✔︎ retrouvaille | yang jungwon

ep. 10

It was children's day at the hospital. There were balloons everywhere and the laughters from children could be heard. Seori was 9 back then. She was playing around and picking up leaves until she found a small bush and went inside. The girl saw Jungwon, sitting in the middle while he was folding pieces of paper into origami.

Without a word, Seori just went in and sat next to him. "You've found a really cool place !" Jungwon was startled and scooted to the side slightly, letting Seori sit next to him. It may seemed like they were hidden away from the world but their IV stands were in sight, standing tall.

Seori was a pretty sociable kid when she was younger but Jungwon was the opposite. Even though it was as if Seori was talking to herself, Jungwon loved listening to her stories and funny rambles. He didn't know when they started being friends but Seori made him like the hospital.

He used to hate it before she came into his life. Forced to stay in one cramped place, not being able to go to school and having to take medications every hour. Did he mention he hated needles ? Seori dragged Jungwon to every nook and cranny of the hospital, playing around hidden rooms making doctors look for them.

Thanks to Seori, Jungwon had gotten used to being in the hospital and looked forward to waking up every day.

Seori secretly stuck a piece of paper under the overbed table and talked to Jungwon as he took his final bite of food. "If you're done, I'm gonna go give this to Nurse Lee !" Seori quickly ran away, giggling. Jungwon frowned his eyebrows before looking at his table and pulling it up to push it away but saw a scary drawing Seori drew.

"SEORIII !!"

Ever since then Jungwon would always make sure there was nothing under the overbed table. Seori's bed was actually in front of him. Despite being in the same room, Seori was almost never in the room. For a nine-year old Jungwon, there were days that were difficult and he hated it.

He still remembers that one night when Seori's dad took care of her when her condition was getting worse. On that same day too, her mother left her to her dad. She was so upset.

There were also days that were hard to go through.

Jungwon was half awake with an inhaler mask over his face when he had finished one of his painful treatments. He opened his eyes fully after seeing Seori with a big smile on her face, holding out origami flowers that he taught her how to fold.

There were countless days where Jungwon would remember because of Seori.

But Jungwon was angry and upset when he heard Seori was discharged. He didn't want her to leave. From afar he saw her giving hugs to everyone and making them smile for the last time before leaving. Seori made eye contact with Jungwon but he ran even before Seori could go up to him.

Seori felt tears falling down her face, thinking to herself.

"Did I do something wrong ?"

Jungwon didn't get to say goodbye to Seori. He regretted not to that day. He went inside the room to see Seori's side of the bed was clean. No more plushies, posters and drawings on the wall. Just a bed with folded blankets. The boy sat on his bed, having to eat his lunch. Previously, Seori helped him eat the whole thing because he would never eat.