"SUHO!" Hauen screamed, her voice cracking as she threw herself forward, blocking the man's strike before it could reach him.
The attacker stumbled, caught off guard, but swung again, his knife flashing in the streetlight.
"Hauen!" Suho's voice trembled, panic spreading through his veins.
"Mr. Lee!" she screamed, desperate. "Mr. Lee!"
The nearby crowd turned toward the commotion, gasps filling the air as Mr. Lee sprinted toward them.
Hauen's grip on the attacker weakened; her body was trembling, but she refused to let him near Suho. Suho tried to stand, forcing his weak legs to cooperate, but they shook violently beneath him. Still, he pushed forward, holding attackers hands, trying to shield her.
"Leave her!" he shouted, but the moment Hauen reached to pull the attacker's mask off, the man panicked.
In one swift motion, he slashed at her arm.
A sharp cry tore from her lips as blood splattered across the pavement.
"HAUEN!" Suho yelled, his face pale with fear.
Before the attacker hurt Suho, Mr. Lee lunged at the attacker, grabbing his arm, but the man twisted free, slashing wildly at him before bolting into the crowd, disappearing into the night.
Mr. Lee turned, ready to chase, but Suho's voice cut through the chaos, hoarse and breaking, "Mr. Lee, no! Hauen's bleeding! Get the car, now! We need to take her to the hospital!"
Hauen's knees buckled, her body shaking as pain surged through her arm. "Ahh—!" she screamed, clutching her bleeding forearm before collapsing to the ground.
Suho tried to move, dragging himself toward her from his wheelchair. His eyes blurred with tears. "Hauen-ah!" he shouted, his voice cracking. He tried to stand up, but he couldn't; at that moment felt helpless.
She looked up weakly, her face pale. "No… I'm fine. Don't stand up, Suho. I can't let you fall," she said between heavy breaths, trying to reassure him even as her blood stained the concrete.
Mr. Lee rushed back with the car, heart pounding. helped Hauen in, her body trembling, her hand pressed tightly against the bleeding wound, then he lifted Suho into the seat.
Suho tore off his blazer, then ripped open his shirt without a second thought. His fingers shook as he wrapped the fabric tightly around her arm, trying to stop the blood from flowing.
"Hauen, stay with me," he whispered, voice breaking as he tied the makeshift bandage. "Please, stay with me."
Her eyes fluttered weakly, the world around them blurring into sirens, panic, and the desperate sound of Suho's voice calling her name.
"Faster, Mr. Lee! Get us to the nearest hospital, she's bleeding badly!" Suho shouted, his voice trembling with fear.
Mr. Lee nodded and pressed down on the accelerator, the tires screeching as the car sped through the night.
Hauen screamed, clutching her arm, her breath coming out sharp and uneven. The pain was unbearable; her whole body trembled.
Suho pulled her closer, his heart pounding out of control. "Hold on, Hauen… just five more minutes," he whispered, his voice breaking as he gently brushed the hair from her face.
Her forehead was drenched in sweat, her eyes glassy with pain. He wrapped his arms around her, pressing her against his chest as if his embrace alone could stop the bleeding.
"Hold on, Hauena...," he murmured, his chin trembling as he stroked her hair. "Please… just a little longer, okay? You'll be fine. I promise."
She tried to nod, biting her lip to keep from crying out again. The car sped through the streets, headlights flashing past, and Suho held her even tighter, his world collapsing into the sound of her ragged breaths and the desperate thud of his own heartbeat.
At Hospital
Suho sat in his wheelchair, eyes red and wide with worry. His hair was messy, and his hands were stained with her blood. Mr. Lee stood close by, vigilant, keeping a protective eye on him.
It had been thirty minutes since the doctor had taken Hauen into the treatment room, and there was still no word. Each passing second stretched painfully.
Finally, the door opened. The doctor stepped out, smiling gently.
"Doctor… how is she?" Suho asked, his voice tight with desperation.
"Don't worry, Mr. Kim," the doctor said reassuringly. "She's fine. I've treated her wound. The cut wasn't deep, so there's no serious harm. In about two weeks, it will be completely healed."
Suho let out a long, shaky sigh, relief flooding his chest.
"Can I… see her?" he asked quietly.
"Of course," the doctor smiled.
Suho looked at Mr. Lee, who nodded, and pushed his wheelchair toward the cabin.
Suho's heart clenched painfully the moment he saw her. His eyes stung as they filled with tears, taking in the sight of Hauen sitting weakly on the hospital bed, her pale face, messy hair, blood-stained clothes, and the stark white bandage wrapped around her arm.
Mr. Lee quietly pushed his wheelchair closer to her bed. When Hauen noticed him, she instantly smiled, trying to look strong for his sake.
Suho's voice trembled as he asked, "You… okay?"
She nodded, smiling gently. "It's just a small cut. I'm fine, just a little weak, that's all."
But he couldn't look away from the bandage. His lips quivered, guilt flooding his voice. "I'm sorry… I couldn't protect you."
Before he could stop himself, tears slipped down his cheeks.
"Suho," she whispered softly, reaching out with her uninjured hand to caress his hair. "Don't cry. I'm fine. Please don't feel bad, it's not your fault."
He shook his head, voice breaking. "Still… as a man, I failed to protect you. That attack was meant for me, but you got hurt because of me."
His words cracked as he sobbed quietly.
Hauen's heart ached seeing him like that, broken, guilt-ridden. Without a second thought, she got off the bed and knelt down in front of him.
"Shh…" she soothed, holding his trembling hands in hers. "Don't cry, Suho. You weren't in a condition to protect me, and I'm fine. Look at me, it's just a small wound. It'll heal quickly."
Her voice was soft, comforting, filled with calm strength. She gently rubbed his hands, trying to ease the guilt from his eyes.
And then,
The door burst open.
Both Suho and Hauen turned sharply as their families rushed in, panic written all over their faces. Mr. Lee had called them, and the moment they heard, they came running.
"Hauen-ah!" her mother cried, hurrying toward her, tears already brimming.
Her grandfather followed close behind, his hands trembling as he checked her bandaged arm.
"What happened, baby?" her mother asked, her voice breaking as she cupped Hauen's face, scanning her for any more injuries.
Her mother turned to Suho, her tone soft but worried. "Are you okay, Suho? How did this happen? Who was it?"
He nodded, though guilt shadowed his face. "We don't know, Ommoni… everything happened so suddenly," Suho said quietly, his voice still trembling.
"But I'm sorry. I couldn't protect Hauen." His head hung low, voice barely audible.
Grandpa gently placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Everything is fine now, my son. Don't feel guilty," he said warmly.
But Suho couldn't help it; his chest tightened, and silent tears slipped down again.
Everyone gathered close, asking about their condition, their faces pale with worry. Hauen tried her best to reassure them with a calm smile. "I'm fine, really. It's nothing serious."
Just as her mother sighed in partial relief, the door opened again. A police officer entered, his presence steady yet respectful.
"Hello, Mr. Kim," he greeted. "I'm Officer Park Soobin, from Gangnam Station. I'm here to investigate the attack that took place outside Gangnam Restaurant."
Everyone turned their attention to him.
Suho straightened slightly in his wheelchair, trying to appear composed. "Hello, Officer," he greeted politely.
The officer then turned toward Hauen. "How are you, Mrs. Kim?" he asked gently.
"I'm fine," she replied with a faint smile. "Just a small cut, nothing serious."
He nodded, glancing briefly at the bandage before meeting Suho's eyes again.
"And you, Mr. Kim? Did you get injured in any way?" the officer asked.
Suho shook his head. "No, Officer. I'm safe. My wife… she got hurt while saving me from the attack."
His voice softened at the end, filled with gratitude and guilt all at once.
"Can you please tell me everything in detail from the start?" the officer asked.
Suho nodded. "Yes, Officer. After we finished dinner at the restaurant, my wife was taking me to our car. Our guard, Mr. Lee, had parked it on the other side of the street. Suddenly, a man came towards us and tried to attack me. I couldn't react in time, but my wife quickly stepped in to stop him and got hurt in the process," he explained slowly.
The officer nodded. "Okay. Did you see his face by any chance?"
"No, Officer," Hauen replied slowly. "He was wearing a mask. When I tried to pull it off, he panicked and cut my arm. When Mr. Lee tried to catch him, he ran away."
The officer turned to Mr. Lee.
"Yes, sir. Madam is right," Mr. Lee confirmed.
The officer sighed. "Alright. We'll investigate this. But I need to ask, has something like this happened before? Or do you have any idea who might want to harm you? Any suspects?"
Suho paused for a moment, thinking. "No, sir. This is the first time anything like this has happened. I don't have any suspects."
"Any business rivals?" the officer asked.