granny

16// hospital

"it's a concussion. the doctor will come in and explain what to do later but he should wake up soon," the nurse explained in a flat tone as she looked to jisung dubiously. at the same time, quiet murmuring was heard and the two turned to watch as minho's eyes fluttered open.

jisung jumped up and walked to the patient's bed, while the nurse commented, "i'll get the doctor. don't exhaust him too much."

"hey," the shorter whispered after she had exited.

"jisung, what happened? what are we doing here?"

minho looked around in confusion and closed his eyes painfully. the younger held his hand.

"we're in a hospital. do you remember this morning? you went to take a shower?"

"the bathroom.. yeah," the older mumbled and sighed. his eyes were half closed and his lips were dry.

"i found you on the floor. did you fall?"

"fall?," minho blinked a couple of times slowly, "i don't remember. but my head started hurting and then.. i don't know. but we.. missed the bus," he stated between an explanation and a question.

"yes, we did. but that's alright. there will be a next one," jisung smiled and rubbed his thumb over the older's knuckles. he looked so fragile that he didn't want to touch him anywhere else right now.

"i see you're awake," a young doctor came in with a smile, "can we have a talk?"

"yes," minho quietly agreed.

"what's your name?," the doctor asked, and made a sign for jisung to stop when he saw he was about to intervene.

"just minho is fine," the patient replied. these days his surname felt less and less his.

"okay, minho, how old are you? and what's your favourite colour?"

"23. orange."

"good," the man smiled even brighter, "your brain is working i see. who is this?," he pointed to jisung and minho looked up too, though he knew perfectly well who was there.

"my brother."

"and do you live together?," the doctor smiled, still not expecting an answer from the shorter.

"yes. we live with our grandparents."

"okay. then i should ask you to leave us," the man turned to jisung politely, "i need to ask some questions about the household and i'd prefer the patient didn't have external influence," he explained and the boy nodded.

"i'll be in the corridor," jisung smiled to minho and released his hand gently. the older didn't want him to leave but coudn't object because everything happened too fast.

"what happened this morning before you came here?," the doctor calmly asked and minho looked down to remember. things were still in his mind but they were hazy.

"i went to take a shower. my brother said he found me in the bathroom."

"and what is the floor of your bathroom made of?," the man interrogated casually though the question was odd. minho closed his eyes, trying to recall the room.

"mosaic. pebbles and cement or tiles..," he pensively and slowly uttered, "that look like pebbles and cement."

"is there wood anywhere?"

minho stopped to think for a second, "no."

it was a bathroom. why would anything in a bathroom be made of wood?

"i'll tell you why i'm asking," the doctor continued with his sympathetic smile, "we found chunks of wood on your head while we were cleaning the wound. is it possible that you may have gotten hit by someone in your household?"

minho gulped. he couldn't tell if he had been hit or just fell. he hadn't seen anyone in that bathroom before the accident.

"what is your relationship with your sibling?"

"jisung? no way he'd do that, i-"

"hey, i believe you, relax," the doctor smiled and nodded, "should we invite him back then? if you'd feel better with him, i mean."

"yes," minho tiredly replied and the man stood up and left the room to return with the shorter a couple of seconds later.

"look, i got coffee," jisung quietly pointed out and smelled the cup, "do you want some?"

"no, he better not have any," the doctor joined in, "actually, that's what i want to talk about right now. there's no specific prescription for what to do when you have a concussion but he shouldn't stress and risk getting injured because every minor injury while this isn't healed yet may lead to brain damage."

jisung nodded, diligently noting in his head what was advised for minho.

"it should take about 3 to 5 days, during which you need to handle him with care and he may have issues with concentration but he should be fine," the medic smiled and stood up.

"wait, you want to release him?," jisung asked and bit his lip.

"yes. there's no reason for him to stay here and if you want him to, you should pay for surveillance," the man explained, "but he will be moved into a common room with 5 other patients and you would only be able to visit him during visiting hours."

jisung turned to the older inquisitively.

"no, i'll come back with you," minho replied.

"but.. are you sure? you'll be safer here..," jisung muttered and squeezed his hand.

"no, i won't leave you."

the doctor looked to them curiously, expecting them to elaborate.

"are you sure you don't need him to stay?," the younger asked.

"why do you not want to go home?"

"it's our grandparents. we think they might be dangerous," jisung admitted.

"dangerous? how so?," the doctor worriedly questioned.

then minho and jisung explained the situation they had come across as they were visiting their grandparents. the medic looked to them with concern but ended up asking for proof of their allegations.

"we don't really have any evidence, except for the fact that it's strange. we almost got injured several times in the last week," jisung complained and squeezed minho's hand in his.

"i understand but unfortunately there's nothing that we can do because the patient doesn't have any other injuries that indicate abuse. we cannot call the police on your grandparents since the wood in the injury is easily contestable."

minho smacked his lips together and jisung clicked his tongue, "does that mean we need to go back now?"

"yes, you need to sign the documents and then you can leave," the doctor nodded and stood up to exit the room.

jisung sighed and wrapped an arm around minho. how was he going to get him back to that madhouse in this precarious position?