Hospitalized
CoincidencesI went downstairs and found my mom was standing next to a sofa. She looked very nervous, still looking at her phone. I was really confused. What was the reason she brought me here? Was there something particular? I had to find it out.
“Umma...”
“Oh, Heeyeon-ah, you’re done? C’mon, we have to go to Meolyang Hospital.”
“Me-Meolyang Hospital? What are we going to do?” My heart refused. My suspiciousness began to grow. And my heart totally refused to know the worst things that might happen.
“Himchan, he’s sick right now. We are going to look him in. Kijung is also there.”
I lost of words. Himchan... was sick?
We quickly stepped outside and found the maid who had led us before giving a bow. She threw a smile which somehow made me sad. It looked like she was having a great mental shock.
Meolyang Hospital wasn’t too far from Mr. Kim’s house so it only took 10 minutes to get there. It was a seven-storied hospital.
Once I got off, my mom was already inside. She gave me a sign to get in. I looked down, reluctantly stepped inside. My heart ached for some reasons. The thoughts of anything that could happen with Himchan suddenly came up on my mind. I bit my tongue. Maybe it was just a cold, I suggested myself.
We took an elevator and went to second floor. Himchan was being hospitalized, and his room was in the end of the corridor. I thought it was a VIP room since it was next to the doctor room.
But it was an ICU room.
I stopped myself. I panicked out. I didn’t want to see whoever was inside. Rather, I was afraid of finding Himchan therein.
“C’mon, dear,” my mom gripped my wrist softly.
My chest were hurt, my throat choked. I couldn’t take my breath. My fears were answered. Himchan was lying unconsciously on a bed with IV tubes attached to both of his hands. Oxygen was given, covering his mouth. Next to him was Mr. Kim sitting down on a chair.
“Kijung-ah,” my mom said symphatically.
Mr. Kim turned his head slowly and looked at her with a sadness. My mom then moved closer to him, holding both of his shoulders.
Then, both of them stood up and walked out. Mr. Kim threw me a forced smile before leaning closer to me, “Stay with him for a while.”
I doubtfully nodded. I took a heavy steps towards Himchan and sat down on the chair.
“What’s going on with you?” I asked slowly as I grabbed his right hand. It was cold and stiff as if the blood was no longer flowing there.
I starred at his face, looking at every curves of his face line which weren’t firm anymore. He looked fragile, deeply fragile. I couldn’t count on how many tears which had fallen down, soaking the bed.
My mom came back. She walked up to me and held my shoulders tightly like she had done to Mr. Kim before.
“Go out, Heeyeon-ah. Kijung wants to talk to you.”
I nodded again. I came out, still wipping my tears away. I saw Mr. Kim was sitting on the front bench. I settled down next to him.
“Hi, Heeyeon-ah...”
He struggled to give me a smile though he couldn’t hide his sadness. He looked very tired, and deep on sad.
“I’m sorry, you have to meet him in this kind of condition.”
I couldn’t stand myself anymore. I really wanted to know what was actually going on.
“He’s been sick,” he stated. Of course he’s been sick. If he wasn’t, he sould haven’t been hospitalized, laying down unconsciously like a fool!!!, I screamed on my own thought.
“It was my biggest mistake to let him school in a public school. He’s been homeschooled since he was six. I didn’t know what had gotten into my mind to fulfill his desire schooling in Hansang.”
I couldn’t get his words.
“He has a strong determination. These past three years, he’s been struggling with medicines, and enthusiastically going to the hospital to do the control check almost every week. He never complained. He said, he still want to be healthy and active in the school. He was sure he wouldn’t be weakened.”
“Later, I stopped him from homeschooling and sent him to Hansang. Though it wasn’t one of the best schools, but somehow he eagerly wanted to school there. He said there was something he’d been looking for. And as he had already been on his senior year, he became more interest in traditional arts, and forced me to let him join a traditional arts class last summer. And then I coincidentally met you.”
He stopped for a while before smiling a bit. “Your deceased father was a close friend of mine, therefore, our relationship became closer. Heeyeon actually was the name of your great-grandmother. I clearly remember when your mom had given birth, and your father was badly confused to give a name to you since he really wanted a son. But then, Heeyeon was a name which suddenly popped out in his mind.”
I remained silent. The story between my name and Himchan was merely a fiction.
Mr. Kim continued his story. “But then, he suddenly asked me to be moved to Jiksang. I don’t understand why he was so compelled to be enrolled there. And when I met you again on the test day, I finally understood.”
“You’re the reason why he’s still survived, Heeyeon-ah,” he said softly. “He asked me to buy him a car if he could pass the test. He really wanted to take you home after school. Every day when he got home, his wace would always lit up. Whenever I asked him, he would simply answer that he had just taken you home. Later then, I surely know why he was enthusiast to hear the stories about me and your father even since he was a child. He really want to hear, as many as he could, the stories which involved to you.”
“But five days ago, he came home in a dull face. Somehow it looked really tired, but he was happy. He brought a big teddy bear. When I asked him, he just answered that he was going to express his feeling to a girl. He even asked me to take a photo of him hugging the teddy bear. Yet after he finished his dinner, he collapsed and passed out.”
“His heart weakened again...”
“Heart?” I asked in disbelief. My heart stopped, my body stiffened.
“Yeah. He’s been suffering from heart failure, a descendant of her deceased mother. He was so desperate to live his life. But when he met you, his spirit pumped up again.”
“Please help him to live any longer, Heeyeon-ah...” he said as I saw tears were began to fall down from his eyes.
It hurt.
It's entering the last chapters :(
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