"Hello...?"
Yerin's voice was barely awake.
For a moment, there was only silence on the other end.
Then she heard her mother's voice.
"Yerin..."
Something about the way she said her name made Yerin sit up.
"Mom?"
Her mother's breathing was uneven.
"Where are you?"
"In my room. What happened?"
There was a pause.
Then her mother spoke.
"Ji-hoon..."
Yerin's heart immediately tightened.
"What about Ji-hoon?"
Her mother's voice broke.
"He's been shot."
Yerin stopped breathing for a second.
"What?"
"His rivals... they attacked him."
Her mother's words came between sobs.
"He's at the hospital. They're operating on him."
Yerin's hand began trembling around the phone.
"No..."
"Yerin, you need to come here."
"Is he okay?"
Her mother didn't answer immediately.
"Mom!"
"We don't know."
Yerin's eyes filled with tears.
"Is he awake?"
"He's in surgery."
"Mom..."
Her voice cracked.
"Please..."
Her mother began crying harder.
"Just come to the hospital, Yerin. Please."
The call ended.
Yerin stared at the screen.
Her hands trembled.
Tears rolled down her cheeks before she could stop them.
"No..."
She pressed a hand over her mouth.
"Ji-hoon..."
Beside her, Do-hyun suddenly sat up.
"Yerin?"
She didn't answer.
He looked at her face.
"What's wrong?"
She tried to speak.
Nothing came out.
"Yerin."
She finally looked at him.
Her voice broke.
"Ji-hoon..."
Do-hyun's expression changed.
"What happened to him?"
"He... he was shot."
He froze.
"What?"
"His rivals..."
She couldn't finish.
Her breathing became uneven.
"He's in the hospital."
Do-hyun immediately got out of bed.
"We're going."
Yerin wiped her tears with shaking hands.
She stood quickly.
"I need to change."
"Go."
Neither of them said another word.
The drive felt endless.
Yerin sat beside Do-hyun, staring through the windshield.
She hadn't stopped crying.
Every few minutes, she whispered the same thing.
"Please be okay."
Do-hyun kept his eyes on the road.
"He'll be okay."
Yerin looked at him.
His voice remained calm.
"But we have to believe it."
She looked away again.
Her hands were tightly clasped together.
When they finally reached the hospital, Yerin opened the door before the car had completely stopped.
"Yerin—"
She was already running.
Do-hyun hurried after her.
She rushed through the hospital entrance.
Her eyes searched desperately through the waiting area.
Then—
"Grandma!"
Her grandmother turned.
Yerin ran straight toward her.
The moment she reached her, she collapsed into her arms.
"Grandma..."
Her grandmother held her tightly.
"My child..."
"What happened?"
Yerin could barely speak.
"How did this happen?"
Her grandmother stroked her hair.
"We don't know everything yet."
"Where's Mom?"
"She's here."
Yerin looked around.
Her mother was sitting nearby, crying quietly.
Her father stood beside her.
Yerin's eyes moved around the room.
"Where's Ji-hoon?"
Her grandmother hesitated.
"He's still in surgery."
Yerin's expression changed.
"Where?"
She pulled away.
"Where is he?"
"Yerin..."
"Tell me."
Her grandmother pointed toward the operating area.
Yerin immediately ran.
Do-hyun followed.
Yerin reached the private viewing area.
She stopped.
Behind the glass, doctors were working around Ji-hoon.
He lay completely unconscious.
Yerin's hand rose to her mouth.
Her entire body went still.
"Ji-hoon..."
Her voice barely existed.
Do-hyun stood beside her.
She stared through the glass.
Her brother had always seemed impossible to break.
He was the person who teased her when she was angry.
The person who annoyed her deliberately.
The person who made her laugh when she didn't want to.
And now...
She couldn't even hear his voice.
Tears streamed down her face.
"Please..."
She pressed her hand against the glass.
"Please wake up."
Do-hyun said nothing.
He simply remained beside her.
After several minutes, Yerin finally stepped away.
Her legs felt weak.
Do-hyun noticed immediately.
"Come on."
She didn't resist.
They returned to the waiting area.
The moment they reached the chairs, Yerin suddenly turned toward Do-hyun.
Before he could react—
She hugged him.
Do-hyun froze.
He hadn't expected it.
Yerin's face pressed against his shoulder as she cried.
"I don't want to lose him."
Do-hyun's expression softened.
He slowly placed his arms around her.
"You won't."
She shook her head.
"I'm scared."
He held her a little more firmly.
"Just breathe."
She tried.
But her breathing remained uneven.
Do-hyun carefully guided her toward the chair.
"Sit down."
Yerin sat.
He picked up a bottle of water and opened it.
"Drink."
She shook her head.
"Yerin."
"I'm not thirsty."
"Just a little."
She reluctantly took the bottle.
Her hands were trembling so badly that Do-hyun steadied it for her.
"Slowly."
She took a few sips.
"Good."
He sat beside her.
His hand remained around hers.
For once, Yerin didn't pull away.
Time seemed to stop.
Nobody knew how long they had been waiting.
Then the operating room doors opened.
Everyone stood immediately.
A doctor walked toward them.
Yerin's heart pounded.
"Doctor?"
The doctor removed his mask.
"We've managed to stabilize him for now."
Yerin's eyes filled with hope.
"He's okay?"
The doctor's expression remained serious.
"He's in critical condition."
The hope in her eyes immediately faded.
"What does that mean?"
"He has been placed on a ventilator."
Yerin stared at him.
Her grandmother covered her mouth.
Her father lowered his gaze.
The doctor continued.
"The next forty-eight hours are extremely important."
Yerin's fingers tightened around Do-hyun's.
"What happens after that?"
The doctor hesitated.
"If he doesn't regain consciousness within that period..."
He paused.
"We may not be able to do anything more."
Yerin's face went blank.
"No."
Her knees weakened.
Do-hyun immediately caught her.
"Yerin."
He helped her sit.
She stared at the floor.
Forty-eight hours.
That was all they had.
Do-hyun's phone began ringing.
He looked at the screen.
His mother.
He stepped away from the waiting area.
"Mom."
Her voice immediately came through.
"Do-hyun, what happened?"
He closed his eyes briefly.
"Ji-hoon was attacked."
"What?"
"He's in critical condition."
There was silence.
"We're coming."
"Mom—"
"We're already leaving."
The call ended.
Do-hyun returned to the waiting room.
He didn't have to wait long.
A short while later, his parents arrived.
Mrs. Choi immediately approached Yerin's mother.
"I heard what happened."
Yerin's mother broke down again.
Mrs. Choi gently held her.
"Please stay strong."
Then her eyes moved toward Yerin.
Yerin sat completely still.
Her eyes were red.
Her face was pale.
Mrs. Choi looked at Do-hyun.
"Has she eaten?"
He shook his head.
"No."
"Since when?"
"Since she found out."
Mrs. Choi sighed.
"Get her something."
"Okay."
"Something warm."
Do-hyun nodded.
His mother sat beside Yerin.
"Yerin."
Yerin looked at her.
"You need to take care of yourself too."
Yerin lowered her eyes.
"I can't eat."
Mrs. Choi gently placed a hand over hers.
"But Ji-hoon wouldn't want you making yourself sick."
Yerin's eyes filled with tears again.
Mrs. Choi stayed beside her.
Do-hyun returned after some time carrying food.
He sat beside Yerin.
"Here."
She shook her head.
"I'm not hungry."
"You haven't eaten."
"I can't."
He opened the container.
"Just a little."
She turned away.
"Do-hyun..."
"Please."
"I can't."
He stopped.
He didn't force her.
Instead, he simply sat beside her.
"You don't have to finish it."
Yerin looked at him.
"Just try."
She looked down.
Her eyes filled with tears again.
Do-hyun waited.
She still didn't eat.
He quietly closed the container.
"Okay."
He didn't argue.
He just remained beside her.
Later that night, Yerin returned to the viewing area.
Her family stood behind her.
Do-hyun stood beside her.
Through the glass, Ji-hoon remained unconscious.
The ventilator continued helping him breathe.
Yerin stared at him.
Her eyes filled with tears.
"Ji-hoon..."
Nobody answered.
The room was silent.
Then several doctors and nurses suddenly entered the room.
Everyone's attention immediately shifted toward them.
Yerin's heart began pounding.
Her fingers instinctively reached for Do-hyun's hand.
He looked down at her hand.
Then gently held it.
Nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
They simply watched.
Waiting.
Watching every movement behind the glass.
Yerin's breathing became faster.
Her grandmother whispered a prayer.
Her mother covered her mouth.
Even Do-hyun's usually calm expression had disappeared.
Something was happening.
But none of them knew what.
And for the first time since the call...
Yerin realized just how terrifying forty-eight hours could be.
...To Be Continued...