Jasmines In June

Night cough

It was two in the morning when Jasmine was woken up to the sound of violent coughing from across the room. Hoon has been coughing vigorously in his sleep. The memory of her conversation with Jun came into her mind. He told her how sick his brother would get at times.

Jasmine waited for the coughing to stop. For a long time Hoon continued coughing pausing only to catch his breath. Jasmine grew more worried the longer she listened to his suffering. Then a pause. The loud silence took over only to get broken by a rage of another fit of coughing.

His worsening cough persisted that Jasmine finally decided to check on him.

"Hello?!" She murmured knocking on his door.

Jasmine heard his body shift as he dragged himself to the door.

Hoon opened his door halfway. "Yes?"

His moistened eyes glistened.

"Is everything okay?" Her soft voice laced with concern.

"Yes, I tend to have coughing fits late in the evening. I apologize if my coughing woke you up."

"Should I fetch you some medicine?"

"There's no need." He said in a rough voice. "I have a nurse to do all that for me but I could use a glass of water though."

"Of course..."

Jasmine hurried to the kitchen to fetch a glass of water and rushed back to him. Hoon waited by his door watching as she leaves and come back.

She extended her hand to give him the glass of water when he said, "there's no need for you to panic or be alarmed with my coughing every time. You'll wear yourself out."

"But..." She stammered, she wanted to say she didn't like to hear the sound of his suffering but lost her voice somehow.

Hoon lingered by the door for a few more seconds watching her - waiting if she wanted to say anything else.

"You should go back to sleep, Jasmine. I'll live till the next morning."

Jasmine lifted her eyes to him and smiled. It was his silly attempt to make fun of his sickness.

*****

By the time morning comes, Jasmine had prepared the bathroom by the hallway. She wasn't sure whether he takes his shower there but found that it's best not to disturb his sleep especially after what happened last night.

She assumed Hoon hardly get a wink of sleep every night.

Hoon looked like he died and came back alive when he woke up - that Jasmine jumped startled when he walked out of his room. She almost didn't recognize him but also applaud him for his courage to walk out of his room looking the way he did knowing there's a girl out in the living room.

She got the feeling that Hoon must not care about what women thought of him or his vanity. She has never seen a man looked that much of a mess except her father.

"I've prepared your towels."

Hoon was rubbing his eyes when he stopped and stared at her as though he'd just seen a ghost. He might've forgotten entirely that he now lives with a stay home housekeeper.

He rubbed his eyes again while the smile on her cheek hanged making her face hurt.

"What's the matter?" She asked after a while, losing her smile. "Did I put your towels in the wrong bathroom?"

"No, no...." Hoon picked up his steps again. "I just forgot all about you being here."

She laughed not knowing how to respond to him.

"But yes, I take my shower in the my private bathroom if you don't mind."