Bound by Shadows .jc

CHAPTER 65

The Devil's vow

The sun blazed brightly in the afternoon sky, casting long shadows across the pavement. The light was unrelenting, a stark contrast to the storm raging inside Seungcheol. He drove with singular focus, the hospital looming closer with every passing second, but not fast enough.

His hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly it hurt, yet the pain was a welcome distraction from the suffocating guilt. He couldn't get the image of Jeonghan out of his mind—frail, hurt, waiting. Every second apart felt like an eternity, a cruel reminder of his failures.

How many hours had Jeonghan waited for him? How many moments had he spent in agony, longing for a trace of Seungcheol's presence? And how had Seungcheol let it come to this?

The sunlight was warm on his skin, but inside, he felt cold. Memories flashed through his mind—Jeonghan's easy laugh, the soft curve of his smile, the way his voice carried warmth that could melt even the hardest parts of Seungcheol's heart. But now those memories were laced with the unbearable image of Jeonghan's pale, trembling hands reaching for someone who hadn't been there.

The world blurred, his mind caught in an endless loop of regret and longing. The desperate ache to see Jeonghan, to hold him, was all-consuming. Seungcheol could barely breathe, each second apart carving deeper into his chest.

He had spent what felt like a lifetime searching for something he didn't even realize he needed—until Jeonghan.  Seungcheol had never deserved him, and yet Jeonghan had stayed. Until now.

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The minutes stretched thin, each one longer than the last, as the lively chatter of the boys filled the hospital room. Their laughter and lighthearted banter wove a fragile warmth into the sterile air, but Jeonghan couldn't fully sink into it. He smiled faintly, his lips curving just enough to reassure them that he was okay, or at least trying to be. Yet even as their voices rose in playful arguments and jokes, his mind wandered, his heart restless.

His gaze drifted repeatedly toward the door, unable to resist the pull of anticipation. A faint flicker of hope lit his chest every time he thought he heard footsteps in the hallway, only to extinguish just as quickly when they passed by. He longed for a familiar presence—one that could steady the storm raging within him.

Jeonghan's body felt like a hollow shell, drained of its usual vitality. Every breath came with a slight effort, his chest rising and falling as if under the weight of invisible burdens. His hands, still trembling faintly, lay on the blanket, a quiet testament to the ordeal he had endured. And yet, he didn't let the exhaustion or the ache in his chest show.

The door finally opened, and the world seemed to hold its breath.

Seungcheol stood there, chest heaving, his shirt marred with the remnants of dried blood and dust. His eyes, dark and intense, immediately found Jeonghan, softening in a way that seemed impossible for someone so hardened by the life he led. For a moment, he simply stood there, as if grounding himself in the sight of Jeonghan alive and awake.

The members stilled, the room's energy shifting as they turned to look. Jeonghan's breath caught. His lips parted, but no words came out—just an overwhelming wave of relief.

"Hyung..." dino was the first to speak, his tone gentle yet tinged with concern.

But Seungcheol didn't acknowledge anyone else. 

The others could feel the unspoken intensity between the two. Slowly, almost as one, they began to step back.

The others who entered behind seungcheol also felt the tension Wonwoo, ever perceptive, quietly motioned for the group to leave. "Let's give them some time," he murmured, his hand resting lightly on Mingyu's shoulder.