Sentience

34

"There is no other option. You have to wear the sling until it gets better," the doctor announced as his nurse fixed the sling around Changmin's injured shoulder. "You might not find it uncomfortable since it's not your first time."

Changmin nodded, softly moving his bandaged shoulder to test the pain level. Though it wasn't his first time, as claimed by the doctor, he still never found it comfortable whenever he had to wear one.

"I can heal in a few days right?" He questioned, proving to the doctor that he, indeed, was one of the experienced patients.

"3 days is the max," the doctor patted his back before excusing himself from the Emergency Department, leaving Changmin with his thoughts.

The room could fit 6 patients at one time. Nonetheless, it was only Changmin who resided for the time being, making him feel like the VVIP patient who could have the whole spacious room for himself. However, despite the delusional, he hoped he wasn't alone right now. For everything was a mess inside his head and staying here only with the loud voices inside wasn't something he was fond of.

And it seemed like God had granted his unspoken wish when he heard footsteps approaching. Lifting his head to look ahead at the entrance, he didn't lie that his heart dropped at the view unveiled, but still, he forced himself to smile, pretending like nothing was affecting him. 

For both he and Belle couldn't be consumed in the same feelings; they needed to be opposite. If Belle was consumed with dark clouds, he had to be the wind to blow that darkness away for the sun to shine above them.

"Come sit here with me," he patted the vacant seat next to him on the bed but Belle didn't move from her current position, 5 feet away from the boy. Instead, she blankly scanned his figure, darting her eyes at the sling around his shoulder.

The memory from the campus came back, lingering inside her head. She could still feel the momentum from bumping into Eric's unknowingly muscular body and she still could feel Changmin's touch around her body to prevent her from falling. Unknown feelings engulfed her tight, realizing that it was supposed to be her getting treated instead of the boy.

"Belle..." Changmin called her name again; softly, snapping her out of the dream.

"They said it's not your first time..." She then mumbled but still audible for the boy to hear.

Changmin knew Belle would start blaming herself, he knew she would be engulfed in guilt for the rest of her life at what had happened. But, he didn't want that to happen. It wasn't her fault.

"Nothing serious, Belle," he extended his free hand forward, beckoning her to stride closer. "Come..."

In a moment like this, Arabelle seemed to have forgotten about her fight with Changmin. She seemed to totally forget that they were in dispute, leading to the boy being registered as a patient in the hospital. Hadn't it, she wouldn't be striding closer to the bed; head lowered and lips quivered, and stopped right in front of the boy.

"If I listen to you earlier, you might not be injured," she sighed. "I'm sorry."

"Hey..." The boy tugged on her sleeve, slightly tilting his head to find her beautiful orbs. "It's not your fault, Belle. My shoulder... tends to get dislocated just a little bit."

"Why?" She looked furious, her eyes widening which made Changmin hold his breath for two seconds, processing her sudden interest.

Then, Changmin chuckled, pulling her closer to sit next to him on the bed. "I was injured a long time ago and I was told that it could happen again."

Faintly, the boy could see the gulp down Belle's throat as they looked at each other. He never told her about it before; she must have felt so terrible right now that the injury occurred again when he was with her.