City Undertaker || Bang Chan Mafia AU

77: Follow the Light

An agonising week went by with Jeongin in a vulnerable state. It was hard to notice when each day was almost the same. Jeongin was still in intensive care. He gained brief moments of consciousness, only to be in immense pain by attempting to breathe. The tube lodged in his throat helped him breathe, but the restriction made him wish he couldn't. The painkillers only partially worked and kept him drowsy most of the time. He barely spoke as it pained him to.

Each of the members felt the pressure of their whole situation. With the authorities investigating the shootout at the plantation, members of the gang drawing attention from the public, Jeongin floating between life and death put everyone on edge.

The longer they stayed in Australia, the closer they came to incarceration. Chan avoided sharing personal details with hospital staff when possible. He had a suspicion the police were on to them. The staff couldn't share anything without Chan's consent, but that didn't mean they couldn't find out.

Lex's leg still ached and her head throbbed consistently but she had been better than on her first day in the hospital. Though she had slipped once in the shower and smacked the emergency button for aid. She could move if she forced herself to with great effort. Most of the time she spent in bed, occasionally speaking to whoever visited her.

The other members were nothing but caring, and she hated it. She felt she didn't deserve it, since it was her fault Jeongin was dying. There still hadn't been an opportunity to go see him. Each time it became harder to find the courage to. All of them checked in on her once a day, yet she still couldn't look them in the eye.

The most news she had heard was Chan's plan to bring Jeongin home suddenly. Lex was set to stay in the hospital for longer but she would leave if the others did. She didn't think she could neglect her injuries another time but she didn't want to be without them again. Besides, she missed HQ. If she had to be taken out in a wheelchair, so be it.

Though she could stand, constant pressure was never going to let it heal. Still, she wasn't complaining when she heard the state Jeongin was in. She still hadn't gotten the chance to visit him yet. After all, she couldn't face him and felt ashamed too.

Every part of her begged to gods she didn't believe in for his survival.

~

"Ready to leave this place?" Chan asked, sliding his hand into hers to interlock their fingers that fit so perfectly. Two weeks had passed with Lex's recovery improving, though the same couldn't be said for Jeongin.

"Of course I am." Lex smiled meekly at him. Even she knew it wasn't a good idea but by this point, she was just so exhausted, almost not caring what happened to her. They had eliminated Tenex, yet why did it feel like they lost? Jeongin was why.

"Jeongin is coming with us," Chan mentioned casually. She hadn't seen him yet but knew he was in no condition to be leaving.

"How? Is that a good idea?"

"We can work around it."

"Chris-"

"It's okay, I got it under control." Chan pressed a kiss to her forehead. The gesture had her dropping the subject.

Lex didn't argue with him but was sceptical nonetheless. It seemed like Chan was in denial and refused to hear otherwise. Even thinking back to his lash out at Hyunjin a few days after she had woken up, he resisted the possibility of Jeongin's fate. Though Chan went and apologised to Hyunjin, she knew he still believed there was hope.

~

Jeongin was cleared to be relocated back to HQ. Though they all had the feeling that Chan had pulled some strings behind the scenes. There was no way they'd just discharge Jeongin. He couldn't leave without his oxygen generator. Though Jeongin had consented to it, he knew the journey home would be tough but he was adamant about being somewhere he was comfortable. When he...