run ── 𝗹𝗲𝗲 𝗷𝗲𝗻𝗼 ❎

Chapter 10

JENO'S POV:

I fidget all the to the hospital. Unable to stay still, I keep checking the window to see if we have arrived or not.

So the moment we arrive, I hastily give the money to the driver and rush out the car. I run into the hospital and to the counter, quickly giving the room number that Soojin's mother gave me.

I follow the instruction given to me and soon arrive at a door of a room. I knock on the door, awaiting a response.

A woman opens the door, staring at me for a few seconds.

'Mrs...Lee? It's Jeno.' I smile hesitantly.

Soojin's mother unfreezes and smiles back at me, 'Oh, sorry. Come in please.'

I bow politely and enter the room. The moment I see Soojin on the hospital bed, I rush over. The only thing that tells me that she is still alive is the barely noticeable rise and fall of her chest.

I brush a brown strand of hair from her face unconsciously and turn to Mrs Lee.

I whisper hoarsely, 'How...how did this happen?'

She sighs, 'Soojin...I just found her unconscious on the ground that day when I came back from work. I immediately brought her to the hospital, where the doctors checked her symptoms. They said that she was hit with a high fever in the morning, and that she never bothered to rest, so the fever remained until it got so bad that she blacked out somewhere in the afternoon.'

'It's a bit of a mysterious case, but the doctor said that this is probably caused by lack of sleep, hydration and stress, maybe even anxiety. The doctor placed her in a temporal coma, so that she can rest properly.'

Guessing my next question, she adds, 'The doctor said that Soojin will wake in around a week, meaning about three to four days from now. But even after that, she should stay at home for another week.'

I turn my attention back to Soojin.

I still don't know why I care for you so much. But I'm sorry for being so unfair to you. 

I don't know why you keep trying to help. But I know you've just been trying to help, no matter how much I push you away. 

Soojin's mother's voice breaks my train of thought.

'So...Jeno. Are you a close friend of Soojin?'

I freeze, 'Ahh...I don't know, really. Never thought of it before.'

Mrs Lee comments, 'You seem to care for her a lot.'

I rub my hands awkwardly. What the hell do I even say? Are we even friends?

'Soojin...is my chemistry partner and a math project partner as well. We always sit together I guess...? And she was supposed to come for some math discussion with me that day. So when she didn't come, I figured something was wrong.'

Mrs Lee smiles tiredly, 'I needed to take work leaves to watch over Soojin. If you don't mind...'

I frown, confused for a moment it hits me like a light bulb.

'Oh, sure! I can stay with her for these three days. I don't mind.'

'Thank you Jeno. I think you're a very nice friend, to immediately notice that something's wrong. You don't need to be with her 24/7, but you can come over when you finished school. I wouldn't want you to skip school. But if anything happens, call me okay?'

I smile at Mrs Lee, 'Yeah, you can count on me.' The woman gives Soojin another look before disappearing out the room.

Three days wouldn't hurt now, would it?

This is the first time I have been so utterly polite to someone else. But I'm also surprised that Mrs Lee didn't recognize my name at all. I think Soojin moved in this area very recently.

I sigh and sit down on the chair right next to Soojin. I can't bring myself to look at her right now. I feel like her current condition is partially my fault as well. If I noticed her tiredness earlier, like her friends did, maybe I could have got her to go back home to rest. And she would have been much better.

But no. I was busy feeling sorry for myself. I didn't think of what she might have been going through too. After all, I just realized that these few days, Soojin has been sleeping late, rushing for her  homework and assignments.

I look at Soojin's peaceful expression. What have you done to me?

How do you make me feel...emotions that I have never experienced ever before?

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Next day.

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JENO'S POV:

In school, I feel much more relieved, knowing where Soojin is. But it still feels empty when there isn't anyone who will speak to me.

School flies past quickly and the last class soon ends. I throw my things into the lockers, keep my homework in a bag and pull on a gray hoodie.

I soon find a cab and tell the driver to drive to the hospital.

When I arrive, the smell of hospital hits me hard. I scan the building, as I enter from a different door than the last time I came. Plain white walls separate the hallways, making it quite difficult to recognize anything. In the end, I go and find a worker who tells me where to go.

When I reach the room, I knock out of habit. I mentally face palm myself. Who would be in there other than Soojin?

Cold metal presses against my skin as I push down on the handle, opening the door in a smooth click.

I enter the room, softly closing the door behind me. I place my bag full of homework on the floor and walk over to Soojin.

I have once admitted that she looks pretty, but I've never really looked at Soojin before. Now that I did, I can't look away.

Her face is relaxed, free from any stress. She looks young, too young for the real world, at least the one I live in. Her skin is unreal, smooth and soft. Her lips are small and rosy, slightly opened. Long lashes fall perfectly in place, only missing the warm glow of her brown eyes.

It takes me so much effort to look away and reach for my homework. The first book that I take out is my chemistry book. I sigh, flipping to the page I need to do and start writing. Involuntarily, I glance back at Soojin.

I...don't understand what I'm feeling right now. Is it wrong to care for someone I hardly know?

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