Heartbeats and Flashbacks

The hospital room buzzed quietly with whispers, beeping monitors, and the soft shuffle of nurses. YN lay in the bed, fragile yet alert, her chest stitched, her pulse being carefully monitored. Around her, friends—Matthew, Alex, Zoey, Shana—and even her real and adopted families hovered, worried eyes darting back and forth.

JK stood silently at the doorway, a rigid figure in black, his presence demanding attention even without a word. His hyung, Hoseok, lingered nearby, equally tense, but everyone knew the room belonged to YN and him, even if she didn’t want to admit it.

Alex, holding her hand gently, whispered, “Don’t go, YN. I had a date with you earlier, but you said you had something important to handle with JK…”

YN’s eyes fluttered open, seeing Alex first. “Alex?” she murmured, voice weak but still teasing. Her gaze shifted, scanning the room. And then it landed on him—JK. She squinted, taking in his sharp silhouette, his tense shoulders, the hand twitching at his side.

Her heart twisted. “Where’s Mr. Jeon?” she asked, her voice firm, though her eyes betrayed the fear and worry she had fought to hide.

JK’s jaw tightened. “I’m here,” he said simply, stepping closer. His gaze softened—not often, but enough that YN noticed.

Her lips curved into a small, almost imperceptible smile, the nose scrunching one she had perfected for him. “I see you’re still breathing, huh? Thought you’d disappear like always,” she teased weakly.

JK didn’t reply. He knew she was testing him, even now. Testing his patience, his loyalty, his care.

Her hands shook as they reached for his sleeve, the habit of holding on when scared stronger than any pride she had left. “Don’t… don’t get too close,” she whispered. Her voice was playful, but the tremor betrayed her fragility.

“I’ll stay,” he said firmly, ignoring the nurse’s startled look. “I’m not leaving.”

YN let out a shaky laugh. “Lucky me, huh? Survived your crazy driving, near fainting, missing meds…” She paused, clutching her chest lightly. “And you’re still standing there, like nothing happened.”

He flinched slightly, the words cutting deeper than she knew. “I was protecting you,” he muttered, voice low and rough. “Even if it meant… scaring you.”

Her lips quirked up faintly. “Scaring me? You mean traumatizing me more than my own weak heart did?” She scrunched her nose at him, teasing him despite the pain.

For a moment, he simply watched her. The pale skin, the small blush creeping onto her cheeks, the tremor in her fingers—it all reminded him why he couldn’t walk away.

“Don’t call me Mr. Jeon,” she teased quietly, “what happened to JK?”

He felt a small pull at his chest. “JK is still here,” he said, voice low, almost admitting too much.

YN’s heart skipped a beat. Her pulse raced, the monitors around them warning in soft beeps that something was off. She tried to hide it, rolling her eyes, but inside she was a storm. “I survived,” she whispered again, the words more to herself than anyone else.

JK stepped closer, gently brushing a stray hair from her forehead. His hand was warm, steady. “You’re lucky I was here,” he said softly. “But you… you’re not done fighting me yet.”

YN looked up at him, eyes glimmering, chest rising and falling cautiously. “I’m not done fighting… anything,” she said, her lips curving into that dangerous, teasing smile.

For the first time in hours, he saw softness in her eyes. Vulnerability. And he realized just how much he had underestimated the depth of his feelings for her.

YN’s fingers lingered on his sleeve, holding on, not wanting to let go.

Flashback:“Today’s the last day you’ll see me,” she whispered suddenly, standing precariously on the edge of the bed. “I’m shifting somewhere far away.”

JK froze. Another tear slipped down his cheek, betraying the cold mask he wore so well.

YN noticed it, and her own eyes widened. She moved closer, stepping onto a chair to reach his face. Her hands, cold but deliberate, brushed the tear from his cheek. “I’m not worth crying over, JK… I mean, Mr. Jeon,” she said softly, her nose scrunching with a faint smile.

His hand hovered, unsure whether to reach for her or pull back. He had never let anyone get this close, never let anyone see this side of him. But she had—YN, with all her chaos, her teasing, her stubborn heart, had reached him.

She leaned back slightly, stepping off the chair, eyes still on him. “Bye… gotta go,” she said lightly, hiding the storm inside.

JK took a step forward. “Stay.”

YN shook her head. “Curfew.”

Another tear escaped him. She saw it, and for a moment, time froze. He reached out instinctively, just to brush her hand, just to feel that connection one more time.

YN felt it too—the pull, the heartbeat syncing, the unspoken words hanging in the air. “Can I… JK?” she whispered.

“Yes,” he breathed.

And for the first time in her life, YN let herself hug someone—just to feel it, just to test the warmth, the softness, the heartbeat that had never left her side.

“I’m not here… not yet,” she whispered, pulling back slightly. “We’re not here… at least I’m not with you again yet.”

JK’s gaze followed her every movement, tense, torn, unwilling to let her slip away again.

As JK remembered those moments of his with YN the only he ever lovedThe hospital room was filled with quiet breaths, beeping monitors, and a single truth neither could deny: tangled hearts didn’t let go easily because she can't be him they got divorced but he still cares

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