Kapitel 8: CHAPTER 8: THOUGHTS AND CONTEMPLATIONS

Location: Hana-Puellaweo City - MedExpert Hospital

Evening

Weather Condition: Rainy

Everything happened so fast. I could barely grasp the incident earlier within our classroom. As soon as Jun coughed out something strange, he began to hyperventilate before passing out. Someone already called the ambulance and rushed him to MedExpert—it was the only Hospital that would give the best treatment to the sick.

Unfortunately, not all can get that kind of service.

I decided to tag along while waiting for his mother. My instinct tells me to do so. I have the feeling I should know what was going on. It is my chance to discover the truth. I asked our instructor to come with him because their residency is out of the city. It will take an hour for Jun's mother to arrive. I got the permission since I got told as I am the only one he has right now.

I felt uneasy when the instructor said that. I didn't know what to say, so I just nodded.

Hours have passed, I remained outside of Jun's room. It was already dark outdoors, but it's insanely bright in this Hospital. This place isn't giving me comfort. Instead, it making me even more anxious as I wait.

"What's taking so long?" My foot kept tapping on the floor with my fingers that were fidgeting. I'm feeling restless thinking about what was happening in that emergency room. He's not dying, is he? How bad was it? Why wouldn't anyone tell me about this?

I wrapped my arms around my head as my palms slid down on my face. The bustling noise in the Hospital began getting muffled. These people were walking too fast, I couldn't tell if they were even striding. I need to relax. It isn't gonna help me get the truth from all this.

I began to breathe in and out slowly to calm myself down. Breaking down should be something I have to avoid, no matter what happens. Act strong. BE STRONG.

"Phew..." My voice may still be trembling, yet my purpose here is unwavering. It is my only chance to get back to him. If it is something unbearable, would that still be possible to happen? "Ugh, stop being so negative...!" I slapped myself impulsively.

At last, the door swung open as a few of the nurses and doctors left the room. I quickly stood up and blocked their way to inquire them, "How is he? Is he still breathing?" It was a stupid and insensitive question, but that'll do.

Waiting for their response, they looked at me cautiously. Why are they giving me that look? Is there something wrong on how I look right now? I furrowed my brows. What's with these people? "What? Tell me something!"

"Where is his guardian?" Asked the other Doctor, the last one to step out of the room. He looks familiar, but I am not sure where I saw him. If I kept asking how Jun was, he will only repeat to himself where his mother was.

"...She's on her way."

"You know his mother?" He added another inquiry.

"Yes. We used to be neighbors," I shifted my gaze towards the door as I tried to peek through the opening. He followed where I was looking at before staring back at me again. I stopped fidgeting by putting my hands in my cardigan's pocket so I could communicate comfortably. Noticing my actions, he beamed a smile at me.

"You must be miss Kim Yoona," he mentioned my name out of the blue. I was confused where he got my name from.

"Our patient repeatedly asks about a grumpy looking lady around his age named 'Kim Yoona' if she's waiting out here," he said with an unfazed smile.

Okay, what the actual fuck did this guy call me? I am offended.

My eye began to twitch in irritation while my cardigan began to stretch down with my fists pressing to my thighs. The lady nurse caught up to what was happening and immediately tapped the Doctor's shoulder. "I think we shouldn't have worded it that way?"

"Is that so? I'm sorry about that. I'll mind my choice of words," the Doctor apologized in a hurry and soon checked his wristwatch.

"If you'll excuse me, I have other matters to deal with first. Please wait for the guardian to arrive here. His condition is now stable. The nurse will notify his mother about his current state as well. Well then," Just as he was about to leave, my arms moved on their own to grab onto his white coat due to my growing impatience within me.

"Wait! Do you know what was wrong with him? Does he have a terrible heart condition?"

"That's..." They all wore the same expression, which I recognized fully. It's just as my classmates showed me back then. I had a feeling they won't tell me unless the mother said so. I tightened my grip and won't let him go. I don't want to meet the mother. I want to know the answers from them since they are the ones who are treating him.

"Please, tell me. I'm Jun's best friend. I want to know the reason why he's like this," as desperate as I sound right now, I pleaded as my eyes began blurring in tears. It may be something you called 'acting,' but it's my only option to pretend to be someone who cares. I know it's not a good thing, even I had to use that term that I've been avoiding. I'm that desperate.

The Doctor looked me in the eyes with a solemn face as he contemplates to answer my plea. It was a simple request. And yet, difficult to correspond. While exchanging gazes once again, the Doctor finally replies, "To be fully honest with you, dear, we were told not to tell anyone other than the guardian about this," I gently let his coat go and stepped back. I knew they would say that to me.

"...But know that there will be consequences if this reaches someone else."

"What...do you mean by that? Is it that bad?" That's indeed concerning. It is so bad it could kill him at any time?

"We could say it that way. Although, to be frank, his condition is...undeniably bizarre. It's no terrible circulatory condition, but it may be close to that, like his respiratory. It's—"

"Doctor—" The lady nurse interrupted him, shaking her head with a furrowed brow. It seems to be confidential, and they must not leak Jun's unexplainable sickness.

"I'm sorry, kid. I think you should ask your friend yourself. It's best for you to wait for him to be ready to tell you," He apologetically patted my shoulder before taking their leave. Their shoes clack against the smooth white floor, and soon the noise faded out. I slumped down on the bench and began to rethink what the Doctor shared with me.

"It's close to his heart, and it is most likely his lungs..." He doesn't have a history of asthma. But it is possible to get one as long as it's from their genes. What I couldn't get was what they said earlier. Bizarre? How?

Wait. Was it the flower petal? Come to think of it, they did not mention anything about that part. Could it be that was the strange symptom he is showing to the doctors? That can't be—it's too unbelievable. Was the joke about eating a fruit's seed whole will grow inside your stomach playing with me? No, that's just a way to scare kids. And it's not that a flower is growing in his stomach but in his lungs.

These thoughts of mine are absurd.

I sighed, completely frustrated. I should probably leave for now. I don't really plan meeting with Jun's mother here. Stirring some trouble must be avoided at all cost. We're also in public, too. I wouldn't risk going to that extent. I'm also tired from waiting for the Doctors out here for too long.

As I sluggishly stood up, I heard someone hurriedly run towards me and grab me by my arm. At first, I thought they were some random person asking for directions because the Hospital is truly massive. But I guessed it wrong.

"You. What are you doing here?" Said the woman who angrily questioned my presence in this Hospital. Her complexion is more agitated than the last time I saw her. Oh, it must be fate. An unfortunate fate to meet someone like her again. I thought I had enough time to get information from the Doctors, and yet I didn't have much luck in the end.

I yanked my arm off her grip and kept myself composed. I must remain calm towards this woman. I don't want to be blamed in any sorts tonight. But even if she still continue pushing the blame onto me, then I wouldn't hold back either. "Good evening...Mrs. Lee."

We meet again, bitch. Unfortunately, I won't be able to humor you this evening.