Chapter 21.
Seeing Through Her Eyes
Jaekyung stared up at Baekhyun nervously, the palms of her hands clammy from sweat.
“Baek… are you okay?” Jaekyung’s confident voice squeaking for the first time as she spoke. Biting her lips, Jaekyung tries to inch away but fails as Baekhyun takes another step forward.
“Perfectly fine, never better. Are you okay?” Baekhyun whispers the last part, trying to see if Jaekyung’s reaction would lead him to the unanswered question in the back of his mind. Does Jaekyung like him back?
Jaekyung continues to fidget, uncomfortable with her current situation simply due to the shock of Baekhyun’s sudden change in character. Baekhyun sighs, assuming it’s a no and backs away. Jaekyung slowly moves towards the door and leaves the washroom, her heart thumping against her chest at the lack of distance between her and Baekhyun earl. She takes in a deep breath and turns around to face Baekhyun, he hasn’t moved from the position he was in earlier. After a few moments, Jaekyung speaks up as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred.
“Come on, hurry up, you’re coming to volunteer with me tonight right?” Relieved that Jaekyung took the initiative to ease the awkward atmosphere Baekhyun smiles and nods.
“Yeah, I’m going with you tonight. Are we leaving now? There’s still forty-five minutes left.” Baekhyun leaves the washroom and heads to the living room with Jaekyung.
“Yeah but I don’t feel like taking the bus today, let’s walk there.” A half an hour walk with Jaekyung as the sun sets sounded perfect to Baekhyun right now.
“Okay, we can walk off all that food we ate.” Baekhyun laughs and takes off his mismatched slippers before slipping into his shoes and grabbing a sweater for Jaekyung from the coat rack. “Here, you should put this on.”
“Oh yeah, thanks.” Jaekyung reaches for the sweater in Baekhyun’s hands but he slips her arms into the sleeves instead, helping her put the sweater on. Jaekyung feels her face heat up as Baekhyun takes the zippers into his hands.
“It’s okay, Baek, I can do that myself.” Jaekyung’s hands brush past Baekhyun’s as she reaches for the zipper herself, causing the two of them to flinch at the contact.
After zipping up her sweater Jaekyung grabs her bag and heads out the door with a quiet Baekhyun trailing behind her. On their way to the hospital, Jaekyung looks up to the sky and thinks to herself. “Woori, I hope you’re doing okay on your own up there. I’m sorry I couldn’t take better care of you while you were still here.”
Baekhyun notices how Jaekyung got after looking up, he looks where she faces as well wondering if there was anything interesting.
“What are you looking at?” Jaekyung faces Baekhyun and shakes her head.
“Nothing, just wanted to take in a breath of fresh air.”
“Oh, okay then, if you say so.” The two continue walking to the hospital, talking about the things they saw along the way. Baekhyun falling even more in love with the strong-willed female next to him while Jaekyung tried her best to be herself. Nothing can change the fact that Woori’s gone, she’s still mourning for the loss but crying and growing depressed will benefit no one.
The duo reached the hospital with ten minutes to spare before Jaekyung’s shift, the kids are all inside already, partially due to the fact that it was already eight and also because of Woori. As Jaekyung steps inside Sora, Hyunwoo and a few others came rushing to her side.
“Hey guys, how are you holding up?” Jaekyung kneels down and cups Sora’s face; she looks like she’s been crying all day. The fact that her hands aren’t hidden a sign that she’s not herself at all.
“I’m okay noona but Sora is really upset.” Jaekyung pats Hyunwoo’s head, proud of the young boy for accompanying Sora.
“I’m going to put my stuff away first alright? Unnie will be right back Sora.” Sora nodded her head and stared at Jaekyung as she walked away.
Baekhyun looked at the kids with sad eyes, he doesn’t even know them personally and he feels pain in his heart at the sadness that occupied their little faces. He can tell Jaekyung’s having a hard time as well, becoming a pediatrician is going to be difficult for someone as kind as Jaekyung. She chose this path because she wants to help people but coping with the death of her patients will be tough. He follows Jaekyung and waits outside the room as she puts her stuff away. While waiting a young boy in a hand controlled wheelchair rolls by and smiles at Baekhyun. Baekhyun smiles back but freezes, remembering that Woori was able to see him when he came to visit last time. Jaekyung steps out of the locker rooms at this moment and practically sprints towards the boy.
“Jaemin!” Jaekyung kneels down and hugs the boy lightly. “What are you doing here on your own? Where are your parents and your nurse?”
“Omma and Appa had to go for Chaerin noona’s recital today and Soojin noona had to rush out for an emergency just now. I heard that you were here so I came looking for you, I haven’t been able to see you since your shifts have been clashing with my treatments in the other wing.” Although Jaemin was a mere eight year old, he spoke well and knew of things that people twice his age don’t.
“Ahh, Jaemin remember what noona told you last time? You shouldn’t go anywhere on your own, you should know your condition better than I do. I know you missed me but don’t do that again alright?” Jaemin nodded and smiled at Jaekyung.
“Okay, I’m sorry noona, I won’t do that again.” Jaekyung fixed the hat on Jaemin’s head and took the handles of his wheelchair.
“Let’s go back to your room first, I’m in charge of making sure the kids in your wing eat their vitamins tonight.” Due to the fact that kids like Jaemin had trouble digesting food and eating in general, they required extra supplements.
While pushing Jaemin and talking to him, Jaekyung forgot that she had brought Baekhyun here until she reached Jaemin’s room. Baekhyun stood at the doorway awkwardly while Jaemin pointed at him.
“Noona, is he your friend?”
Might do a double update but I'll need you guys to feed me energy through comments! LOL XD
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