Hello I'm still alive :))
Here's a long ass chapter as an apology uwu

•°³⁶°•Moving On✵─────────

Jeongguk's mind buzzed as he ran through the hallways of the hospital, head turning side to side in confusion trying to find the emergency room. The hospital was fairly void of people, it being almost ten in the night. His heart hammered in his chest, fear clouding his mind and he was at the brink of tearing up.

It had taken him about twenty minutes to drive to the hospital. After he heard the news, he had been dumbfounded. He was confused but then he was panicking, never having been in this kind of situation. He had thrown on a pair of jeans and quickly driven to the nearest hospital, where Aria was hospitalized, at full speed.

As he ran through the almost empty hallways, panic fuelling his every step and every pump of his heart, he realized one thing.

Jeongguk was scared.

He was scared for what will happen. He had no clue what was happening and everything seemed to be crashing down on him all at once. He was vulnerable, standing in front of a conflict that he had no means of getting out of. And he was angry that he was the one who caused it. He caused the biggest fucked up situation he could ever have caused and it was not only sucking out his own and Jieun's happiness, but also his daughter's and his one true love's.

His daughter's life was at stake all because of him. All because he couldn't fucking control himself.

Jeongguk halted at the sign that read Emergency Room and looked around. He saw Jieun sitting in front of the room, her head in her hands. Jeongguk took a deep breath and started walking towards her.

Jieun looked up as Jeongguk approached her.

"Oh Jeongguk!" Jieun said, standing up. Her hair was a mess and tears stained both cheeks. She was usually a neat and tidy person. But now, she looked absolutely wrecked.

Jeongguk wrapped his arms around her, letting her weep into his shoulder.

"Jieun" Jeongguk whispered. He could feel the sob threatening to escape his own throat. "How...where is she?"

"She's still in there. They had brought her here like ten minutes ago and..." Jieun let out another painful sob. "They're still treating her"

"Wh..what did the doctors say?"

"I just got here, Gguk" Jieun said, sniffling. "They didn't say anything yet"

"Oh" Jeongguk held Jieun like that for a while, one hand securely wrapped around her waist and the other stroking her hair. There were no thoughts crossing his mind as he hugged his wife. Instead, he was shaking with fear. He wanted to shout and scream and sob but no. He felt numb...as if it's all a nightmare.

"Our baby..." Jieun sobbed. "She'll be alright, wouldn't she?"

Jeongguk shook his head. "Yes" He let out, but barely. A tear trailed down his cheek and then another. Then another, until he was a crying mess himself.

Of course his daughter would be alright. Of course she'll wake up. Jeongguk didn't want to think about anything else. It's simply not possible.

Jeongguk and his wife sat on the rows of metal chairs that were deserted except for another person or two who were dozing off. Jieun rested her head against Jeongguk's shoulder and sniffled from time to time. Jeongguk didn't know how long they stayed like that. Jeongguk was lost in thought the whole time and Jieun didn't attempt to make conversation either. She kept sniffling and new tears made their way down her cheek every once in a while. Other than the occasional squeeze Jeongguk gave her as she held his hand, there was nothing.

The doctor finally came out, a couple of nurses rushing out behind him. Jeongguk and Jieun stood up in an instant as they saw the lady doctor.

"Are you the patient's parents?" she asked.

"Yes" Jeongguk answered. "How is she?"

"She's okay"

Jeongguk and Jieun sighed in relief. Jeongguk could finally breath after what felt like hours. It was as if a huge weight was lifted off his shoulders.

The doctor continued, "The vehicle had hit her quite hard. So there's a lot of bruises and one of her ribs are broken. And her left arm is also broken. Her ankle was sprained. There were some cuts in various parts of her body. We treated her. She's unconscious. There's a chance she might go into a comma...but that's if worse comes to worst"

"But she'll be okay?" Jieun asked.

"Most probably. Hopefully she won't go into a comma. She will have to stay in the hospital for a few weeks even after she wakes up, though" The doctor said.

"Oh thank you so much" Jieun said.

"Of course" She smiled. "You can go see her"

"Thank you, doctor," Jeongguk said.

The doctor smiled at him. "You might want to check in with the reception desk and supply them with some documents" she said and started walking away.

Jieun rushed in the moment she left. Jeongguk followed her.

Jeongguk's heart sank the moment she saw Aria on the hospital bed. There were bandages all over her body and she wore a white hospital gown. Her face was swollen and there were bandages on her forehead too.

Jieun let out a sob the moment she saw Aria. Jeongguk caught her before he sank into her knees.

The nurse that stood next to Aria rushed off quickly put of the room.

"My baby" Jieun sobbed. "My baby" she whispered continuously like a chant as she let out heart-wrenching sobs.

"At least she's alright, hmm?" Jeongguk said as his wife sobbed in his arms. "She's going to be alright"

"Yeah" Jieun said. Jeongguk heart ached. He had never seen his daughter in such a severe condition. She had only been hospitalized a couple of times when she was younger. But never like this. And Jeongguk still couldn't fathom what was happening. His mind was still buzzing with confusion, as if this wasn't reality.

There was a pulse oximeter attached to her hand and a constant beep came out of it, indicating her pulse. There was an IV line attached to her arm and an oxygen mask on her face.

Jieun held Aria's hand as she wiped the tears that seemed to fall out of her eyes like a waterfall. Jeongguk ran his hands through his hair in frustration. He couldn't help but blame the incident on his actions. The consequences of cheating had become more severe than he had ever imagined.

Jeongguk headed out of the room and slumped down on a chair. He couldn't bear to watch his daughter in such a condition. It hurt him like crazy. He tugged at his raven locks in frustration, fresh tears gathering up in his eyes and the need to let out a sob becoming stronger by every passing minute.

His life was crumbling down in front of him and he's suffocating under the weight of a destiny he couldn't control. He couldn't imagine something happening to his little girl. He had sacrificed most of his life for her and if something happens to her...

Jeongguk let out an exasperated sigh. Jieun came out of the room after a few minutes and sat next to Jeongguk. She took his hands in hers.

"The nurse told me to stay outside" Jieun said, her voice heavy with worry. "They're still treating her I think. And it's the emergency room after all. They're keeping her in there until she regains consciousness"

Jeongguk nodded. "She'll be up soon" Jeongguk told her. But it sounded like he was trying to convince himself that, more than to Jieun.

They stayed like that for a few more minutes, both of them lost in their thoughts.

"You should go home. Get yourself changed and rest up a little. You must be tired" Jeongguk said after a while.

"I'm okay" Jieun said.

"You should go. I'll stay. Will call you if something happens" Jeongguk said. "Besides she won't probably regain consciousness so soon, I think"

Jieun sighed. "How can I do anything when she's suffering like that?" a sob escaped her throat. "I can't..."

"Please, Jieun" Jeongguk said. "It won't take thirty minutes, hmm? Go, now. It's fine. Just put some comfortable clothes on. You're still in your work clothes and you've been wearing them for like fifteen hours now"

Jieun sniffled.

After an hour or so, Jeongguk was able to convince Jieun to go home and get a change. She only went because the doctor said that they can't visit Aria until morning.

Jeongguk leaned back on the metal chair and let out a sigh. The hospital was deserted except for a couple of nurses who wandered by every once in a while. Jeongguk didn't know when or how he dozed off. He woke up when Jieun sat next to him, having returned after a bath and change of clothes. She put her head on his shoulder and took his hand in hers. And Jeongguk passed out soon as exhaust crashed down on his body.

-

"You sure about this place?"

Taehyung looked up from his phone to see Jimin standing on the edge of his bed, his face scrunched with worry.

"Yeah" Taehyung said, mouth filled with the bread of the sandwich Jimin had made him that morning. "Jieun told me about it"

"I don't know, man" Jimin muttered. "That lady sounds kinda sus"

Taehyung chuckled. "She was really nice. Besides I trust Jieun"

"The irony oh lord! You helped her husband cheat on her you bitchass! Talk about trust"

"That's not the point!"

"You can stay here for like two months, Taehyung. You have money, right?"

"Yeah but I'll be able to save up for tuition if I stay in that place" Taehyung said, gulping down the last piece of bread. "Don't worry. If she's a psychotic bitch I'll kung fu kick her ass down the stairs"

Jimin scoffed. "You don't even know Kung Fu"

"Just don't worry, okay? I'll be fine. You need to stop thinking everyone who offers help is sus. You have some serious trust issues for real"

Jimin let out a sigh as Taehyung stood up. He took his small suitcase and bag filled with books and smiled at Jimin.

"I have some of my clothes at Jeongguk's place...I don't know if I could even go there after he basically kicked me out yesterday" Taehyung said.

"He's a dick" Jimin said, following Taehyung outside.

"He's not, Jimin. I mean I understand him. He can't choose his lover over his daughter"

Jimin rolled his eyes. "You're too nice, Tae"

It was Taehyung's chance to roll his eyes. "We're done. I'm going to get over him. Forget about the first ever person who I fell in love with. I'm going to move on" Taehyung felt like choking up uttering those words.

Jimin wrapped his arms around him. "I know. You're strong enough for that. Just don't go back to him, okay?"

"Okay" Taehyung whispered. "I'm going to change his class too. I'm going to take Professor Hudson's class instead"

"The old dude who teaches History of Arts? I heard he was boring so most people take Mr. Jeon's class"

"Yeah but I have to. So I won't meet him at all"

"Okay, good" Jimin said. "The next semester is starting the week after the next. Get ready"

"I will" Taehyung said and bid goodbye to Jimin.

By the time he reached the Mrs. Hooper's apartment, it was almost midday. He rang the bell and the old woman opened the door, greeting him with a bright smile.

"Oh hello!" She said, eyes crinkling at the edges as she waved him inside. "Come on in! I swept your room and all is ready. You just need to unpack"

"Oh Mrs. Hooper you didn't have to!" Taehyung said.

"Nonsense! I have nothing much to do in this house. I'll make you lunch, then?"

"No ma'am! I'm fine, really. I'll grab some lunch-"

"I'm making you lunch. I'll be making for myself so I can make for you too" Mrs. Hooper said. "You eat chicken, right?"

"Yes, ma'am. Thank you" Taehyung watched her walk towards the kitchen with a grin, feeling thankful.

He started making his way upstairs and found his room. He closed the door behind him and before he could start overthinking or possibly start thinking about Jeongguk, he started unpacking. The last thing he wanted that moment was another breakdown because of his former lover.

-

Jeongguk sat in the hospital cafeteria as he munched on a burger. He looked out of the window, seeing kids playing around in the small play area of the hospital.

Jieun sat in front of him. She stared blankly at her untouched burger, lost in thought. There were bags under her eyes. She looked stressed out.

It's the second day since Aria was admitted to the hospital. The day after she was admitted, both of them stayed in the hospital, hoping she would wake up any time soon. But she hadn't. Jieun and Jeongguk took turns and went home to rest up a bit. But neither of them had slept. Other than the couple of hours at night when they stayed outside the ER, they hadn't slept. Jieun hadn't eaten anything. Jeongguk had made her drink some hot beverages, which she gulped down with distaste. Even now, Jeongguk had forced her to come to grab something to eat.

"Eat, please?" Jeongguk said.

Jieun snapped back to reality. She nodded and hesitantly took a bite. Jeongguk watched her as she slowly munched on it. Neither of them had gone to work the previous day and even this day, they decided to stay in the hospital.

Jeongguk himself had no appetite and the burger tasted like sand in his mouth. But he was starving.

"Did you tell Taehyung?" Jieun asked out of nowhere.

Jeongguk almost choked on his burger. "W-What?"

"Did you tell Taehyung about what happened to Aria?" Jieun asked.

"No" Jeongguk said, confused. "Why tell him?"

"Aren't they friends?"

"Um...I guess?"

"You should tell him. Call him"

Jeongguk gulped. He had been able to avoid the topic of Taehyung for more than twenty four hours and the last thing he wanted to do was hear his voice. He'll have another breakdown for sure. It hurt to leave him. But he had promised himself that he won't go back to that boy. It'll ruin them both of he did.

"I can't..." Jeongguk mumbled. "You tell him"

"Jeongguk don't be childish. You're more close to him than me"

"He doesn't need to know"

Jieun sighed. "Jeongguk...I didn't tell you but..."

Jeongguk looked up at his wife.

Jieun thought for a moment and continued. "I don't know this for sure. But I think there's something going on with Taehyung and Aria"

Jeongguk narrowed his eyes at that.

"I think Aria likes him but I don't think Taehyung feels the same way. Besides he told me he was gay"

"He said that?" Jeongguk asked. Taehyung was bisexual.

"Yeah. When I asked him to stay away from Aria"

"You asked him that?" Jeongguk asked, bewildered.

"Yeah. They can't be together," Jieun said. "He's much older and Aria is only sixteen! I mean I love Taehyung but he just can't..."

"Yeah. He doesn't feel the same way"

"I thought so. I was quite nervous about him staying here so I found him a place to stay too. I started looking into it the days he came to stay with us, just because you told me to. And I told him about this place one of my friends' sons stayed. It just got vacant"

"Thank you" Jeongguk said, feeling relieved that Taehyung doesn't have to go looking for places again.

Jieun nodded and took another bite from her burger. "You should go home after this" She said. "You didn't go last night"

"I'm okay" Jeongguk said. He could barely sleep the previous night.

"I'll stay and you go home. We need her insurance documents so bring them too" Jieun said.

"Oh" Jeongguk said. "Okay then" Maybe he could use an hour or two of sleep. And a good bath.

"The documents are our room. You know where we keep certificates and stuff? I think it was there. If not there, probably in my study. You know that drawer? Probably in there. Just don't go through the bottom of the drawer. It's filled with old case notes"

"The one in the corner? The one you never use?" Jeongguk said.

"Yeah. That one"

"What's in there? Looks like a pile of trash inside it"

"It's just documents, okay?" Jieun said, a glint of a smile appearing on her lips. But it soon faded away. "I keep old documents there, that's all. Mostly case files"

"Okay. I'll get it" Jeongguk said.

By the time Jeongguk reached home, it was almost midday. It felt like he had permanently resided in the hospital and walking into his own home felt alien.

He took a long bath, feeling himself calm down as hot water drops tickled down his body. Afterwards, he laid in bed a little, lost in thought.

His stray thoughts found Taehyung. And all of a sudden his mind was overflowing with thoughts of him and tears had gathered up in his eyes. He wondered how he was doing. Jeongguk hadn't met him in days. And he surely hurt Taehyung the other day when he asked the boy to leave. He regretted it. But he doubted if he had a better choice.

He longed to hear his voice. He longed to be in his presence. Jeongguk knew Taehyung's presence would bring him comfort. A single word from him, all his worries would fade away.

Jeongguk was madly in love with him. He missed Taehyung like crazy. And it had only been two days. Even though his mind had been occupied with thoughts and worries of Aria, he longed to be with Taehyung. Only Taehyung could make him feel better.

It hurt him immensely to let go of Taehyung. And the realization that he had already cut ties with him and would never be able to hold Taehyung or kiss his soft lips and just hear him whisper sweet nothings to him, made his heart ache uncontrollably.

But he knew what he did was right. Even though it wasn't the best for himself, it was the best he could do for the people around him. It's the best for Taehyung. Taehyung would be better off without him. He would be able to fall in love with someone who is available. Someone who would give up their whole world for him. Jeongguk's whole world was his daughter. And his daughter isn't someone he could just give up. The other baby on the way was the other main reason he couldn't give up what he built most of his life.

Taehyung he was just the right person at the wrong time.

He curled up on his bed hoping to get some sleep. But sleep seemed nowhere close as he waited, eyes closed shut. His whole body was tensed and his heart was heavy with worry. And sadness, now that Taehyung had occupied his mind.

He just lay there awake and lost in thought again. Since falling asleep deemed useless, he got up, dressed himself in jeans and a t-shirt to get back to hospital. He started searching for the documents.

After about twenty minutes of scanning through the drawers of their room, he still couldn't find it. He walked downstairs towards the study. He couldn't help the empty feeling that overwhelmed his whole body as he saw Taehyung's room, right in front of the study. He ignored it and stepped into the study.

He started searching in the abandoned drawers belonging to Jieun. Like she said, it was filled with old case files. He started searching the drawer with documents filled to the brim. He scanned each and every one, hoping to see find one with Aria's insurance documents. Finally, he found one with her birth certificate and some other documents. He pulled it out from the drawer and two other documents fell with it.

He scanned the document in his hand and found the insurance card and some other sheets of paper inside the file. He happily took them out and put the file back inside. He placed the papers on the desk and reached for the files that fell on the ground.

He didn't pay any mind to the files, thinking they were some more law-related files. But just as he was about to put them inside, some papers fell from the file and scattered all over the ground.

Jeongguk cursed to himself and bent down to pick them up and put them back inside when something peculiar caught his attention.

The papers were blank. All of them. He shrugged and started picking up the pile when he saw a printed sheet of paper amidst the blank papers. A single sheet.

Jeongguk narrowed his eyes as he took the sheet in his hands. He wondered if he should be doing this. He wondered if it was right to look through this. The drawer continued Jieun's things. And Jeongguk never went through her stuff. There had never been a need to nor was he intrusive like that. Besides, everything was law-related and Jeongguk had no business in that.

However, Jeongguk couldn't help the curiosity that tugged his mind to look at the sheet of paper. The paper contained a graph and Aria Jeon.

He scanned over the letters in the document and...

What the actual fuck...

》♡《

What did Jeongguk find?👀

Hey guys I've been really busy for that last two weeks and that's why I haven't been updating. It's not easy to write a chapter because most of my chapters have 3000+ words and as some of you might already know, I hate writing just for the sake of updating. So thank you for being patient with me💜
Love,
Sara🥰