RETROUVAILLE, Cha Hyun-su [Heavy Editing]

twenty-eight

FIRST-PERSON POV

We arrived at an abandoned hospital, its empty halls echoing with the faint sound of our footsteps. The place was eerily quiet. Ho-sang and Ha-ni had left us shortly after the earlier confrontation. Chan-Yeong carefully set Yi-Kyeong down on a white mattress. He glanced over at Hyun-Su, his brow furrowed with concern.

"There was a fire at her hideout and she couldn't escape," Hyun-Su replied, standing beside me. His face was etched with worry as he looked at Yi-Kyeong. "She was already unconscious when I went inside."

"It's carbon monoxide poisoning," Chan-yeong said before standing up from his crouched position and looking at me and Eun-Yu. "There must be portable oxygen tanks here. Let's look for one."

We began our search for a portable oxygen tank, splitting up to cover more ground. However, Hyun-Su decided to stay close, trailing behind me as I pushed open the door to a room that had seen better days. I began scanning the room methodically, sweeping the flashlight's beam over shelves and drawers in search of the equipment we needed.

"You don't have to look, you know?" I said, my voice carrying a hint of frustration as I adjusted the beam of my flashlight. "We can handle this."

"Are you guys close?" 

I paused, glancing over my shoulder. His expression was unreadable, his eyes focused on me. "Who? You mean Chan-Yeong?" I asked, a hint of confusion in my voice.

"Mhm." Hyun-Su nodded slightly, his gaze unwavering. I let out a small chuckle, trying to shake off the unease, and refocused on my search. Hyun-Su placed a hand on the side of the drawer I was inspecting, his touch deliberate and steady. His eyes met mine, a silent urgency in his gaze. "I couldn't help but notice how close you two were earlier when we were walking all the way over here," he said softly.

Before I could respond,  We heard Chan-yeong's voice echoing in the halls. "I found it!"

We regrouped where Yi-Kyeong lay, our faces etched with a mix of exhaustion and anticipation. Chan-Yeong was already at work, his movements precise and methodical as he handled the portable oxygen. He expertly connected the necessary components, his fingers deftly maneuvering the equipment. We watched in silence, the tension in the room palpable as Chan-Yeong finished assembling the device. He carefully turned it on, and the oxygen apparatus emitted a soft noise coming out of it.

"Is it working?" Eun-Yu asked, her voice tinged with concern as she watched Chan-Yeong closely. Chan-Yeong let out a deep sigh, his brow furrowing as he inspected the portable oxygen. "What's wrong?"

"There's no oxygen left," Chan-Yeong said. He examined the portable oxygen tank with a furrowed brow, concern evident in his eyes.

"What will happen now?" I asked as I looked from Chan-Yeong to Yi-Kyeong, who lay still on the makeshift stretcher.