Secretly, But Unable to Hide It

The Voice Note

The room is silent and lonely. Minji lies flat on the bed and asks, "Have you eaten dinner?"

"I bought some bread nearby," Hanni says, blinking as she moves to Minji's side. She holds up a plastic bag. "I also got a box of oolong tea."

"Can you be full from just that?" Minji glances around. "You should order takeaway."

Hanni shakes her head. "I'm not too hungry."

Minji frowns. "You barely eat anything. How could you not be hungry?"

"I'm really not hungry." Hanni places the plastic bag on the desk, then moves a chair next to the bed, her movements slow. "If I want to eat, I'll eat. I'm an adult, I won't starve myself."

Minji watches Hanni, a small smile forming.

Hanni sits in the chair and pulls out the bread. "I asked a nurse earlier. You need to lie flat for six hours, and after twelve hours, you can get out of bed."

"En,"

Hanni takes a bite of bread and grumbles, "You still can't eat anything though. For a week, you'll need to stick to liquid food."

Minji listens absentmindedly. "En,"

The room falls quiet again, broken only by the sound of Hanni eating. The heater hums softly, and after sitting for a while, she feels warm. She stands up, removes her coat, and hangs it on the chair.

Minji says lightly, "It's winter, why aren't you wearing a coat?"

Hanni raises her head slowly, meeting Minji's gaze. She doesn't want to be told what to wear. "This is a long skirt," she mutters, lowering her head to continue chewing. "If I want to, I'll put it back on."

Hanni still eats the same way, stuffing her mouth until her cheeks puff up like a pufferfish.

Minji wants to laugh but holds back, "It's colder here than in Seoul. You should take care of yourself. It'll be hard if you get sick."

Hanni suddenly remembers the last time she came to Pohang. She sips her oolong tea, nodding as she forces herself to finish the bread. Checking the time, she asks, "Minji unnie, do you want to sleep now?"

"What time is it?"

"It's almost 11 p.m."

Minji asks, "How will you sleep here?"

Hanni thinks for a moment. "I'll rent the carer's chair. It's cheap."

"Won't that be uncomfortable?" Minji frowns, clearly disapproving. "The next bed is empty. Just rent that one."

"No need." Hanni mumbles, "I'm not here to enjoy myself." Without waiting for a reply, she stands up and heads out. "Minji unnie, try to sleep. I'll go ask."

The carer's chair costs around fifteen thousand won a night. After paying, Hanni goes to a nearby supermarket for toiletries and returns to the room.

Minji is on her phone, seemingly about to send a message. "What took you so long?" She asks, putting the phone down. "What did you buy?"

"Toothpaste, a toothbrush, and towels." Hanni pulls the items out. "I want to freshen up."

Minji nods. "En, go."

Hanni walks a few steps, then suddenly remembers. "Minji unnie, do you want me to wipe your face? You shouldn't brush your teeth yet."

Hanni recalls when Minji once helped treat her sprained ankle and even wiped her face, so it shouldn't be an issue now. She moves faster, taking a towel from her bag and washing it with hot water. She returns to the room.