~Chapter five~

Jiyong had ended up sleeping on the steel chair with his head resting on the edge of the Chaerin's bed. Although his position was unimaginably uncomfortable, his sleep was rather deep and, sound. Soft ruffling sounds of the sheets reached his sensitive ears. Groggily rubbing his eyes, he lifted his head up to find Chaerin laying calmly, a smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she stared down at the man clutching her hand. She didn’t know why he was in the position that he was neither did she know what he was doing by holding her hand. All that didn’t matter to her, she knew him well enough to know he wouldn’t do it if there wasn’t a good reason for it….. for all she could assume, he’d seen her during one of her ‘episodes’ and that was what worried her.

"Hey~" he greeted as he rest his chin on his palm and stared at the confused girl. "You were having a bad dream last night."

"Bad dream?" Chaerin tilted her head to the side. "I never drea--” suddenly it occurred to her. Maybe she could escape the unnecessary explanation for whatever happened last night. “—Yeah, I guess you could say that.”

"What was it about?" Jiyong blinked a few times trying to clear his vision.

"I don’t remember." Chaerin stretched her arms and yawned. "Were you here all night?" she asked as she slowly pushed the sheets away and bent down to search for her room slippers.

"Yeah." Jiyong answered as he climbed on her bed and stretched. "Your bed is comfortable." bouncing a little he smiled. "It's so springy."

"I'm guessing you haven't washed up yet." Chaerin called out from the bathroom. "Your toothbrush isn't wet."

Groaning, Jiyong sat up and let out a tired sigh before heading to the bathroom and washing up, Chaerin doing the same just beside him making funny faces in the process.

"Hey!" Jiyong waved his chopsticks in the air as they sat on his bed, the lunch table between them as they had their breakfast. Somehow, he'd managed to persuade Chaerin to have breakfast with him in the room instead of walking all the way to the mess hall. "I still haven't seen your family. Do they visit you often?"

After spending four nights together, he still hadn't met anyone from her side, paying a visit. Some patients from across the hall did come to check up on her once in a while, telling her to stay strong, not lose hope. Although Jiyong never really payed much attention to girl when they'd chat, he couldn't help but over hear these phrases.

"Why? Do you wanna see them?" Chaerin asked as she picked up a sliced carrot and stuffed it inside her almost full lettuce wrap. "It's so good~" she closed her eyes, using her free hand to make a thumbs-up sign. "Remind me to thank Jaehyun Oppa." she smiled, one cheek puffed with the food.

"You already did Chaerin." Jiyong smiled, although he knew Chaerin was trying to change the topic he knew better than to force something on someone if they weren't willing to. Well, that wasn’t really true. He always used to manipulate people to telling him everything, even if they didn’t want to. But, Chaerin was a different case. Bobbing his head as he gulped a glass of orange juice he resolved to another approach.

He would talk about his instead.

"My parents are too busy to pay a visit." he said nonchalantly as he wiped the corners of his mouth with a tissue. Never in his life had he been the one to initiate a conversation and that too, about his family. With Chaerin, there's always a first time for everything he figured and continued.

"I don't mind it anyway. We were never really that close." Chaerin nodded at Jiyong's words, urging him to continue with a wave of her hand.

"Mother and I used to be though. But you know, I spent a lot of time in boarding schools and mother had things to handle of her own, since she's the head in the marketing department." Jiyong picked up the cucumber from Chaerin's plate and took a bite since he knew she didn't like them. "I'm close with my sister but she got married two years ago and moved to Paris to focus on her fashion line."

"Does she know you're here?" Chaerin asked as she picked up the remaining cucumber and placed it on Jiyong's plate, picking up the peas in return.

"She calls Jaehyun everyday to check up on me." Jiyong replied nonchalantly. "She's lovely. You'd love her."

"Then let me meet her someday." Chaerin stated casually as she put down her chopsticks and wiped with the tissues, not noticing Jiyong stiffen with her words. She had no idea how easily her random words affected him. He'd always made note to himself to introduce his sister to the person he thinks is The one and now to think of it, he felt they'd really get along. Shoving away the thoughts at the back of his mind, he spread his legs out carefully.

"One day."

Jiyong shifted in his bed as he watched the re-broadcast of the previous night's match between Manchester United and Liverpool. Passing incoherent comments at the Liverpool's defence, he didn't bother to avert his eyes from the screen missing out on the not-so-pleased Chaerin as her doctor walked into the room and delivered her some news.

After the doctor's exit, Chaerin grabbed a notebook and started scribbling, soon closing it shut as she stood up from her bed and bent down to search for her room slippers.

"Hey!" Jiyong said aloud as he mute the TV and turned around to stare at the tiny figure standing near the door as she grabbed her over-coat. "Where're you going?"

"I just need fresh air."

He stared at the open space as Chaerin closed the door behind her without bothering to explain further. As much as he loved football, he couldn't help but notice  Chaerin's expression and a rare sad aura. Pushing away his sheets he stood up, ready to follow her and demand her to tell her what was wrong, maybe he could help her.

Walking around the hospital with his crutches, Jiyong stopped halfway in the corridor to catch a breath when he heard a soft sniffling sound coming from the door behind him.  Making the least sound as possible, he opened the door leading to the veranda he never knew existed. Peeking through the small gap, a tiny figure leaning against the water tanks caught his eye. While deciding whether or not to approach her while her guard was down, a voice startled him making him jump in surprise, almost tripping himself.

"Mr. Kwon?"

"Ah! Dr. Go." Jiyong smiled awkwardly scratching the back of his neck. 

"What're you doing here Jiyong-sshi? A-Are you alright?" Dr. Go asked concerned.

"I'm alright. I just..... I just needed some fresh air." he lied.

"Oh! Is your roommate not giving you space?" He asked as he removed lint from his sleeves.

"What do you mean?" Jiyong asked sharply, leaning on crutch.

"You said you needed fresh air, I thought your roommate was giving you a hard time." Dr. Go reasoned, "Anyway... " he cleared his throat, eyeing Jiyong from bottom to top. "I see you're not bending anymore. The ribs feel fine?"

"Yes." Jiyong replied, glancing at the direction of the veranda then back at the doctor. "W-What do you know about my roommate?"

"Roommate?"

"Yes, Lee Chaerin-sshi. Could you tell me about her condition? Why's she here?" Jiyong attacked with a series of question since he didn't seem to get any from the said girl itself.

"I can't disclose any information on the patients Mr. Kwon. It's against the privacy policies." Dr. Go shook his head and watched as Jiyong bent his head down and stared at the tiled floor, silence engulfing the two. Sighing a long tired sigh Dr. Go put his hand on Jiyong's shoulder lightly patting him.

"... Even if I wanted to tell you, I couldn't, because I don't know her case, I'm not her doctor, I don't know who's care she's under."

Jiyong nodded understandingly and smiled, fixing his grip on his crutch.

"But all I know about her is, she's been in this hospital for as long as you could imagine."

Jiyong stared at his doctor, pondering over his words.

"Let's go to my room Mr. Kwon." Dr. Go swung Jiyong's arm around his shoulder helping him up. "……. Maybe I could help you."

Author’s note:

Annyeong~ I’m sorry I’ve been gone so long. College has been hectic with all the presentations, group discussions and what not. Sowwy!!!

Some of you threatened to jump off a cliff if I let Chaerin die. Lol xD haha!
Don’t jump…. Yet. xP Kidding.
Some of you guessed her sickness, but none of you have been right till now.  Go on and take your guesses…. Although I won’t be able to tell you if you’re right.
Wouldn’t want me to spoil it for you do ya?
 

I’m supppper excited for EXO’s comeback but…. IDK, somehow, I don’t want them to comeback so early. :[
I seriously love them.. but not as much as 2NE1 or BB, so I’m just hoping that their mini-album doesn’t surpass CRUSH. Call me selfish, but yeah! That’s how I feel. (Exo has TOO many fangirls, and they’re EFFING RICH!!!!!!!! I know one friend of mine in twitter, who bought 12 p-albums so she could get all different photo cards and paper standees, she didn’t get them all so she bought 5 other. JUST IMAGINE!!!)
I want my girls to win the album of the year award! *Fistpump*

Shout out to

applechae
Thanhmaiyycg143
mariblacksay
miicodin

Thanks for the upvote J

With love~

E