The time stopped for a while; with Chanyeol's heart beating rapidly out of fear and the girl's dark orbs staring at him. Chanyeol felt himself being observed meticulously by the girl. He felt a small shudder run down his spine as the girl stared at him icily. The room was silent, leaving a cold atmosphere between them. Chanyeol shuddered as the cold wind from the air conditioner his skin. He felt exposed under her flinty gaze. The girl's penetrating scrutiny made him feel weak and vulnerable. His heart, filled with various emotions, began to ache. It was like somebody had stabbed a knife in it. Chanyeol suddenly felt tired as he finally felt how burdensome his problems are.

 

"Was it Miyoung who told you to go here?", she said; her voice cold.

 

"Who's Miyoung?"

 

"The nurse"

 

"Was she the one with the boyfriend named Kris?"

 

The girl nodded. "That's her".

 

“Well, yeah”

 

Chanyeol cleared his throat and stood there awkwardly. There was no chair or stool in sight. The only place where a person could sit is the patient's bed. Chanyeol's heart began to beat even faster. He was scared of this girl. Her sobersided aura gave him fear; enough to give him goosebumps. Chanyeol looked at the girl. She was thin; not svelte, but bony in physique. Her long brown hair hung on her shoulders and reached the middle of her back. Her left hand was lying limp on the wrinkled bed sheet with a catheter injected on it. She was brittle. Pale streaks of blue lined the back of her palm and her skin was pale. To sum up everything, she was weak in physique; even weaker than his dad.

 

"You know, its discomforting to see you there stand awkwardly", she said. She patted the space next to her. "Sit here".

 

Chanyeol reluctantly sat beside her, leaving enough space between them. The girl continued to stare at him; not coldly but curiously this time. She noticed small parts of him. Like the way his mouth was forming a frown or the way his eyes were staring blankly into space; looking at the bare white wall in front of them. His shoulders were hunched; showing how stressed he is right now. Everything in him seemed to be down. An ignorant person wouldn't probably see, but if a person was attentive enough, they'll notice.

 

"Are you sad?" she asked.

 

"No, I'm not". Truthfully, he didn't know. He wasn't able to feel the burden of his problems until awhile ago. His problems made him emotionless, not sad. It all of his emotions away, leaving an empty heart; preventing him from feeling sad.

 

"I think you are"

 

Chanyeol looked at the girl. "You think so?"

 

"Yeah, why are you sad?" There was no emotion in her voice. Like Chanyeol's heart, it was filled with emptiness.

 

"Maybe because there's nothing to be happy about"

 

"You could always find something or someone that can make you happy"

 

"Getting that something or someone is unattainable"

 

The girl stopped for a moment. "I know". There was understanding in her voice. "Sad people are sad because they chose to be sad than to be happy. There's always that something or someone that can make them happy. But they think it’s impossible to get it. They never realize that they can if they work hard. Or they could find another thing or person to give joy to them. Sad people just keep looking at negative things that they turn a blind eye and forget to be happy. That's why they're sad"

 

The room became silent. The gentle rustle of the paper cranes hanging on the ceiling was loud to their ears. The soft hum of the air conditioner was clamorous. Chanyeol moved a little bit, making small shuffling noises on the wrinkled bed sheets.

 

"Are you also sad?" he asked the girl.

 

The girl heaved a sigh. A longing one. "Maybe", she said.

 

Her answer was a mystery to Chanyeol. Many questions filled his head as he thought of her answer. He didn't think it was an answer at all. In the end, it was left hanging in the air.

 

"Sad people think they're alone in this world", she said. "They don't realize that there's a person there wanting to comfort them".

 

"How come you know so much about sad people?"

 

The girl went quiet for awhile. "I don’t know", she paused. "Maybe I really am sad."

 

Chanyeol faced her for a moment; trying to decipher her mysterious emotion. But nothing came up on his mind. She was inscrutable; a girl full of mystery. Chanyeol suddenly noticed the white paper crane, still in his hands. He looked at the last paper crane hanging on the string across the wall. The numbers 269 was written on it. The paper crane he was holding is a piece separated from the other paper cranes hanging on the wall. It was supposed to be the 270th paper crane; hanged beside the 269th.

 

"I suppose this is yours", he said handing the paper crane to the girl.

 

"It is mine", she said; surprised. "I've been wondering why my paper cranes keep on getting lost this week".

 

"Make sure to keep them safe. Some people might step on it", he said, remembering the time when he accidentally stepped on one.

 

"I will", she said as she took the delicate paper crane from his hands.

 

The girl looked at the paper crane as if it was very precious to her. Her eyes became soft as she straightened out the wings of the limp paper crane. That simple gesture made him smile. It amused him that the girl could be so caring towards a single object.

 

Chanyeol suddenly laughed. The girl jerked her head towards Chanyeol; her face still emotionless.

 

"Why are you laughing?" she asked.

 

"I realized that we haven't really known each other yet. Yet, we were engaged in a serious conversation awhile ago like we've known each other from the very start", he said; smiling like a Cheshire cat.

 

"You're right"

 

"I'm Park Chanyeol"

 

"My name's Han Hyejin"

 

They shook hands, her brittle fingers on his sinewy ones. Chanyeol realized that his heart wasn't beating fast anymore. In fact, it was beating comfortably; beating in its normal pace. Their hands lingered for a moment before letting go.

 

"I like your company, Chanyeol", Hyejin said.

 

"Is that so?"

 

"Yeah", she replied. Chanyeol smiled.

 

The door suddenly opened, revealing a very sweaty Miyoung. Her fringe, drenched by sweat, stuck to her forehead and her hair was sticking out in different angles. Miyoung pulled out her tie from her lopsided pony tail and flashed them both a grin.

 

"So, I suppose you had fun?" she said in between quick breaths.

 

Hyejin shrugged. "We just talked".

 

"As expected. That was just me being optimistic"

 

Miyoung pulled out her wallet from her bag and handed Chanyeol a wad of money.

 

"There's your 20,000 won. I kind of expected you to not return here again. But judging from both of your faces, I'm probably wrong"

 

Chanyeol and Hyejin both stole a glance at eachother; unsure of the hidden meaning of Miyoung's words. Chanyeol took the money from Miyoung's sweaty hands and stored it in his pocket.

 

"Well, this girl–", she said putting both of her hands on Hyejin's shoulders "–will be taking medication now".

 

"That's my cue to leave then", Chanyeol said.

 

"Wait, what's your name?" Miyoung asked.

 

"Park Chanyeol"

 

"Well, Chanyeol. We hope to see you again", she said; in her normal blithesome voice.

 

"Bye", Hyejin said, her dark orbs looking at him.

 

"Bye", he replied. Those dark orbs didn't scare him anymore. In fact, he found them beautiful.

 

Chanyeol stood up and went towards the door. He grabbed the doorknob; his hand lingering there for a second before finally turning it. Chanyeol entered the quiet hall again, closing the door softly behind him. The smile was still plastered in his face as he headed towards his father's room. The mysterious quiet hall was brighter and happier this time. Light shone from the windows, making the atmosphere cheery and bringing life to the white bleached walls. The mischievous glint in Chanyeol's eyes appeared again, making him look like the happy virus that he once were. His mouth was turned up in a smile that showed his many teeth. For the first time in months, Chanyeol was smiling.

 

 

a/n:

Thank you so much for reading this chapter until the last(if you did). I won't force you to subscribe/comment. I will still update if you don't. I'm just saying that I'd be happy if you do. Just comment/subscribe if you want to. I'm not that good in writing stories yet but hopefully I improved. That's all. Hope you like it~1