfamiliar.

His thoughts immediately scrambled, piecing together fragments of memory that didn’t make sense. Why am I here? Panic clawed at his chest, and his trembling hand reached for the phone on the side table.

Without hesitation, he dialed Seokmin’s number. His heart raced as it rang once… twice… three times… and then the automated voicemail message filled the silence.

Joshua’s breath hitched. “No… no, no, no. That’s not right. He’s just busy,” he whispered, his voice trembling. “He’ll call me back.” He tried again, but the same response met him—voicemail.

The door to his room swung open, and Joshua looked up to see his parents rushing in, worry etched deep into their faces. His mother was holding her purse tightly, her knuckles white, while his father’s usually calm demeanor was replaced with an expression Joshua couldn’t quite place—something between anguish and pity.

A nurse followed behind them, clipboard in hand, but Joshua’s gaze remained fixed on his parents. His lips trembled as he tried to form the only word that mattered in that moment. “Seokmin…”

His mother froze, her lips parting as if to speak, but no words came out. She glanced at his father, her eyes glassy with unshed tears, before finally stepping closer to her son.

“Seokmin,” Joshua repeated, his voice more frantic now. “Where is he? I need to see him. I… I need to explain. I didn’t answer his call last night, but I’ll fix it, Mom. I’ll fix it.”

His mother’s hands trembled as she reached for him, cupping his face gently. “Joshua…” she started, her voice cracking. “We met him.” Her words were slow and deliberate, as though each syllable weighed a ton.

Joshua’s eyes brightened for a brief, fleeting moment. “You… you met him?” His lips quivered into a small, hopeful smile. “That’s perfect! I’ve been planning to introduce you to him! I—”

Her next words shattered his fragile hope. “He is- he was beautiful,” she whispered, correcting herself too quickly. “Was.”

The room seemed to tilt, the air rushing out of Joshua’s lungs. “No…” he muttered, shaking his head. “No, no, no! What do you mean, ‘was’?!” His voice cracked, his hands gripping the edge of the bed so tightly his knuckles turned white.

His mother’s tears finally spilled over, and she hugged him tightly. “I’m so sorry, Joshua. Darling, He’s… he’s gone.”

Joshua froze, his breath hitching as the words sunk in. “Gone?” he echoed, his voice barely above a whisper. “No, no, no. That’s not right. That’s not right!” His voice rose, raw with disbelief. “He can’t be gone! I was going to see him yesterday—I was going to bring him soup! I was supposed to introduce him to you, Mom, to meet you and Dad! He’s not gone!”

His mother’s sobs filled the room as she tried to calm him, but Joshua pulled away, his hands shaking uncontrollably. “No! You’re lying! He’s fine! He’s waiting for me—he’s waiting for me to call him back! I just need to—” He grabbed his phone again, frantically redialing Seokmin’s number, only for the voicemail to answer once more.