Crave You Forever
Chapter 59: How is the child?

Chapter 59: How is the child?

As the night stretched on, it was finally time to say their goodbyes. Minho made sure to give Haeun and Yeongsoo a few extra pieces of food to take home. "Just a little something for tomorrow," he said with a wink.

Taekjoon, on the other hand, clapped Yeongsoo on the shoulder. "Take good care of Haeun, alright? You’ve got a big responsibility now. Not just as his partner, but as a dad."

"I will, sir," Yeongsoo replied, his voice steady and sincere. "I’ll make sure both Haeun and the baby are well taken care of."

Haeun, standing next to him, gave his dad a tired but grateful smile. "Thanks, Dad. We’ll be okay."

As they headed out to the car, Taeun walked them to the door, still teasing his older brother. "Hey, Hyung, make sure the kid gets my good looks, alright?"

Haeun shook his head but smiled as they got into the car. "Yeah, sure. I’ll make sure our baby gets your ’charm.’"

With a final wave to his family, Haeun settled into his seat as Yeongsoo started the car. The evening had been long, but as they pulled away from his parent’s home, Haeun felt lighter. The big reveal was done, and despite the overwhelming nature of it all, everything had gone better than he expected.

Yeongsoo glanced over at him, one hand on the wheel, the other reaching over to squeeze Haeun’s hand. "You okay?"

Haeun nodded, closing his eyes and leaning back. "Yeah. I’m more than okay. Just... tired. But I’m glad we told them."

"Me too," Yeongsoo said softly, smiling as they drove off into the night.

As they were driving through the quiet streets, just a few blocks away from the penthouse, Haeun’s eyes suddenly caught something in the corner of his vision. It was dark, but the dim glow of a streetlamp revealed a small, crumpled figure lying in the shadows of a nearby alley.

"Stop the car!" Haeun blurted out, sitting up quickly.

Yeongsoo slammed on the brakes, glancing over at Haeun in confusion. "What’s wrong?"

"There, in the alley." Haeun pointed, his voice urgent. "There’s someone... a child, I think."

Without a second thought, Yeongsoo pulled the car over to the side of the road. Both of them jumped out, hurrying toward the alley. As they got closer, the figure became clearer—a small child, no older than six or seven, lying unconscious on the ground, their clothes dirty and torn.

Haeun crouched down beside the child, gently shaking their shoulder. "Hey, can you hear me?" His voice was soft, filled with concern.

There was no response.

"Yeongsoo, call an ambulance," Haeun said, his hand hovering protectively over the child. His heart raced. He couldn’t tell if the child was injured or just passed out from exhaustion, but either way, they needed help.

Yeongsoo quickly dialed emergency services, explaining the situation as he stood nearby, his eyes scanning the area for any signs of danger. "They’re on their way," he said after hanging up. "We should stay with the child until they arrive."

Haeun nodded, his focus still on the child. He gently brushed some of the dirt from their face, feeling a pang of sadness. "What happened to them?" he whispered, more to himself than anyone else.

The child was breathing, but shallowly. Their face was pale, and there were faint bruises visible under the streetlamp. They looked malnourished, their tiny frame even smaller under the oversized clothes they wore.

Minutes felt like hours as Haeun knelt beside the child, his hand hovering protectively over them. His heart pounded with worry. The child’s face looked so fragile, and the bruises stood out starkly against their pale skin.

"We can’t just leave them like this," Haeun murmured, glancing up at Yeongsoo, who was pacing nearby.

"We won’t," Yeongsoo replied, his tone firm. "The ambulance is on its way. Just a few more minutes."

As they waited, Haeun noticed the child stir slightly, their eyelids fluttering open for a moment before closing again. Relief flooded him, but it was fleeting. The child still looked weak, and he couldn’t tell what kind of injuries they might have.

The sound of distant sirens finally cut through the quiet of the night, and within moments, an ambulance pulled up at the mouth of the alley. Two paramedics jumped out, rushing toward them with a stretcher.

"Step back, sir," one of the paramedics said to Haeun, gently moving him aside. They quickly assessed the child, checking for signs of life and injuries. After a few tense moments, they placed the child carefully on the stretcher.

"Is the child going to be okay?" Haeun asked, his voice strained with worry.

"It’s hard to say right now," one of the paramedics replied as they wheeled the stretcher toward the ambulance. "We need to get them to the hospital for further evaluation, but they’re stable for now."

Haeun exchanged a glance with Yeongsoo, who nodded in silent understanding. "We’ll follow the ambulance," Yeongsoo said, already heading back to the car.

They quickly got into the car and followed the ambulance through the quiet streets, both of them tense with concern. As they neared the hospital, Haeun’s mind raced with questions. Who was this child? How did they end up alone in that alley?

"I can’t stop thinking about what happened to them," Haeun said quietly as they pulled into the hospital parking lot.

"We’ll find out," Yeongsoo reassured him. "But right now, we just need to make sure they’re okay."

They parked and rushed inside, heading to the emergency room where the child had been taken. The waiting room felt cold and sterile, the harsh lights doing nothing to ease the tension building inside them.

After what felt like an eternity, a doctor finally approached them. "Are you the ones who found the child?" she asked, her expression serious.

"Yes," Haeun said, stepping forward. "How is the child? Are they going to be okay?"

The doctor nodded, though her expression remained concerned. "The child is stable for now, but they were severely dehydrated and malnourished. We’re running tests to make sure there aren’t any internal injuries. It looks like they’ve been on the streets for a while."

Haeun’s heart sank at the thought. "Do you know who they are? Is there any family we can contact?"

"Unfortunately, there was nothing on the child—no ID, no belongings. We’ve contacted the authorities, and they’ll be investigating, but right now, the child needs rest and care," the doctor explained.