-ˋˏ ༻Chapter 12༺ ˎˊ-

As the nurses rushed into the room, one of them immediately moved to Sean's bedside, assessing his condition.

"We need to get his oxygen levels up," she said to the other nurse while quickly adjusting the equipment connected to Sean.

Another nurse began to check Sean's vital signs, her fingers pressing against his wrist to feel his pulse.

"His heart rate is elevated, and his oxygen levels are low," she said, her voice serious.

"Cough! Cough! Cough—ack!"

Seon was racked with another coughing fit, this time bringing up a small amount of blood. His face twisted in pain, his eyes wide and wild as he struggled to breathe.

One of the nurses quickly grabbed a nearby bowl, holding it under his mouth, while the other started attaching the oxygen mask over his mouth and nose.

"Stay calm," a nurse said firmly, her voice steady despite the urgency of the situation.

"Take slow, steady breaths. We're doing everything we can to help you."

Sean tried to focus on the nurse's voice, his breaths coming is gasps as he struggled to regulate his breathing. The oxygen mask over his face helped ease the gasping, but the cough and the pain in his chest were relentless.

Meanwhile, Layla stood back, feeling helpless and terrified to see Sean in such distress. Her eyes were filled with worry and tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Please... please make him okay..." she whispered to herself, praying that they can stabilize him.

The nurses continued to work frantically, monitoring Sean's vitals and administering more oxygen to stabilize him. They occasionally spoke to each other in hushed tones, their faces taut with concentration.

Eventually after several minutes, Sean's coughing subsided and his breathing, though still labored, slowly began to steady. The nurses monitored his vitals closely, watching as his heart rate and oxygen levels began to improve.

"His vitals are stabilizing," one nurse said to the others after checking the monitors.

The other nurse nodded in agreement, her hands still adjusting the equipment.

"His oxygen levels are improving too. But we'll keep him on the mask for a while longer just to be sure."

Meanwhile, Layla watched as Sean's breathing slowly returned to a more steady state, the tension in her shoulders easing slightly with each passing moment.

Despite his steady breathing, Sean's expression was still tense and pained, his eyes closed tightly. His whole body was still wracked with pain and his complexion looked pale, even under the oxygen mask.

The nurses finished adjusting his equipment and stepped back slightly, giving him some space but still within reach should he need them. One of the nurses turned to Layla, her voice gentle.

"He's stable now. You can come closer if you like."

Layla nodded quickly, her eyes not leaving Sean's pale face. She walked slowly to his side, being careful not to disrupt any of the equipment or tubes connected to him. She reached his side, gently placing her trembling hand on his arm, feeling the chill of his skin against her touch.

"Sean..." she whispered, her voice small and choked.

She wanted to say more, to tell him how scared she was, how much she cared. But the words stuck in her throat, caught up in the tangled emotions swirling inside her.

Sean couldn't meet her gaze, the sight of her and her attempts to show concern feeling like a slap in the face given everything that had happened between them. The pain of it all gnawed deep, making him feel nauseous at the sudden display of care.

He turned his head towards the opposite direction, away from her, physically and emotionally distancing himself.

Layla saw his averted gaze like a blow, her heart clenching painfully. Her eyes remained on his face, silently pleading for understanding and forgiveness. Her grip on his arm tightened slightly, as if grasping for a connection that seemed to be slipping away.

The room was filled with the sounds of the machines beeping and the hum of various equipment. The silence between them felt painfully heavy and suffocating.

The nurse noticed the tension in the room. She had been observing the couple from the corner, giving them a moment of privacy. But now, seeing the palpable discord, she intervened.

"Maybe it's best if we give him some space to rest for now," she said gently to Layla, her voice soft but firm.

The nurses began to gather their things, preparing to leave the room.

"We'll be in the staff room if you need anything," another nurse added, before they all silently retreated from the room, leaving Layla alone with Sean.

Layla reluctantly dropped her hand from his arm, the connection between them severed with the nurses' departure.

The silence in the room was suffocating, the only sound was faint beeping of the machines. Layla stayed rooted to her spot, her gaze fixed on Sean's averted face, as if hoping he would turn back to look at her, to say something.

"Sean...." she whispered his name, her voice quivering with emotion.

But Sean didn't respond. He just laid there in the bed, his face turned away, every muscle in his body tense.

Finally, Layla couldn't take it anymore. The silence and his continued silence were too much to bear. She turned abruptly, and almost ran out of the room, tears streaming down her face.

The door swung shut silently behind her, leaving Sean alone in the room. His face was still turned away from the door, his eyes not leaving the spot he had been staring at.

A mix of emotions washed over him - anger, pain, exhaustion, confusion, but above all, numbness.

'I'm tired...' he muttered inwardly

Sean's mind felt eerily empty. All he felt was a deep, bone-deep fatigue, the kind that seemed to weigh down every muscle and thought. He glanced down and around, taking the sight of his poor condition and the several kinds of medical equipment attached to him.

'I feel sorry for the doctor and nurse…'

A strange detachment washed over Sean as he saw all the equipment connected to him. Carefully, almost mechanically, he began to detach the tubes and wires, one by one.

His movements were slow and laboured, hindered by the pain and weakness in his body. But his determination overpowered any discomfort, his need for freedom and control overriding everything else.

Despite his weakened state, Sean moved through the hospital hallway with a mixture of stealth and determination. His steps were slow and labored, each movement sending waves of pain through his body.

He kept his head low, trying to blend in with the flow of patients and visitors, avoiding the gazes of nurses and doctors who passed by, despite his laboured breaths and pale complexion. Every shadow, every sound made him flinch. He knew he stuck out in his current condition and can only hoped that no one would notice him.

The cool night air hit his face as he stood on the rooftop, the open space providing a stark contrast to the sterilized environment of the hospital room.

'For once, I can breathe...'

Sean took a deep breath, letting the cool air fill his lungs, and ignoring the excruciating pain that's been torturing since the moment he climbed down the hospital bed. It was a relief from the air in the room that felt so clinical and sterile.

He leaned against the railing, taking in the view before him. The city lights twinkled in the distance, the sounds of cars and trains below barely audible from this high up.

"Haah..."

Sean continued to cough, but strangely, the pain and difficulty of it seemed trivial now as he stood on the rooftop, free from the confines of the hospital room.

"Haha... hah..."

A small, almost bitter smile played at the corners of his lips.

"This is it…"

He closed his eyes, feeling the night breeze against his face, the sounds of the city fading away, leaving only the feeling of freedom and peace.

"Hah... I felt alive— cough!cough! Gasp!cough! Hah… Hehe…"

Sean's small smile quickly faded as another fit of coughing overtook him, his body heaving and shuddering. The smile turned into a grimace, the pain in his chest sharp and relentless.

He leaned heavily on the railing, using it to support himself as he tried to catch his breath and calm the coughing. The air around him felt cold and thin, his labored breaths becoming increasingly evident. Yet, he still felt strange calm. The city lights twinkled below, almost hypnotizing in their glittering glow. His vision start to get hazy, yet he keeps smiling.

'Ah... I want to di—'

"Sean!!!!"

The sound of Layla's voice pierced the peace of the moment, her words a desperate plea. He turned around to see her rushing towards him from the door, her eyes wide with fear and pleading.

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