small words || jeongcheol

01: room one.

"Jeonghan, I thought I told you to come straight back!"

"I did, I just finished," he said with a frown. "Bye, Seungkwan," he added, waving as the blond boy went back to his own mother.

"Good luck," was all he said in response.

"Why were you talking to that boy?" she hissed, dragging him back to Dr Kim's office.

"Because he was also in the bathroom?"

"What were you doing in there?" she demanded. "You weren't-"

"Mom, I already told you; I don't throw up, it's disgusting," he snapped.

"Well, what did you talk to him about?"

"Mom, if you think I can influence others to be like this, then you're wrong."

"But what about that girl-"

"She already had bulimia," he cut her off, "Which is not what I have. You don't understand anything."

"Yoon Jeonghan-"

"Is everything alright here?" asked the nurse from earlier.

"Yes, thank you," Mrs Yoon said snippily.

"Dr Kim is wondering what's keeping you," the nurse remarked, flashing Jeonghan a grin.

He didn't smile back.

"Moonbyul, did you find- ah, yes, thank you," said Dr Kim, poking his head around the door. "Jeonghan, I'd like to examine you, if that's okay?"

Jeonghan shrugged.

"Moonbyul, please could you show Mrs Yoon back to the waiting room?"

"I know the way," Jeonghan's mother snapped.

Jeonghan rolled his eyes, following Dr Kim through to the examination room.

"Please take off your sweater."

"Sure, whatever," he replied, carefully removing his light grey sweater, that only appeared a couple sizes too big because he was so thin. His arms hung loosely at his sides, sharp elbows protruding from the wide sleeves of his maroon t-shirt. His jeans were nearly falling off his hips; the black material should have clung to his thighs, but seemed miles away.

"Do you know your current weight?" Dr Kim asked calmly.

Jeonghan remained silent, but the numbers went round and round in his head.

"Your mom told me she confiscated the bathroom scales last week," Dr Kim continued, "That wasn't a good idea."

"What?" Jeonghan asked, surprised.

"It would make you less inclined to eat," he explained, "Not knowing the numbers; whether they were going up, or down. I'm right, aren't I?"

Jeonghan nodded slowly. "You don't seem as shit as my last doctor."

"Well, that's good, I suppose," Dr Kim chuckled. That windscreen-wiper laugh again. "How many in-patients have you done?"

"You already know that."

"Are you going to answer the question?"

Jeonghan pursed his lips. "Three."

"I know. I would like you to be an in-patient at my treatment facility," he said.

"Again?" Jeonghan groaned, "All the in-patients have done is fuck me up even more."

"Please, take a seat," said Dr Kim, picking up a stethoscope from the table. Jeonghan did so. "Tell me about it."