“---cause of malnutrition?”

“He doesn’t have a tongue.”

 “No tongue? My goodness, we need to get an IV fast…”

           

“…e gonna be okay?”

“I’m…I’m not sure…”

 

I slowly moved my fingers. I was lying in a bed covered with a thin sheet. The smell in the air was different from Jill’s house. It almost smelled like a healers’ house. Where am I…? I cracked my eyes open. There was an open door in front of me and a strange looking machine to my side. I saw clear liquid dripping into a tube that was feeding into my arm. The vertigo was gone from my head but I still felt sick.

“Ryeowook?”

My eyes widened more and I turned my head to the side.

“Are you okay?” Jill looked at me with such worry in her eyes. Completely different from her upset face.

I blinked and nodded very slightly, trying to smile. You brought me here, didn’t you?

 “Oh thank god… She looked down and breathed out quietly. “You were unconscious on one of the benches in the town square, and when you wouldn’t wake up when I called your name…” She closed her eyes tightly.  

I moved my hand on top of hers that was resting on the side of my bed. She looked into my eyes. They were wet with relief.

“Don’t you ever scare me like that again.” She almost whispered.

I smiled even more.

Then a man wearing a white coat and a clipboard entered our room. “Excuse me, Miss Jill Schneider?” He glanced at Jill.

“Yes.” Jill stood up and faced him. “He’s awake now.” She motioned to me.

The doctor nodded curtly at me. “Yes I see that. Miss Schneider, when we last spoke, you told me that he has no tongue.”

“Yes, that’s true.”

“What have you fed him since you two met?”

“Just soup and yesterday I gave him melted ice cream. What else could I give him?”

My head snapped toward Jill. Yesterday? Are you saying it’s already the third day!? How long was I unconscious!?

“I’m afraid there isn’t much else you can do for him. Without a tongue, he isn’t able to obtain the proper nutrients from solid foods that everyone needs to survive.”

“What are you saying?”

The man sighed and pulled off his glasses. “Miss Schneider, we can put him on an IV tube for the next twenty four hours, but because you don’t have the proper healthcare insurance, I’m afraid we’ll have to take him off of it once the twenty four hours is over. You can continue to feed him soup and ice cream and anything else that would be useful like protein drinks and shakes, but I’m afraid he isn’t going to live for very much longer.”

The man’s words stuck to me like dew on leaves. I’m not going to live for much longer…?

“You…you can’t do that!” Jill shouted suddenly. “There must be some other way! There has to be!”

The man spoke very gently. “I’m truly sorry, Miss Schneider. I too wish there was something else we could do, but I’m afraid we have no other options.”

I slowly turned my gaze to Jill. She looked like she was about to faint. She opened , but no words came out.

“Please excuse me.” The doctor bowed a little and exited the room, closing the door behind him.

“This can’t be for real…” Jill sank back into her chair.

I moved my hand toward the edge of my bed. Look at me. I patted the bed gently. She looked at me. I held the palm of my hand out and spread my fingers wide. She looked down at my fingers and slowly placed her hand inside mine. Our fingers slowly wrapped together. Her hand was still cold.

“…I’m sorry…for running away from you yesterday.” She said quietly.

I smiled and squeezed her hand. I already told you not to be sorry.

“After the incident with the guy I told you about…it’s made me learn things about people I don’t like.” She paused for a moment, just staring at our hands. “But I should force myself to know that not everyone is like that one guy, you know? Everyone’s different.”

I nodded.

“When you came into my life…you were so …sweet and funny. You made me feel better than I have been in a couple weeks. You brought life back into my mind.”

I told you I would. I her fingers slowly with my thumb.

“It’s not perfect now, but it will get better in time. And I won’t focus on him or anything he said anymore.” She met my eyes. “It’s not good to beat myself up.”

I nodded vigorously. It’s never good!

She chuckled, then her expression turned serious. “But now there’s you. Without a tongue, you could starve to death slowly…” Worry rushed back into her eyes.

I shook my head and pulled our hands onto my chest. I promised I would make you happy. Now that I did, you don’t have to worry about me.

She watched our hands moved slowly up and down on my breathing chest. I watched her watching me. We were both silent for several seconds. Neither of our eyes left the places there were focusing on.

Then she broke the silence. "I don’t want you to die.” Her eyes remained on our hands.

I felt my heart rate sped up. I sighed quietly and pulled my hand out of hers. I love you. My hand lingered next to the side her face. She glanced at my hand and slowly closed her eyes. I took in a small breath and let my palm rest against her cheek. Her face was much warmer than her hands.

I smiled a little. So that’s where all the warmth is. My thumb her skin gently. A very small smile formed on her lips. Do you like that? I continued , then moved my fingers behind her ear, smoothing out her hair.

She placed her hands on my arm. Her voice was very quiet. “I don’t want you to go away.”

I’ll never leave you. Ever.