제41회

Beep.

The world is surrounded by darkness. She can't make out anything in pitch black but picking up foreign voices. There were voices.

Beep.

The voices faded after a while. Silence returned. Everything goes quiet again except for that one particular sound.

Beep.

"Is it okay to leave her like this, doctor?"

"Don't worry. I'll keep an eye on both of them. You may go back, Nurse Kang."

That's the same voice, this time paired up with another female voice. The allegedly doctor's footsteps echoed throughout the space. She sensed her approaching presence along with someone else whom she just found out about being close by.

Her eyelids were heavier than she thought.

Beep.

Despite the numbness, every inch of her struggles to move. The effect of anesthesia starts to wear off. It felt liberating yet also kicking in was another kind of pain. Her finger twitches.

Yejin moves. "Seol..."

Both eyelids flutter to open in a slow motion, slightly irritated by the bright ambience of the room. Yejin’s face was closing in to hers, looking full with concern in her t-shirt and pajama pants. They were asleep, last she remembered, but the room was purely unfamiliar.

“You shouldn’t move too much. You had a surgery last night. But thank God you’re okay,” She quickly let out a relieved sigh. At least the worst is over. Her smile came out immediately as a result of being happy to see Seolhee regain her consciousness. I almost forgot. “I’ll go get the doctor. Stay still.”

Surgery?

Her eyes followed Yejin’s silhouette walking out the door before the world fades into black once again. 

Beep.

= = = = = = =

He is determined. Once he set his mind on something, he’ll see it to the end. That’s Kim Sungkyu.

Even a guy named Park Hyungsik won’t be able to scare him off.

“More.” He stretched the glass towards his opponent. “Give me more.” Hyungsik did as he was told; pouring soju from the fourth bottle into the latter’s glass before filling his own share.

Kim Sungkyu turned out to be more persistent that he predicted.

By the time he finished drinking in one shot, Hyungsik cheered, “That’s it! Bravo!” His claps echoed inside the house, amusing Mr. Baek with his non-stop cheekiness.

Sure, the boy acts childish but he’s reliable most of the time. Which was why he is the right person for this test. Mr. Baek thought so.

The boys had emptied almost four bottles of soju yet they showed no signs of giving up. Especially Sungkyu, his cheeks are burning red from alcohol while the mask of a stoic face he wore earlier had fallen off. Right now, the man in front of him turned into a boy, a foolish boy in love.   

The same foolish boy is now rambling how Seolhee used to annoy him when she purposely ignored his text messages when they first met, how she looked cute while staring at the falling cherry blossoms and shooting rages at Hyungsik for stealing her first kiss.

That was before how he confessed to missing her day by day, constantly waiting up in front of her premise almost every night, also fighting the urge to drown his sorrow in alcohol in regret for his wavering feelings towards Seolhee.

“Sorry. I’m sorry for hurting you. I’m a bad boyfriend.” He mumbles, already lost his soberness a while ago. “Don’t leave me. Seolhee, I’m sorry!” 

It was what he came for. To say the words to none other than Seolhee.    

 “Enough. Go to sleep. I’ll clean this up.” 

The living room suddenly turns into silence, pulling Mr. Baek away from his own thoughts. He turned back to the young men, greeted with two thumbs up by Hyungsik.

Four bottles are his limit. Sungkyu, on the other hand, doesn’t drink soju.

“How did I do, uncle?” 

Both turned their heads towards the young director whom his body gave up after the last shot. Hyungsik tolerated well although he too in the verge of unconsciousness. “Should I tell him that Seolhee and I are cousins now?” The evidence came out as a quirky grin, his trademark of playfulness.

= = = = = = =

Seolhee tries not to flinch when Dr. Kim tested with her mini flashlight. The doctor simply done what was necessary, examining her vitals and reflexes as soon as she woke up. It turns out her conversing partner was actually the nurse.

So, she wasn’t dreaming when she heard them talking.

“How are you feeling?” Dr. Kim continues casually while the metal stethoscope felt cold on her chest. “A bit nauseous.” Seolhee replied, feeling raspy in her tones. She inhaled as she was told to. Dr. Kim concentrates on her heartbeat. Nausea is normal. She jot down the rate in her notes.

Watching nervously from the side, Yejin bit her lip in wait for the doctor’s final words. Colors have returned to Seolhee’s face, which she was thankful for, although the paleness has yet to shed off completely. But as long as Seolhee gets out of danger, she’s fine with it. “Is she going to be okay?”

Dr. Kim put down her stethoscope with ease, not forgetting her friendly smile. “She’s going to be with plenty of rest and the same goes to you. You pulled quite a stunt last night.” She pointed to Yejin, putting up an act with a sigh. The latter shrunk immediately, admitting her part of mistake.

On the other hand, Seolhee got lost in their conversation. Her gaze trailed on Yejin, eventually noticing an IV* tube connecting to her right hand. It finally hit her.

“Did you get sick because of me?”

The realization made her want to cry.

“No- not really,” Yejin rushed to her side, remembering Seolhee’s tendency during sickness.  She had to be mindful though of the IV tube thus moving cautiously towards her friend, in addition of becoming hesitant or being rather cautious to avoid i