Joohyun rolled her eyes in annoyance. A new roommate with the stupidest and brightest smile she had ever seen.
"Kang Seulgi," the young woman introduced herself. Her hair was dark brown and her sharp eyes warm. Warmer than this stupid room.
Joohyun hated her, hated her clear and deep voice, hated the well-toned figure, hated the feathery movements.
"Bae Joohyun," she grumbled, turning to her book again.
Kang Seulgi started humming a tune and Joohyun hated it.
"Why are you so cheerful?" She glared at the newcomer.
"Because I'm lucky with such a pretty roommate," she said charmingly, winking at her. Joohyun hated this awkward gesture and blushed. Hastily, she stared at her book again.
When Seulgi had put her clothes away and decorated the table next to the uncomfortable bed she walked towards Joohyun.
"Good book?"
"Yes," was her curt reply.
"Are you new too?"
Joohyun sighed in annoyance. "No, and I hate talking to people."
"Oh, too bad, but don't worry, I like talking, so you can listen. We're a perfect match. How old are you? I'm 17."
"What are you doing in this hospital ward? You're not of age yet."
Seulgi giggled and Joohyun hated the sound. "I asked for it. I'll be 18 in a month and they said I could move here right away."
Joohyun suddenly looked at her with interest. "You're staying longer?"
"Only for a few weeks."
"More than a month."
"I like the term weeks more," she countered, trying to wink again.
Joohyun merely nodded. "I'm 21."
"How long have you been here?"
"I told you I hate talking to people."
"Mhh, okay. Too bad Joohyun, you actually seem very nice. If you want, you can have my vanilla pudding and I can have your chocolate. Deal?"
The older woman snorted and flipped her book shut. She turned away from Seulgi and closed her eyes.
"Sleep well," the young woman murmured.

"How are you today, Ms. Bae?"
Joohyun shrugged. "Better."
"I spoke to the therapist and you are making very good progress in physiotherapy. We firmly believe that you will be able to walk without any help again."
"You've been thinking that for three months," Joohyun grumbled, crossing her arms.
The doctor took a deep breath in and out. "It's-"
"A long process to get back on your feet after such an injury," Joohyun finished the sentence she heard at least 100 times in a week.
The man smiled. "Perfect that you understood. See you."
Joohyun hated him. She hated the hospital and this stupid injury.
"What happened?" Seulgi asked with curious eyes.
"Car accident."
"Oh, I'm sorry."
She shrugged and reached for her dessert. Chocolate pudding.
"Super yummy," Joohyun said, shoving spoonful after spoonful into .
"Enjoy it," her roommate said, grinning at her.
"Why are you always happy? It's annoying."
"Life's too short for anger and sadness, but I have to admit that this pudding looks really ing delicious."
Joohyun shook her head. "A wannabe lyricist, too."

The next day, the door was opened and a blonde doctor entered the room. "Ready for the tests, Seulgi?"
"Yes, Dr. Ahn. I am super prepared," she said with too much energy and hurriedly sat up. Joohyun wanted to ignore it, but for a brief moment the shine in Seulgi's eyes faded and she pressed her palms firmly on the mattress.
"Slow down," the doctor admonished the girl. Seulgi, however, smiled broadly. "Must be because I haven't finished my tea."
Joohyun hated the poor excuses.
Seulgi did not return for another 5 hours and 37 minutes.
Joohyun, of course, hadn't cared about the time or kept looking at her watch. Pure intuition.
The girl looked exhausted and went to her bed. "God, that was annoying. I swear to you, Joohyun, if this goes on I'll die of boredom. Constantly waiting, waiting, waiting. ."
The older one did not reply. Why wasn't she just left alone?

On weekends, Seulgi was visited by her parents and some friends. Joohyun took her crutches during this time and disappeared from the room.
She hated it when Seulgi was distracted and didn't tell Joohyun nonsensical facts.
"Well, how is it with the teenage girl?" Yoona, one of the nurses, asked. She had two coffee mugs in her hand and placed one in front of Joohyun.
"She's annoying."
Yoona raised an eyebrow. "Ah yes?"
"Yeah."
"Then why don't you flee the room all the time like you did with your last roommate?"
"The physiotherapy is more intense now. It's exhausting."
"And yet you're here?"
"Because she has visitors," Joohyun grumbled, taking a sip. "I hate this stuff."
Yoona chuckled. "You hate the whole world, Bae." She then disappeared and Joohyun stared out of the window.
She did. She was allowed to. She had the right to hate everything.

Seulgi loved to draw. She loved to draw Joohyun and tell her how beautiful she was.
And Joohyun hated it. The kind words that pumped blood into her cheeks. The stunning sketches. The slightly furrowed brow and tongue stretched out to the side as Seulgi concentrated to create the shading.

"Congratulations," Joohyun said, pointing to a neatly wrapped gift after Seulgi returned from the bathroom. Her eyes lit up and she clapped her hands enthusiastically.
Afterwards, she hugged Joohyun stormily and promised her to draw her every day. With the expensive pens and the professional coloring book.
Joohyun hated to have spent money on such a thing, but basically the young woman was a good roommate. She was polite, clean and constantly gave her beautiful smiles.

Joohyun woke up and groaned as she looked at her phone. 2:09am.
She looked at Seulgi's bed and heard again a sound she would have loved to banish from her memory.
She switched on the light and stood up. Her leg muscles had improved and by now she could move without crutches for a short time. She stumbled over to the bed. "Seul?"
She hated the nickname she had given her roommate.
The young woman retched again and had leaned over on her side facing the window.
"Did you have the Mexican food? I told you not to. It's super spicy," Joohyun sighed, stepping closer to her.
Seulgi nodded. "I should have listened to you," she said weakly.
The older woman pressed the emergency button and a moment later, a nurse came to clean up the mess and urged Seulgi to be more mindful.
Joohyun ignored the half-closed eyes and faint coughing.
She hated sick people.

"Here," Seulgi said, handing Joohyun another sheet of paper.
"I don't need another painting every day. I understand that you are good at drawing."
She took it anyway.
Seulgi grinned wryly.
"What?" Joohyun asked with a raised eyebrow.
The younger girl shrugged and walked back to her bed.
Joohyun hated it when Seulgi was so secretive.

"You don't have therapy today?" asked Joohyun in surprise when Seulgi returned earlier than usual.
The brown-haired woman shook her head slightly. She looked exhausted and had lost a lot of weight. After two months in the hospital, the visits had decreased.
Sometimes Joohyun heard Seulgi crying. Always at night, when she thought Joohyun was asleep.
The older one hated that she always stayed up until she heard her roommate's faint snoring. It robbed her of