७९
24H | SEVENTEEN
"Rumi wait!" Gu Hwa called behind her. Her staying around them right now was not good. She needs to leave before situation worsened, they already knew something wasn't right.
"Jeonghan-ssi?!" Rumi burst into the room to see Jeonghan being treated by the medic while his brother stood beside him. "What's wrong? Is he okay?" She worriedly asked when she noticed his arm being wrapped in bandaged and tied around neck. "There seems dislocation." The medic informed. Rumi cursed biting her lip, it was her fault she shouldn't have pushed him into wall that hard.
"Rumi we need to talk-" Gu Hwa who had followed her froze midsentence. "Your back..." He said shock to see the sight in front of him. One of the medic heeded to his worry and rushed to her side when lump of her hair fell down. "Ma'am." He gasped very audibly. "W-what's wrong?" Rumi asked glancing towards him, she was sweating, heaving, barely trying to hold up.
"Get me a stool!" He exclaimed rushing and grabbing his kit. Gu Hwa quick on feet grabbed the nearby stool. "Ma'am please." He carefully helped her settle down on stool. "Don't!" He sharply warned looking at Wonwoo and others who were trying to get to Rumi worried. "Everyone stay back." He warned putting on heavy duty gloves and pulled out a scissors. Grabbing at the head of her ponytail he instantly snipped of her hair. "What are doing?!" Wonwoo exclaimed trying step forward but Seungcheol stopped him. The medic completely ignored him and continued with his work. This time his scissors searing through her shirt. Rumi hissed in pain biting on her lip. The medic practically had to peel off the shirt piece off her back. Rumi squeezed her nails into her palm bearing the pain, it was like she was being skinned alive.
"We need to get rid of your shirt." The medic said, Rumi only could nod her head in response. "Help me pull off her shirt." He asked looking at Gu Hwa who quickly moved and removed her shirt, gasps were heard when her half-covered torso was exposed. Teared eye from unbearable pain met with pairs of shock filled eyes which looked away. "This is going to sting." The medic said before she felt like molten lava was being poured on her back. "Arghhhh!" She screamed in pain.
"NOONA!" Wonwoo who was being held back by Seungcheol pushed him aside rushed towards Rumi. He slide down in front of her and took her hands in his. "Noona! It's okay. You are going to be o-okay." He choked trying to comfort her through pain. Rumi groaned as the medic clean the burn with saline water. "Gauze." He asked as his partner had already placed it in his hand. "Ugh!" Rumi bit on her lip till it bleed. "Almost done." The medic assured applying the gel on the affected area and then began covering it with dressing. "Ah." Rumi let out sighs when the burning sensation cooled down a little bit. Taking deep breath Rumi glanced up meeting Wonwoo's eyes. "I-I am f-fine." She smiled lifting her hand to wipe off tear that rolled down Wonwoo's cheek.
"You're fortunate enough." Medic commented from behind as he wrapped up his kit. "It could have been worse but your hair protected most of your back. Though the burns are not severe still they aren't something one would be able to bear. It's incredible that you are able sit here and converse." He mumbled looking at Rumi astonished. Rumi smiled, "I-I've been through worse a-as you can see." She replied gesturing towards the scars on her body.
"Fucking idoit!" Seungcheol cursed making her look at him. He looked pissed, very pissed if Jeonghan wouldn't have been hurt then she would've been in big trouble right now. "What were you thinking?!"
"I-I wasn't." Rumi replied hissing in pain.
"You-" Jeonghan grabbed Seungcheol arm and shook his head.
"I'm sorry Jeonghan-ssi. I shouldn't have pushed you that hard." Rumi apologized bowing her head. "You are embarrassing me Rumi." Jeonghan said looking at her. "You saved my life back there. If you hadn't been there then-then I don't know what would've happened of me?" Jeonghan said his voice falling back by the end of the sentence as he stared off in empty space. Rumi knew what was happening. This is what she feared the most. She turned and glanced up at Gu Hwa who nodded his head in understanding and then at Hoshi who looked away as soon as their eyes met. She felt a sharp pain in her chest. Disappointment. He was disappointed, he had every right to be, didn't he? After all she had promised him that she'll protect them at any cost yet here they were. "I'm sorry." She apologized.
"What are you sorry for?" Seungcheol asked annoyed. The confusion was frustrating him. Everything was going fine, out of nowhere Rumi sprinted off and then this occurred. "You knew." Both Rumi and Gu Hwa froze. It was not a question but a statement. "You knew that Jeonghan was in danger, didn't you? That's why you sprinted off when you heard he left." Seungcheol answered his own question staring right at Rumi who refused to meet his eyes.
"Seungcheol-nim let me-" Gu Hwa tried to intervene.
"I'm not talking to you." He snapped, his eyes not moving from Rumi. "You knew about it. How did you know that? Rumi. Answer me how did you know?" He demanded. Rumi kept mum, until she felt Wonwoo squeeze her hand making her look at him. "Noona." He stared into her eyes. "Is it- is it true?" Wonwoo asked. Rumi shook her head, "Wonwoo-ssi I-I am sorry. I am really sorr-"
"We don't want your damn apology! Just answer our fucking question!" Seungcheol roared.
Rumi squeezed her eyes shut and looked away. "Eo." She finally nodded her head. "I knew about it that's why I came to see you." She replied. "Rumi." Gu Hwa shook her head. Rumi looked at him helplessly. The cat was already out of the bag. She couldn't hide it anymore. Even if she wanted to she couldn't, not anymore.
"What do you mean by you knew that's why you came to see us?" Wonwoo asked. "You already knew hyung was going to be attacked?" Rumi bit her lip. "How?" Rumi avoided his eyes and replied. "We just had a surmise."
"We?" Wonwoo questioned. Rumi looked at him. Then realization dawned upon him as he stared between her and Gu Hwa who protectively stood beside her. A bitter chuckled left his mouth as he pulled his hands back from hers. Now everything was falling back to its place piece by piece. From meeting her for the first time to up until minutes ago, her behaviour has always been odd. Her unusual guardedness and involvement with security team. It was so strange that she was friends with Gu Hwa-nim Hyun-nim both from security team yet he failed to notice it.
"Wonwoo-ssi I-" Wonwoo held up his hand and stood up. He was dumb, she had made a fool out of him. He let out a bitter laugh. "Wonwoo-ss-" Rumi to get up but pain didn't let her as a sharp hiss left her mouth.
"Rumi!" "Ma'am!" Others exclaimed as she fell back on stool. Wonwoo instinctively moved towards her but Gu Hwa was one step ahead. Wonwoo clenched his jaw as he arms fell back to his sides. "Ma'am you need to be careful." The medic said. Rumi shook her head. "I-I am fine. Just let me talk to hi-"
"About what? You never felt the need before." Wonwoo hit back, tone curt and icy. Rumi felt like something pierced through her chest, she held her palm against it.
"Yedera let's not talk about it right now eo?" Hoshi intervened. "Wonwoo-ya, both hyung and Rumi are hurt they need medical help. Let's talk about this later, eo?" Hoshi said glancing between his brothers. Jeonghan gripped Seungcheol hand trying to calm him down. He himself had questions but this wasn't time for it to be answered.
"Rumi!" The door burst once again. It was Hyun this time, "Captain, where's Rumi I heard she was hu-" He noticed her sitting on the stool her back covered in bandage. Before he could open his mouth to inquire Gu Hwa spoke, "She's fine." His words stern enough to make Hyun aware of the situation. Hyun looked around, Jeonghan with his arm tied, Hoshi looking helpless while Seungcheol and Wonwoo were wearing unreadable expression. "Um, the site is cleared out." He said deciding to stick to his duty for now. "We have ambulance waiting outside." Hearing that the medics were already on move.
"Let me help you." One of them helped Jeonghan up. While other looked at Rumi, he hesitated. She had not looked away from Wonwoo since he had pushed her away. She kept staring at him waiting for him to just glance at her once. Gu Hwa sighed and removed his shirt and put it over her shoulders. "Get up." He said grabbing her one arm while the medic held the other. "Hyun." Gu Hwa glanced at him to which he nodded understanding. "Let's go." Gu Hwa said to medic as they took away Rumi who kept looking at Wonwoo until he was out of her sight.
"Umm you need to come with me." Hyun said stopping Hoshi, Wonwoo and Seungcheol who were about to follow Jeonghan and medics. "Don't worry they'll be safe we have other agents protecting them." He tried to reassure. Seungcheol was about to say something but Hoshi beat it to him. "De." He said and then glanced at his brothers. "Let's not make it more difficult for them." He said to which Seungcheol scoffed. Hyun pursed his lips, "Then please follow me." He said guided them where the other members were taken.
Jeonghan glanced at Rumi sitting in front of him in the ambulance as they were taken to hospital. Not once she looked up at him since they had climbed in. Numerous questions ran through his mind, how, when, why? He wanted answers to each of them but somehow felt like they wouldn't be answered. It felt like they never really knew her all this time.
"I'm sorry." Jeonghan looked at her, head still bowed fist tightly clenched. "About what?" He asked making her finally look up. "About everything." She replied glancing at his tied arm. "No worries, you were just doing you duty weren't you?" He said looking right in her eyes. She looked away silently taking it. Jeonghan stared at her, how did they never noticed, she had said numerous times it, that it was her duty to protect them. Hah, we just thought she was saying it for sake. Jeonghan let out a bitter chuckle.
"I didn't mean to lie to y'all." Rumi said staring at her fist. "I just couldn't tell you."
"Why?" It was simple question really. But was it? Rumi pursed her lips. "You still can't, can you?" Rumi kept mum. Jeonghan let out a very audible sigh. "Rumi-ya, how are you going to explain it to Coups and Wonwoo huh?" Rumi snapped her head at that. His tone, the way he fondly called her brought back some hope in her, Rumi that was about to fall off the cliff found a branch to hang on. "Jeonghan-ssi..." She looked up at him. "Wae? Don't look at me like that. I'm still not okay with what you've done but I'm trying to understand your situation. That doesn't mean that everyone will." He said warning her of the future problems.
"I know." Rumi sighed running her fingers through her now chopped hairs. "I'm sorry." This time it was Jeonghan apologizing. "What for?" Rumi furrowed her eyebrows. Jeonghan nodded towards her hair. "Ah, it's fine. They were getting in my way anyways." She replied waving off his worry. "Does it hurt?" "Eo? What getting it chopped off?" She asked confused with his question then realized her dumbness noticing his expression. "Ah, my back? Eo hurts like bitch." Rumi smiled.
Jeonghan pressed his lips together wondering why did he even asked that question. Obviously it hurt, the way she had her fist clenched all this time showed that she was enduring it silently. Jeonghan sighed leaning back in his seat. He was exhausted.
"Almost done." The doctor said carefully patching up the strap around his waist. "Now you need to be careful for few weeks. This needs to be on almost all the time." Jeonghan nodded, it was already uncomfortable for him with his arm tied around like that. "There was slight dislocation we have fixed it but this needs to stay on and you need plenty of rest." The doctor instructed. Jeonghan nonchalantly nod. All he wanted to do right now was to get into his bed and lock himself up for hours.
His manager followed doctor for any further instructions while he walked out heading towards the reception. "Hello. um may I know where um Rumi Raikar is taken to?" He asked as the lady looked at him little confused. "Is that her real name or not?" He thought when the nurse stating typing on her computer. "She was just bought in-" "De, she's in casualty. Currently being treated." The lady answered. Jeonghan stared at her waiting for her to let him know the way. "Uh, ye to your right and straight at the end." She said pointing towards the direction. Jeonghan bowed in thanks and made his way towards it.
"Fuck! Can you be gentle doc!" A very loud voice hit him as soon as he arrived at the casualty. He didn't know what to make out of the sight. Should he be worried or laugh? "Damn it, aren't you suppose to make sure your patient isn't in pain?" The doctor sighed and continued on with his work as Gu Hwa and other two nurse held Rumi down on bed. "Well I prioritize saving my patient from suppose infection or death." The doctor replied as Rumi sneered at him. If she wasn't being held, she probably had bitten his head off. "Okay. I'm done." The doctor said backing up a little before picking a syringe off the tray.
"Yah, yah, yah. I've told you I don't like that!" Rumi screamed as he neared her again. "Give me those pills. Not that shit!" The doctor smiled at her, "Aniyo, for patients like you this is more appropriate." He said as one of the nurse tightly held on her arm. "Stopped moving or this is going on your butt." Hearing that she completely froze. The doctor pressed the needle swiftly doing his work. "Hmm good girl." He patted her head earning a hiss from her to which he laughed. "You can let her go." He said making the nurses back off but Gu Hwa. "You letting me go or wanna see stars in daylight?" She sneered, Gu Hwa stared at doc who shrugged his shoulders. Hesitantly he back off, Rumi glared at him and slowly sat up. "You lucky that I don't put hands on-"
"Good people. De, aarayo." The doctor completed her sentence discarded his gloves. "No alcohol, no spices until the burns are healed." He instructed writing down something on his notepad. "Right and what else? No breathing." Rumi scoffed putting on her shirt. "No talking would do." The doctor smiled before instructing something to nurse and handed the paper he had written down on to Gu Hwa. "Where's your namjachingu today?" He asked looking up and down at Gu Hwa.
"He's not my boyfriend." Rumi replied rolling her eyes and standing up. "Good for him then." He commented making others let out a snicker. Rumi glare at them noticing Jeonghan being one of them. "Jeonghan-ssi what are you doing here?" She buttoned up her shirt walking towards him. "Um well, came looking for you." Rumi nodded looking behind him. "Manager-nim went with the doctor." He answered her unasked question. Rumi nodded her head again.
"Um I'll be back." Gu Hwa said and left with the paper doctor had handed him. "What did the doctor say?" Rumi asked nodded towards his arm. Jeonghan nodded, "It's good. I need to wear it for few weeks." Rumi hummed and the grabbed the doctor beside her. "What do you think?" She asked pointing towards Jeonghan. The doctor looked at her and then at Jeonghan, "I'm sure his doctor has examined him and instructed him on what should be done." He replied. Rumi clicked her tongue. "What kind of doctor are you?" She said taunting him. The doctor chuckled and shook his head. "Nurse get her out of here." He said the smile on his face not moving a inch. Then he turned toward Jeonghan, "You should look for better if you don't wanna end up here again." He said and quietly lift.
"Mwo?! Yah what are you trying to say doc?!" Rumi screamed trying to follow him but the nurse her back. "Ma'am calm down." The nurse did his best.
"Yah, weren't you screaming in pain back there? Where are you getting this energy from?" Jeonghan said locking his good arm with hers. Rumi immediately stopped fuzzing getting cautious. "Let's go wait outside." He said looking at the nurse who nodded his head in confirmation that they can leave. Rumi quietly followed him as they both walked out arm in arm waiting for manager-nim and Gu Hwa. Manager-nim was first to arrive.
"Jeonghan-ah, PD-nim." He called for their attention. "How are you?" He asked with worried expression on his face. Rumi smiled assuring him. "All good manager-nim." He did not look convinced as Jeonghan rolled his eyes. "Um Gu Hwa-ssi is coming, wait here while bring in the car." He said showing them the car key. "De hyung." Jeonghan nodded leaning his weight on Rumi who quickly straightened up for better support. "I'll be quick." The manager said and rushed.
"Are you tired?" Rumi questioned. Jeonghan hummed leaning his head on her shoulder, "Are you not?" He asked hearing no response from her he glanced at her, she was wearing that guilty expression again. "I-"
"If your are going to apologize again then save it for someone who wants to hear it." He said making her clam her mouth and let out a sigh instead. "Do you think they'll forgive me?" She asked leaning her head on his. "It's difficult to be honest." He replied. Rumi sighed again. "What are you planning to do now? Are you coming with me-" Before he could complete his sentence a hand pulled them apart.
"For now she'll be going home and resting." Gu Hwasaid grabbing onto as she stumbled around. Jeonghan was about to give him apiece of his mind for taking away his support but then he looked at Rumi whowas swaying around definitely not in right mind. "Manager-nim?" Gu Hwa asked."He went to bring in the car." Jeonghan replied staring at Rumi with droopyeyes swaying around. "What's wrong with her? She was good just a moment ago?"Jeonghan asked. Gu Hwa glanced at her and then at him. "She's allergic." Hesimply replied making Jeonghan more confused than he was. "Lets go the car ishere." He said dragging Rumi towards the car that came to stop in front ofthem.
A/N :
The truth is out. Well to some extend...
Love,
Albað