ー章.
"would you perhaps like a lollipop after this," doctor sung suggests. she squirms in place as the needle inches forward to her arm. she gulps hard, chest heaving. "just breathe, michi," he says as he injects the needle into her arm, "it's going to be alright."
she waited.
her mother didn't come with her to the appointment ー she wasn't all that surprised. the woman had a habit of abandoning her. and she wasn't even sure why she was waiting out here. on the curb of the hospital.
as if her mother would pull herself out of her heroine addicted persona and come pick her up. funny. so she continued to wait. continued to sit out on the curb, watching patients come in and come out.
michi didn't brother checking her phone. she hasn't woken up to a text from jeongguk, and she knew he probably wasn't going to talk to her anymore.
on the inside, she didn't mind. was used to fucking up and ruining people's views about her. was used to not having anyone. was used to being abandoned. nothing new. it made her think about her absent father, her mother who might as well have been absent, too.
she only had herself.
she was okay with that.
but the more she tried to convince herself that she didn't care, the more she started to care. the more she wondered and thought that maybe, just maybe, he'd text her. say that he was joking. say that he accepted her apologies.
but he didn't.
she waited until it was noon time, when she'd finally decided to call her mom and ask where she is, for her to come pick her up from the hospital. that her appointment had been over three hours ago.
excuse after excuse, that's all she received from her mother who's words were slurred and it was obvious she was drunk this time.
she bites her lip. "i'll just walk home."
she hung up quickly, peered down at her phone. her eyes go wide as she sees that she has one notification from her imessage. she opens the application.
her nerves seem to calm down when she sees that it's a text from jeongguk. she doesn't feel as tense now, doesn't feel as lost. doesn't feel as guilty.
dead boy: how'd it go?
dead boy: your physical.
dead boy: were you okay during your shots?
dead boy: they didn't hurt too much right?
she sighs.
michi: they were okay.
michi: i was okay
dead boy: are you home now?
michi: no
dead boy: why not?
michi: my mom is...she's not coming
dead boy: ????? did she not come with you to the appointment ???????
michi bites down on her lip, then chews on her tongue. stares down at her screen, mind in a jumble as she tries to think of something without giving too much information away.
michi: no but
michi: it's okay, i told her not to come
dead boy: really?
michi: yes
dead boy: ahhhh my abnormal kimchi, i knew you'd be okay.
she perks up.
dead boy: you're my brave, strong girl.
