HOLD MY HAND TIGHT || JIKOOK ✅

5

JIMIN POV

I hate hospitals. I always have.

The whole place feels sterile and institutionalized and depressing.

The doctors and nurses all greet me with smiles and friendly demeanors but I can't help feeling like they're all just putting on a show.

Maybe my deep-seeded mistrust of hospitals has something to do with my past.

I don't exactly have positive memories associated with them.

I don't remember everything clearly but something happened to me in the past before I came to Omega House.

What I do remember are a lot of tears and a deep sense of loss.

And after that, I was on my own.

But it's not something I like to dwell on.

"Looks like you got lucky." The doctor sits down beside me with a tablet in his hand as he flips through my chart.

"You've got two cracked ribs but they're not broken."

"They should heal on their own as long as you take it easy."

"You've also got some hairline fractures in your forearms."

The doctor points to a photo of my x-ray on his device. "But we're going to send you home with some braces to support them while they heal."

"You'll want to avoid heavy lifting, playing sports, etc. Just try to keep your arms immobile."

I close my eyes and imagine how much harder that's going to make job hunting.

Most jobs I'm qualified for require some lifting and a lot of manual labor.

"In about two weeks, you'll be able to start using your arms again. Exercising them will help with the healing process but don't overdo it. It'll probably be six to eight weeks before the pain subsides completely."

I nod slowly as I listen to his instructions. They've got me on some decent painkillers, so I can't really feel anything at the moment but I know it's going to be a rough road from here.

Still, I'm starting to realize he's right.

I am lucky.

If things had gone much further, the damage could've been a lot worse. As it is, most of my injuries will heal without any major surgeries or treatments.

"As for the lacerations on your cheek..." The doctor purses his lips and looks at me with an apologetic expression.

"There's not much we can do about those, I stitched them up as tight as I could and the small stitches should reduce scarring but I'm afraid it won't eliminate them completely."

I bite my lip and nod. Apparently, I'm stuck with the brand those thugs left with me.

"Scars tend to fade with time." the doctor says, trying to be reassuring but he won't meet my gaze and I know why.

I saw the damage before it was bandaged the first time, so I know what's waiting for me when those scars heal.

"The rest of your injuries are superficial and should begin to feel better in a few day's time."

"You'll be going home with some pretty powerful painkillers but use those sparingly, You don't want to get addicted." The doctor pulls up another page of notes.

"Oh...it says you're staying at Omega House."

"Since they have a policy against controlled substances, we'll give you a script for some NSADs that are a little more powerful than what you can get over the counter. They should help with the inflammation around your arms and ribs."