the boy next door • donghan

14

kwon eunbin

the next day, i headed to the hospital once again after school. i'd promised both my dear ol' brother and donghan that i'd visit them today.

i first visited hyunbin, who looked as cheery as he'd always been. he, like yesterday, had a bunch of friends who visited him. i left my brother's ward after checking on him because it was pretty awkward to remain in there with his friends. hyunbin really had a lot of friends.

i then made her way to donghan's ward. i didn't know why but i was smiling. after the time i'd spent with donghan yesterday afternoon, i started to get fond of him. not in  romantic way, but a friendly way. i realised donghan wasn't as cold and unapproachable as he seemed.

as i looked through the glass panel of the door leading to he ward donghan was in, i saw him lying lazily on his bed using his phone. i pushed open the door and donghan's head immediately shot up. when he realised it was me, he gave a small smile towards my direction.

i walked towards his bed, then asked him, "how are you feeling today?"

"great, the doctor said i can be discharged already," he replied.

"that's good.. are your parents coming to fetch you? and how's your brother?" i asked.

"hyung's fine.. as for my parents, i told them not to come," he says, running a hand through his messy dark hair.

"why not?" i ask, sitting down on the chair beside his bed.

"i.. just... don't want them to worry about the hospital bills too. dad's out of job, and the taedong's hospital bills are massive already..." he spok softly, then sighed.

"but can you manage? your bills aren't very cheap either are they?" i ask again.

"i.. i don't know.." he swallowed his saliva, staring at the hospital bed sheets as if they would instantaneously turn into hard cash.

"you've got to pay your bills today.. what about.. i help you pay for it first?" i suggested, breaking the silence.

donghan's head shot up, giving me a disapproving look.

"are you out of your mind? it's not a small amount. where are you even going to get the money from?" he rejected my suggestion.

i frowned at him, "i have my mum's credit card, do you have a better suggestion? you need to pay the bills to get out of here, and the longer you stay here, the heavier the bills will get."

donghan sighed once again, not knowing what to do.

"just tell your parents. or, let me help. hm?" i cocked up one of my eyebrows with a small smile.

"tsk.. fine.. i'll pay you back real soon, okay?" he finally gave in.

i smile, then got up of the seat to go settle his bills. just then, donghan reached out his hand and latched it over my wrist, making me turn back to look at him.

"thanks alot, eunbin."

my gaze faltered at the gummy smile that was plastered on donghan's pink lips. i smiled back awkwardly, then pulled my hand and scurried out of the hospital ward, not wanting donghan to see my blushing cheeks.