PAPER HEARTS || JAKEHOON

UNFORESEEN ENCOUNTERS

As Jake stirred from his slumber, the familiar sight of nurses bustling around his bedside greeted him, their concerned expressions betraying the traces of worry etched upon their faces. Blinking groggily, Jake glanced down at his hospital shirt, noticing with a start the telltale stains of blood marring the fabric. Panic fluttered in his chest as he turned to Nurse Emily, who was already at his side, gently wiping away the crimson streaks from his face.

"Jake, glad you're awake. Are you alright?" Nurse Emily's voice was laced with concern as she dabbed at Jake's nose with a damp cloth.

"Yeah, I might've bled from my nose while sleeping. I'm fine, Nurse Emily," Jake replied weakly, offering her a wan smile as he struggled to sit up.

The other nurse swiftly replaced Jake's blood-stained pillow with a fresh one, her movements efficient and practiced. Jake swung his legs over the edge of the bed, the cool linoleum floor chilling his bare feet as he braced himself for the inevitable knock on the door.

Sure enough, a sharp rap echoed through the room, and the other nurse hurried to answer it, revealing Dr. Yeon accompanied by another figure. Jake's heart skipped a beat as he recognized his attending physician, but his attention was quickly drawn to the newcomer—a young man whose striking features held a certain aloofness that sent a shiver down Jake's spine.

"Jake, this is—oh? Hey! Get some tissue!" Dr. Yeon exclaimed, his brow furrowing in concern as he rushed to Jake's side, swiftly wiping away the lingering traces of blood from his nose.

Frozen in place, Jake could only watch in silence as Dr. Yeon attended to him, his gaze flickering nervously to the newcomer who observed the scene with an impassive expression. With a jolt, Jake realized that his nosebleed had left a less than ideal first impression.

Thankfully, Dr. Yeon soon finished cleaning him up, and the nurses discreetly excused themselves, leaving behind a fresh set of hospital attire for Jake. As they departed, Dr. Yeon offered Jake a reassuring pat on the shoulder, his voice gentle yet firm.

"Jake, be careful next time, okay? Call me if your nose bleeds again," Dr. Yeon advised, his concern evident in his tone.

"Why? It's okay, I can just get tissues and wipe it out, right?" Jake replied innocently, flashing the doctor a grin.

Dr. Yeon chuckled softly, his smile warm as he nodded in agreement. "Indeed, but it's always best to let us know. Now, before I forget, this is Park Sunghoon, your new roommate. He'll be staying here with you for some months too. Sunghoon, please make yourself at home."

With that, Dr. Yeon bid them farewell and exited the room, leaving Jake and Sunghoon alone in an awkward silence. Jake mustered up the courage to smile at his new roommate, but Sunghoon merely ignored him, his attention fixated on removing a single paper heart from his bed as if it were an insignificant speck of dust.

Undeterred, Jake greeted Sunghoon with a cheerful "Hi!" But his enthusiasm was met with indifference as Sunghoon continued to feign busyness, the paper heart slipping from his grasp and fluttering to the floor. Jake's heart sank at the rejection, but he quickly retrieved the heart and tucked it away with the others he had crafted, determined not to let Sunghoon's cold demeanor dampen his spirits.