April woke up feeling different this morning.  She was still in a lot of pain and couldn’t figure out what felt different.  There was gurgled sound all around her, it was like when children play in a swimming pool, trying to talk to each other underwater.  Sound…sound…that was what was different.  The silence had ended.  There was sound but it was all mixed together, April felt overwhelmed and tried to focus.  She fixated on the wall trying to sort out the sounds around her.  Slowly things became more clear.  She heard beeping and humming and then…music.   It may not have been the most beautiful thing she’d ever heard but under the circumstances it might as well have been.  She followed the sound which was coming from a little bit behind her.

            A young man with bleach-blonde hair was sitting behind her absorbed in making the music.  He gazed down at the guitar as he played and it took a while before he noticed her.  He seemed to ask her a question but she couldn’t understand him.  ‘Was he not speaking English?’  The situation was becoming stranger by the minute.  It didn’t matter though because she wouldn’t have been able to answer him anyway.  He strummed the guitar again, the sound made April feel elated.  He asked another question, she could tell by his tone, she didn’t know what he was asking but she was curious. 

 

            Sungmin was really excited when Yesung arrived, pulling Yesung into the hall to tell him the news.  Yesung didn’t jump for joy but he was pleased.  Sungmin couldn’t wait to get home to spread the news, 9 days out and she was definitely there.  He practically skipped through the apartment door, “Music!” He shouted, “she likes music.”  Sungmin still had his guitar slung over his shoulder when Donghae came down the stairs. 

            “What was that?”  Donghae asked.

            “I played for her and she looked right at me and smiled.”

            “That’s great!”

           “There was definitely a connection.  I don’t know why she’s not talking but she can definitely hear.  She still seems kind of disoriented but I feel like in her own way she was communicating.”   

            Leeteuk joined the conversation, “Music huh? Now that’s something we can work with.”  Everyone was feeling pretty happy with the development when Kyuhyun came in.

            “Might I remind you that the girl still can’t walk or talk.  Babies like music too but that doesn’t mean that we’re competent to take care of one.”

            “Wow Mr. Mood Killer,” Sungmin said.  “Don’t forget that you were once in that position yourself as well as Heechul.  Did your friends and family not take care of you?  Of course they did.”

            “We are neither her friends nor her family.”

            Leeteuk stepped in, “Well as it seems that she has no friends or family here perhaps we should be that for her.”

            Kyuhyun scoffed and stalked away. 

            “He’ll come around eventually,” Leeteuk sighed. 

 

            The days started to pass by more quickly.  April had good days and bad days.  Henry got back in town and started taking shifts too.  Six days had passed since Sungmin had first played guitar for her but not much had changed. 

            On the morning of the 15^th day Ryeowook and Henry arrived at the hospital together.  Even though their summer comeback was closing in on them it seemed the boys had a little extra free time this week.  The boys entered the room as they always had expecting to see either sleeping or wide-eyed April, what they saw was neither.  April was staring through the slits at the wall again, similar to when she first open her eyes.  The sight gave Ryeowook the chills. 

            “What’s wrong with her?” Henry asked.

            “I don’t know.”  Ryeowook approached her, talking to her to see if she would look at him, she only just barely responded.  Her skin was a pasty white and she looked clammy.  Ryeowook felt her forehead.  “She’s burning up.”  Ryeowook fetched a wet cloth while Henry went to look for a nurse.  ‘A fever so high and no one even notices, what kind of hospital is this?’ Ryeowook muttered to himself while cooling her face with the damp cloth.

            Henry returned with a nurse.  The nurse didn’t appear troubled at all by the situation.  “Yes, she seems to have gotten a post surgery infection, we’re already administering an antibiotic by IV as well as a fever reducer.  She’s not responding well though due to a lack of proper nutrition.  It’s been 15 days since she’s eaten real food, IV’s can sustain you for a while but they’re not a replacement for regular nutrition.  If she doesn’t start eating soon we’ll have to put in a feeding tube however we’re refraining as long as we can due to the shock and setback it might cause to her recovery.”

            “Have you tried giving her food?” Ryeowook asked, knowing very well the answer as there had been someone by her side every moment since April entered the hospital.

            “She’s given us no indication that she would eat.”

            “How would she?  She can’t talk!” Ryeowook said sarcastically.

            “She hasn’t reached for anything or showed any ability to use her extremities or sit up.”

            “That’s not entirely true,” countered Ryeowook.

            “Whatever you say,” said the nurse.

            Ryeowook, not normally one to pull the ‘famous’ card said, “I’d watch your tone if I were you.”  The nurse just gave him a look and walked out.

            Henry and Ryeowook tended to the fever first by cooling her forehead and arms with a damp cloth before tackling the whole eating issue.  Later Henry used a little charm to convince a different nurse to bring up a food tray for April.  Neither was sure how April would react so first they just tried putting the tray in front of her.  Ryeowook tried to be tender, “April, the doctor said you should try to start eating.”

              April’s empty gaze was on the food but she didn’t move. 

            “Maybe if we just gave her some time,” said Henry. 

            “Perhaps.”

           They went about as the usually would with the exception of there being a food tray across the bed.  Hopeful though they were, April never approached the tray or even seemed to look at it. 

            “April, I know you don’t feel well,” Henry said, “but you’ve got to eat in order to feel better.” 

            She didn’t even look at him, it seemed like the fever had her in a haze.  Ryeowook moved on to plan B.  To try to avoid some sort of shock Ryeowook prefaced himself with, “April I’m going to touch your hand to help you eat.” 

            He took her good hand and placed the chopsticks in it, her hand was limp and she made no attempt to hold them.  Ryeowook tried again encountering the same result.  “You’ve got to work with me a little; I’m trying to help you.” 

            “Let me try,” said Henry. 

            Henry placed the chopsticks in her hand and then held her hand and the chopsticks firmly together.  “This is how my Mom taught me when I was little.”  Using his own hand to control hers he manipulated the chopsticks into picking up some food and bringing it to .  That was all fine and well however remained shut tight. 

            “Aish,” said Ryeowook. “Give me them.”  He gave up on having her ‘feed herself’ and used the chopsticks himself to pick up the food and bring it to .  Still nothing, it was like trying to feed a fussy baby.  ‘Maybe the rude nurse had been right,’ he thought to himself, ‘she’s just not going to eat.’ 

            He was getting stressed out and so she was probably getting stressed out therefore Ryeowook let the issue of the food go for the day hoping that the meds would kick in for tomorrow and she would be feeling a little better.

 

            The next day Donghae and Siwon found April in the same state as the day before if not worse.  The fever had not broken and of course she had not eaten; though in a fever induced daze she did seem to notice that they were there, at least notice a little.  Doctors and nurses were in and out of the room more frequently today, finally a little concern.  Siwon stopped a nurse to ask about April’s condition.

            “Well as you can see she’s still sick from infection.  Considering that as well as how small she was when she came in and how much weight she’s already lost we’re going to have to insert a feeding tube.”

            Siwon and Donghae couldn’t argue with that and just stood aside for the time being.  Only when the tube was actually brought in did Siwon have an interjection.  “You’re going to sedate her first right?”

            “No this procedure is usually done while the patient is conscious.”

            The tube was going to be inserted through the nose and then pushed down to the stomach.  Donghae wasn’t sure that he could watch it happen.  Watching the procedure only being less horrific than being the person whose nose was having a half centimeter thick silicon tube shoved down it.  Several medical technicians were surrounding April while they brought the tube over.  Donghae lowered his eyes.  One technician slowly approached her and raised the tube to her nose.  Monitors started beeping a little faster as he pressed it up to her nostril and then as the tube started to go in April went wild. 

            “Grab her, grab her, stop her,” different medical professionals were shouting.  April was failing violently good arm and bad around the tube that was five or six centimeters up her nose.  She squirmed back and waved her hands crazily in front of her face, a face whose expression showed severe pain and fear.

            Suddenly Donghae stood up, “You’re hurting her, stop, take it out!” 

            “But she needs–”       

            “Just take it out; she’ll eat on her own.”

            The technician did as he was told; though he made a face that said he’d never taken directions from a bystander before.  As soon as the tube was clear Siwon and Donghae were at her side to comfort her.  She looked like she could cry, though she didn’t.  April’s heart was still pounding when Siwon put his arm around her tense shoulders.  He gently brushed the hair from her face and tried to calm her.  He murmured the sounds a mother would make to sooth a crying baby.  Her shivering terrified appearance was so pitiful that Donghae had to excuse himself as he was moved to tears. 

            April’s head leaned against Siwon’s shoulder as he her forehead.  He continued to comfort and sooth her as she slowly fell asleep.  When he was sure that she was out Siwon carefully leaned her back against her pillow. 

            “We have to find a solution,” he said to Donghae in the hall.  “She needs to eat but that tube is dreadful.”