HARD | A Beomgyu FF

12 | A New Friend?

"A little pinch now Yeonjun."

As the needle slides into my vein, I don't even flinch, even though it causes a slight pain.

Nurse Chen starts extracting the blood, and I silently sip my orange juice, just waiting for it to be over.

The nap helped me replenish my energy, but now I'm restless.

"Okay, and we're done!"

The nurse wipes off the blood from the extraction site before putting a plaster on it.

"After you finish your juice, if you feel well enough, then you can go and explore the hospital, with the exception of staff-only areas."

I perk up a little at this.

At least it's something to do.

I can't do much, since I'm under observation, but the prospect of exploring my new home properly is a little comforting, albiet a little scary too.

"But you have to make sure you feel okay to go out. If you feel faint, press the nurses button. You remember where that is right?"

I nod.

Earlier, Nurse Chen had directed me to a button that I could use, should I need some sort of medical assistance.

"Be careful Yeonjun. If anything happens while you're out, ask any of the staff for help, okay? Don't just dismiss it, or anything like that, hmm?"

I nod.

Nurse Chen smiles at me, before gathering up the used equipment on the tray and stepping out the room with a bow.

...

...

...

Well, let's go explore.

I get up from the bed and walk out of my room, deliberating where I should go first.

I decide to take a left first and walk down the corridor.

Are inpatient wards in modern hospitals always this quite, and always so close to the Nurses Station?

I carry on walking down the corridor, until I come to a door that looks identical to the door to my room.

Another patient?

The door is closed, so I try to start forward again, when the door to the room is pulled open and a familiar body steps out.

Dr. Kim.

He swiftly slides the door of the room closed again before smiling at me.

"Hey Yeonjun! It's great to see you up and about."

I just give him a polite nod.

Again with the nodding. Your gonna give them something else to bother us about at this rate.

I don't react. Although I make a silent deal with myself to not to nod for the rest of today.

"How you feeling?"

"Good."

"Actually, I was just coming to talk to you. Can we go back to your room?"

I nod, and we make our way back to my room.

I sir down on my bed, and Jin closes the door and sits next to me.

"How you feeling?"

"Fine."

"That's good. How's your arm?"

"Fine."

He gently picks up my arm and pushes my sleeve up to see the test site.

"Any pain?"

I shake my head.

You look like an idiot.

"So, I actually wanted to talk to you about something, or more specifically, someone."

I don't say anything, so he continues:

"You were probably wondering if there was a patient in the room I came out of, right?"

I nod.

Stop with the nodding you bitch!

I look away from him quickly.

"You okay?"

"Yeah.."

"You sure?.."

I nod again.

I don't look at him, instead staring at the wall opposite, but I can feel Dr. Kim's eyes on me.

...

"Well, that was the room of another patient."

I turn my head to him slightly to show that I'm listening.

"You and him are the only patients on this ward as of now, and, as I'm sure you can imagine, before you came, since there was no one else on the ward, he was very...lonely. We consider each other good friends, since I've been in charge of him and his treatment since the very first day he was admitted, but I think he should also have other friends, friends closer to his age."

"How old is he?"

"22."

So a 2 years younger than me, huh?

Don't think you can befriend him. You're too fat and awkward to have friends.

But I can at least try -

"Yeonjun-ssi?

I start realising I've been so immersed with listening to him I had pattered off into silence.

"So you want me to become his friend?"

"I mean, I'm not going to force you guys to become friends, but I just want you guys to get to know each other, and know that you two both have someone to confide in other than me."

You better say no!

But he's going to get suspicious!

You idiot!

"Okay."

Dr. Kim smiles triumphantly.

"Great! Would it be okay if I took you to meet him now, just so you could say hello to each other?"

I nod.

Again with the nodding.

"But Yeonjun? There's one thing I have to tell you."

I look at him.

"Beomgyu, has some, let's say inner demons..."

I carry on looking at him, confused.

He sighs; "He doesn't speak, among other things, and it's become really bad recently. He doesn't even speak to me, and he used to be able to speak to me about anything, despite whatever he was going through."

"Oh..I see."

I gives me a sad smile and stands up.

"C'mon then. Let me take you to him."

I take a deep breath and step out the room with him.

It's going to be hard getting close to someone again when my past still haunts me...