❝Here's the weird thing about a hospital. You become friends with kids you'd never know in a million years. Losers, populars, stoners, nerds... the wall just kinda falls down.❞
•In which an aspiring ballet dancer joins a group of hospital residents...
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Sorry I can't get closer
I'm sorry I'm like this...
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"Who is Chenle?" the girl wondered, following the group down the crowded hallway. Having exchanged greetings with several nurses and patients along her path, Nari eventually found herself standing before the large doors of an unfamiliar hospital room.
She observed as Renjun lightly opened the door after a few knocks. No one answered. They quietly entered the room, Nari awkwardly peeking from Yeri's side.
The room was weirdly dark, only a dim light brightening the space. It had countless decorations and get-well-soon cards. Numerous flower bouquets adorned the hospital bed and the bedside tables on its sides. Nari thought nobody was in the room until a figure of a boy peacefully lying in his bed caught her eye. He remained quiet, showing no reaction as the group entered his room.
"Hey, Lele. We brought a friend." Taehyun said, approaching the bed, "I hope you don't mind having an extra person around. Nari is very friendly, you know?"
No reply.
Nari's eyes widened, searching for an explanation from the person next to her.
"He's in a coma," Renjun whispered, noticing her confusion, "He got into a car accident a few months ago. He hasn't woken up since."
The girl fell silent, attentively observing the younger boy. Her heart clenched at the sight of Taehyun talking so casually to his quiet friend. She had never witnessed such a serene and mellow friendship before. Nari blinked away a few tears before she approached Chenle's bed.
"Hi, Chenle," the words slipped out of her mouth so softly the entire room seemed to melt at the sound of her compassionate voice., "I'm Nari. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Taehyun stared at the older girl with pure adoration, grabbing her hand in his as he turned back to face Chenle, "See, I told you she was nice!"
"Hey, little guy. We brought you more flowers," Chan added, placing a few freshly picked lavender branches he had collected earlier in the garden.
"Chenle had adored flowers. We bring him some every day hoping the smell might wake him up." Yeri commented, looking around.
Nari smiled, turning her attention back to the scenery of the room. The walls were full of drawings and signatures, which she assumed were from other patients. However, one painting, in particular, caught her attention once more.
"You made this, didn't you?" she stood next to Renjun, grinning as she pointed at the mentioned painting.
He smiled, eying his piece, "Yeah, I did that for Chenle." It was different from his usual style. The colors were much brighter and more transparent, his authentic symbol nowhere in sight.
"That's very nice of you," Nari replied. Renjun could feel his cheeks heat up from the compliments and attention the girl gave him. Feeling slightly shy, he looked down, not wanting to make direct eye contact. He managed to murmur a small thank you before someone abruptly opened the door.
"Nari! I knew I would find you here-" Nurse Seulgi barged into the room, ready to scold the girl for forgetting her check-up. However, her expression softened at the presence of the group she loved dearly.
"I'm glad you guys introduced Chenle to Nari, but she needs to go now." the nurse smiled, motioning for the girl to follow her, "Come on, Nari. Your parents are here."
"Wait!" Taehyun yelled, following the two into the hallway, "I just wanted to thank you. Thank you, Nari. You have no idea how much this means to me. And I know it means a lot to Chenle too. You are the kindest person I've ever met. I hope everything goes well at the check-up. See you later!"
As Nari smiled and thanked the boy back, she couldn't help but wonder what it was about her that made Taehyun appreciate her so sincerely. It surprised her how a seemingly small action like this could hold such significant meaning for someone else.
I guess everyone has two stories, the one they want you to know and the one they don't.
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Nari entered the office, finding Doctor Byun and her parents already waiting for her arrival. Nurse Seulgi reassured the girl with a gentle smile before nodding to Doctor Byun and discreetly closing the door behind her.
"Alright, Nari, you said you felt pain in your right knee, correct?" the girl nodded at the doctor's question.
"Okay, let's proceed with a quick x-ray to determine the problem."
The girl smiled at her parents, softly whispering, "It's going to be okay," before leaving the room and following the doctor's request.
Nari noticed several unfamiliar doctors enter the exam room, which she found oddly unsettling. Doctor Byun was nice enough to take some time and explain the procedure to the frightened girl. He told her the X-ray was a painless test and was only used to produce an image of her bones. That way, they could determine the issue and hopefully allow her to return home sooner. Sounds about right, doesn't it?
And just like Doctor Byun said. The test finished in a second. Nari wondered why they had postponed her exam when it seemed to be over so quickly. She believed she could have been home already, perhaps even getting ready for the next dance show.
Nari went back to the office and sat next to her parents. They informed her that her test results would arrive shortly. Despite the doctor's reassurances, Nari couldn't help but notice the expression on Doctor Byun's face as she exited the room. The look was enough to raise her concern, even if he tried to hide the severity of the situation.
By the time he returned to the office, Nari's body completely trembled as her head dropped, trying hard to avoid his gaze.
"So?" her mother stood up, nervously staring at the doctor, "How are the results? Is everything okay?"
He sighed, motioning for them to sit down. "Alright, brace yourself- this could hurt quite a bit." She told herself, still not looking up.
Nari tried fighting the negative thoughts, but it was relatively challenging to think straight when she could hear her heartbeat in every part of her body. Her ears were thumping, her blood was rushing, and she could almost feel the sweat dripping down her forehead. The anxiety was overwhelming.
And then, it all stopped.
Osteosarcoma, bone cancer. It's a large tumor found in Nari's knee area. There are various treatment options, such as chemotherapy and surgery. But, in Nari's case, the chosen procedure involves a significant intervention-
