Fighting unconsciousness felt very much like struggling underwater - heavy and exhausting.

Yet Woo Bin forced his eyes open despite the efforts the act demanded from him.

At first he couldn't understand where he was - which was not helped by the fact that his vision was really... blurry. Was he in his room? But no; the lighting was off, too bright and blinding. Was he in a hotel room? But no; the sheets here were too stiff and starchy. Was he in someone else's room? But- whose?

His limbs felt as though they haven't been used for a long time. Trying to rectify that, Woo Bin stretched both his arms-

-or at least, he tried to.

Except pain immediately radiated up his left arm, making him groan, grit his teeth, and shut his eyes against its onslaught.

"Don't move, you idiot!"

A voice sounding very much like Go Jun Pyo's rang from his right. Despite the pain Woo Bin blinked and turned to check, however slowly - and found, to his surprise, that the Shinhwa heir was indeed there.

"-Pyo?" His voice sounded raspy and hoarse, even to his own ears.

Jun Pyo grunted and crossed his arms. "We don't see each other for quite some time and next thing I know you get fucking shot at-"

Did it sound like Jun Pyo was berating him? It sounded like Jun Pyo was berating him. Woo Bin fought the urge to touch the obviously sore and achy part on his side and said, "I'm... sorry?"

"You should be." He sounded characteristically snippy. "Don't you have, you know-" Jun Pyo waved his hand about, "bodyguards? People who protect you from attacks like that?"

"No," scoffed Woo Bin. "I'm not as important as you and we both know it."

"I doubt that," Jun Pyo said, rolling his eyes. "You're the son of a Mafia Lord. You're-"

Woo Bin's brain felt as though it was stuffed with cotton - and for some reason he was finding it difficult to think or remember things properly. He cut in with, "How long was I out?"

"Three days."

From the doors stepped Yoon Ji Hoo, who answered before Jun Pyo could – much to Woo Bin's surprise. "I spoke with your doctor. Seems as though you're luckier than most, Woo Bin - you only sustained some damage to the muscles surrounding your shoulder and-"

"You call that lucky?" Jun Pyo interjected, pointing at Woo Bin.

Thanks, bro.

Ji Hoo paused. "Considering the alternative that he could have been shot in the back of the head or in any area where vital organs are present, I'm saying yes, it is."

Woo Bin blinked. He didn't even think about that.

The Shinhwa heir, meanwhile, looked suitably chastised. "Whatever."

"So," Woo Bin said to Ji Hoo, "does that mean I'm not dying? Because it… kind of feels like I am." As if to prove his point he tried to move his shoulder - and winced.

Ji Hoo said, "The pain's normal considering the trauma you went through - though of course you'll be getting the best care for your injury. I was informed a nurse will be assigned to you 24/7 after you get discharged, so I wouldn't worry too much." He approached the bed and patted his leg. "You should just focus on resting as much as you can to accelerate your healing."

"I've told the doctors here to make you their priority," Jun Pyo said loftily. "That way, you can get out early, and then I can hit you for being so stupid as to actually get shot at."

Despite his situation, Woo Bin chuckled.

Ji Hoo and Jun Pyo looking out for him- well. Supposed this event could have turned worse for him, after all.

Then again, if Ji Hoo and Jun Pyo knew… would it be possible for Yi Jung to know about his condition, too?

And if he did, could his absence now be due to the fact that they weren't exactly on the best terms?

Did it mean he didn't care at all?

Refusing to dwell on the ugly turn his thoughts took, Woo Bin grinned and said, "If I had known that me getting injured is the only way for you two to come visit me, then I'd probably have done it a lot sooner."

In retaliation Jun Pyo hit his shoulder - causing Woo Bin to double over in pain and Ji Hoo to charge towards the bed to assist him.

"Shit! I'm sorry!" Jun Pyo yelled, going to his feet and looking freaked out at the sudden turn of events. "I was-"

"Go Jun Pyo!" Ji Hoo censured, glaring at him.

"But he was being an idiot!" Jun Pyo replied, pointing at Woo Bin. "Ya, you! Stop being an idiot! Don't ever say things like that, do you hear me?"

The pain, however severe it felt, forced Woo Bin to remember how he got shot in the first place. And then he was clutching Ji Hoo's arm and shakily asking, "Ga Eul. Is she-"

"Safe," Ji Hoo responded without missing a beat. "She's safe. Don't worry about her."

Woo Bin released the breath he didn't know he was holding in the first place. "Where is she?"

"She's-"

"Ga Eul?" Jun Pyo asked, sounding confused. "Chu Ga Eul? You mean Jan Di's friend?"

Oh.

Shit.

"Is she the girl they said you were with that night?" Jun Pyo added.

Woo Bin looked at Ji Hoo, silently asking him to do something-

and Ji Hoo acted by helping him get into a more comfortable position on the bed before approaching Jun Pyo and saying, "We should leave. He needs his rest."

Goddamnit, but Yoon Ji Hoo had sort of just become his very best, most dearest friend in the entire freaking world that very moment. Woo Bin obediently closed his eyes as if, yes, he did need his rest, thank you.

"But-"

"If you hadn't jostled him-"

"I didn't! I swear I was just-"

Jun Pyo's protestations could be heard even as the two went out the door.

Well.

Thank god for Ji Hoo, then.

Somehow he was able to pretend so well he ended up actually sleeping, and moments or hours later - who knew - he opened his eyes to find someone else in the room with him.

From his position he could tell they were neither Jun Pyo or Ji Hoo, though. Woo Bin frowned. Could this be the nurse Ji Hoo had said was assigned to him?

He cleared his throat. "Uh-"

The person then faced him - and to his immense relief he found out that it was not someone unknown to him but was, in fact-

"Ga Eul."

Her lips trembled before she took a step towards him. She brushed the hair on his forehead to the side and softly asked, "Are you- how are you feeling?"

He sighed, briefly closed his eyes. "Better, now that you're here." Luckily she was standing on his right side; he was then able to reach for her hand and bring it to his mouth to kiss it. "How are you?"

"Better," she responded, eyes on his mouth. "Now that you're awake." Ga Eul leaned forward to kiss his brow. "Thank god you're awake. I was so worried, Woo Bin-Sunbae. I thought- I had thought-"

Something wet dropped on his skin; to his horror he realized she was honest to goodness crying. Over him? Well, now his heart felt full. "Hey, hey," he said, squeezing her hand and kissing it again. His left side ached to reach for and draw her towards him, except of course, he couldn't - so he comforted her the best way he knew how. "No need to cry now; I'm fine. Ji Hoo had said I didn't get hit in any of my vital organs so that's a good thing, right?"

"Sorry, sorry." She sniffed. "It's just- there was so much blood then and I'm just- I thought- what if I never get to see you again?"

"I take it you'll miss me?"

Ga Eul glared at him. "Don't tease. That's not funny."

"Of course not. Your life would never be the same without me in it, after all." He smiled.

She shook her head. "You're unbelievable, you know that?"

"Always." Shifting into a more somber tone he asked her, "Did you get hurt?"

Ga Eul wiped her nose with her free hand and shook her head.

"Good," he responded, breathing easier now. "That's good. Better me like this than you."

"Sunbae," she chastised him. "That's never a good thing to say to me, especially since I-"

"What? It's true." Woo Bin frowned. Him ending up like this was bad enough, but if Ga Eul ended up getting hurt as well?

He didn't know what he could have done.

Woo Bin squeezed her hand. "I'm just... sorry. I mean it was our first date and it ended up like that. I'm sorry."

She shook her head again. "There'll be others," Ga Eul said decisively. "Just focus on getting better now. Don't think about it yet."

"What? And not think about dating you as an added incentive to getting better?" Woo Bin blinked at her innocently. "Are you insane?"

Ga Eul laughed and kissed his cheek. "You're so-"

Just then, the door to his room opened, drawing their attention to it.

And in came, of all people-

"Y-Yi Jung-Sunbae," Ga Eul whispered, straightening herself up and stepping away from Woo Bin.

Something in his own stomach curled as he looked at Yi Jung - who seemed entirely unmoved while staring at both him and Ga Eul.

Well.

Apparently this event could, in fact, take a sudden turn for the worse...

...since it just did.

Notes: inaccuracies about caring for gun shot wounds are entirely mine!