Blinded By The Lights | Sungjoy

Act 3 - Chapter 64: Release

During all her years of working at Yeoreum, Chorong had never been on the patient's side of the doctor's office. She fidgeted nervously as she waited for Doctor Oh to come in with the results of her blood test, praying anxiously that she would be a match for her beloved daughter. Every now and then, she would hear the footsteps of some of the other doctors and staff walking past and crane her neck upwards, hoping to peek out the small window and see who had been passing by.

At last, the door swung open, and in walked Sehun, a manila folder presumably carrying the results to her test clamped firmly in his hand. His face was inscrutable as he sat down in front of her, placing the folder on the desk.

Chorong couldn't bear the silence. "Well?" she asked tentatively.

Sehun looked at her with sorrow in his eyes. "I'm sorry, Miss Park. You are not a suitable match for your daughter."

--

No matter how many times she came down this way, Joy could never get used to the stillness and quiet of the ICU ward. It was pristine, clean, and had an almost impersonal touch to it. Compared to the colorful walls and the occasional screams of the pediatric ward, it seemed empty if it were not for the soft shuffle of feet and the beeping tones of the various machines in use.

Stopping outside of Peniel's room, she looked through the window to make sure everything was as it should be and gathered herself before she slid the door open and entered the room.

Peniel was still lying on his bed, unconscious and silent, while various monitors and machines watched over his vital signs and kept him fed and nourished through intravenous lines. However, after months of being in a coma, his body was beginning to show signs of muscle atrophy.

Joy carefully checked the vital sign readout, ensuring that there was nothing wrong with the care that Peniel was receiving, doing this all while the man by the windowsill continued to stare out towards the large city expanse in front of him, one finger tapping unsteadily against the wall as if doing so unawares.

Despite being called to Peniel's room by his visitor, there was no change in Peniel that warranted an unscheduled visit from Joy. Frowning, she looked away from the machines and addressed the man looking out the window.

"Sungjae, what did you call me in for?" she asked him.

Sungjae continued to stare out the window, his eyes still unfocused, but his finger stopped its incessant tapping.

"Do you know where's the best place to be unheard in the hospital?" he asked quietly, his voice distant.

Joy stared at his back, confused. "No," she finally said.

"In a room where there's a long-term patient in a coma, just like this one," Sungjae answered as he turned around. His lips curled up slightly as he looked at Joy's confused face. Sungjae walked over to the machine that was monitoring Peniel's brainwaves. "At this moment, Peniel can't hear us or isn't aware of the fact that we're in his room."

Joy nodded, not knowing where Sungjae was trying to lead the conversation.

Sensing her uncertainty, Sungjae's smile widened slightly. "When I still worked at Yeoreum, there was a patient's room that I found. It belonged to a rich patient whose family continued to keep on life support for the longest time. I used to sneak in there whenever I felt that it was too much for me and I couldn't bear it."

"Was this... when you were working on Sejeong's case?" Joy asked hesitantly.

Sungjae shrugged and Joy knew that that was the best answer she was going to get.

"So why all the secrecy then?" Joy crossed her arms. "You didn't come here just to give me advice, right?"

Sungjae looked amused at her annoyance. "No," he said. "I just wanted to ask you a few things."