Progression

3. Balsa - October 2017

Lisa sniffled as she sat in the backseat of a car on its way to the private clinic where her and Chaeyoung would be getting their vitamin shots (balsa). She looked out the window and watched the rain as it fell, wetting the Seoul streets. The weather was getting colder as they days passed, it would be winter soon.

Lisa had caught a cold and hadn't been feeling one hundred percent all week. She thought she was lacking nutrition so she asked her manager to make an appointment for her to get a vitamin shot to boost her immune system. Chaeyoung wanted to get one too so they were going together.

Truthfully, Lisa wasn't looking forward to getting a shot. Lisa was scared of needles but she didn't tell Chaeyoung because she didn't want her to tease her about it. She had a reputation of being the strong and brave one, and she wanted to keep it like that.

At the clinic, Lisa and Chaeyoung were sitting next to each other in the exam room when the nurse came in with their shots.

"I'll go first," Lisa said, putting up her hand.

The nurse cleaned Lisa's arm with an alcohol swab and uncapped the syringe. As soon as Lisa felt the needle pierce her skin, her vision went black and she fell over hard on Chaeyoung's lap.

"Ow!" Chaeyoung exclaimed when Lisa's head hit her thighs.

Chaeyoung thought Lisa took the joke too far, dramatically falling over like that. Her thighs were hurting a lot, actually.

"Lisa-yah," Chaeyoung whined with her head still in her lap. "Aren't you overdoing it? Doesn't your head hurt?"

Lisa didn't answer.

"It's too much, Lisa. It really hurts," Chaeyoung continued as she rubbed at her thighs, hoping she wouldn't get a bruise later.

Chaeyoung noticed Lisa wasn't moving off her lap.

"Lisa?" Chaeyoung shook her Lisa's shoulder. "What's wrong? Are you cold?"

Chaeyoung now noticed that she was unconscious with her eyes closed. She had fainted.

"Lisa!"

__________________________________________________

Lisa slowly blinked her eyes open, seeing Chaeyoung's worried face illuminated by bright fluorescent lights. She was laying on a clinic bed, hooked up to heart rate monitor.

"Chaeyoung..." Lisa whispered groggily.

"Lisa... You scared the crap out of me," Chaeyoung said.

Lisa rubbed her eyes. "What happened?"

"You fainted."

"Sorry..." Lisa said. "I guess I'm not so good around needles."

"Lisa..." Chaeyoung softly scolded as she tenderly stroked the hair out Lisa's face. "Why didn't you let me go first if you were scared?"

"I thought I could handle it..." Lisa mumbled, embarrassed.

Chaeyoung's expression softened. She smiled fondly at Lisa. "Lisa, do you know how hard your head is?"

Lisa laughed, and lightly shoved at Chaeyoung's shoulder. "I'm glad you were there to catch me."

"Me too," Chaeyoung said.