“How are feeling today, Jongwoon-ssi?” the young nurse greeted with a smile that dazzled like a 100mega watt sunlamp.

I smiled back wanly. I know I look like a wreck, having battled a night of excruciating pain that exploded from the middle of my upper torso and spread wildly like a forest fire to consume the rest of my body. My lips have to be as grey as my skin pallor, dark spots under my eyes and wild messy wet hair. I could not find the strength or willpower to reply verbally.

The nurse busied herself with pulling apart the curtains to let in the morning sunshine then as usual she proceed to help me clean up and change out of the wet clothes sticking uncomfortably on my body.

“ You must be feeling lonely all alone in the room.” She said suddenly.

“ Not really.” I muttered. I am already immune to loneliness, I wanted to explain.

“ Well, then you must be happy to know that you will have a new room-mate today.”

“ Room-mate?” Despite my self-pity, I am indeed curious and if I can force myself to admit it, excited.

@

To my surprise, I was actually looking forward to seeing this new room-mate of mine. Since I did not know the time he will be coming in, or anything about him really, I spent the whole morning feeling all antsy like a boy who is waiting to open his birthday present.

After a particularly unsuccessful attempt to eat lunch (I throw up everything I eat these days), I was resting in my bed, half delirious with sleep when I heard the door to my room open and something being wheeled in. That is followed by a bustle of activities as doctors and nurses hung stuff up, attaching sensors on the newcomer and then a final check before the crowd left.

I opened my eyes cautiously and turn my head to the side to look at the newcomer. Detecting no movement from him, I sat up grimacing at the cloud of dizziness clamping down on me. Curiosity won, and I managed to slip off my bed and stagger slightly to the next bed to check him out. What I saw stunned me so much that my body actually stayed rigid for a split second.

On the bed framed by the covers is a very beautiful face. Pale skin, long lashes and strong brows. The hair is burgundy and bedraggles in a very appealing manner . But it was the slightly pouty lips that sent uncontrollable shivers down my spine all the way to my toes. The eyes are closed and there is a light frown between the brows as if to prove that he is not resting well.

Eh? When did I put out my hand to touch his porcelain like cheek? I drew back my fingers abruptly but not before they accidentally brushed against his philtrum. I let out a tiny yelp and hid my hand behind me quickly.

Wow, he must be very ill to sleep through all that commotion, I thought as I took another look at his face grimacing lightly in his sleep.

@

Dinner time came but my new room-mate showed no signs of waking up. Instead, the door opened again and 3 men walked in conversing in harsh whispers.

“ I hope he has not awaken in our absence.” The tallest one amongst them said worriedly. From the way the thin tee is stretching over his torso like a second skin, he must be fond of working out, I conclude.

“ I don’t think so, he has been very weak after the last few sessions and did not wake up for at least half a day.” The smallest and lankiest of them all murmurs with a concerned frown on his face.

The one leading the way did not answer but his body language said a lot about his anxiety to reach the bedside as soon as humanely possible.

“ He’s still asleep.” He finally said with a soft sigh of relief as he sat down on the bed “ Wookie, can you run out and get some milk from the vending machine? I think I saw one at the end of the corridor. The slight man nodded in silence and left the room in a dash.

“ Hyung?” The tallest one inquired curiously.

“ The doctor said that milk will help to protect the stomach walls and the esophagus walls when he throws up.”

The air of competency struck me as comforting for some absurd reason I do not even understand.