EMPTINESS

Adopted

The following day is where I never expected myself to be at once again. The hospital. I passed through the entrance and lobby creating stares from the hospital residents who recognized me. I bowed to few of them, the ones that I am familiar with and went on my way to the garden.

It was weird, the feeling, knowing that I have another agenda to visit the hospital that I knew my sister stayed before- few days ago. It's really hard for me to make up my mind in front of this hospital's building whether to go in or not. But I already made up my mind last night, didn't I? And I have to do it right now or never.

Arriving my heels at the infamous hospital garden, I was greeted with a sight that I have seen the day my sister left for a better world. Like a Déjà vù, I thought. Sehun was taking walks with Sangchu. I personally loved the sight in front of me, like I wanted them to keep still and let myself stare at them. I shifted my gaze to the ground as I felt my eyes becoming watery again and I don't even know why. But never did I think that someone would feel my presence though I was still far away.

"Arf! Arf!" Sangchu barked in my direction as he ran towards me, with Sehun following behind in decent steps. That was the first time Sangchu's bark at me felt so affectionate and sweet.

"You're here?" The doctor asked me but his tone sounded more like a statement. I smiled a bit and reached my hand up which was carrying bags of bread and milk, Sangchu's favourite.

Sangchu was now beside me, ogling his fur on my legs like he never seen me for months. I squatted down at his level and started patting his head with my free arm, then gave him a playful glare.

"Did you miss me or did you miss me feeding you your favourite bread? Huh?" I pouted at the dog and gave him a bear hug. Oh how I did really missed this lettuce.

Later on, we watched the dog eat his bread so lovingly that it made me warm up. And with this, it made up my mind even more to do it.

"Hey, uhm can I talk to you?" I asked Sehun who was watching beside me. Glancing from him to Sangchu, who was still eating, I returned to Sehun and added. "Inside?" He nodded at me and made our way inside the building.

"I want to adopt Sangchu." I stated, feeling a bit nervous. I checked my peripheral vision to notify his reaction and noticed his face-harden.

"You can't." He stated back firmly. His words were cold that it managed to send shivers through my spine.

"Wh-why?" I managed to ask, stuttering.

"Because, you'll just get yourself hurt-"

"Doctor Oh!" A nurse resident halted his words. I saw his brows furrowed and sighed deeply.

"Patient Kim is having his panic attacks once again." The nurse continued and went away when she saw the doctor nodded.

"I'll tell you later. Doctor duties." He smiled, a bit forceful as he patted my head lightly before placing his hands inside his pockets and started walking away, leaving me confusingly waiting.

"No? I can't? Why? Cause I'll get myself what? Hurt? Why? How so? Shouldn't he be thankful that I'm taking care of the poor lonely dog?" I huffed as I paced around near the lobby hall and it took me not more than a minute later to realize that there's another presence beside me.

The male nurse in the name of Kyungsoo greeted me and I awkwardly smiled in return. And noticing his reaction, I knew he heard my conversation with myself.

"I guess you do already have an idea of who Sangchu's owner is. Don't you?" I slowly nod at him and he continued. "It was Doctor Oh who took care of Sangchu since his owner left. It was him who spoke to the dog firstly and who got along with him somehow. We never even had the chance to talk or pet the dog. It was only Doctor Oh and you."