Disclaimer: I don't own The Heirs.
Title: Silent Lucidity
Rating: T
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Angst, slight Romance
Pairing(s): YoungSang
Warning(s): Mentions of violence, but not graphic. Sketchy medical details.
Characters: Choi Young Do, Cha Eun Sang, Kim Tan.
Summary: What ifEun Sang wasn't quick enough to stop Kim Tan from hitting Young Do with the chair in Episode 14?
The lock on the door finally broke under the harsh kicks of Kim Tan's foot flying open with a loud crash, storming in with barely controlled anger tunnel vision focused only on Young Do barely noticing Eun Sang as he barked for her to leave. Young Do acted on instinct, quickly pulling her behind him to prevent any harm to come from her.
The action was so quick that she tripped over her own feet as she tried to catch her balance, stumbling to the ground, only to hear the sickening thump of fist meeting flesh sending Young Do staggering back. She'd just managed to get on her feet to hopefully stop their latest altercation in its tracks, when the chair came down harshly on Young Do sending him to the ground where he remained unmoving. Tan holding the chair in shock as the gravity of what he'd done seemed to don on him.
A scream tore from her throat reflectively, legs barely remaining stable when she finally thought of moving toward Young Do, collapsing under her on reaching him. The initial shock wore off giving way to focused concern to check if he was okay. Her first call of his name was a broken whisper, barely audible to her own ears. She called again louder, "Young Do," her voice cracking slightly from the sob lodged in her throat.
He didn't response.
"Yah, Young Do. Wake up," she demanded desperately, shaking him gently but he didn't stir.Her trembling hand moved to his neck fingers checking for a pulse, eyes closed praying she found one. Relief flooding her when she felt the jumping pulse against her finger tips, "Young –Young Do-ah, wake up. Please." Just open your eyes and look at me please, she wanted to lift his head of the floor onto her lap for comfort, but she knew not to move him in case there was any injury to his back and neck that could be worsened because of it.
"Eun Sang –"
"Get help," at the moment she didn't want to hear it, Young Do lying on the floor unconscious that was all she could think about. Her heart shook terribly realizing that the wetness on her fingers was blood, and there was more trickling onto the floor.
"What have you done?" It was Rachel, whether she was talking to her or to Tan, Eun Sang didn't know. The usually detached timbers of the girl's voice trembling as she asked. Eun Sang focus remained on Young Do willing him to wake, her vision blurred with tears. Please be okay, she prayed hand squeezing his arm.
Rachel must have asked her to leave and she hadn't heard it or complied, because the rest of the world only came to focus when Rachel physically pushed Eun Sang off him and begun checking on her would be sibling herself. She remained sprawled where she'd been pushed, too weak to move away. Eyes finding Young Do's face, that was eerily peaceful despite the horror that had landed him there, a trail of blood dripping from his ear stark against his pale skin.
"…Haven't you done enough, leave?!" Rachel's anger stunned her out of her shock, the accusation strong and uncomfortable to hear, because a part of her blamed herself too.
-~*+*~-:-o-:-~*+*~-
The usually calm Myung Soo had taken to wearing the floor in front of the room, like them he was waiting to hear of Young Do condition. Bo Na was holding on Chan Young's hand tightly in comfort and assurance. Rachel chose to sit away from them with her mother, but it didn't stop her from glaring at Eun Sang accusingly. The RS International heir had asked her to stay away, even slapping her when she arrived with Myung Soo who had insisted she come along with him to the hospital. Kim Tan wasn't there, she'd lost track of him somewhere between the school parking lot and the hospital. The only Kim present was Kim Won along with a worried Secretary Yoo.
Her phone had been vibrating incessantly with messages, the lion share from Kim Tan, his mother and her mother. She didn't know exactly what to say to Kim Tan or Madam Han, forgoing their messages and going straight to her mothers. According to her, the chairman was raising hell in the household, and there was talk of Tan going back to the US. She also questioned her on whether she would testify against Tan like the Little Madam was suggesting, but assured her that whatever decision she chose to go with her mother would be by her side.
|I'll be home when I know his condition. Please don't worry| it was all she could manage to reply.
Young Do's father had been the last to arrive and hadn't stayed long, appearing sporadically within the last three hours always on the phone while Rachel's mother and his Secretary kept vigil. It was only then that he returned and to wait with Rachel and her mother, but not without a hardened glare from Kim Won.
When the doctor finally immerged from the room with a report her heart stuttered before starting up painfully again at a much faster pace, her breath bated praying for good news. Myung Soo, who had stopped his pacing the moment Choi Dong Wook arrived to sit beside her, found her hand and squeezed reassuringly while Chan Young did the same with the other hand.
The only words she managed to get through the deafening beat of her heart loud in her ears when the doctor spoke was, Scans are clear…mild concussion…separated shoulder…will be free to leave in a few days. "…It's lucky that most of the impact was on his shoulder and not his head. You may visit him if you like but keep it short."
-~*+*~-:-o-:-~*+*~-
According to the doctor the damage done by Kim Tan strike with the chair wasn't as extensive as they'd feared, and wouldn't require any surgical intervention. Consecutive treatment, rest and sling would help along with light exercises to get back the strength in his shoulder and prevent complication. His loss of consciousness came from his concussion, but won't present any long term problems for him. At the moment the nausea and drowsiness was his biggest problem.
There goes the wonderful father-son bonding sessions on the Judo mat. Knowing his father, his injury would be another reason to attack him with for being weak.
From Kim Tan he'd expected a few punches and kicks; it was what they did after all. He would have never thought that he would provoke him enough to get hit with a metal chair. He guessed any remaining notions of even the slightest bit of friendship, was long dead if the guy tried to kill him with a chair.
Young Do had been right about Kim Tan's tunnel vision rage not being able to see Eun Sang, despite his anger being fuelled by her. He was only grateful that she hadn't been hurt. If there was someone in his life he couldn't bear to hurt, it was her and his intention was just wanting to see her for a few minutes, because it was likely she otherwise wouldn't see him. Kim Tan saw otherwise…
"Father," he greeted his father with false cheer when he slipped into the room. "You came to see me. I'm so touched I could cry." His snarky remark would probably get him a back hand to the face, injury or no. But it was better to pre-empt the anger than wait for it to fall upon him. That way it would seem like he actually deserved it.
His father's face remained hard and unimpressed; he didn't want to judge his scrutinizing eyes as being worried but more as assessment of damage to potential investment. "You let Kim Tan win over you again, but at least this time it was to our advantage," he told him after satisfying his assessment, flicking away invisible specks of dust from the bed before sitting down.
"What do you mean," the only advantage that would make his father smirk like that was in terms of business.
"What Kim Tan did was aggravated assault, with an eye witness. I could sue which is something the Chairman knows," nothing his father was saying was wrong, but it certain twisted his stomach uncomfortable to think that even after this, he was just a pawn his father used to get ahead. He already had an idea of what he'd asked for in exchange for Tan's absolution. "Right now I'll excuse this weakness, because of the stock we've acquired."
Young Do couldn't help but scoff, because even if it stung it wasn't at all surprising. He could set himself on fire and all his father wouldn't blink an eye, perhaps pat him down with a blanket because it would do to lose an asset. "I'm glad I helped you. Next time I'll let him throw me in front of a speeding car."
"Stop behaving like a child. I did this for your future."
Of course the future, this was special. "Really, that's making my heart flutter you thinking for me like this. Should I cherish this moment?" his sarcasm clear even if his words slurred slightly, due to drowsiness.
"Get some rest," was the order he got for his cheek. Maybe he did care, since he hadn't slapped or back handed him for the sarcasm. "When your step-mother and Rachel visit, your attitude should be better. Understood?" yet another directive delivered, before he left.
-~*+*~-:-o-:-~*+*~-
His sleep was interrupted every few hours as any concussed patient, messing with a sense of time. The pain in his shoulder wasn't helping, but he'd been through worse so bearing it wasn't a burden. The visit with Rachel and her mother had barely registered, through the drowsiness and pain medication. The false concern over him was suffocating while his step sister showed a sort of detached concern for him that honestly had him wanting to burst out laughing. Or maybe he'd just seen things. Hazy memory and lack of concentration were symptoms of a concussion, right?
The next time the door slide open, it was accompanied by stage whispers that of course belonged to Myung Soo, "It safe. You can come in."
If he was going for stealth, he was failing miserably.
"Yah, punk I can hear you from over here. What are you even trying?" At least it wasn't a nurse or any part of his 'family'. This he could tolerate.
Myung Soo didn't answer disappearing out of the room and pulling a reluctant companion into the room with him, before shut the door. He felt winded as he took in an uncomfortable looking Eun Sang, who seemed to be wearing the same clothes as yesterday. Had she been here the whole night? It was something that probably shouldn't have made him so happy given the circumstances, but it did.
"Who are you calling punk? Do you know, my heart nearly stopped, thinking I never told you how much I loved you," Myung Soo returned in his usual nature, even though Young Do's eyes remained on Eun Sang not moving for even a second. "It's only lucky you have a hard head," Myung Soo went on rambling as Eun Sang finally met his eye, swallowing hard as she took in the sling. "Yah are you even listening to me?"
"Eun Sang is here to visit me? How can I concentrate on anything else," his frankness coming out easily, even if she seemed startled at it. He was struck dumb by a chair, but he hadn't lost his mind. Did she expect a personality transplant?
"How can you say such things? After all the years of friendship, this is how you treat me," Myung Soo huffed comically. "Just for this, I think we should break up. In fact I'm going to leave until you apologize," with that he flounced out dramatically, leaving Young Do alone with Eun Sang, who looked nervous to be left alone with him.
"You know, he's been here all night," she told him after clearing her throat. He could tell she wasn't sure of how to be around him, guilt shining brightly in her eyes even if it wasn't her fault.
"How do you know this? Have you been here too?" He asked eyebrow raised in question, needing confirmation on his assumption straight from her lips. "Is Eun Sang worried about me?" He expected her usual denial or look of exasperation.
"Do you know? How crazy I was. I called and you didn't answer. The blood… Are you okay?" It wasn't asked outside of concern of his injury as he half hoped, but in a way one would ask about someone's well being after an accident.
His smirked tugged at his lips, as he shifted to get comfortable. "You were crazy, for me? Yah, are you trying to kill me with such sweet words?"
"Choi Young Do –"
He went on unrelenting, "–Now you're just teasing me. Don't you know how cute you look when you blush? Makes me want to–" The rest of his words were muffled by her hand. If he knew all it took to get her to come closer was this, he would have done it from the start. But, now that she was close he could see the dark circles under her eyes. Had she really not slept?
"Do you have to be like this?" she asked.
Yes, he had to be otherwise she wouldn't come to him, would she. The worry reflected in her eyes startling him. Even if it was due to pity, that concern was for him. No one ever looked at him like that, it was overwhelming.
He pulled her hand away from his mouth, holding onto it so she couldn't retract it. "Then don't look at me like that." He sometimes hated the fact that she could make him this nervous and soft. It was something forgotten that it felt foreign and new.
"Does it hurt?" She changed the subject, tearing her eyes away from him, making him miss them on him even if it had only been a second.
But he'd asked.
Did it hurt? Only his heart and his pride, he guessed. Physical injuries healed, they never worried him. "I've heard worse. This isn't even in the top 10."
"Don't joke like that," she scolded him, with a weak glare but words sharp. If she only knew it would probably turn her pretty hair white.
"Who says I'm joking?" He just hoped she didn't ask further on that, his eyes already drooping again despite having woken up a short while ago. The pain killers were really doing a number on him.
"You're tired. You should rest," he wasn't surprised that she'd noticed. She began slipping her hand out of his. He wasn't ready to let her go, at least not just yet and tightened his hold on her hand even as his eyes remained closed.
"Don't go," he didn't want to see the conflict in her eyes when she turned him down. His tired mind gave up the fight to stay wake as he drifted off.
When he was stirred awake by the nurse once again, he expected Eun Sang gone but there she was sound asleep hand still holding his.
She'd stayed.
The End
Author's Note: After reading a discussion on Sunkenshipsails about the Tan's chair rage, I wondered what would have happened if he'd actually landed a hit with the chair and this happened was a result. It didn't quite turn out the way I'd pictured it in my head, but I thought I'd share anyway. I'll probably edit it in future.
Thank you for taking the time to read this, I really appreciate it.