Julian stood up from the chair where he had been resting and moved back to the chair beside the bed. He took out a fresh pair of gloves and carefully put them on.
"Ethan... How are you feeling? Are you alright? Can you still handle another treatment?"
Ethan, who had been resting against the back of the bed with his eyes half-closed, slowly lifted his head and looked at Julian. His expression remained unreadable, showing neither a smile nor discomfort. After staring at him for a moment, he gave a slow nod.
"I'm fine... Just continue what you need to do."
"Alright... I'll check the condition of your wound first. Medic, come and assist me."
Julian called out to the medic sitting nearby and began carefully removing the blood-soaked white bandage wrapped around Ethan's arm, layer by layer.
Beneath the bandage, the stab wound was much deeper than expected. The cut from the blade had opened the flesh significantly, and because the wound had been bleeding for a long period of time, the surrounding tissue had already started to swell.
Julian remained silent for a moment as he examined the injury carefully. His eyes moved over every detail of the wound with a doctor's precision. After finishing his assessment, he looked up at Ethan through the rim of his glasses. He removed the old bandage and discarded it into the medical waste container placed nearby before speaking.
"Ethan... I'm going to close this wound without local anesthesia."
His tone remained calm, but there was a hint of concern hidden beneath his words.
"Do you still have enough strength to tolerate it? I know you'll probably say you're fine, but I'm asking because I need to make sure. If you're ready, I'll start the procedure now."
Ethan did not answer immediately. He pressed his tongue against the inside of his cheek, tilted his head slightly toward Julian, and replied in a low voice.
"I'm fine... Go ahead."
Julian let out a quiet sigh and nodded. He adjusted his gloves carefully, making sure they fit properly before turning toward the medic.
"Prepare the supplies."
Then he looked back at Ethan's injury.
"The wound didn't damage any major blood vessels. That's the only lucky thing about this. But the blade went deep into the inner tissue. I can't simply close the surface and leave it like that. It will take some time."
Ethan lowered his gaze toward his injured arm.
"So... I guess fortune is still showing me some mercy."
Julian gave a brief smile at his words, but his expression quickly returned to seriousness. Without wasting any more time, he began cleaning the wound. At that moment, the phone resting on the nearby table suddenly began to ring.
The name displayed on the screen was Rosalie.
Ethan noticed it immediately. Seeing who was calling, the corner of his lips lifted into a faint, knowing smirk. However, he quickly turned his head away as if pretending not to notice. Julian glanced at Ethan's expression but chose to ignore it. He removed his gloves and picked up the phone, answering the call immediately.
"Juu..."
Rosalie's warm voice came through from the other side.
"Where are you? Are you still with Ethan?"
"Yeah... I'm still treating him."
Rosalie's voice became slightly worried.
"Is the situation really serious?"
"It's not too bad. I already removed the bullet. The arm injury is the only thing left."
There was a short silence before Rosalie spoke again.
"Okay... Please be careful, Juu. You're inside Eagle Wings' main stronghold right now. Once everything is finished and you're leaving, don't forget to call me."
"Yeah... I will call you. Don't worry. I'll handle everything and leave safely."
"Okay... I'll be waiting for your call. Please stay safe."
After hearing her words, Julian's eyes softened.
"I will."
The call ended and Julian looked at the dark screen for a moment before placing the phone back onto the table. Julian returned to the bedside after placing his phone down. He put on a new pair of gloves and turned his attention back to Ethan's injury.
First, he carefully cleaned the wound again, removing any remaining traces of blood and carefully examining the condition of the surrounding tissue. His eyes moved toward the important blood vessels, making sure there was no hidden damage before proceeding.
"Medic... Prepare for the sutures."
With those words, Julian focused completely on the injury. His attention narrowed only to the wound in front of him. Every movement of his hands was precise and controlled as he began stitching the deeper layers of the injury.
The assistant medic stood beside him, holding the examination light steadily and observing Julian's technique carefully. In his mind, among all the doctors he had ever seen, Julian was different. He was patient and gentle. And yet, every action he made carried absolute confidence and precision.
There was no unnecessary movement, no hesitation, and no panic. Even while treating a difficult wound in an unfamiliar environment, Julian remained calm as if he were working in his own operating room. Anyone watching him could immediately understand that this was a doctor who treated every patient with complete focus and responsibility.
Julian continued stitching the inner layers of the wound carefully. Each time the needle passed through the injured tissue, Ethan's fingers tightened around the bedsheet beneath him. The cloth held between his teeth was bitten harder as he endured the pain silently. But the pain was undeniable. The few minutes that passed felt unbearably long to Ethan, as though time itself had slowed down.
Finally, after carefully closing the deeper layers, Julian moved on to the outer layer of the wound. With the same steady hands, he completed the final stitches and sealed the injury properly. When everything was finished, Julian leaned back slightly and examined Ethan's condition.
"Alright... It's done."
Ethan slowly released the cloth from between his teeth and let out a deep breath. His forehead and face were covered with a thin layer of cold sweat. Even someone with his high pain tolerance could not completely hide the exhaustion after enduring such a procedure without anesthesia. Julian looked at him quietly for a moment.
"Not bad. But you really do have a habit of making things harder than they need to be."
Ethan opened his eyes slightly and looked at him. A faint smirk appeared on his face.
"You came all the way here just to lecture me?"
Julian gave him a calm look while removing his gloves.
"No. I came here because you needed a doctor."
A short silence fell between them. Although their relationship had become complicated because of Rosalie, the bond they had built since childhood had not completely disappeared.
Julian might disagree with Ethan's choices. He might be angry about what happened but he could never completely ignore him. After disposing of the used gloves, Julian stood up and walked toward the basin. He washed his hands carefully before returning to the bedside.
The medic and the attendants began cleaning up the used medical equipment under his instructions. The room slowly returned to silence. Ethan rested against the bed, his expression still tired but calmer than before. Julian glanced at his injuries once more to ensure everything was stable.
"Your leg and arm both need proper recovery. No unnecessary movement. No fighting."
Ethan raised an eyebrow slightly.
"You know that's impossible."
Julian looked at him with a calm expression.
"Then at least try."
Despite everything that had happened, despite the anger and conflict between them, there was still a quiet understanding between the two brothers. One was a doctor who chose to save lives and the other was a man who had chosen a dangerous path. But tonight, inside the Eagle Wings stronghold, they were simply brothers. And Julian was still the same person who had once protected his younger brother when they were children.