Choi HaSeul

The next day, I was getting ready for my day at work a bit nervous. Jae Kyung desk was just next to mine after all... YongGuk came to meet me in the bathroom, while I was applying gloss. “It’s going to be okay ?”

I smiled to him. “You know how well I can ignor people YongGuk.”

He chuckled and brought me closer to him. “Yeah, I forgot for a second. Let’s eat together tonight, huh ?” He asked, kissing my neck.

I nodded. “Yeah, in Seoul ?”

“Yeah, I liked our date in Seoul so I want to walk around.”

*

Bang YongGuk

When I got to the subway station, HaSeul texted me she was in the bus to get to Seoul. I was already there. I didn’t worry when the bus was late of a few minutes. When it has been half an hour, I felt a bit frustrated. HaSeul was punctual. She rarely was late. I was not far from the bus stop she was supposed to arrive from and walked there. I saw people getting of the bus and smiled. She must be in there.

I waited for the persons in the bus to exit and couldn’t find HaSeul. I called her. No answer. I called her one more time, same results. I didn't know what to do from now. HaSeul always answered to her phone. I waited at the bus stop, worries almost consuming me. Soon, I got a call back from her and answered right away."Haseul what happened  ?"

"YongGuk -sshi...? "

"Who ... who are you ?" I asked, confused. That voice wasn't Haseul.

"I'm nurse KO, of  Seoul Hospital. We are taking care of the owner of the phone and called the most recent number."

"How is she ? What happened ?" I asked, already looking around for a taxi.

"The bus got into an accident. and she fell on the ground. Her hands got hurt by the shattered glass and she hit her head. She's not doing bad." 

"Can I talk to her right now ?"

"Oh we are still runnint tests to check if everything is fine." She answered. "Well I have to hang up. I have patients to take care of."

 I waved to a taxi and headed there. It took me around one hour to get there with the traffic. I felt frustrated. Why didn't I come and pick her up at the library like we usually do ? She insisted that we should not lose any time to get there and I complied. As the taxi arrived near the hospital, I paid for the ride and left running. Giving the traffic it was a better option. Once I arrived, I ran inside and tried to find someone to give me informations. “Choi HaSeul, I’m her guardian.”

He woman barely lifted her eyes from her screen and I waited for her to give me indications.

“Oh she's from that accident."

"Can I see her ?"

He sighed. “They are still running tests. I would suggest you to wait here patiently. Because of the accident it’s chaotic right there.”

I sat obediently got in the waiting room and waited for long hours. I felt frustrated. I saw nurses running around and realized that yes, it was the complete chaos because of the accident. A lot of people were hurt.

I went outside for a breath of fresh air and sighed. HaSeul got into a severe accident. For the second time.Doesn’t the world was ruled by any justice ? Was she that unlucky ?

As I entered back the hospital, the nurse came to update me. “We are looking for the guardian of Choi HaSeul ?"

I stood up and she gave me more informations about HaSeul. She received all the tests and nothing was wrong with her head. She had her two hands wrapped in band aid. Given the chaotic state of the hospital, they couldn't keep her here. There have been several injured people and  HaSeul was doing fairly well compared to them. She gave me the medications, mentionning about HaSeul having a few sedatives since she came. Then, I signed papers, paid the bill.

"Okay now I'll lead you where she is."

She stood up.

I walked though halls full of people waiting to be treated, some in serious injuries. I felt a bit overwhelmed. How was HaSeul ? Soon she lead me in the waiting room and I saw her. HaSeul was sitting on a chair, huddled up. I ran to her side.“HaSeul.”

She seemed surprised. “YongGuk…”

“How are you ?”

She showed me her  hands wrapped in band aid and I felt relieved. “Thanks god you’re not badly injured.”

The nurse left, leaving us alone.  I hugged HaSeul. “I’m so glad you’re fine, HaSeul I saw injured people and was sick worried for you.”

“I’m sorry.” She whispered. "I didn't call. You must have wait a lot."

I took a better look, long gone were her scarf and handbag. What happened to her shoes ? She wasn’t even wearing her jacket. Her clothes were dirty with blood and dirt. She seemed cold. I removed my coat and gave it to her.

“You’re freezing cold lets eat it something and go home.”

As I helped HaSeul to stand up, I buttoned up my coat on her and wrapped my scarf around her. I removed my sneakers and started by touching her feet. They were freezing cold, I massaged her feet until they became a bit warmer. I tied my sneaker and looked at HaSeul. She looked lost in my clothes and sneakers. I gently hugged her.

“ Are you okay ?”

She looked behind me, seeing interns and nurses running around. “I want to go home.”

I considered how slow and quiet she was. She was a bit drowny. I softly smiled and tried to sound enthousiastic. “Let’s go home.”

Instinctly I reached for her hands, and giving HaSeul gasp, it wasnt a good idea. "It hurts ?"

She nodded as I looked at her hands wrapped in band aid. I held her waist instead and felt anxious.  How were we supposed to go home now ? HaSeul doesn’t ride cars and I bet she wouldn’t get in a bus right now. In this part of town there was much subway stations either. So I was rummaging the solutions in my head. Home was far away from here.

When we exited the hospital, HaSeul looked at the street and stopped her steps, looking around.

 “I guess we are going to walk.” She said.

I had a deep sigh. “I can’t let you walk in this state.”

“What’s wrong with my state ? I’m perfectly fine !!” She said, not calm anymore. I ran my hands on her shoulders.

“HaSeul it would take hours to get home. You just got yourself into an accident. Let’s use taxi.” I spoke softly, trying to make her understand it was the only way to get home.

Haseul looked lost and confused. She kneeled and sobbed, hiding her head. "HaSeul, it will be quick. We have to get home and that's the only solution. I'm sorry." 

I felt useless right now, seeing HaSeul sobb. Suddenly, she stood up and took the box of pills the hospital gave her and took two of them in . I felt shocked. “Hey isn’t that a bit too much ?”

“Let’s go home.” She said.

A taxi came to our side and I helped HaSeul to get inside before sitting next to her, in the middle seat. “If you sit here, there's no way I  take that damn taxi, go and sit at the other seat”

Obedient, I went to sit in the other window seat and made her hand rest in my palm. I gave the address to the taximan and we drove away from the hospital. HaSeul was looking by the window. Quietly. I checked the hour and it was actually