They drive in Jinki’s car to the hospital, Jinki’s father driving, with Kibum’s grandmother in the passenger seat and the three boys in the back. Jonghyun lies with his head on Kibum’s lap and his feet on Jinki’s.

“Gramma,” Kibum whispers fearfully. “Jonghyunnie is okay, isn’t he?”

His grandmother had no reply.

They reach the hospital, and Jinki’s father lifts Jonghyun into his arms. They walk into the hospital, and Jinki’s father calls for a doctor.

They set Jonghyun down on a stretcher in the ER, and a nurse comes to take Jonghyun’s vitals. Her eyes widen when she sees his temperature.

“D-doctor, he’s profoundly hypothermic!” she whispers fearfully. “His body temperature is 29 C!”

“What?” the doctor rushes to Jonghyun’s side. “Push 4 CCs of bretylium, stat! Any sign of cardiac dysrhythmias or cardiac ectopy?”

“Stick a heated saline IV and get all the rewarming blankets you can find!” the nurse orders the orderly. “No sign of cardiac dysrhythmia or ectopy, doctor. Not yet, at least. Can I proceed with gastric lavage?”

“No, he’s too young,” the doctor says, pushing an IV into Jonghyun’s wrist. “Do a thoracic lavage.”

“He’s falling into ventricular fibrillation!” The nurse shouts, just as the heart monitor begins beeping wildly.

“CPR, nurse, stat!” The doctor pushes the lavage tube down Jonghyun’s throat as the nurse presses a fisted hand down on Jonghyun’s chest repeatedly.

“Stabilizing…” the nurse says, reading the monitor.

Through all this, Kibum holds on to Jonghyun’s un-IVed hand as if he is trying to transfer some of his warmth to the older boy.

“Stable, doctor.” The nurse says.

“Good.” The doctor sighs. “Goddamn, what happened to this boy? Who is his guardian?” the doctor turns, looking at Jinki’s father and Kibum’s grandmother.

“I- I am.” Kibum’s grandmother says.

“What happened?”

“I don’t know, doctor. He was missing in the morning and when we went to find him, he was sleeping on a tree, wearing this torn uniform…” she said.

“He must have slept in the rain, doctor… it’s no wonder he’s in this condition.” Jinki father added. “Haelmoni, I’ll go get you some coffee, okay? Kibum-ah, do you want something?”

But Kibum doesn’t answer.

“I’ll get him a sandwich.” Jinki father decides.

This seems to perk Kibum up. “Ahjussi, get two sandwiches- Jonghyun likes sandwiches too.”

Jinki’s father smiles, nodding. “Come on, Jinki-yah,” he says, and walks to the cafeteria.

“I’ll be going, too. I have other patients, but be sure to just check in with me when he wakes up, so I can check his temperature and heartbeat. Then you can leave, okay?” the kind doctor says.

“When will he wake up, doctor-ssi?” Kibum asks, worry lacing his voice.

“He should be up in a little bit,” the doctor says. “You must be best friends, huh?” the doctor smiles, seeing Kibum’s worried face and the tight grip he had on Jonghyun’s hand.

“Well… he’s my best friend, but I don’t know if I’m his best friend… I made him drop his sandwich that day… but I want Jonghyun to wake up,” Kibum says. “He’ll wake up, won’t he, doctor-ssi?”

“Of course he will, Kibummie,” His grandmother says, hugging her grandson close to her chest. “Your friend will wake up, I promise.”

“You promised that my umma would wake up too,” Kibum says, staring into his grandmother’s eyes. “She never did, Gramma.

“She never woke up. What if Jonghyun also never wakes up?” Kibum’s wide eyes fill with tears.

“Oh, Kibummie…” his grandmother hugs him tighter.

“U-umma?” a broken, soft voice says.

“Jonghyun!” Kibum shrieks and pulls away from his grandmother. “You woke up!”

The doctor marvels at how fast the boy woke up. He takes Jonghyun’s temperature and nods. “He seems okay; he recovered fast because he’s young. Make sure to give him plenty of fluids and lots of rest.” Kibum’s grandmother nods, and the doctor leaves.

“Kibum?” Jonghyun says. “Where am I?” he looks around, disoriented.

“You’re in the hospital, Jonghyun,” Kibum answers. “You slept off, and you didn’t wake up, and you were so cold and so we took you to the hospital and the doctor said you were- you were- what was it, Gramma-”

“Jonghyun-ah, can you tell me why you were sleeping on that tree, honey?” Kibum’s grandmother asks in a gentle voice.

Jonghyun looks away, at his fisted hands. “My umma told me not to come into her house ever again… because I didn’t get down from the tree… so I didn’t.” His lower lip quivers, but no tears spill.

“Oh, Jonghyun-ah…” Kibum’s grandmother’s heart shrinks. “I’m sure your mother was just angry at you… I’m sure she’s worried now.”

“No.” Jonghyun shakes his head firmly. “She said not to come inside her house ever again.”

“It’s not her house, Jjongie, it’s your house too.” Kibum corrects.

“But she said not to come inside.” Jonghyun repeats like a broken record.

“You know what, Jonghyun-ah? I’m going to go talk to your mother today,