SEVENTEEN | SICKFICS - HURTFICS I

Vernon | Abused Part III

Back at the hospital, the hours seemed to stretch on endlessly. The doctors had stabilized Vernon, but his injuries were severe. He had a concussion, multiple contusions, and deep bruising all over his body. There was a chance his ribs had been cracked, but the full extent of his injuries wouldn't be clear until they could run more tests.

Seungkwan, Woozi, and Joshua hadn't left the waiting area. The rest of the members had been informed, and while they couldn't all be there, they were in constant contact, sending messages of support and praying for Vernon's recovery.

"Vernon is going to make it," Joshua said, his voice soft but steady. "He's strong. He's been through so much, and he's always come out stronger."

Seungkwan wiped his eyes, trying to keep his composure. "But why? Why did it have to be like this? He was just doing his best. He trusted that man..."

Woozi put a hand on his shoulder, his expression resolute. "We don't know why. But we'll be here for him. We'll help him heal."

The sound of a door opening interrupted their conversation, and a nurse entered the room. She was holding a clipboard and had a soft expression on her face.

"Vernon is stable," she said, her voice a little more reassuring now. "He's still unconscious, but he's improving. We'll need to monitor him closely for the next 24 hours, but it looks like he'll be okay."

Seungkwan's shoulders sagged with relief, and Woozi let out a long breath. Joshua closed his eyes for a moment, silently thanking whatever higher power was looking out for Vernon.

"Can we see him?" Seungkwan asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

The nurse nodded. "He's in room 302. Just be gentle. He's not fully awake yet, but you can go in for a few minutes."

The members stood up in unison, their legs shaky but determined to see their friend. They walked down the corridor to Vernon's room, their hearts pounding in their chests.

Vernon lay in the bed, unconscious but surrounded by machines monitoring his condition. His body was bruised, and his forehead was bandaged, but he was breathing steadily. He didn't look like himself-too still, too vulnerable-but he was alive. And that was all that mattered.

Seungkwan gently touched Vernon's hand, holding it tightly. "Vernon, we're here. We're not going anywhere. You don't have to fight alone."

Woozi sat on the edge of the bed, softly running his fingers through Vernon's hair. "We'll help you heal. Whatever you need, we're here."

Joshua stood at the foot of the bed, his eyes fixed on Vernon's sleeping face. "You're going to be okay. We'll make sure of it."

For the first time in what felt like hours, they allowed themselves to breathe, to believe that everything would be okay. Vernon was going to survive this. And with his hyungs by his side, he would heal, body and soul.

Days passed in a blur. Vernon was in and out of consciousness, his body slowly recovering from the brutal beating he had endured. The hospital room was quiet, save for the steady beep of the heart monitor, a reminder that he was alive, that he had made it through.

But when Vernon finally woke up, the calmness of his surroundings did nothing to ease the storm inside his mind.

He was disoriented at first, his eyelids fluttering as he tried to gather his bearings. The sterile white walls of the hospital room seemed foreign, too bright, too clean, in stark contrast to the darkness he had just escaped. He tried to move, to sit up, but his body screamed in protest, sharp pains shooting through him like a thousand needles.

His breaths came shallow and quick, his chest tight as panic started to rise.

"Vernon?" a soft voice broke through his haze, but it didn't reach him. All he could feel was the pain-the ache in his head, the bruises on his arms, the raw, almost unbearable feeling of helplessness.