When Red Means Danger

004

Feeling limited with nods and shaking of heads, Dahyun thought of a better idea. She got a sketch pad from her bag and gave it to Taehyung while the boy received it in curiosity. She also took the crayons from the desk and laid it beside him as she said,

"If you can't answer with a yes or a no, you can write it down instead."

His eyes met hers and she continued to smile as she added, "Or you could write anything else you want to tell me."

Her eyes lit up in glee as he took a black crayon from the box and scratched it onto the first page. She watched in wonder as he wrote down,

I did not grow up in Korea. I might misspell some words.

She chuckled at his remark and she saw how the corner of his lips also curved into a small smile. She shook her head as she assured him, "That's okay. I also can help you improve your Korean if you want."

As he replied with a nod, Dahyun added, "So tell me some things about you."

            Like what?

"Hmmmm. When and where were you born?"

            I was born in Daegu, year 1995. But I grew up in Japan.

She was about to think of another question when the corner of her eyes caught him writing in addition,

            And you?

"I was born in Gyeonggi-do, year 1998," Dahyun replied with a smile. There was a short moment of silence before she asked, "You're older than me. Should I call you 'oppa' then?"

            Maybe. But it's awkward since you're my doctor.

She chortled yet again as she found the conversation comfortable. She then replied, "Then I'll just call you oppa when I'm no longer your doctor."

He glanced at her shortly before flipping for a new page and scribbling,

            Does that mean that you'll leave me too?

The smile on Dahyun's lips faded while her gaze on him softened. She sighed before answering, "It means that you'll get well."

            But I am not sick.

She gulped. Denial was always present in everyone's case. She needed to know how to deal with it. With another sigh, she replied, "You need help. Everybody needs one, but yours is a special case."

She saw him bite his lower lip and before he could write down a reply, she immediately brushed off the topic as she asked, "Is there something you want to do?"

He met her stare and Dahyun saw how his gaze turned into a serious one as he slowly nodded.

She coughed a little, trying to calm her nervous heart as she asked, "What is it?"

He just stared at her for a good three minutes or so, and no matter how Dahyun tried, she couldn't take her eyes off him – as if she was drawn in his mysterious orbs. His eyes left hers when he turned to an empty page and Dahyun's heart thumped faster as he slowly wrote down,

            I want to get out of here.

"That's what I am going to help you with," Dahyun tried to convince him.,"Once everything's okay, you could go back to the world outside."

With a creased forehead, Taehyung strongly shook his head in reply. He then immediately and hardly scratched the black crayon on the same page and Dahyun watched in confusion as he repeatedly encircled the single word he just wrote,

            Immediately.

He only stopped when the crayon was broken in half because of his strong grip. He panted, as if he had run a mile, and his gaze was frozen onto nothingness. In an attempt to calm him down, Dahyun called his name,

"Taehyung!"

Snapping out of his thoughts, he turned to her, and as if her voice was an enchantment, his gaze softened, and his breathing became normal. Taehyung reflected the sereneness he found in her eyes. Dahyun sighed in relief when Taehyung nodded, as if telling her that he was alright.

She perfectly knew that it was a normal situation for patients to yearn for the world outside.

In a soft whisper, she asked, "Why? Why do you want to get out of here?"

Usually, patients would answer that they'd miss their loved ones, their family, or other things that the institution could not offer, but Taehyung proved to be one of the most unusual. Often times, patient's reasons could serve as an inspiration for them to strive better in getting well, and Dahyun thought that she could also make use of Taehyung's answer to her advantage.

But she was wrong.

She watched as he picked up half of the black crayon and she saw how his fingers trembled as he wrote,

            I can't stay here. It's dangerous.

She tried to hide her bewilderment as she gently shook her head and said, "I don't understand. This institution is one of the best in terms of the facilities it provides. It's the safest place where you could be – "

She halted from speaking as Taehyung shook his head again in protest. Written too hastily, Dahyun almost found his next words hard to read, but once she got the message, she couldn't deny how she became filled with anxiety.

            I'm not the one in danger.

She gulped and sighed, in preparation of what she was about to know. With a worried voice, she asked, "Then, who?"

Chills run down her spine as she saw him stare at her with the coldest eyes she had ever seen. As her gaze on him was unwavering, she didn't even realize that he had already written a reply. Taehyung needed to hold up the paper in front of her with only two words written on it,

            You are.

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AN: Hi. Thursday updates would stop from here. Updates would be every Tuesdays and Saturdays instead. Thank you!