ᴀᴅᴅɪᴄᴛᴇᴅ

【32】

"mingi," yunho said, kneeling down. "hey. hey, can you hear me?"

mingi stirred, barely. his eyes fluttered open, glassy and unfocused.

"i didn't want to ruin anything," he whispered, voice slurred. "you all looked happy."

"jesus—" woo crouched next to them, hand hovering. "what did you take?"

"everything," mingi said, like it was nothing. "i just wanted it to stop."

"no, no," yunho said, voice cracking. "stay awake, okay? please. you can't do this."

hwa pulled out his phone, dialing fast. "call an ambulance," he told yeosang, who was already two steps ahead.

yunho pressed his hands over the fresh cuts on mingi's arm, trying not to shake. "you're not alone," he said. "not now, not ever. we're here, mingi. stay with us."

mingi blinked, a single tear sliding down his cheek. "i'm sorry. i didn't know where else to go."

"you came here," yunho said, voice breaking. "you came to me. that's enough. that's everything."

woo peeled off his jacket and wrapped it around mingi's shoulders, trying to keep him warm. "just hold on," he whispered. "we're not letting go."

the sirens came quickly. someone inside the party must have realized something was wrong and cleared the way. the paramedics worked fast — checking vitals, starting an IV, asking questions none of them could answer. yunho didn't leave mingi's side. not for a second.

as they loaded him into the ambulance, mingi reached out — weak, trembling.

yunho grabbed his hand. "i've got you," he said. "i'm coming with you."

⸻

the hospital lights were harsh, buzzing overhead. yunho sat beside mingi's bed, his hand still wrapped in his. woo, hwa, and yeosang waited just outside the room — a quiet fortress of love.

mingi was asleep now. stable. but still so pale it made yunho's stomach twist.

the nurse had said it was close. if they hadn't found him when they did...

yunho didn't let himself finish that thought.

"you're still here," he whispered. "and that's what matters."

hwa poked his head in. "you need anything?"

"just... stay," yunho said.

"we're not going anywhere."

⸻

a few hours later, mingi opened his eyes again.

he looked around slowly, confusion creasing his brow — until his gaze landed on yunho. a tear slipped down his cheek before he even spoke.

"why did you stay?"

yunho leaned forward, gripping his hand gently. "because i love you. we all do."