Storybook » Hwang Minhyun

FOUR

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Song of the Chapter: "Sorry" by Kim Jaehwan.

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Minhyun was sitting on the couch in the House of his aunt. He was constantly biting his lips, not even concentrating on the TV show he had actually planned to watch all day after bringing Jaehwan home. He was deep in thoughts. Couldn't forget the face of the brave Kang Yeolhee, that had helped him to bring Jaehwan to the emergency room before latter would have died because of his allergic shock.

„What are you doing?" A chuckle came from the door of the living room and Minhyun looked up to see his aunt, just entering the house. „You seemed to be in thoughts." She smiled and put her stuff on the kitchen counter before walking over to sit next to her nephew.

Hwang Serim was a Highschool and Drama Club teacher at the Dangkye Highschool for Drama and Performing Arts. She was always busy with work and only came home late at night. She ruffled Minhyun's hair.

„You're usually always excited when this show is on. What's wrong?" Serim asked and Minhyun sighed, turning off the television. He couldn't concentrate on it anyways.

„I've been at the Hospital today," Minhyun started and Serim widened her eyes. „Why didn't you call me? What happened?" She asked and Minhyun shook his head. „No, no. Not because of me. But because of Jaehwan. He was allergic to Peanuts and didn't knew it. And Dongho created a new dish with peanuts so Jaehwan ended up having an allergic shock." Minhyun sighed. „But at the hospital I met a girl." Minhyun looked at his aunt, who only smiled and nodded for him to continue the story.

„She was a patient of the Psychological Ward and I wondered what her illness was. She had bruises and cuts on her wrists but other than that she looked healthy. And she helped me carry Jaehwan to the Emergency Room." Minhyun continued and Serum nodded. „That was pretty nice of her."

„But now I can't stop thinking of her. And I seriously want to take her pictures. The look in her face and in her eyes was so intense I need to take her pictures." Minhyun rambled and his Aunt looked at him. „Well, it's understandable that, if you finally found a model to take pictures off, that you can't forget her. But remember she is ill. You need to ask her first and clear it with her doctor if that wouldn't be negative to her healing process, okay?" Serim said and Minhyun nodded.

„I will go to the Hospital tomorrow and speak to her doctor." Minhyun said and Serim smiled. „What do you want for dinner tonight? I didn't prepare anything. Is it okay if we order Chicken?" Serim then asked and got up to walk over to the kitchen. „I don't mind chicken." Minhyun said turning the TV back on, only to realize his TV show was now over.

The next morning, Minhyun got dressed and drove to the Hospital as soon as he was ready. Walking into the lobby he felt nervous. What if Yeolhee's doctor wouldn't allow him to take her pictures? What if this was yet another miserably failed project he had planned out all night? With a sigh he climbed into the elevator that would take him into the seventh floor of the hospital.

Once he arrived he stood in front of closed doors. He looked around the doorframe until he found a doorbell and rang it. He wondered why the Psychological Ward was locked, but thinking about some maniac patients it made sense to him again.

A few minutes later a Nurse opened the door and widened her eyes seeing Minhyun with a tiny bouquet of flowers in his hand. „Good Morning." He greeted the nurse with a bow. The nurse only bowed back. „I wanted to visit Kang Yeolhee. Is it possible?" He asked, feeling his heart sink in his chest when the Nurse put on a distracted face. „Just a second." She mumbled and closed the door in Minhyun's face.

Minhyun gulped and looked down at the flowers. Was it too much to give her flowers? He didn't even knew her at all! But he wanted to thank her for her help yesterday and wanted to ask if she was willing to be his model for his project.

He had made a detailed plan in his head. He wanted to make a Photobook about Mental Illnesses, calling the book <Pain Is Real, But So Is Hope>. He read through some articles about Mental Illnesses and thought it was a good idea to open the eyes of the people to show them what Mental Illness is. To show them, that people that were mentally ill, were normal as well.

He nodded to himself when the door opened again and the same female Nurse looked at him. „You can visit her." The Nurse said and opened the door to Minhyun.

With a nervous sigh he entered the Ward and followed the Nurse through the white painted corridor. Some doors were open and Minhyun could glance at the patients sitting on there beds, wailing into their hands or screaming into their pillows. „Those patients," the nurse said when she saw the look on Minhyun's face, „will soon be brought to a special institution." She said and Minhyun nodded. „What illnesses do most of your patients have?" He then asked the Nurse. The Nurse smiled sadly. „Clinical Depression, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder and Borderline Personality Disorder are the common illnesses of our patients. A few other Hospitals in Seoul have Wards for Anorexia patients and more." The Nurse explained when they reached a door. „This is Kang Yeolhee-sshi's room." The Nurse said. „There's a possibility that she is kinda off, because of her medication but if you need any help feel free to press the Nurse-button and someone will come and help you." The Nurse smile and walked back to her office. Minhyun sighed heavily before knocking on the door.

„Ye?"

Minhyun opened the door quietly, seeing Yeolhee sitting crosslegged on her bed, jotting something down in her notebook. Minhyun smiled, as soon as his eyes settled on her beautiful face and Yeolhee widened her eyes when she saw Minhyun.

„Oh, good Morning Minhyun-sshi!" She said surprised and jumped out of her bed to offer him a chair to sit. „These are for you." He smiled and handed her the bouquet of flowers. „Thank you again for yesterday. I wouldn't know what I would do without Jaehwan." Minhyun chuckled and sat down on the chair, Yeolhee had offered him.

Yeolhee looked at the flowers with a bright smile plastered on her face and quickly got to get a vase before sitting down opposite of Minhyun. „I rarely get visitors." She smiled. „But I am really happy that you're here." She said and a warm smile spread over her lips. Minhyun gulped at that. „I-I actually came with a question." Minhyun said and took out a binder from his bag pack.

„I came up with a project last night." Minhyun explained. „<Pain Is Real, But So Is Hope>," Minhyun introduced his project. „And I wanted to invite you to be part of this project." Minhyun said, while Yeolhee carefully read through the binder where Minhyun had explained the whole idea behind the photobook.

„Sure, I need someone who writes something about the illnesses for me, but-"

„I'm actually an author." Yeolhee confessed and smiled. „And I think this project would be a great Idea for people to get to know more about mental illnesses. And for ill people to see that there is hope outside. Minhyun-sshi!" Yeolhee smiled. „This is a fantastic idea!"