One Missed Call | ✓

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Jiwon found himself wandering around the hospital nursery. At night, the corridors weren't as crowded as it was in the afternoon. He didn't have to worry about bumping shoulders with strangers.

The wide, rectangular glass window showed baby cots occupied by babies wrapped with blankets. With a raise of his right hand, he read the number on his own band. He had the number imprinted on his mind but in fear of mistaking another child as his, he checked again, then looked at the white bands strapped to the ankles of the babies. Something warm spread in his chest, until it reached his eyes and lips, when he caught sight of the identical number of his band to another's.

"Why are you still awake?" Jiwon found himself asking the baby situated on the first row, four bassinets away from the first one. "You should be sleeping, bud. You have a great day ahead of you."

As if sensing his presence, his child glanced up at him, before turning his attention away from a passing nurse. It may be a small gesture, but Jiwon felt happy nonetheless. He leaned his forehead against the glass window, wishing that he could be anymore closer with his baby.

It still felt like a dream. He thought of a lot of worse things as he waited for Jisoo to come out of the emergency room. Seconds bled into minutes and minutes bled into hours. Jiwon's fear would grow until it twisted his stomach into knots. He couldn't help but think that he was going to lose either one of them, or worse, the both of them. It happened once and no encouraging words from his family and friends could help deflect the fear the past brought for him.

Maybe it was this same fear that made it hard to believe that the baby was okay, that he didn't need to go to the intensive unit anymore because among all things, the delivery went smoothly than expected, despite Jisoo's fluctuating state. They said her pregnancy fat helped protect the baby from getting hit on his vital organs. Jisoo was also in her 35th week and it was such a miracle that her water broke at the same time just as she was being rushed into the hospital.

Jiwon's attention peaked as his boy yawned, his hands wriggling around as if he discovered the way of stretching out his limbs. He couldn't help but coo when his boy looked at his direction again, one corner of his mouth quirking. An idea entered his head and when a nurse went out of the nursery, Jiwon called for her attention.

"Excuse me, can I ask you a favor?"

-13-

Jiwon had been fiddling with his fingers while accompanied by a nurse wheeling in his baby boy. He didn't know if his plan would work, seeing how Jisoo was unstable even after told their baby survived. All he had to do was hope that she would believe him.

In front of a vending machine on his wife's floor, he saw his brothers-in-law, Jinwoo and Jaewon, speaking in hushed whispers. Jinwoo had a cup of coffee in hand while Jaewon, a can of soda. Jinwoo caught his eyes and Jiwon bowed to acknowledge his presence. He smiled in return.

Before Jaewon could see him again, Jiwon entered his wife's room. Jisoo was awake, looking a lot calmer than she did when she first woke up. Silent chatter came from her and her father who asked her questions if anything hurt.

"I feel fine now, dad," she replied and threw in a smile Jiwon knew she did to reassure him. Looking at her bandages, it was obvious she was feeling far from fine.

Sandara, who was at the little kitchen looking nothing from a hospital room but of a hotel's deluxe suite (Jisoo's parents upgraded her room themselves), approached Jiwon. A gasp came from her lips, her sight magnetized by the bassinet behind him. Placing a hand over her chest, she approached the bassinet and cooed, her eyes sparkling with admiration.

"Is this my grandson?"

Jiwon nodded and threw a glance at the hospital bed. Jisoo hadn't seen him arrive since the room was partitioned into two by the arched doorway, entrance showing the kitchen and dining area first. "Mother... can I ask for some time with my wife alone?"