The ER was a blur of movement and urgency. Carrie was rushed away as Leo and Jae-wook stood helpless, hearts pounding, every second stretched into eternity.
"We need a heart transplant—now!" the surgeon barked.
"But sir—there's still a pulse!" a nurse shouted. "We can stabilize her. There's still time!"
Outside the OR, Leo paced in frantic circles while Jae-wook sat, head in his hands. Neither spoke. The only sound was the clock ticking far too slow.
Hours passed like lifetimes.
A doctor finally approached.
Leo rushed to him. "Doctor—how is she? Is she…?"
The doctor gave a tired but warm smile. "It's a miracle. She's still with us. Her brain… it never gave up. I've never seen anything like it. She fought. And you got her here in time."
Jae-wook crumpled to his knees. He didn't speak. Couldn't. He just wept.
Leo bent down beside him, hugging him tightly. "She's okay," he whispered. "She's really okay."
"When can we see her?" Leo asked, barely daring to hope.
"In six hours," the doctor replied with a nod. "You're strong. All of you."
---
Hours later, under the pale glow of the hospital fountain, Leo and Jae-wook stood in silence, watching the night sky shift.
"I still can't believe she actually shot herself," Leo murmured.
"She was… broken," Jae-wook said with a long exhale. "This wasn't just emotional—it was mental. Deep. Dangerous."
Leo turned, voice low. "Alex… I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for all of it. If I hadn't brought her in—"
Jae-wook raised a hand, stopping him. "Leo. Stop. This wasn't your fault. If you hadn't brought her in, she would've found another way. Maybe worse. I'm just glad… we found out before it was too late."
Leo pulled him into a hug. "I wanted to tell you everything would be okay. Guess it's the other way around now."
Jae-wook smiled faintly. "It is going to be okay."
Leo laughed softly. "She called me a moron. Dated a moron for seven years... That actually stings."
Jae-wook chuckled. "You're still standing. That says everything."
Leo nodded. "It'll take time… but I'll move on. We all will. It wasn't meant to be. Even if it looked like it was promising."
"Even if it seemed promising" Jae-wook replied and exhaled as they continued watching the sunset.
---
Two Days Later...
Jae-wook and Leo sat silently at the entrance of the emergency room, the sterile lights casting long shadows over their anxious faces. The air was thick with unspoken fears, the kind that settle deep in your chest and refuse to leave.
Then, suddenly, a nurse burst through the double doors, breathless.
"She's awake," she said, her voice trembling, all formality forgotten.
Time seemed to stop. Jae-wook and Leo were on their feet in an instant, hearts pounding, legs barely carrying them as they ran down the corridor like it was the only thing keeping them alive.
When they stepped into the room, everything else fell away.
Carrie lay there, frail and pale against the sheets, but her eyes—those familiar, irreplaceable eyes—fluttered open. The moment they landed on Jae-wook, her whole face broke apart, and tears streamed freely down her cheeks.
Jae-wook rushed to her side, his breath catching in his throat. He didn't speak—he couldn't. He collapsed into her arms, holding her as though the act alone could undo all the fear, the pain, the lost time. His tears matched hers, silent and unrelenting, a raw outpouring of everything he hadn't been able to say. Grief, guilt, relief, love—all of it tangled up in the way he clutched her like he was afraid she might disappear again.
Leo stood just a few steps behind them, watching. His chest ached. A small, wavering smile fought its way through his tears, unsure if it had any right to be there. He wiped his face, but the tears kept coming. Watching them—watching Carrie breathe, watching Jae-wook fall apart—he felt something snap gently back into place inside him.
His best friend was alive.
And for now, for this sacred, stolen moment—that was everything.
The end.