Only You | Taennie

Part 57

The hospital doors flew open.

Taehyung literally burst inside, his eyes wild, his heart in his throat. He ran over the wet carpet at the entrance, his jacket slung carelessly over his shoulder, his fists clenched.

Reception. Bright light. Confused faces. And him—at the counter in a single breath.

"Jennie Kim! Where is she?!" he blurted out. "Premature birth—"

The receptionist, a young woman in white, jumped. She looked up from her computer and paused for a moment.

"Calm down, sir. What is your relationship to the patient?"

Taehyung stared at her like lightning.

"Are you serious?! I'm her fiancé!" he snapped. "And the father of the child! So tell me where she is right now!"

The receptionist raised her eyebrows but didn't panic. She clicked a few times on the keyboard and printed out a label.

"Delivery room, third floor. Wait, I'll call a nurse to accompany you—"

But Taehyung was already standing nearby, impatient, pacing back and forth like a caged lion.

The nurse, a slender middle-aged woman, arrived a few seconds later.

"Mr. Kim?"

"Yes. Quickly, please!" "

Without another word, she led him down the hallway, into the elevator, then across the quiet linoleum floors, where he could hear every click of his shoes. His head was buzzing. The image of Jennie, alone in the delivery room, made him breathe shallowly, his heart beating faster than before.

But when they reached the door, the nurse stopped.

"Wait here. Delivery room four. The doctors are currently performing surgery. In the meantime, you can wait in the room across the hall—we'll prepare you if they invite you in."

Taehyung paused.

"What... what?"

"Don't worry. Everything is under control. Sit down for now."

She pointed to the door opposite.

And he... reluctantly stepped back. He entered the room. It was a simple waiting room, with two armchairs, a table, and a silence that suddenly weighed heavily on him.

He slowly took off his jacket and let it slide onto the chair. He rubbed his face with his palms, sat down on the edge of the chair, and bowed his head between his knees. He breathed. He waited. And he prayed.

Taehyung sat on the edge of a white hospital chair with his head bowed, his elbows resting on his knees and his palms clasped tightly together, as if holding not only his hands but also his mind together. The air in the room was cold and quiet, except for the distant muffled sounds of monitors, the rustling of paperwork behind the door, and the occasional distant footsteps on the linoleum.

Time dragged on like syrup.

Every minute seemed like an hour, every second pulsed in his temples, while his thoughts kept returning to Jennie. Images flashed before his eyes—her laughing, hugging him, stroking her belly and quietly talking to her unborn daughter as if she had known her for a long time. He imagined her now, somewhere behind that door, in a room full of bright lights, surrounded by doctors, perhaps in pain, perhaps in confusion—and he wasn't with her.

That realization tormented him more than anything else.

He paced across the room, then back again. He pressed his forehead against the wall, closed his eyes, then opened them again. Everything was too slow. Too quiet. And his insides were screaming.