“It’s okay, hyung.  I’m fine!” Sungjong said brightly as he pushed Sunggyu towards the door. 

            Sunggyu hesitated.  He had missed three days of work and he really couldn’t afford to miss more.  Sungjong had to stay in the hospital because of his condition.  Usually patients would be allowed to go home and recover before having their operation, but because Sungjong’s tumor was getting significantly bigger at a fast rate, he had to stay here as a precaution. 

            But Sungjong wasn’t lying.  He really was better.  There was color in his cheeks, he was smiling. His voice was louder and more confident, not like the weak one from a few days before.  He stood proud and acted like Sungjong.  No one would have guessed that the same boy had a murderous tumor in his brain. 

            “I’ll be back tonight.  Maybe I’ll tell Sungyeol—“ 

            “No!!!!!!!!” Sungjong exclaimed. 

            Sunggyu frowned, “I’m sure he would like to know, Jongie-ah.  He does care about you.” 

            Sungjong shook his head and averted his gaze, “I don’t think he does…anymore.” 

            Sunggyu grabbed Sungjong into a hug and kissed him lightly on the head, “Okay...but I still think he should know.  I’ll see you tonight!” 

            “Don’t work too much, hyung. I don’t want you to be here too,” Sungjong teased.  He kicked Sunggyu’s as he was exiting the room. 

            Sungjong woke up from a long nap and looked at the wall clock and heaved a huge sigh.  It was only 1 o’clock. 

            He got up from his bed and immediately a nurse rushed in, “Are you okay?” she asked.  She put a hand to his forehead. 

            “I’m fine, noona!” Sungjong gave her a reassuring smile, “I’m just bored.  Do you think I can walk around a little bit?” 

            “Make sure you’re back here for dinner okay?  And don’t wonder off too far.  I want you to stay in the hospital!”   

            Sungjong smiled, “Of course, noona!”  And with that, he skipped off. 

            Sungjong was walking through the burn unit ward to get to the dining hall.  He hated walking through this ward.  It was so pitiful to see burn victims.  He felt so much pain whenever he saw someone here.  These people felt pain all their lives, they had gone through traumatic experiences.  Most of them re-lived those memories everyday just by looking in the mirror.  Some people had most of their skin burned off beyond repair while others were never able to leave their rooms because they were confined to their bed.  Truthfully, it sometimes scared Sungjong to look at these people.  But it wasn’t the appearance that scared him.  It was the empty looks he received from them, the eyes that showed they had nothing to live for anymore.  He never wanted to look into those kinds of eyes. 

            He was passing by as quickly as possible when he saw a paper fly out from one of the open doors.  He slowly bent down to pick it up and saw a photo of a strikingly handsome dark haired boy standing next to what he assumed was his mother. 

            Sungjong looked through the open room door and saw the boy in the photo trying to get out of his hospital bed.  He had bandages wrapped around his head, blocking only his eyes.  Other than that, he looked fine.  He was probably the most fortunate burn victim Sungjong had ever seen.  He quickly rushed into the room before the boy could fall off his bed.  The said boy was grabbing onto his drawer as he struggled to get out of bed without seeing. 

            As Sungjong grabbed his waist, the boy flinched. 

            “It’s okay,” Sungjong said softly as he pushed the boy down on the bed again.  He awkwardly shoved the picture into the boy’s hand, “I think this is what you want.”    

            The boy gave a sigh of relief and held the picture to his chest as he fell back onto his pillows. 

            Sungjong stood there awkwardly as he waited for a thank you.  But it never came.  Honestly, Sungjong hoped that the boy would speak to him.  He looked to be only about a year older than himself.  And there weren’t many people around his age in this hospital.  It would be nice to have a friend.  Sungjong slowly walked out of the room. 

            “You have soft skin,” the boy said softly.  Sungjong looked back, but the boy’s face was turned away from him.