I laughed silently to myself and smacked my forehead with my right hand the moment I stepped out of the bus and stood before Jaseng Hospital. Up ‘til now, I still can’t believe that I’m doing this. The debate in my head is also going strongly, and it’s about whether to actually enter the building or not. I’m not even family, nor a friend, so who am I to actually step into this kind of situation? I’m just a random stranger Chanyeol helped out and I don’t even know if he’ll appreciate me stepping into his life…

                I feel like Chanyeol’s just going to nag at me if he sees me…but then again…

                I just had this thought that I can’t leave him alone, because I know how it feels to be standing alone on your own two feet while the person you love is on the brink of dying. That’s how I feel whenever I stare at my mom back then, and even now, occasionally, I feel it. Though I’m probably not in the position to say that I understand him, at least, I can sympathize.

                With my resolve finding a new vigor, I stepped closer and passed the entrance guards. I don’t have any idea of the interior of the hospital since I’ve never been here before and I didn’t bother asking what room Mr. and Mrs. Park are admitted. The people at the counter would just probably think I’m some crazy fan. I know because there are a lot of teenagers roaming around, some still in their uniform, looking about the place like they don’t even know themselves why they are in here. They must be also worried about Chanyeol but I just wish they didn’t skip school just to be in here.

                Still, I’m technically lost and the only way to do something about that is to roam around without acting like a total stranger. First floor, is for admission and the kids so I immediately went to the second floor. I roamed around the whole floor, even entering small corridors just so I’m sure I don’t miss a thing and kept checking the names on the door. There are a lot of Park’s since it is common surname in Korea but I know when to think that it might be his parents or not. I believe Mr. and Mrs. Park are admitted to the same room so the name on the door should be two Parks, one male and one female. There’d been a room which showed names like that and I checked, only to say sorry to the visitors that seemed to be like they are having a party in that room. I was not really embarrassed because I’m just too thick-skinned like that.

                The third floor was a bit too silent for my liking. It makes the hospital more eerie than it should be. I walked through the place slowly, and continued looking at the names. Still, none that fits what I’m looking for. This floor is probably for more serious diseases. I don’t know. I just had that feeling. It reeks of seriousness. By the end of the corridor, there is a mini pathway that leads to a two-door room. It was steel. I didn’t notice anything like it on the first two floors. Curious by nature, I stepped into the somewhat secluded pathway and touched the handles of the door. Cold. Might this be a room for VIPs? It looks so big and different from others…

                Without hesitation, I opened the two-door wide. What I was thinking was that I could just say sorry if this is the wrong room again. I was not completely prepared for what I saw.

                The first thing I noticed was the smell. It was different, it was kinda nasty like rotten eggs. When I could focus more, what I saw were beds and beds positioned in rows. For each bed there was like a long bump covered in white cloth. I didn’t need to read a sign to know what this place is. I’ve seen enough in horror movies to know exactly what those bumps are. Dead people. Everywhere.

                This is the hospital morgue.

                My eyes grew wide and I scrunched up my face, my heart beating abnormally fast. I quickly let go of my hold of the handle and run far wherever my feet can take me as long as it’s not anywhere near that morgue. I ran to the fourth floor without thinking much about it. Damn. That was realllyyyyyyy bad. I should have realized why they kept the room utterly hidden to people. The smell stuck in my head like an illness. So, right when I reached the fourth floor landing, I put my hands on each of my knee and took a really deep breath.

                I’m not really afraid of ghosts like other people. Hell, I’ve been roaming out there in the dark for many months now to even believe in them. However, that was just too overwhelming for my eyes. I swear I can’t handle being around too many dead people. It’s creepy…It gave goose bumps all over my body. I can still feel the hair on my arm all stretched up like I’ve been electrified…

                Aghhhh! I shook my head and pushed the horrible memory away.

                “Calm down,” I whispered to myself like a radio on repeat. “Calm down. Get a grip, Song Chemi.”

                But my heart just wasn’t listening. I wouldn’t even be surprised if I will be having nightmares about that stinky room tonight and for the other nights to come.

                However, the loud beating of my heart in my ears was not enough to block an even louder sound. When I looked to my right, I immediately knew what was going on. I found it. The room. Only that it is being blocked from complete view by a swarm of people with their cameras and recorders all held up in front of their faces.

                “What the hell?” I muttered to myself as I stood upright. I gazed at the throng with scrutiny in my eyes. Shouldn’t the hospital be kicking these people out? The hospital is not some media event place…

                Is EXO really this popular?

                I mean, I know people follow them. I follow them, but this is a completely different case. This is personal. Couldn’t they just forget about the ratings once in a while? Some people just don’t know how to put their lives on another’s shoes. I can’t help but pity celebrities…

                And I can’t help but be even more disappointed that teenagers are acting like this. What happened to the “hope of the future?” Oh yeah, running around like idiots to their idols who won’t even give a heck about them.

                There were two men in uniform guarding the door, hindering uninvited people from entering the room. I watched and listened as the nearest reporters try to reason out to them to let them just have a peek of what’s going on, but the guards just stood firmed. I can’t help but think how they’d do anything to just change places right now, away from people screaming at their ears.

                Suddenly, the door opened, and the girls started squealing. I stood on tiptoes to look at who it was but it was only a nurse who had her eyes fixed to the ground. The reporters kept on shoving her their mini microphones, throwing questions here and there, but the nurse did not give them any attention. As soon as she was able to pass through, she ran downstairs. The crowd kept bustling but only a few of them really followed her. I guess, they don’t really care about how Chanyeol’s parents are. They just care to see Chanyeol’s face because that’s good enough for the camera.

                I scoffed just in time an old man came out of the second door to my right. It was obvious that he was mad but he didn’t voice that out for all the people to hear. He simply talked to himself as if he just wants the satisfaction to ease his mind by voicing out what he thinks.

                “Seriously,” I heard him say. “I don’t care if there’s an idol or whatever in this freaking hospital! If they don’t go away, I’m pulling my mom out. This is not helping with her stress problems. It’s not like all the patients here in this floor is in comatose to not hear their stupid mouths!”

                Comatose?
 

                He must have noticed me staring at him for he looked my way. His face was all scrunched up from irritation and his eyebrows are terribly furrowed. He was burly for a man, and it scared me that’s why I backed away. He must think that I’ve been listening to him rant. I opened my mouth to explain but he just went back inside the room and slammed the door real hard so that the media people actually looked at his direction. Still, they must not have cared because they didn’t try to be quiet nor discreet in what they are doing. They just minded their own business as usual. Egoistic creatures.

                Still, I couldn’t do anything but just be like that man. I can’t tell them off because I’m in no position to do that. Plus, I don’t want to attract any unwanted attention, particularly in what I am about to do.

                Figuring out that there is no way to pass the guards without being shoved out of balance, my mind immediately conjured up an alternative. The idea came so fast to me, it almost seemed like it’s the natural thing to do.

                But it’s not.

                Absolutely not.

                Sometimes, I can’t even fathom how my mind works. Maybe it’s because I’ve always wanted to be an operative that’s why I keep looking for danger instead of it blocking my path first. Seriously though, I don’t know why I’m like this. Still, once I’ve thought of something that seems ingenious to me, there’s no backing out.

                If what the man said was true, then everything will go okay. But then, of course, I don’t wish for Chanyeol’s parents to be in a comatose state. What I’m saying is, ugh. Whatever. I don’t want to explain myself anymore.

                So, I looked at the doors to my left, mentally picking out a room. When I finally decided on one, I walked closer to it and watched if anyone was looking. It was four doors away from THE room, so it was pretty safe to assume that no one’s bothering with me. Slowly, I slipped inside and immediately close the door behind.

                Inside, I didn’t dare move. I could hear a beeping sound from the heart monitor and the sound of breathing magnified by a machine. There were no voices but even so, before I completely showed myself, I said, “Hello?”

                No one bothered to answer me.

                I took a deep breath and walked in the large room. As expected, there weren’t anybody except for the patient on the bed. I looked closer. The person had his eyes closed. It was a boy, pretty at that. I didn’t notice the name posted outside of the room. He looked as if we could share the same age. There were too many machines attached to his body that I think he could have been dead already if not for those. It wouldn’t take a genius to figure out he is in coma. There wasn’t anything colorful in his room. No flowers, no cards, on the side table. It’s as if he doesn’t have any relatives to visit him. I wonder if they eve