Trapped : The Island of Torment

Chapter 41 : Discharged

Days later

I woke up from my sleep, feeling cold due to the temperature of the air conditioning in the ward even though I had a blanket covering me from head to toe. The sun had risen and thus, daybreak ensued and it is now in the morning hour where people commute to work in Seoul. I remembered my days as a high school student, seated in the Cadillac Uncle Lee had often used to ferry me and my cousins to Jeguk High. Aunt Jacky often knocked on the doors of our room to wake us up as if the alarms on our mobile phones were not enough. Sometimes it was Jong-In who was not ready to wake up or Chan or Baek. 

I carefully rose from my bed to not affect the IV drip machine still feeding fluid into my body. During our stay in the hospital Bruce kept me company as the children were not allowed in due to their young age, so they had to be confined at home. The mandatory physiotherapy sessions gave me hope somewhat so that I would be able to regain my mobility on my injured shoulder that is. Uncle Xavier relayed to me the news that Bruce's adopted children were also here and grandfather granted them entry and offered hospitality as they were guests. 

It seemed odd to me at first, as grandfather was notoriously furious upon hearing what they had done at the party, which I had kept a secret from the family, sans some members who were there. He and the rest of the family had only known the story after I was admitted to the hospital post-miscarriage. Grandfather no longer had doubts towards Bruce compared to their first meeting and was happy to see that Bruce had remained by my bedside day and night. But grandfather had kept his anger at a moderate level, as he had often shut out those who disrespected any of his family members, in public and private. I didn't want the issue to worsen because of me so I had to beg him not to make the situation difficult anymore.

Bruce had already got up and walked to my bed and sat down. Holding my face in his we exchanged a kiss, just as the door was opened. "Hey." it was Kate. "Everything's good so far." she added. 

"Kate." Bruce greeted, while I looked away in embarrassment. "You should knock."

"And you could've locked the doors before you kissed your wife." she retorted. "Anyhow your grandfather invited us to crash at your place."

"If he put it that way, I welcome you to stay with us Kate." I smiled. 

A while later the doctors and nurses came in to give us one last update before discharging us from the hospital. Last night mom came for a visit, and left me a duffle bag containing my clothes and items such as my phone and earbuds. After closing and locking the doors I changed my clothes, from the hospital gown to a white shirt with an asymmetrical cut and jeans, plus a pair of white flats. Bruce too had to change as Alfred had packed up his clothes before coming over with mom and dad to South Korea. I was texting my mom when Bruce approached me, ready to leave the ward while holding his duffle bag. 

"Mom said that Uncle Lee is coming to pick us up." I told him. "She's handling the bill now downstairs." Giving the ward one last look to see if we had taken all our belongings we left the ward, passing by the medical staff who had taken care of us during our stay. As it was a hospital in South Korea you can expect the staff to be mostly Korean and their main language of communication to be Korean, but some did speak English. Some of them were exchanging whispers and body language when Bruce and I passed by.

I walked with Bruce in silence, but I could hear some of their hushed whispers, ranging from our nearly identical heights and Bruce being good-looking. On the aspect of height... I disagreed as I was two feet shorter than Bruce, but on Bruce being good-looking... I won't disagree with that, because he was formerly a billionaire playboy. We entered the elevator and he pressed the elevator button, the doors closed after pressing it. "Hmm... they say that you're good-looking." I say. 

"I do admit that I heard that." Bruce smiled, wrapping a hand around my waist. "But I would love to tell people around the world, that I'm attracted to my wife and no other woman." I smiled as the elevator reached the ground floor. "We're happy and contented, and I'd prefer it that way." Mom and dad should be at the counter at the moment so we were left alone with a team of Secret Service agents. Sitting in one of the waiting chairs I put on my earbuds, only to be interrupted by a motorcycle helmet appearing in front of me before I can play any music on my phone. It was a man, six foot one inch in height, dressed in fashionable clothing, and his hair bleached. 

"Hey." he said. 

"Se-hun." I smiled. "You could've let my husband know who you are." 

"Come on." he rolled his eyes. "When we first met, I gave him a cold shoulder." 

"Bruce, this is my cousin, Oh Se-hun." I said, introducing my cousin to Bruce. "A singer and occasionally rides motorcycles." 

"You're the biker here." Se-hun retorted. "Remember your role in Doctor Choi? A forensic expert and semi-pro bike rider." I smiled as I took the helmet from him, just as mom and dad found us. "Aunt Alice, Uncle Jeff." he greeted. "I'll take my leave from here." I kept my smile as I shook my head. 

"He really hadn't changed much." mom remarked. 

"I know." I smiled. "Why do you think that we're thick as thieves?" 

"Let's go home." mom said. "Uncle Lee should be arriving at the hospital soon."