| march 31, 2018 | 9:46 pm est
L e a h.
I hear far away voices floating around me. I can't make out their exact words but it progressively gets louder in my ears.
I continue to lay in the uncomfortable bed, that could not possibly be mine, unable to open my eyes.
Open.
Just open already—
I squint as the brightly lit room blooms into my vision, finally getting rid of the darkness. I try to sit up in the weird bed, but decide against it when my head begins to throb.
I groan outwardly, causing a few hurried shuffles.
"Leah...?"
"Hm—" My voice comes out raspy and hoarse.
"Hey... How are you feeling?" I recognize the voice as Harin's.
I turn my head to see her sitting in the small chair beside the bed. "Did you bring me here...?" My words sounded scratchy and broken as I spoke. Harin noticed that and moved to get me a glass of water.
"Thank you," I mumble after I gulp down the glass.
She nods with a sympathetic smile. "I found you in the bathroom, passed out."
I sigh heavily, "Thanks for that too..."
"Your mom is in the cafe, or on her way back."
"Shit..." I curse, knowing the moment she gets in here all hell will break loose. "I'm really sorry, she must've been a handful... And I distracted you from work."
"Don't worry about it Leah," She waves me off. "And, your mom isn't that bad. All she's been doing since she got here is pacing around the room, and mumbling some words." Harin was shrugging as she spoke. She didn't understand that that was my mother's tell.
Pacing and mumbling meant she was livid. And I can only guess why...
"I'm so screwed," I groan while trying, and failing, to sit up again.
Harin laughs at my comment of truth. "I'll get the doctor for you. He can adjust the bed for you."
I slump back into the surprisingly, semi-comfortable hospital bed, as Harin exits the room. The time it takes for her to get the doctor is short but it gives me a few moments to try and remember what happened.
I just needed a few minutes to catch my breath... How did I end up passing out? I sigh at the thought and shift in the bed.
My head turns in the direction of the door as I hear it creak open. "Hello Miss Min, how are you feeling?" The doctor asks as he approaches the bed.
"I'm fine," I croak out. "My head hurts a little."
"Well, that's totally normal." He smiles and goes to adjust the bed so I'm sitting up properly.
Once he does so, he straightens and gestures to the other person in the room. "I'm Dr. Hale and this is Nurse Jackie." The nurse waved to me with a smile. "She'll be the one checking in with you every few hours, and the one who comes if you ever press that button—" He points to the chord attached to the bed. "It signifies that you need help with something."
I give a slight nod, in understanding. "Okay..."
"I'd like to ask you a few questions..." I stiffen at his words, which he notices. "You don't have to be nervous or anything. We can have everyone leave the room if you'd like..." He begins to silently shoo everyone out when I stay silent at his offer.
I keep my gaze on the quilted blanket draped over my torso. Only raising it once he begins speaking again. "Now that everyone's out, I want you to be completely honest when answering. I'm not here to judge you," He finishes with a smile that I find in-genuine.
I sigh and wait for him to continue.
"How often do you eat?"
I huff out a laugh. "Straight to the point huh... I eat whenever I have time to."
"And how many times a day is that?"
"Depends on if I'm busy."
He looks up from his clipboard. "Can you give me a range?"
"Alright..." I pause to think for a moment. "Maybe twice...? Three at the most."
"And when you do eat— Is is a full meal or something small?"
"Again, it depends. But most of the time it's something small." He hums in response. "How long do I have to stay here?" I ask while running my hand over my face.
"We need to monitor a few things at the moment but you shouldn't be here for longer than two weeks..."
"Two weeks?! I—"
"Miss Min... This is your second time coming to the hospital for this condition. We want to help you so you don't have to go back to Chestnut."
"It's nothing like that..." I mutter.
"We need to make sure it's not."
I sigh and look up at him again. "I understand... But there's nothing wrong with me."
"You fainted Miss Min. If there was nothing wrong, it wouldn't have happened." He sure was pushy... "You have a concussion from the impact of your fall. Another reason we'll be keeping you here."
I cross my arms at that. "Normal concussion patients may leave after diagnosis... So that shouldn't be a factor in why I'm stuck here."
I honestly don't know why I'm so sassy today...
He chuckles, "You're completely correct... But normal concussion patients are not bleeding from a wound on their heads. Yours is more severe."
As the words leave his mouth, a throb of pain surges from my head and I wince. "I wish you wouldn't have said that..." I mumble, raising my hand to my forehead.
"I'll get Nurse Jackie to bring in some painkillers for you." With that he makes his way out of the room, leaving the door wide open for my mother to storm in.
The look on her face tells me I'm in deep shit. And I'm not ready for her to chew me out just yet.
"Leah Meliora Min!" She shouts. My full name—Oh she's livid. She then proceeds to yell at me solely in Korean, not even stopping when the doctor and nurse return.
"Mom, please," I mumble, my head pounding profusely.
"Oh don't '엄마' me Leah!" She points a shaky finger at me. "Do you know how worried I was to have some random girl call me and tell me you were being brought to a hospital?!"
"죄송해요... (I'm sorry)," I can't meet her eyes. I can only imagine how she must've felt...
Dr. Hale shifts on his feet awkwardly at the sight. "U-um Mrs. Min..." My mother turns her glare onto him, causing him to tense up. I laugh silently. My mother surely could make anyone shake in their boots with a simple, yet deathly, glare.
"Due to Leah's condition, she is very sensitive to loud noises. With your yelling, I'm afraid she may feel worse."
My mother simply scoffs at the man before her and continues yelling at me.
"Why?! Just—" She pauses for a moment, taking deep breaths. "Just tell me why... Why do you do it?" Her voice cracks slightly at the words.
I keep my head low, disappointed at myself for causing her pain. My eyes fill up as I reply, "I-I don't know..."