𝑃𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑜𝑛 / 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑠𝑢𝑛𝑔

S2 ch 62

Four Months Later

Time had passed, but the wounds—physical and emotional—still lingered.

Jisung had remained in the hospital, enduring grueling physical therapy to regain his mobility. His muscles ached with every step, but he pushed through, determined not to be a burden. His face still bore traces of the accident, but his will to recover burned bright.

Jiwon, however, was a different story.

He hadn't woken up.

In the weeks following the accident, Rafayel found himself alienated. Minho, Bangchan, Seungmin, Jeongin, Changbin, Felix, Hyunjin—all turned against him. The fight was explosive. Words thrown like knives, fists nearly flying.

“You caused this!” Minho had shouted, grabbing Rafayel by the collar, eyes burning. “If you didn’t chase after him like some obsessed maniac, none of this would’ve happened!”

Rafayel didn’t defend himself. What could he say?

“I know,” he had said quietly, defeated. “I know I messed up. I know it’s my fault. I just… I didn’t want to lose him.”

Despite everything, Rafayel tried to make things right. He pulled strings, made calls, and cleared the criminal records of every one of them. No more police. No more charges. Just clean slates.

When Minho found out, he was silent at first. Then he asked coldly, “What do you want in return?”

“I just want to be there,” Rafayel had said, desperation in his eyes. “If he wakes up… I just want a chance to talk to him. Please.”

Minho’s gaze was deadly serious. “If you do anything to hurt him again, Rafayel—I swear to God—I’ll kill you.”

Rafayel nodded. “I understand.”

---

The phone rang.

The doctor’s voice was calm, but there was urgency underneath. “He’s awake.”

It felt like the world shifted.

All of them gathered in the room. The beeping machines, the sterile walls—it all felt surreal. Jisung stood by the bed, legs trembling a little from both anticipation and his still-healing body.

He reached down and gently took Jiwon’s hand. “Hey, Jiwon,” he said softly, smiling despite the lump in his throat. “It’s me. Jisung. You’re okay now.”

Jiwon’s eyes fluttered weakly, unfocused at first. He looked exhausted—sunken cheeks, pale skin—but there was life in him again.

Rafayel stood at the end of the room, barely breathing. His hands were clenched tight behind his back, doing everything he could not to fall apart.

Jiwon’s gaze drifted. He blinked several times. And then his eyes landed on Rafayel.

A beat passed.

Another.

His eyebrows furrowed slightly. “Who… are you?” he murmured, just loud enough for everyone to hear.

The silence was suffocating.

Rafayel froze. Every drop of color drained from his face. The breath he'd been holding escaped in a soft gasp. He opened his mouth, but no words came out.

Jisung turned to look at Rafayel with wide eyes. Minho stared at the floor, fists tight at his sides. Felix's jaw dropped slightly, and Hyunjin covered his mouth.

“…Jiwon?” Jisung said cautiously, squeezing his hand. “Do you… remember us?”

Jiwon’s gaze slowly moved from face to face. “You’re… Jisung,” he said after a few seconds. His voice was hoarse, weak.