Pairing: Lee Jooyeon x Lee Howon(Hoya)

Words: 5,795

Genre: Romance, attempt!fluff, slight!myungyeol

Warning: there will be a small interaction in between so if you're not comfortable, please don't read thankyou.

The sun’s ray shining through the window, despite having curtains from blocking the light from entering, it was able to illuminate the dull room into a bright one. Faint smell of medicine, chemicals and sanitizer can be smelled inside the room and constant beeping of monitors can also be heard too. However, the atmosphere outside is so much different from the room. Everything is memorable because it has always been the same; sound of footsteps and soft voices.

Suddenly, the door knob twisted and a small creak could be heard from opening the door. A nurse who was holding a tray with a couple of medicines and a syringe walked towards the patient on the bed. She placed the stuffs she was holding on the bed tray and glanced at the sleeping boy, a soft snore coming out from his mouth. Normally, she would lightly shake him awake and gave him his prescriptions but she decided not to for today. The patient looked so peaceful resting and it’s the first time she has seen him sleeping so well.

After the incident, he couldn’t sleep every night even though he tried taking sleeping pills; it never worked. But today was different; he has been sleeping for more than 8 hours and she couldn’t bear waking him up. Since her schedule around this time is supposed to be spent taking care of this patient, she decided to do something practical in the meantime.

Looking around the tedious room, just plain white wall & ceiling with no decorations or balloons or even a ‘Get Well Soon’ banner hanging. She was taken back and her feelings are full of sympathy. She has been taking care of him ever since he was sent to this hospital and was not aware of the bland and lifeless room he is staying and not to mention that no one has even visited him before. Not that she could remember. She never got the chance to strive a proper conversation to the boy. She attempted countless of time but his replies have always been the same; either a curt nod or a hand wave when he doesn’t want something. To conclude, she never got to hear his voice.

An idea popped in her mind. She looked at the sleeping patient one last time before heading outside and came back after a short while with a flower and white ceramic vase. She inserted the flower into the vase and carefully placed it on his bedside table. Then, she rushed out of the room again and came back gripping four balloons while grinning in bliss.

Each balloon was tied to each four corners of the bed. She looked at her work in satisfaction. The balloons were held still by the air conditioner and the room looked lively to her. Pulling the curtains made the room less prosaic and of course, the sun’s ray shone into the room and woke the sleeping boy unknowingly.

As she was busy distracting herself by staring out of the window (at the same time, daydreaming), she was snapped out of her thoughts by a shuffle.

She turned around, eyes immediately focused on the boy lying on the bed. Both pairs of eyes met and the patient was the first to break the gaze.

“Howon, how do you feel?” She asked while walking towards the boy.

The boy, namely Howon, nodded his head and stretched his arms before yawning. He froze when a hand was placed on his forehead, eyebrows furrowed at the touch.

“Temperature’s normal and I see your arms are slowly healing.” The nurse stated, smiling at the boy who seemed uninterested. His gaze wandered around the room but her and his eyes widened at the sight of balloons around his bed. He wasn’t sure how he feels about the decorations made and the nurse who noticed him staring at the balloons giggled and told him she was the one who hung the balloons.

“Why? You don’t like it?”

She received no response. That’s it. She had enough of all the silent treatment he gave her.

“You know it’s rude to not reply me back.”

No reply came from the boy.

She sighed, “Can you at least say something?”

He didn’t bother to reply. Instead, he turned to the side, his back facing her.

She gave up trying and does her job silently. The nurse took the syringe, cleaning the pointy needle with a cloth before injecting the liquid into his arm. Howon felt numb instantly and he knew what was going to happen next.

She stripped off all the bandages mainly from his limbs to apply ointment to the wounds, bruises and scars on his skin. She smeared the wounds gently with ointments even though she knew he couldn’t feel anything but she just doesn’t want him to suffer another pain after what he is going through.

After replacing the bandages with a new one, she ordered him to take his pills and planned to walk out when she heard a soft mutter. She thought she was just imagining things and was about to open the door when she heard something again. This time, she turned around.

A smile danced across her face when she sees Howon adjusted himself on his bed and leaned on the headboard. She raised her eyebrows, a hand holding the doorknob; ready to leave while another grasping the tray.

“I’m sorry…”

His words echoed in the room, to her ears. She doesn’t know how to response to the boy. So she stood there in silence before he continued, “- Sorry for ignoring you…”

The nurse could hear her heart beating and both of her hands now covering . Although Howon couldn’t see, he could make out an ‘oh my gosh’ mouthed underneath her hands.

“What? It’s not like I can’t talk.” He replied sarcastically with a shade of annoyance in his voice.

Knock Knock

A petite nurse appeared behind the door, “Uhm sorry for interrupting but nurse Lee, doctor needs to see you for a while.” Said nurse who was still standing awkwardly with her hands over nodded in response and with a small wave at the patient, she walked out along with the other nurse.

Howon went through the same routine as usual the next day; woke up, sipped a bit of water from the glass prepared by some nurse, waited for the same nurse who he still hasn’t catch her name, although he has been staying at the same room possibly almost 2 months- even Howon himself couldn’t keep track of the time.

Piles and oodles of thoughts have been going through his mind ever since he stayed here; at how lucky he has been able to stay alive from the incident, how he is still capable of breathing and opening his eyes every morning and how thankful he is, how his family or any of his friends haave ever visited him and mostly at how his girlfriend never did when she’s the reason behind all of his sufferings.

“Howon? Are you awake?”

He glanced at the door to see a brunette head peeking at him then entered.

“I hope you had a great sleep because I have some good news for you!”

“What is it?”

The nurse set the tray down and looked at him in the eyes. For no reason, his heart was racing but for a short time.

“You’ll be out soon in 2 weeks, aren’t you excited? Who’s gonna pick you up? And I wonder-“ She started to throw him questions which he didn’t actually listen but just stared straight at the lady before him who showed more excitement more than he did, not that he’s eager to go back.

“Oops! It’s time to replace your bandages with new ones now. Ah look at those scars, they are healing and soon you will shower with no trouble.” She smiled brightly, teeth showing a bit while she worked on the bandages.

Though he never admitted personally, deep down he likes the gentle, smooth touches of the latter. He surmised that she probably takes good care of her complexion and because he could smell the light flowery fragrance of presumably body lotion or hand lotion whenever she’s nearby, but nevertheless, he liked it.

Changing the bandages wasn’t hard at all but his muscle ache everytime he had to move or turn or twist his limbs ordered by the nurse.

He winced softly but loud enough for the nurse to hear. She panicked and let go of her hands, “Oh sorry! I didn’t mean it! I didn’t know your other arm isn’t fully healed yet. I guess I need to inform doctor about that…”

Howon cracked up a grin, and then slowly became a chuckle. That was a first; for her.

“Is there something wrong, nurse?” He asked after noticing the weird expression on her face.

“It’s just that,” She thought about it for a moment, afraid that she would say the wrong thing and causes him to strangle her because judging from his looks; he looked like one that would do that, “I have never seen you smile before since you’re always so silent.”

“Oh.”

Howon doesn’t know what to say. He doesn’t know if her viewpoint of him is a good thing or bad but he knew that he obviously gave her a pretty bad first impression the first time they met.

“! Argh it hurts!” He cursed and hurled whatever around him, hospital supplies scattered all over the ground and provoking them. A few of the nurses were in fear thus having issues dealing with the irate patient.

“! What did I do to deserve all these?!? I wanna go home! you all!”

A nurse stepped in, “Sir, please calm down. Your injuries aren’t that crucial-“

“Well screw you too! That b*tch is cheating on me with some guy and I can’t just stay here doing nothing!”

“Please sir, you’re disturbing other patients!”

And after that, two sturdy guy in uniform stomped into the room, whom Howon assumed to be the bodyguard. He was grabbed firmly and felt a sharp pain on his shoulder before he passed out. Simultaneously, he caught a petite brunette hair nurse cowering behind another nurse, looking at him with full of pity in her eyes.

“And you’re done. It’s time to take your medicines. Here.”

She placed the pills on the table before pouring him a cup of water. While she was busying herself, he caught a glimpse of her nametag.

Lee Jooyeon

Then his gaze slowly moves upwards and landed on her face. Her big doe eyes that sparkles every time she smiles; as black as ink, her straight nose that goes well with her cheekbones, thin lips with a shade of soft pink. Such beauty should be a model or an actress, a job that allows her to be recognized publicly and not wasting it on a building full of sick people.

Why haven’t he noticed that picture of perfection standing in front of him before?

He was a bit hurt by the fact that Jooyeon had to be cautious around him and it made him looked like a mental patient who would snap at her when actually he usually doesn’t act like that. He doesn’t want Jooyeon to feel uncomfortable around him. Now that he had the chance, he decided to take it.

 “Nurse Lee?”

“Yes?”

“How old are you?”

She tensed up a bit at the question before proceeding, “I’m…28 years old.”

“Ah so you’re married then?”

Nurse Lee shook her head and sat next to the chair beside the bed.

“I’m not ready to build a family yet, but had a few dates and such.”

“Did they work out?”

She wondered why he asked so many questions at the moment, but she willingly answered them. Maybe he was just being curious or wanted to strike a conversation with her. She assumed it was one of the choices.

“Nope, I guess I haven’t found the right guy yet.”

This has been bothering her for a long time now. She’s aging but she still hasn’t settled down. Some of her friends had gotten married and some even have kids. Deep inside, she felt lonely and empty yet left out.

And that was the day everything turned a complete 180.

Howon felt better recently, both physically and mentally. Due to all the care; mostly from a certain someone, his injuries are healing pretty well and he can walk without wincing in pain or had to use a stick to hold him. Besides that, he has been really close to Nurse Lee and they do talk a lot nowadays- a little too much in term of nurse and patient. They would exchange glances whenever they passes by each other, waving their hands and sometimes she would secretly slipped into his room and brought him some restricted foods for him.

Nurse Lee or Jooyeon as what Howon has been calling her these days started warming up to him. She would talk about her family or her past to him, as if they have known for a long time and Howon would do the same.

What he never told her is about the incident which made him ended up at the hospital.

Jooyeon decided to ask him this afternoon. Since she has three more days to spend with him, she thought why not.

She slowly peeked from the door to see Howon now awake while reading a book she lent to him a few days ago.

“Come in Jooyeon.”

She jolted at the voice and giggled, “Aw how did you know?”

“I know Jooyeon, your visible maroon hair stood out the most compared to all the things here.”

Jooyeon had died her hair from brunette to a flowy mahogany one that adorns her porcelain-like skin. He wonders if the hospital even allows these kinds of things to their staffs but at the same time he’d rather not know about it.<