merry christmas, meanie

Fault

"JIEUN!" Mingyu screams from the bed - where he was lying peacefully, but now he's rushing and dashing around to grab a few things, and leave as soon as possible -- the cause being a certain phone call he got in the middle of the night.

Jieun sloppily runs into the bedroom. "What?" Seems like she hadn't been asleep.

Mingyu doesn't spare her a glance. He's too busy collecting his thoughts and keeping the adrenaline from infiltrating his system. "Get a jacket, we need to go."

"Where?"

"I'll explain as we leave, okay?"

With a nod, Jieun runs to the other room. She soon emerges clad in a jacket over her pyjamas. Without wasting another second, Mingyu lifts her in his arms, locks the house, and runs to the elevator. When they're inside, he just needs a few words to explain the urgency of the situation to Jieun. "Daddy's okay."

The tiny smile Jieun gives him makes it all worth it, as Mingyu kisses her head, and moves out of the elevator as soon as it stops.

The way to the hospital is painfully slow, or so Mingyu thinks. Every time a car goes by, he shudders and his heart threatens to break out of his chest, yet he tries his best to keep himself in check just for Jieun.

The moment he reaches the receptionist's desk, he bombards the confused woman behind it to make an entry for him. He doesn't let her respond, nodding at her and leaving with a brief 'thank you', as he rushes to the elevator.

The ward number stands out prominently for Mingyu to see. As he goes inside, he sadly finds Wonwoo asleep. But the fact that the doctors had let him know a while ago that Wonwoo's body was finally responding normally makes him breath a bit more lightly. Wonwoo was weak, obviously, but he had woken up briefly right before Mingyu had been informed.

Mingyu takes a seat, with Jieun situated on his lap, on a chair next to Wonwoo's bed, and takes the latter's almost-cold hand in his. He gently caresses it, hopefully looking at his peaceful face. As if a huge weight were lifted off of his chest, Mingyu finds relief in looking at the calmness on Wonwoo's face, unlike the shocked and pained expression he had displayed when he realised he'd been hit by a car.

Mingyu's heart cracks a bit when Jieun expectantly cranes her neck towards Wonwoo. "Why isn't he waking up?"

"He's tired, baby, nothing else."

"Are you sure?" She looks disappointed.

"Yes." Mingyu softly pats her head.

Mingyu hates the way fate plays tricks on simple souls like Jieun's - who're just there, clinging onto the last bit of hope in a dark situations. The crestfallen expression on Jieun's face that Mingyu catches after a few minutes, makes him want to do everything in his power to rid her of it. But unfortunately, it angers Mingyu to no limits, he can't do shit except comfort the poor child.

He just hopes it got to Jieun that yes, Wonwoo's really responding.

•

"Ji? You wanna go out?"

Mingyu's been cooped up in the house for another week. He does nothing, absolutely nothing, except hope and pray for Wonwoo to be awake at least once when him and Jieun pay him a visit. Maybe they just have shit timing, or it's fate snickering in the harmless toddler's face again.

The thought of studies has flown out of his brain since long, although he voluntarily tries to do something -- seeing that the examinations are less than a month away.

He tries, he really does, at the most ridiculous times of the day, to do whatever he could do ensure he doesn't flunk in any of his subjects.

"What would we do? I don't want anything to happen to you..."

It takes him a while to understand what Jieun means. But when he does, it feels like a massive punch to his gut. Jieun thinks it's all her fault.

Mingyu's completely speechless in front of the child sitting across him on his bed. He knows, if he fails to respond, she would take it to her heart, and it would break her.

"Ji, look at me." Mingyu demands. When she doesn't, he asks again. "Jieun, I said look at me."

She fearfully looks up at him. She looks so small right now, so absolutely sullen and cramped, Mingyu thinks he has failed to ensure her well-being. "Listen to me," He begins anyway. "Wonwoo wouldn't want you to blame yourself, okay? It's got nothing to do with you."

"Really?"

"Yes. Maybe it was written he would meet with an..." Mingyu breathes deeply, "accident. Just because you said something that day, doesn't mean it's all on you, get it?"

Mingyu's stern with his words. He wants to make sure any guilt in Jieun dissipates as soon as possible. And he's being completely honest -- it's not Jieun's fault. The girl whispers a small 'okay', but her words don't match her action, as she breaks down into loud sobs right after.

Mingyu's stumped for a split second, until he realises and pulls Jieun towards him. He gives her the tightest, most comforting hug he could manage, as he holds her to his chest and lets her cry it all out.

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Just wanted to mention this girlie Sushicarat17 for being such a sweetheart :,)