The Pencil's Case

A free man

We finally arrived at the hospital. I hate that scent! The nurse and doctors are active enough to ignore us. Officer Eun remarked that I should have changed myself first or taken a shower, then he add eat. Just for me to tell him I was okay before asking for Dewei's chamber. 206B. I went straight to his room but I stopped right in front of the door. Hyunshik asked me if I also knew the hospital's map. But hospitals all work the same. I had to explain to him that two hundred meaning the second floor, 206 so the sixth room. Last B was the sector. That made him wonder how I knew it was sector B. I had to confess that it was just random letting him be speechless.

He noticed that we were still outside of the room so he asked me why. But I couldn't and I said it to him. I also admitted that my legs were shaking if I entered they would probably give up. He sweetly comforted me saying he was here to catch me anytime if I fall. I finally opened that door to see him in his bed. I didn't know he had a broken arm. He was full of bandages from head to toe. I ran into the chamber's bathroom where I threw up in the toilet. Officer Eun asked me if I was okay, he must have followed me. I apologized to him before explaining I had a flash of the pics. He only responded it was already hard to look at, and that I was strong. Only for me to say I didn't have the choice. I wash my mouth at the sink.

Then I went to Dewei's bed. I noticed, by the way, there was a person in the room. I didn't take a more serious look at it. My concentration was on Dewei. I greeted him before telling him it was my turn to come to talk to him first. He opened his eyes slowly. I could tell it was difficult. In fact, he could only open one of them. "You are here?" are the first words he said. My eyes filled with water before I hummed to confirm my presence. "Hi, Liu" was his second sentence. I responded by wishing him a good morning. He chuckled but he quickly moaned from the pain it gave him. That made me want to apologize even more:

"I am sorry."

"Why are you even sorry for?" he sincerely asked.

"You can keep that stupid pencil."

"I am sorry, I guess I am late. I should already have given it back."

"You are not late. Remember you told me you'll give it back at the right moment," I tell before I couldn't hold my tears anymore.

"Why are you crying? I had so much difficulty making you smile."

With that, he put his hand against my cheek. My legs ultimately gave up but Hyunshik kept his words and caught me. So I thanked him politely. He responded by telling me to call him hyung*. I stood up on my own again and Hyunshik let me go. Dewei pointed that he has never seen me cry before. I don't usually cry, I thought at loud because Dewei reacted:

"That's because of your weakness Liu."

"Hum?"

"You should open yourself to others," he specified.

"I did."

"You did?"

"I swear I did."

"I am happy then. But would you stop crying now?"

I agreed and apologized. I sniffed and stopped crying, drying my face with my coat's sleeve. I told him he should sleep. He replied he has already slept for a while. I apostrophized him again before apologizing for not taking his call. He said that I have already saved him once that day, so I couldn't have saved him twice. He did call me for me to come to save him... Why did I turn off my phone that night? I always do it when I plug my phone in charge. Suddenly Hyunshik told me it was time for me to go take a shower and eat something. I looked back at him. Dewei wasn't happy to hear that: "don't tell me you came here after your detention without even eating?". So I gave a glance at the officer. That was an error because Dewei understand I really did. I confirmed it before he asked me if I did read the book he has given me. But I only started it, I haven't time to keep going... Dewei got remorse: "Because of me, you ended in detention". I replied it was definitively not his fault. His argument: he called me. First, it's not a crime to call someone else and he couldn't have known what will happen next. I didn't tell him that I simply said honestly everything about me was suspect, so it was not his fault, I should also have answered their questions. After what he ordered me to go to eat. I stated I didn't want to only for him to call my name. So I gave up. I mostly gave up because he was about to sit in his bed. But as I remember his X-rays, I knew it would sting a lot. Then I left the room followed by Hyunshik after I kissed Dewei's hand.

*Hyung: word used by a younger male to call a male older in Korean. It implies a bit of closeness between the two. Generally, it's used between brothers and friends.