Chapter 05: Bits and Pieces

Everything’s black. Taeyeon’s head felt so heavy, making it hard for her to open her eyes. Slowly, she tried opening them and a white ceiling met her gaze. She looks around the room: cream-colored walls, a flat-screen TV hanging on the wall in front of her, two doors, a couch on her right side with a table adorned with flowers beside it, she’s in bed with white sheets, she’s also wearing white and… IV drip? She thought curiously. Then she touched her head and she just noticed that it’s actually bandaged.

Wait, I’m in a hospital? W-what happened?

She’s all alone in the room, started to get up but her body felt so tired that she can’t even lift a limb. Then the room starts to spin and she inwardly groaned at the pain in her head. Before her thoughts of getting up could go further, the door opened and a man, who looked like he’s the same age as her, with dressed in a white lab coat and clipboard in hand came in. “Oh good, you’re awake again.” He smiled in greeting. “How are you feeling?”

Again?  “I’m fine.” She said. “Tired, head hurts a bit when I moved but overall, I’m fine. And what do you mean by ‘again’?”

“You were awake a few days ago but you probably didn’t remember much of it. You suffered from a head injury after the car accident and you’re still recovering.” He started scribbling something in his paper and it gave her the time to recall things. Blurry bits of flashbacks came to her but all she could recall was her car crashing because she was trying to avoid… another car? An animal? A person? She can’t remember vividly. It also gave her the extra time to study his features. How come her doctor is so hot and handsome? He looked like some kind of model who stepped out from a magazine then decided to study medicine.

“Umm, Doctor—uh..?” He’s standing too far that she can’t clearly see his name on his name badge.

“Baekhyun. My name’s Byun Baekhyun.” There’s that smile again. She had to admit, his smile made her feel a bit better. It made him look friendly and cute.

Taeyeon gave him a smile in return. “Hello, Doctor Byun. Uhh, why am I here alone? Where’s my family?” She can’t help but ask. She needed to know where they were.

“Your family’s not here although they just left this morning while you were still asleep. Your parents had work and your siblings are at school.”

Her heart sank. Why wouldn’t her family, at least one of them, stayed with her at a time like this? Taeyeon felt like crying. She really needed someone right now but no one’s with her. Not even a single friend. She breathed deep, she refused to break down in front of her doctor. If she cries, she’ll just hurt her head more.

“Taeyeon?” Baekhyun’s soft tone made her look at him in the eye. He looked at her gently but she also saw the sadness in his eyes. As if reading her mind, “They’ll drop by later. Don’t worry.” He assured her.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Anything else you want to know?”

“How long will I be here?”

“Only for a few days but I guarantee it won’t be a week.”

“Oh, well that’s good.”

They fell into an awkward silence until he spoke, “Would you like some company?”

Yeah, a ‘friend’ to talk to would be nice. But she shook her head and declined. “You’re probably busy and have other patients to tend to. Thanks for the offer, though.”

“Actually, you’re my only patient as of now.” He smiled sheepishly at her and she felt her cheeks redden.

“Nah, I also like to sleep again so I probably won’t keep you interested in our talk.”

“Alright, go get some sleep. Your family would be here anytime soon. I’ll check on you again later.”

“Okay. Thanks again.” Taeyeon felt grateful that her doctor’s nice. And what a sight he is. He left shortly after and she went back to sleep.

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Taeyeon was out of the hospital six days after her she regained consciousness for the second time. The pain in her head was slowly starting to fade and she felt good. Her parents took her back home to their house and she wondered why.

“Why am I staying your house?” She asked her mom as she helped her prepare dinner in the kitchen.

“So that we could look after you and besides, it’s only for a few days. You’ll be back to… your house by then.” Her mom sounded unsure at the last part and before she could ask, the doorbell started to ring. “Could you get that for a moment?”

“Yeah, sure.”

A familiar face greeted her when she opened the door.

“Doctor Byun? What are you doing here?”

“Hello Taeyeon. And please, just Baekhyun. I’m not in working right now.” He smiled at her and she marvelled at how good he looks in casual clothes. “I’m just here to know if you’re feeling well.”

“I’m… good?” That’s strange. A doctor who doesn’t even know her going to their house just to know if she’s feeling well when she was just absolutely fine the moment they left the hospital. He said so himself that she’s all good to go.

“Baekhyun!” Taeyeon’s mother’s voice cut in between their conversation. “You’re here. Come in!”

“Good evening  Mrs. Kim.” Baekhyun bowed in respect and Taeyeon’s even more confused than before. She let him in and they situated themselves in the lounging area of the house.

“Mom? You invited him?” She turned to her mother and they both give Taeyeon a look that she couldn’t tell.

“No, but he’s always welcome here at home so he doesn’t really need an invitation.”

“Always? Do you happen to know him? I don’t remember you have a friend who’s a doctor.” Taeyeon knew that she somehow sound rude especially knowing that the subject of their topic is standing right with them. She shifted her attention to Baekhyun and, “I’m sorry if I sound unpleasant but how come I’m just curious. I’m really, really sorry.”

“No, don’t apologize. It’s alright.” Baekhyun looked at her mom and she nodded. Okay, what was that? And her mom went back to the kitchen, leaving them alone. It was just like that day in the hospital again where there’s awkwardness in the air in result of their silence.

She decided to break it this time with a simple, “How do you know my mom?”

He sat straight and looked at her directly. “Not just your mom. I actually know your family for quite a while now.”

“And that include