“Excuse me, where can we find patient Lee Se-Won?” Se-Young asked with her weak voice. “Room number 104.” and the receptionist replied as if she had memorized all the information related to the patients.
Dong-Hoon and Se-Young looked at each other weirdly, she gave a patient’s asset without any query.
Still, they gave her their thanks and moved away to the room, the hospital was very unusual, the corridor, rooms, and everything else were short, narrow and almost dirty.
They reached a weird-looking ward with the number 104 was written outside on the door. Se-Young looked at Dong-Hoon and he nodded his head, opening the door for her.
They went inside and found a young lad was lying on the bed sleeping soundly and the room was the shabbiest thing one hospital could have.
Se-Young felt like crying looking at him but controlled herself. “You sheep woman, don’t you dare cry again.” Dong-Hoon warned her and she chuckled softly at his joke but the lump in her throat was still there and with the light rustles the young lad squirmed in the bed, indicating that he was waking up from his deep sleep.
When he sat up, he frowned his eyebrows rubbing his eyes looking at two unfamiliar faces in front of him and when his blurriness cleared, he got shocked looking at the girl.
It was the same girl his father showed a picture of telling him that she was his sister but still, he asked to confirm his doubt. “Are... you my sister... Se-Young?” Se-Young widened her eyes at the fact that he knew her while Dong-Hoon was just standing close to her with a poker face.
“You... know me?” she asked biting on her lower lip afterward. The boy instantly got a cheerful look on his face and her question confirmed that she was his sister.
He nodded cheerfully. “Yeah, dad told me about you.” she again became sad hearing the word ‘dad’ from his mouth. Controlling her emotions, she just went closer to him.
“How are you feeling?” she asked caressing his hair, her eyes getting teary as she bit on her lower lip feeling something new. The feeling of having a sibling was this joyous she did not know but it was not only joyous since he was very sick.
“I am really fine, just tired. I really wanted to meet you.” the young lad was really happy to see her.
She gulped. “Where is... where is...” she wanted to ask about her father but just could not bring herself to utter that specific word. “What is your father young man?” Dong-Hoon asked, his voice rather sounding rude and it was now only that Se-Won acknowledged that a guy also came along with his sister.
“Big sis, is he your husband?” he curiously asked checking Dong-Hoon out from top to bottom. Hering the question Se-Young widened her eyes but Dong-Hoon felt really happy that his crappy mood instantly changed.
“I like this guy.” he commented and Se-Young just gave him a side glare.
“Oh, dad has gone for his part-time job.” Se-Won answered Dong-Hoon’s question. “Part-time, at this time?” Se-Young asked frowning her eyebrows.
“Yeah, actually he takes care of me, whole day and sleeps here for few hours and then goes to a restaurant, working as a waiter."
“So, he knows how to act like a father.” Se-Young mumbled and Dong-Hoon heard it. “Then we will come back tomorrow.” Dong-Hoon said taking Se-Young’s hand.
“Brother-in-law.” Se-Won called Dong-Hoon at which Se-Young scrunched her nose in irritation. “He is not my husband.” Se-Young said through her gritted teeth.
“Yeah, soon-to-be husband.” Dong-Hoon added smirking at her and she slightly punched him on his chest. “Shut up.” and Dong-Hoon received yet another glare from her which he found cute.
“Can my sister stay with me for a little longer?” he asked Dong-Hoon since Dong-Hoon was still holding Se-Young’s hand. “Why do you need to ask him? and you, leave my hand.” Se-Young tried to pull her hand from Dong-Hoon but he did not let her hand go.
“First, she can’t. Second, I will not.” he said to both siblings one by one, flicking his tongue.
But suddenly Se-Young felt as if everything around her was getting blurry and dark and she fainted. Fortunately, before she could land on the floor Dong-Hoon held her in his arms.
“What happened to her?” Se-Won asked worriedly in a visible panic.
“I don’t know.” Dong-Hoon said looking at the pale girl in his arms.
…
Se-Young woke up in a quite neat room of the hospital and she noticed the IV attached to her arm. She turned her head to the other side to observe her surroundings and found Dong-Hoon standing and glaring at her.
Just like any other time he started with his flood of questions with her again. “What did you have for lunch?” he was looking at her as if he could pierce daggers into her soul.
She turned her head away from him, gulping hard on her saliva. “Or should I ask how many times you used the inhaler unnecessarily?” just like his habit he has changed the question, not getting the answer of the previous one.
“I just had a lot on my mind.” she said hesitantly covering half of her face with the sheet. “Is it because of your brother?” she rolled her eyes at his habit of asking questions constantly. “No.”
“Then...” Dong-Hoon was cut off by his phone’s ringtone and he just gave her a side glare before picking up the call. “Hello, mom.”
Se-Young widened her eyes sitting up straight, she was wondering if Dong-Hoon would tell her about this. “Se-Young...” he smirked looking at her, threatening her through his eyes like ‘Do you want me to tell her’.
She made the most pitiful face of the century, holding her hands together and shaking her head, she did not want to worry Jung-Nan and get her worked-up at the mention of Se-Jung's name.