Suho stayed by Shini's side the entire night.
He didn't close his eyes even for a moment.
The quiet hospital room, Shini's peaceful face… everything kept replaying in his mind—the truck, the screeching tires, and the moment she risked her life to save him.
He couldn't understand how someone could put their life on the line for a complete stranger.
A strange, overwhelming sense of concern had awakened in him, one he had never felt before.
As the morning sun peeked through the blinds, a nurse entered the room.
"Sir, she should be regaining consciousness shortly.
In the meantime, please go to the reception to settle the hospital bills.
Once the paperwork is complete, you may take her home."
Suho took one last look at her pale, peaceful face and stepped out to pay the bills.
His heart raced, a mix of relief and anxiety coursing through him.
But when he returned after settling the bills, Shini was gone.
The bed lay empty, the sheets cold, the pillows untouched, and the room felt hauntingly silent.
Panic replaced his relief.
"Where is she?
She was just here!"
His voice was raw, edged with desperation.
He searched frantically through the corridors, questioning every nurse, but Shini had vanished as if into thin air.
His hands ran through his hair, mind spiraling with worry.
He couldn't forgive himself for leaving her side, even for a single minute.