Echoes of You
Pairing: Ahn Su-ho X !Femreader Requested: No
Summary: Memories of Ahn Su-ho and the others stay close after everything changes. While dealing with Su-hoβs coma and Si-eunβs move, bonds are tested and new friendships form. Even surrounded by new people, the past remains a constant, shaping every step forward.
Length: 4921 Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Drama, Friendship, Light Romance.
Warnings: Spoilers! Weak Hero Class 2. Violence Mentions, Hospitalization, Emotional Distress, Grief/Loss Themes, Past Trauma, Mild Angst. Status: Complete!
My feet pounded against the pavement, the world blurring at the edges. I didnβt know if I was chasing something or running from it, maybe both. Every breath burned. Every step dragged pieces of the past out of hiding, raw and stubborn.
Si-eunβs voice still echoed faintly in my ears, but everything else started to slip away. The noise around me, the ground beneath my feet, the weight of the moment. The present faded until all that was left was the past, unfolding around me.
The tires hummed beneath me as I pedaled toward Eunjang High, the path so familiar I could have ridden it blind if I truly wanted to. I was supposed to meet Su-ho, like always. As i approached the street right Infront of the school entrance the sudden buzz of an engine snapped me out of my thoughts, and I barely had time to react before a white motorbike streaked past.
I recognized it instantly, the big black box strapped to the back, covered in a mess of peeling stickers he never bothered to take off. Su-ho was in the front, his posture relaxed like he didnβt have a care in the world.
Behind him sat someone I didnβt know, a boy with a cautious grip on Su-hoβs shoulders. For a moment, I thought maybe Su-ho hadnβt seen me. Maybe he was distracted, in a hurry.
But then he turned his head just enough to catch my eye, a smirk tugging at his mouth, and kept going without slowing down. The boy riding with him glanced back at me, his expression confused. I called out for Su-ho, the words sharp and desperate but they were already too far.
My hands tightened around the handlebars, the metal digging into my palms and before I could think better of it, I pushed hard on the peddles of my bike making a quick U-turn to trail them at a distance. Something was strange. Not wrong exactly, not enough to set off alarms but it prickled at the edges of my mind stubborn and persistent. Su-ho wasnβt the type to ignore me, Not without a reason atleast.
As I followed them, it wasnβt long before they came to a sudden halt. I skidded my bike to a stop a few good feet away, just in time to see Su-ho swing off the motorbike and dart down a narrow alleyway without a word. He was obviously in a rush.
The stranger followed him, not as quick but fast enough to disappear with Su-ho into the shadows. I didnβt know what was going on down there, and honestly, I wasnβt sure I wanted to. That wasnβt my business.
So, I pulled my bike up next to his motorbike and moved to sit on it, planting myself stubbornly on the seat. The big black box on the back wobbled slightly under my weight. I settled in, watching the cars blur past on the street, counting them without really seeing them.
It didnβt take too long before I heard footsteps, slow and uneven, followed by a loud yawn. "I'm hungry after doing all that. Let's go eat. I know an awesome place we can go. Time to pay your bill..." His voice trailed off as I twisted my body to face the direction it came from.
Three boys stood in front of me all with different facial expressions. I stayed where I was, resting casually against my childhood friend's bike. The boy riding behind Su-ho earlier blinked in surprise, like he hadnβt expected anyone to be waiting.
He hung back a little, shifting awkwardly on his feet, glancing between me and Su-ho like he wasnβt sure what he was supposed to do. The other one, standing a few steps farther away, Shorter then the others, didnβt move at all. He just watched all calm and quiet, with a sharp kind of look that made it clear he was taking everything in, saying nothing. There was something different about him. something harder to read.
Su-ho didn't seem bothered at all by the way I was sitting on his bike. If anything, the grin on his face widened like he found it funny. He walked up casually, swinging his helmet off and tossing it onto the seat next to me with a careless thud.
"You know," he said, leaning a little too close like he was letting me in on a secret, "most people ask before they hijack my ride."
I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms, not moving an inch. He chuckled under his breath, like he knew I wasnβt actually mad.
Straightening up, he turned to the two boys still standing a few feet away. He jerked a thumb toward me, casual and proud.
"This little pest is mine," he said, almost affectionately. "Been stuck with me since we were kids." I moved my hand up to slap him in the arm for calling me a 'pest' before turning my glace at the new boys once again, "Y/N" I said plainly before glaring at Su-ho once more.
The boy who had been riding behind him looked even more confused now, shifting his weight like he wasnβt sure if he was supposed to introduce himself too. The shorter boy stayed quiet, still watching me with those sharp eyes.
Su-ho didn't seem to notice the awkwardness, or maybe he just didnβt care. He grinned at me again, wide and boyish as always. "Come on. If youβre gonna lurk, you might as well come with us."
At first, I try to distract myself. I pull out my textbooks, sit at my desk, and tell myself I will just study for a little while until they answer. It is fine. Everything is fine. Su-ho always takes a while to text back. Si-eun too. Beom-seok is skittish, but that is nothing new.
The words on the page blur together. I keep checking my phone every few minutes. Still no messages. Still no calls. The pit in my stomach grows heavier, gnawing at my ribs.
I text them again. Nothing. I call. Still nothing.
When Si-eun finally picks up, it is rushed and cold. "I'm busy," he mutters before hanging up without another word.
That is when the studying stops. That is when the panic really starts sinking in, slow and suffocating like someone has thrown a weighted blanket over me. I cannot sit still anymore. I pace my room. I stare at my phone. I jump every time it buzzes, even when it is just spam.
Then finally, the call comes. A number I do not recognize flashes across my screen. My heart jumps to my throat as I answer. "Hello?"
"Y/n?" a voice says, softer than I expect. It is Su-hoβs grandmother. "I just wanted to let you know... Su-ho is in the hospital, but heβs okay. Nothing to panic about, sweetheart. Just come when you can."
Her words are gentle, careful, but I can still hear the worry tucked under them, hidden like a frayed seam.
I do not even remember moving. One second I am in my room, and the next I am flying down the streets on my bike, pedaling so hard it hurts. I can barely see through the tears stinging my eyes and the panic clouding my head.
When I get to the hospital, there are two people waiting in the chairs near the front. Si-eun is hunched forward, elbows digging into his knees, staring at the floor like he is trying to disappear. Sitting next to him is a girl I have never seen before. She has neat dark hair, simple jeans, and a jacket that looks way too big on her. Her face is pretty but serious, completely guarded.
"What happened? Whereβs Beom-seok? Is he okay? What is going on with you three? Don't lie to me." My voice is raw, panting from running more then i ever have. I wanted to cut the the chance, i was done the the lying in this friend group.
Si-eun looks up slowly. He does not say anything right away. He just stares at me with that same exhausted, hollow look that makes my skin crawl. For once, he does not try to dodge the truth. He tells me everything. About the fights. About Yeong-bin. About Beom-seokβs fear. About Su-ho trying to fix things himself before it all went wrong.
It is too much. I stand there for a long minute, feeling like I have stepped into someone elseβs nightmare. My eyes snap toward the girl next to him. "And who are you?" I demand, sharper than I mean to be.
She stands, calm and steady, like she is ready for me to ask. "Iβm Yeong-i," she says quietly. "I am... part of it."
I do not have time to unpack what that means. My focus is already on the hallway leading to Su-ho. As I start walking, Si-eun's voice follows after me. "He threatened us if we involved you in this." He says it so plainly, like he knew he didn't mind the earful he was going to get from his bestfriend.
I do not answer. I just keep moving, following the sterile scent of the hospital until I find the right room. Inside, lying still beneath the white hospital sheets, is Su-ho. He looks so small, his breathing steady and slow. He looks fragile in a way I have never seen before, so unlike the boy who used to grin at me like he had the world in his hands.
I stand in the doorway for a moment, just staring at him. His face is relaxed, the lines of tension gone, but it doesnβt comfort me. I wish I could hear him talk, see his smile again. But instead, I just watch him sleep, my chest tight with worry I can't shake.
Su-ho looked a little beaten up, but he was okay. His face had a few bruises, his cheek was bandaged, but there was no mistaking the relief I felt seeing him awake. As I stood there, staring at him, he stirred slightly and blinked his eyes open. When his gaze met mine, my chest tightened, the tears I had been holding back threatening to spill over.
I couldnβt help it. I sighed in relief, watching his eyes, knowing he was alright. But the worry didnβt leave me yet. It lingered, heavy in the pit of my stomach.
Su-hoβs lips curved into a small smile, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Well, well, if it isnβt my personal stalker," he teased, his voice rough from sleep. "Didnβt think youβd be the type to break into hospitals just to check on me."
I rolled my eyes and made my way to his bed. Sitting down next to his legs, I reached out without thinking, gently touching the bandage on his cheek. He winced slightly but kept up his usual cocky attitude.
"Seriously, youβre unbelievable," I muttered, my fingers brushing the bandage carefully. "You really worried me, you know that?" My voice softened as I looked at him, feeling the weight of everything that had happened the unknowns, the fears, the secrets.
He just smirked, his usual charm somehow intact even after everything. "Hey, Iβm fine. Nothing you need to worry about," he said with a shrug. "Itβs all just a scratch. Itβs nothing."
Frustration built up inside me. "Cut the crap, Su-ho," I snapped, my voice rising slightly. "I know everything. Donβt pretend like this is all nothing. Iβm not stupid."
His smile faltered. His eyes grew more serious as he leaned back, clearly trying to find the right words. "You donβt get it," he said, his voice quieter now. "I just didnβt want you getting involved. Itβs too dangerous for you."
I blinked, caught off guard. "What do you mean? We arenβt kids anymore. Iβm not some helpless littleβ" "I know we arenβt kids anymore," he cut in, his tone soft but firm. "Thatβs not what I mean."
He hesitated, like he was gathering courage. Slowly, a smug smile started to pull at his lips. I frowned, confused. "Come on," he said, teasing again but with something deeper behind it. "You really didnβt know? Iβm in love with you."
The words hit me hard. My face heated instantly, my heart racing so fast it made my head spin. I stuttered, unable to form a coherent sentence. "Y-you... what?"
His smile only grew wider as he leaned in a little closer, his hand reaching out to gently touch mine. "Yeah," he said, his voice low and almost playful. "Thought maybe you would've figured it out by nowβyou being the smart one and all."
I was too flustered to respond. Before I could even think, he was pulling me toward him. His lips met mine, soft at first, then deepening as he held me close. For a second, I froze, completely overwhelmed, before I melted into him, my hands finding their way to grip his shirt.
The world slowed, everything else fading away...until a throat clearing broke the moment.
I jerked back, my face burning hotter than ever, and looked over to see Si-eun standing awkwardly in the doorway, clearly trying not to laugh. The girl next to him, Yeong-i, was grinning like she had just witnessed the cutest thing in the world.
I shot her a look, but even that couldnβt erase the warm, fluttering feeling in my chest.
Su-ho just chuckled and pulled me back against him casually, like he didnβt have a care in the world. "Guess we have an audience," he said, smirking.
When I pushed the door open, the first thing I noticed was how quiet it was. The room still carried the faint smell of pizza and frosting. The table was filled with a few boxes of half-eaten pizza, some plates stacked neatly nearby. Sodas sat opened but unfinished. Balloons floated lazily near the ceiling, and a "Happy Birthday" banner hung across the wall, a little crooked but still holding strong.
And there on the couch, Su-ho was fast asleep. He was sprawled out comfortably, one arm draped over his stomach, his head resting against the couch cushion. His breathing was slow and even, the quiet room making it sound louder than usual.
I stepped inside carefully, closing the door behind me without a sound. For a moment, I just stood there watching him. The sight of him like this relaxed and safe made my chest ache a little.
Quietly, I made my way over and crouched beside the couch, resting my arms on the cushion and my chin on top of them. I stayed like that for a while, just studying his face. Without the teasing grin he always wore, he looked softer, almost boyish.
Without thinking, I reached out and brushed a bit of hair from his forehead. The slight touch made him stir. His eyes fluttered open, confused and sleepy at first, until they landed on me.
When he saw me, a slow, lazy smile spread across his face.
"Hey," he mumbled, voice rough with sleep.
"Hey, birthday boy," I said softly, smiling back.
Still heavy with sleep, he reached out and tugged at my arm, pulling me gently onto the couch with him. I let out a breathy laugh as I shifted, ending up half lying against his chest, fitting easily into the space beside him. His arm wrapped around me securely, his chin resting lightly against the top of my head.
"You came," he whispered, sounding happy.
"Of course I did," I said quietly, settling into him. "Like I'd ever miss your birthday."
We stayed like that, tangled together on the couch, the world outside the room feeling miles away. His hand moved slowly up and down my arm in a soothing motion, and after a few moments, he spoke again, his voice even softer this time.
"I love you," he murmured, the words barely above a whisper.
My heart skipped, then raced, but I didnβt pull away. I tightened my arms around him instead, closing my eyes and letting the warmth of him sink into me.
A few seconds later, I felt him smile against my hair. "Best birthday," he mumbled, sounding completely content.
I let out a small, quiet laugh and lifted my head just enough to look up at him. "Youβre so dramatic," I whispered back, but my voice was thick with emotion.
Everything had been weird lately. Si-eun barely talked to us anymore. Beom-seok was hanging out with the wrong people, and Su-ho... he just seemed off. It was worrying. Heβd still tell me everything was okay, kiss me like nothing was wrong, but I could see it in his eyes β he was planning something. I knew it. But deep down, I believed that if it was truly bad, he would tell me.
I tried texting Si-eun, but he only ever insisted he was fine, just busy. Beom-seok didnβt talk to me at all. Once, he sent me a message asking to meet somewhere, but I had a horrible feeling about it and didnβt go. That pit in my chest was back β like something bad was happening, and I was the only one still in the dark.
I pushed the feeling away and forced myself back into studying. That was until my phone rang. It was Si-eun. His contact photo popped up β a picture of him and Su-ho smiling together.
I answered quickly. βIs Su-ho with you?β was the first thing he said, his voice tight, panicked.
βNo... he hasnβt answered my calls either. Si-eun, whatβs going on?" Beep. Beep. Beep. The call ended.
My heart dropped. I immediately started freaking out, calling him back, then calling Su-ho, then anyone I could think of β no one picked up. Desperate, I scrolled to Beom-seokβs contact and called. It rang once. Twice. Three times. Finally, someone picked up.
"Beom-seok?... Iβm really worried about Su-ho, is he with you?" I asked, my voice trembling.
All I heard was a loud "Hey! Eat shit!" from somewhere in the background. That pit in my stomach grew bigger, swallowing everything else.
"Where are you... Beom-seok, where are you, you son of aβ WHERE IS SU-HO?!"
He tried to say something, but I wasnβt listening. He mustβve realized, because he hung up. I called Si-eun again, my heart pounding in my chest, before running out of the house without even thinking. My feet carried me blindly down the streets, to anywhere I thought they might be. Anywhere Su-ho might be.
No answer. No answers anywhere. Everything was hurting by the time I finally couldnβt run anymore. I collapsed onto a bench, trying to catch my breath, when my phone buzzed. A text.
It was from Su-hoβs number. "Working out." That made it worse. It was late. What could he be "working out" at this hour?
I didnβt sleep that night And the next day at school, just as I tried to keep my mind from spiraling, I got a call.
Yeong-i. Confused, I answered. The moment I heard her sobbing voice, I knew it was about Su-ho. it didnt take long for her to tell me, Told me what Beom-seok and his gang had done. That Su-ho was in the hospital.
I didnβt think. I just stood up from my desk and quickly left my class, ignoring the calls of my teacher.
By the time I got there, Yeong-i was sitting outside the hospital room, crying into her hands. I sprinted up to her, panic exploding in my chest.
βIs heβ Is he okay?β I asked desperately. She couldnβt answer. She just looked up at me with those tearful, broken eyes.
I moved to the hospital door in a panic. my legs moving on their own. Inside the room, I saw Si-eun first, he was crying, shoulders shaking. Su-hoβs grandmother was sitting next to the hospital bed, her face buried in her hands.
And there he was. Su-ho. Lying on the bed, a breathing mask over his face. Still. So still. His eyes werenβt opening like last time.
I covered my mouth with my hand, a muffled sob breaking free from my chest. I heard Si-eun cry, My eyes burned with tears as I forced myself forward, my hand instinctively resting on Si-eunβs shaking shoulder in hopes to comfort my friend.
Su-hoβs grandmother looked up at me, her face pale and worn. She shook her head slowly and explained through broken words he was in a coma.
My breath hitched violently as the reality hit me, slamming into my heart. He wasnβt just hurt this time. He was gone somewhere I couldnβt reach.
Without thinking, I stepped forward, taking my hand off Si-eun. My knees hit the cold hospital floor as I collapsed beside Su-hoβs bed. Grabbing his hand tightly in both of mine, I lowered my forehead onto it, whispering his name, willing him to wake up as cry's escaped my lips.
One afternoon, after another brutal day where everything felt too loud, too heavy, I found myself at the hospital again. The hallways smelled like bleach and cold air, but it was the only place that felt even remotely right anymore.
Si-eun was already there, sitting quietly next to Su-hoβs bed, his shoulders hunched forward like the weight of everything was pressing down on him too. He didnβt even look up when I walked in.
I quietly slid into the chair beside him, the scrape of metal legs against the floor the only sound between us. For a while, neither of us said anything.We didnβt need to.
The low beep of the heart monitor filled the room, steady and soft, a cruel reminder that Su-ho was alive... but not really here. My throat tightened as I stared at Su-ho's peaceful face. I hugged my arms around myself, feeling so small, so helpless.
"I miss him too," I whispered, the words breaking free before I could stop them. Si-eun stiffened slightly beside me, like he hadnβt expected me to say it out loud. I bit my lip hard, trying to keep the tears from falling, but it was no use. They slid down my cheeks, warm and painful.
"I donβt know how to do this without him," I said, voice cracking, eyes never leaving Su-ho. "Youβre doing it," Si-eun said quietly, almost like he didnβt believe it himself. "Youβre still here."
"But Iβm not me anymore," I choked out. "I feel like Iβm just... surviving. Like I'm stuck in some nightmare and everythingβs wrong." Si-eun finally turned his head to look at me. His eyes were glossy too, raw from the same grief I was drowning in. "That's all any of us are doing," he said quietly.
The room felt heavier than ever. The weight of everything we were too young to carry sinking deeper into our bones. Unable to hold it in anymore, I leaned forward, pressing my forehead gently against Su-hoβs hand. His skin was warm under mine, but it wasnβt the same.
For a long moment, there was only the sound of the heart monitor, and my own broken breathing. Then I felt a hand on my shoulder, Si-eunβs. Steady and grounding.
I let myself cry, Really cry. Not just quiet tears, but the kind that shook my whole body And Si-eun stayed right there. Silent, Hurting too.
We sat there like that for what felt like forever. Two people who loved him so much, just trying to survive the wreckage he left behind.
Months had slipped by. I was getting better at surviving the days not really happy, not really sad. Just... waiting.
I still visited Su-ho every chance I could, sitting by his side, telling him about everything and nothing, even when the room felt too big and too quiet.
Si-eun and I had gotten closer too, finding time for each other even after he moved. It wasnβt perfect, but it helped.
One day, we were supposed to hang out, but he canceled last minute, claiming he was busy. I didnβt believe him. Not this time.
So I went to his momβs apartment, where she casually mentioned he was volunteering at a youth cultural center for the weekend. I asked for the address and went straight there.
The building was huge older, with tall windows and the kind of floors that echoed your footsteps no matter how quietly you walked. Kidsβ voices bounced around the halls, laughter and shouting bleeding through the open doors.
It smelled faintly like cafeteria food and something cleaner, more sterile. I wandered for about fifteen minutes before I heard it: a loud burst of muffled laughter coming from deeper inside. I followed the noise until I found the cafeteria.
It wasnβt packed, just scattered groups here and there. The light overhead flickered slightly, and the tables were old, the kind you could still find gum stuck underneath if you checked.
Near the back, four boys sat gathered around a table.
One had messy black hair and sharp, narrow eyes that flickered up as soon as I got close. Next to him was a lankier boy with glasses, his frame thin and awkward. Across from them sat a broader guy, shoulders hunched slightly as he focused on his food. And finally, there was Si-eun sitting quietly among them, not laughing, not talking, just eating with that same stoic expression he always wore lately.
I stepped closer until I was standing right beside the boy with the messy hair β the one who had noticed me first.
He looked up at me properly now, giving me a bold once-over before flashing a cheeky grin. "Lost, pretty girl?" he said, voice teasing but not unkind. "Or were you looking for someone?"
He leaned back casually in his seat, one arm draped over the back of his chair, looking way too pleased with himself. I give him a unamused look.
Across the table, Si-eun finally glanced up at me, his eyes meeting mine. He didnβt say anything, just stared, frozen mid-bite, his face impossible to read. "Since when do you volunteer?" My question was directed towards Si-eun, the three strangers around him looked surprised that I knew him, or that I actually spoke to him. "Y/N...What are you doing here?" His voice was calm as he set his chopsticks down. I shrugged walking past the other boys to lean on the table next to him. "I came all the way here to hang out with you this day, as always and you say 'I'm busy" I mock his calm tone, trying my best to make a bored expression like he does. That caused a snicker from the loud boy at the end of the table.
"I am." is the only thing he says before taking another bit of his food. I roll my eyes looking around before grabbing another chair and pulling it up sitting next to him. "well then I'll be busy with you. Y/N. Nice to meet you all" i give a kind smile to the three boys who look utterly confused.
The world blurred around me as I ran, my feet pounding against the pavement and my lungs burning with every desperate breath. I didnβt know exactly what I was running toward only that I had to get there. Had to see it for myself.
I stumbled onto the hospital property, my heart racing faster than my legs could carry me. Just ahead, standing outside the entrance, were four figures. Park Hu-Min, Go Hyun-Tak, Seo Jun-Tae, and Si-eun. I didnβt even think. I just kept moving, the ground beneath me almost nonexistent.
The three of them stood with their backs to me, facing something or... someone that I couldnβt see. I pushed my way between Hu-Min and Hyun-Tak, desperate to get through. As I brushed past Hu-Min, I caught a glimpse of his face, and for the briefest moment, I saw the sadness lingering in his eyes.
My eyes locked forward. There, just beyond them, was a wheelchair. And Si-eun, speaking softly to someone I couldnβt quite see yet.
My ears were ringing from the adrenaline, the noise of the world around me dulled to almost nothing. My heartbeat drowned everything else out. Each step closer felt like I was moving through thick water, like time had slowed just for this moment.
"Si-eun..." I whispered, my voice cracking under the weight of my fear. "Is that...?"
He turned at the sound of my voice, and when he moved, I finally saw him. Su-ho. There he was, awake.
His hair was a little longer, and he looked thinner, paler than I remembered, but none of that mattered. Nothing mattered except that it was him. My childhood best friend. My boyfriend, The person I thought I had lost forever.
When his eyes met mine, I saw the light return a tired but unmistakable smile slowly growing across his face, the same crooked grin that had once made me fall so hopelessly in love.
I stumbled forward, tears already spilling over. My hand lifted, shaking, reaching out to him like I needed proof that he was really there, that this wasnβt another cruel dream I would wake up from.
Before I could touch him, he reached up first, his hand finding mine and holding it tightly, like he was grounding me back to the earth.
"There you are, stalker." Su-ho said, his voice rough but teasing, full of more life than I could have ever hoped for. "I thought you gave up."
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