Y/N

The first thing I noticed when I woke up was the soft, sterile smell of the hospital room. My head was heavy, and a dull ache throbbed behind my eyes. I blinked a few times, trying to adjust to the brightness of the room. It took a moment for my blurry vision to clear, and as everything around me came into focus, I realized where I was.  

Hospital.

I gasped softly, trying to sit up, but the wave of dizziness hit me immediately. I stopped, my head spinning, and placed my hand on the bed to steady myself. It all rushed back to me—how I had been walking with Taehyung, heading towards his car when everything had gone black.

As I tried to shake off the grogginess, I felt something warm and firm around my hand. I turned my gaze to the source, and my heart skipped a beat. Taehyung was sitting beside me, his head resting on the edge of my bed, his face turned toward me, eyes closed in peaceful slumber. His hand was gently holding mine, his grip a little too tight for it to be intentional.

He must have fallen asleep while waiting for me.

I couldn't help but smile softly at the sight. It was rare to see Taehyung looking so vulnerable, so calm. His usual cool demeanor was gone, replaced by the quiet, tender care he had for me. The way his hand was holding mine, the way he'd stayed by my side through everything—it made something flutter in my chest.

But then I realized how uncomfortable he looked. His head was resting awkwardly against the side of the bed, and his body was hunched over in a way that couldn't have been good for him. He hadn't even noticed, still completely lost in sleep.

I bit my lip, debating whether to wake him up. I didn't want to disturb him, but at the same time, I knew he needed to be more comfortable. And I was sure he'd want to know I was awake.

With a soft sigh, I gently tapped his shoulder. The light touch seemed to be just enough to stir him. His body tensed for a moment before he slowly blinked his eyes open, groggily lifting his head to look at me.

"Y/n?" His voice was low and filled with concern, and as his eyes met mine, they softened immediately. He quickly sat up straighter, rubbing his face as if to shake off the sleep.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice still laced with worry.

I nodded slowly, trying to gather my thoughts. "Yeah, I think so. Just... a little dizzy. What happened?"

"You fainted," he explained, a faint frown pulling at his lips. "You've been pushing yourself too hard. I had to rush you here."

His words carried a weight of concern, and I could tell he was still processing everything, but I wasn't sure if I should apologize or thank him. I didn't want to make him feel like he had to look after me all the time, even though the truth was, I really needed him.

"I'm sorry, Taehyung," I said softly, my voice almost a whisper. "I didn't mean to worry you like that. I guess I just... didn't realize how badly I was pushing myself."

He shook his head immediately, his eyes intense as he held my gaze. "You don't need to apologize. It's my fault too. I should've noticed how exhausted you were."

I blinked in surprise, my heart skipping at his words. His voice held so much sincerity, and the way he said it made me realize just how much he cared for me. For a brief moment, I let myself get lost in his gaze, the space between us seeming to close just a little bit more. But I quickly snapped out of it, focusing on the reality of the situation.

"Still," I said, trying to laugh it off, "I should've been more careful. I can't let myself burn out like this. Not when we're so close to figuring this out."

Taehyung's expression softened as he reached for the glass of water on the table next to my bed. He brought it to me, his hand steady as he helped me sit up just a little more so I could drink.

"You can't do this alone, Y/n," he said, his voice gentle but firm. "You don't have to carry all of this on your shoulders."

I swallowed the water, then met his eyes. I felt a swell of gratitude and affection for him, though I didn't know how to express it. *I don't want to be a burden to him,* I thought, but my body seemed to betray me, leaning into his presence more and more.

"I know," I whispered. "But I'm so close to finding the truth. Jongsuk's innocent, Taehyung. I can feel it."

He nodded, his expression turning serious. "I believe you. But you need to take care of yourself too. If you burn out, none of this will matter."

I felt a pang of guilt—he was right, but how could I just stop when I was so close? *Jongsuk* needed me, and the thought of him in that cell, suffering for something he didn't do, made me want to push harder. But seeing Taehyung here, his eyes full of care, made me realize just how much I was risking.

"I'll try," I said softly, my voice barely above a whisper. "I'll try to take better care of myself. For you, Taehyung."

His eyes softened even more, and for a moment, everything seemed to pause. Then, before I could say anything else, he gently squeezed my hand, his thumb brushing over my knuckles in a reassuring way.

"You don't have to say that," he murmured. "Just get better. I don't want to see you like this again."

There was something in his voice, something that made my heart race faster than it should've. It wasn't just concern—there was an undercurrent of something deeper. *What is this feeling?* I thought, but I pushed it aside, unwilling to let myself get lost in it.

"Thank you," I said, my voice thick with emotion.

He gave me a small, reassuring smile, then stood up and stretched his arms. "I'm going to stay with you until the doctor says you're okay to leave, but I'll let you rest for now. You've had a rough day."

I nodded, feeling a warmth spread through my chest at the thought of him staying. I couldn't help the small, soft smile that crept onto my lips as I watched him move around the room, his presence somehow making everything feel safer, more manageable.

As he settled into the chair beside my bed, I closed my eyes for a moment, finally allowing myself to relax. Maybe this was what I needed—a little break, a little comfort.

And as I drifted back to sleep, I felt a quiet sense of peace wash over me, knowing that Taehyung was there. And maybe, just maybe, that was enough for now.

AUTHOR'S POV

In the dimly lit room, the man sat in a large, leather chair, staring out the window with cold, calculating eyes. The atmosphere in the room was thick with tension. The only sound was the rhythmic ticking of a wall clock, which seemed louder in the silence. Across from him, a subordinate nervously stood, holding a file in his hands.

"Sir," the man began cautiously, his voice low but filled with an unmistakable edge. "Y/n has reached the point where she's found something about Suhyeon. She's getting closer to the truth. She's been relentless."

The old man's expression remained unreadable for a long moment. His fingers slowly drummed against the armrest, his mind clearly turning over the information. The glass of whiskey in his hand had been untouched until now. Slowly, without warning, he squeezed the glass, the contents splashing as he crushed it with a single, forceful motion. The shards scattered across the floor like a thousand broken promises.

The man's eyes flared with an unmistakable rage. His chest heaved as his anger grew, his grip tightening on the now useless piece of glass. "She's *too* close." His voice was low but venomous, his words laced with a deadly calm that made his subordinate instinctively step back.

"You should have stopped her sooner," the old man muttered under his breath, almost as if he were speaking to himself. His gaze turned sharp, eyes glinting with malice. "But no matter. She's about to learn that there are consequences for ignoring my warnings. She should've known better."

He turned to his subordinate, his face now an eerie mask of calm despite the fury boiling beneath. The man standing before him nodded silently, fear evident in his posture.

The old man signaled to the other side of the room, where a large, mahogany desk sat, piled high with papers. He took a deep breath, letting the rage simmer just beneath the surface as he picked up his phone from the desk. He dialed a number without hesitation. The moment the line clicked, he spoke in a low, clipped voice.

"It's time," he said simply. "Take care of it. Make sure she understands that there's a price for digging too deep."

The subordinate, now holding the file tighter as if it were a lifeline, nodded quickly. "Understood, sir. I'll make sure she's dealt with."

With a sharp nod from the old man, the subordinate turned and left the room without a word, the door closing behind him with a soft thud. The old man remained in his seat, his fingers now tracing the shards of glass that lay scattered at his feet.

A slow, almost sinister smile spread across his lips as he muttered to himself, "She's about to find out how far I'm willing to go to keep my secrets safe."

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