Chapter 11
May 12, 2026 at 2:41 PM
I don’t know how long we stood there in the middle of the empty corridor, wrapped tightly in each other’s arms. Eventually, I managed to calm down a little and tried to pull away, whispering quietly:
“So that’s why you wouldn’t let me go home, right?”
Jay gently pressed his lips to my temple and smiled sadly.
“I’m sorry, baby… I know you’re angry, but… I had to lie. You needed to stay in the clinic under constant supervision. I couldn’t risk letting you go home.”
“Is it… really that bad?” I exhaled shakily, lowering my head.
He pulled me closer, burying his face in my neck and whispering softly:
“I would give everything I have to change this… but yes, it’s very serious, baby.”
I sighed, soaking in the warmth of his embrace, and grumbled reproachfully:
“And how long were you planning to hide it from me?”
He let out a heavy sigh, but the corners of his soft lips twitched in a faint smile as this charming rascal admitted:
“I decided I’d think about it tomorrow. Ideally… until I found a donor.”
“Silly…” I sighed again. “I would’ve found out sooner or later anyway.”
“I know, baby… I just… wanted to protect you from the pain. But I couldn’t…”
Jay cupped my face in his warm palms and softly kissed my forehead. I closed my eyes, gripping his strong wrists, wanting to tell him he couldn’t protect me from the whole world forever — but suddenly my chest tightened like it was caught in a vise. Everything blurred before my eyes, and then… darkness.
***
I came to in my hospital room, slowly regaining consciousness. When I opened my eyes, I saw a nurse adjusting an IV stand beside my bed. Jay was sitting right next to me. The moment he noticed I was awake, he leaned over me, his eyes filled with worry as he gently stroked my cheek.
“How are you feeling, baby?” he breathed softly.
“What… what happened?” I whispered, my lips painfully dry.
Jay let out a ragged sigh and moved to sit on the edge of the bed, pulling me carefully into his arms. He pressed his cheek to my hair and whispered:
“You fainted. Again.”
“But… why? I felt fine…” I muttered in confusion.
He sighed again — this time quietly and hopelessly — his warm breath stirring my hair. Then he pulled back slightly and looked away without answering.
“Jay?” I frowned, cupping his face with both hands and trying to make him look at me, even though I already knew I wouldn’t like what I was about to hear.
His next words confirmed my fears.
“Your condition is progressing, Bambi. Much faster than we expected.”
I closed my eyes and let my hands fall, but he immediately covered my cold palms with his own — warm and strong as always — giving me his heat and protection. He squeezed them gently, leaned closer, and whispered soothingly:
“Don’t worry about anything, honey. It’s not critical yet, but your heart needs support. They’re going to set up an IV now so you can rest. I need to step out for a bit to handle a few things.”
He started to stand up, but I grabbed his hand desperately, pleading in a whisper:
“No… please don’t go.”
He frowned and immediately sat back down, gently tilting my chin up with his fingers as he searched my eyes with concern.
“What is it, my love?”
“I…” My frightened gaze fell on the IV stand, and my grip on his wrist tightened even more.
Finally understanding, Jay gave me a sympathetic smile. He covered my icy fingers with his, gently prying them from his wrist only to intertwine them with his own, stroking my knuckles soothingly.
“Are you afraid of needles, baby?”
“I hate them…” I admitted. “Jay, I… I’ve never been seriously ill before, only had colds, and…”
My voice trailed off as I started shaking again. Sensing it, Jay pulled me into his arms and kissed my forehead softly.
“Shh, baby… It doesn’t hurt at all, I promise.”
That didn’t reassure me in the slightest.
“Can’t we… do it without the needle?” I asked hopefully, though I already knew the answer.
Jay saw right through my attempt to negotiate and shook his head, a small smile hiding in the corners of his lips.
“No, sweetheart, we can’t.”
I let out a miserable sigh and tried to pull away, wrapping my arms around myself, but he didn’t let me go far. He gathered me back into his strong, reliable, and wonderfully warm embrace, completely ignoring the nurse bustling nearby. He knew perfectly well that only in his arms did I feel truly safe. He stroked my hair tenderly and whispered:
“My little scaredy-cat… You really are just like a frightened fawn.”
I sighed again and pressed my forehead against his shoulder, not even trying to deny it. I let the warmth of his body slowly chase away the trembling and the cold that had settled deep inside me.
“What am I going to do with you, baby?” Jay sighed, resting his cheek against my hair while his hand moved in slow, hypnotic strokes up and down my back.
I shrugged and hugged him even tighter, refusing to let go. I took a shaky breath, naively hoping that if I pressed myself close enough, the nasty needle wouldn’t reach me.
“Just don’t stick any sharp things in me, and everything will be fine,” I grumbled, filling my lungs with his familiar, comforting scent before closing my eyes again. The warmth of his body enveloped me from head to toe.
My beloved doctor chuckled quietly, stroked my hair, and kissed the top of my head.
“My little manipulator…” he murmured. “I’d much rather put something else inside you, but now isn’t the time or place for that. So… how about another deal, Bambi?”
“What kind of deal?” I sighed in defeat, knowing I couldn’t escape the inevitable.
Jay smirked and leaned in to whisper in my ear:
“I’ll include extra kisses and massages in your treatment if you’re a good girl and let the IV stay in your hand for a while.”
“Do you offer that to many patients?” I asked grumpily.
Jay shook his head, his warm, laughing eyes never leaving my face.
“You’re my first, Bambi. Like I said, I only let *you* wrap me around your finger. Normally, I’m a very strict doctor — you can ask Ten, he’ll confirm.”
“So I’m getting special treatment, huh?” I teased weakly.
Jay huffed a laugh and winked at me.
“You could say that, doll. But even being my girlfriend won’t get you out of this.”
I sighed, finally accepting my fate, but still asked just in case:
“I don’t really have a choice, do I?”
Jay’s expression turned serious. He stroked my cheek and smiled sadly.
“You need this, my love. Believe me, I would never force you if there was another way.”
“I know,” I whispered, gathering my courage. “Just… don’t leave me. Please.”
“Don’t worry, kitten. I’m not going anywhere.”
He nodded to the nurse and squeezed my hand tighter. Then he gently tilted my chin up with two fingers and said softly but firmly:
“Don’t look over there, baby. Look only at me.”
I drowned in the warm, golden sea of his eyes and forgot about the rest of the world.
Jisoo took my hand, wiped the back of it with an alcohol pad, and a moment later the needle slid into my vein. Surprisingly, I barely felt any pain.
I let out a relieved breath. Jay smiled, stroked my hair, and kissed my forehead tenderly.
“Good girl. See? It wasn’t scary at all, was it?”
I nodded weakly and managed a small smile. From the corner of my eye, I saw Jisoo quietly gather her things and leave the room, leaving us alone.
“I’m not scared… when you’re with me,” I whispered tiredly, closing my eyes.
I felt Jay’s soft lips press against my temple as he whispered warmly, filling my soul with quiet comfort:
“Then I’ll always stay by your side… so you’ll never have to be afraid of anything again.”
