'I'm so tired."
That doesn't really mean anything anymore. I feel like everyone in this hospital is perpetually tired. I'm the lucky one, I'm off in an hour.
"One day I won't be tired" I mumble to myself and refresh my worklist.
A bright pink order pops up amid the gray background, stat. I look closer at the order on the screen Shin, Tae Woo. Tae... Woo...
"That sounds korean."
I questioned at the end of my statement. I clicked some more to locate this Tae Woo Shin. He is in the emergency department, bed 4. A little note was left next to his age that states, 'W8 4 KOREAN TRANSL8.'
appreciate their effective use of numerical abbreviations. I chuckle to myself as I grab my machine and roll it out my door. My suspicions were correct.
"This must be Mr. Shin's lucky day."
Knock Knock
I tap quickly on the door, it's just hospital etiquette but I usually never wait for a response, as I peer my head through the door. I blink twice and my mouth drops as I see a literal angel sitting in the bed. A shaking, crying angel, but an angel nonetheless. His face is glowing, his jaw is sharp. His wet long eyelashes are being held down by the tears. His face is flushed with the most beautiful shade of pink. His lips. They are pouted, red, and glossy. I close my mouth and get out a "Hello, my name is Rina" I know I am blushing now, I'm not good around ethereal crying men. He shakes his head, and I see the tears fall more. I am questioning all of my choices at this moment, giving myself a metaphorical pat on the back for making the right ones. I also am starting to wonder if I have a crying kink, but I'll think about that notion later. I don't need to be blushing more in this situation. My gaze sharpens as I tum to face him, my mind begins to focus. I mean it's the wee hours of the morning, but how does it go again?
"Do you speak Korean?"
I managed to get that out in subpar Korean, and he responds with a head shake up and down.
"Hello, my name is Rina. I am here to..
I don't know any medical words in Korean.
"I am here to look at... here"
I just point at my kidneys and hope he gets the gist enough to give me consent for the ultrasound. He nods his head once again, he seems more comfortable because his tears have stopped for now.
"Hello, my name is Shin Tae Woo. Nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you as well." I replied.
It goes silent, which is fine for me. It's usually quiet when I scan, but I am secretly hoping he will speak to me more. I immediately stop the thoughts in their tracks, I am a medical professional and he is a patient. Nothing more. He deserves the utmost care and to receive treatment in peace. I grab some towels from behind my machine and start to lift his shirt so that I can tuck the towels. My hands are grabbed and he stares at me,"What are you doing? This is hardly decent." He barely managed to get the words out but they were almost too formal.
His cheeks and ears are now a new shade of pink. I like that shade better. I start to blush realizing what I just did. This is exactly what I didn't want to do. Make an angel feel uncomfortable around me.
"I am sorry, but it is for my exam." his grip loosens and he slightly rubs then pats my
hands and places his own by his sides quickly. I can't process his movements. I hope I didn't embarrass him. I hope he isn't scared. He flinches as I raise his shirt and tuck the towels. I dare to take a glance at his abs. They are... great. Who am I kidding? Great. They are more than great, I don't know where he was hiding this body. His torso is broad and tapered at the waist, he has V lines, and I think 8 abs? Is that possible? My thoughts continue, until I think of Sunday. Am I off? I hope I am because I think I should go to church. I need Jesus. By now I have started the ultrasound, and remained silent. I will leave tere after I complete the exam. I will type the report, send it to the radiologist, and I will go to church. I won't look back.
My silence is broken by a, "why do you speak Korean?" A smile flashes at me. I am now going to heaven, God is thanking me for deciding to go to church this weekend. A glorious smile, almost a little devious, but in the sweetest way possible. I didn't know I was like this, do I believe in love at first sight?
"My best friend is a crazy K-pop fan but I do everything she does because I love her, so here I am somewhat fluent in Korean."
"Are you Korean?" He asked somewhat coyly
"Well, no. Do I look like it?"
"Your name Ri Na sounds Korean." I smile, I am probably blushing too.
"My name is Marina, like a.. Umm.. a.. beach?" I really didn't know how to say harbor so I said beach but I totally pronounced it wrong, hopefully he understands, I feel so was embarrassed that I didn't understand your name. I thought you were Korean and you aren't. Please forgive me." His speech was formal again, but warm like the touch of his hand. The smile on his face was an apology that I didn't even deserve. I misunderstood too, I hardly know this guy, but he feels extremely familiar already. I know without a doubt he would never mock me for something I didn't know. I start to hear the syllables come from his mouth,
"Ma" I watch as his lips part,
"Ri" I see a smile beaming behind the last noise
"Na"
"That is a beautiful name" I am now dead. God has thanked me for going to church, I don't have the heart to tell God, I've never been. This glorious angel was sent to me today. I've gotten him to stop crying for now, so I will just keep him company for the remainder of the exam. I will wish him well, and I will… What's wrong with me?
He is a patient. The thought wont stop nagging.
I finally am able to observe the true golden color coming from his eyes, they seemed almost like a different color with the white of his eyes red from crying. He appears to be very emotional, which is an amazing quality in a man.
He is a patient. It echoes louder.
I wonder how he will cry when he gets the results. I wish I could be here to see it, and this time not to satisfy my own selfish desire to watch beautiful men cry.
He is a patient. The thought has become deafening.
I would want to be there to comfort him, to tell him it is alright. He must be scared here alone, barely speaking English. I keep scanning.
He is a patient. It is now a whisper.
I finally returned his words, "Thank you."