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Most of the nurses talked about them. About how that boy with the sad eyes comes almost every day to see Ahn Suho from room 3203.
How the boy would sit outside the room, sometimes on the floor directly in front of the door, sometimes on the chairs nearby, sometimes he would just lean his back against the wall and close his eyes. They had all seen him more than once, there were many theories about their relationship.
The first theory was guilt , that boy with the big eyes was the one who caused Ahn Suho's hospitalization, so he comes to see him to relieve the weight on his chest.
That was only the first few weeks, the way he cried was not guilt, it was pure pain. A pain that is not carried by those who have done wrong, but by those who carry a guilt that does not belong to them. A what if.
After that, a few thought they were related, maybe siblings? That theory was quickly discarded, it didn't make sense. Especially because the first nurses to enter that room during the first days saw how the look of the boy with the sad eyes was very similar to those people who accompanied their partners, that look of concern that carries pain. Grief.
Best friends? It was what followed. It made sense. But there was something much deeper.
When 4 months had passed, and Sieun—now the boy was recognized with a name, as the people who were in charge of the visits were overcome with curiosity—would come during the night, even at 3 o'clock in the morning, sometimes before school hours. He would just sit there and type on his phone.
Then a lot of people at the hospital thought about it, but they didn't talk about it among themselves. Boyfriends?
It was the most obvious thing.
-
"Good morning. It's almost time for school to start, and you look hungry" Nurse Park said to Sieun as she held out a sandwich in her hand.
He just watched her then took it carefully, almost suspiciously.
"Thank you" was all he said.
She just offered him a smile and went on her way.
There were other days where he would come into the room, didn’t happen often, but he did from time to time. Whether it was with Ahn Suho's grandmother, or when one of the cleaning people came in.
In there he would just answer Suho's grandmother when she said something, or so commented some people who passed in front of the room with curiosity.
"How long have you known him?" one of them dared to ask after 6 months. "I mean, before all this."
"Two months" Oh.
"He must have been very important to you, I'm sure that when he wakes up he'll be very happy" was all she could say.
Sieun just nodded.
Weeks passed, and he was still here. Some of the people who worked at the hospital thought the worst of that boy's condition.
" What if he never wakes up? "
" What if he wakes up and has severe brain damage? "
" What if something happens to that boy's grandmother while he sleeps?”
The answer was always the same.
" At least Sieun will be there for him”
One day Nurse Min dared to assume aloud.
"Your boyfriend maybe needs a haircut" she joked waiting for a reaction from the boy sitting in the chairs in front of the room.
A silence.
"I think so" he said almost in a whisper "Are there scissors here? Or should I bring them from home?"
Nurse Min offered him a smile and a little laugh. "I know where to find them! If you want I can bring them in and help you cut his hair" She saw him nod and then she ran.
-
On another day, Hyesun, the cleaning lady from the 14:00 pm shift saw him enter the room with her. She watched out of the corner of her eye as he sat near the window, but looking at Suho. Hyesun took her time, maybe it was unprofessional, but curiosity was always bigger.
After about 10 minutes, Sieun had fallen asleep, she could see the sweat on the boy's forehead as the sun was pointed directly at his back, and then she noticed.
If Sieun moved from there, the sun would reach the sleeping boy's face.
Hyesun could only pray that when he wakes up, they can love each other without pain and without interruption.
365 days.
That's how long Ahn Suho had been in coma.
And that same day Sieun arrived early in the morning with bags of food. It was Saturday, and Suho's visits had no set schedule.
Sieun sat next to Suho's bed, and as the nurse on duty finished the vital signs she heard him.
"Happy birthday" Sieun opened the bag and from there she could smell the seaweed soup.
"Sorry I didn't come earlier, I had exams and mom wouldn't let me leave the house" he apologized.
"Should I bring some balloons?" Nurse Park said, although she and others did celebrate Suho's birthday with some balloons and softly singing the song, they had found it strange that Sieun wasn't here, but at least now she knows why.
"No need" She didn't insist, she preferred to leave him alone, so he could have privacy, she could tell he had a lot to talk about.
530 days.
550 days.
600 days.
He never failed. He was always there. In front of that door.
"How did you two meet?" asked Hyesun as she mopped the hallway in front of room 3203 and watched Sieun type on his phone.
"At school" simple as that.
"And how long had you two been dating?" she could see the surprise in the sad-eyed boy.
"Sorry for the question, I was just trying to make some conversation" she laughed, mopping faster to get out of this situation.
"I don't know exactly" she heard him say as he cleared his throat.
She just hid her smile, Nurse Park has to know about this.
-
When two of the women at the front desk saw Sieun leave the hospital earlier than usual, following a boy in glasses and an orange jacket, they looked at each other. It hadn't been long since he had arrived, he was leaving already?
They forgot about it for a few days, but the young man with the pretty eyes didn't show up. He didn't visit for a few days. Some were worried, others just said " It's not our problem, we can't be meddling in other people's business " to then say " I bet he shows up this week, maybe he just had exams "
"Maybe he got bored and wants to move on with his life" Dr. Min received stares during lunch.
The day Ahn Suho had a cardiac arrest, and they couldn't reach his grandmother, many already knew who they had to call.
"Hello?" she felt the agitated response.
"Hello? Is this Mr. Yeon Sieun's phone?"
"Yes, that's me."
God, why did she have to make the call to this poor boy?
"Ah, I'm calling from Sungang University Hospital. Patient Ahn Suho is in critical condition" she tried to explain quickly "I couldn't reach anyone and found your number in the visitor log" She didn't have to look much, she knew he was the right person to call.
Silence.
"What?"
But she also knew that Suho's guardian was the one who should be here.
"Do you know how to reach his guardian or any other family?"
Sieun and Suho's grandmother were the only people visiting him, but she needed to ask that question. But also the words just came out of her mouth.
"Or maybe you can come instead?"
Silence .
"Hello?"
Silence.
She heard the horn of a truck.
"Hello?"
The call ended.
What the hell just happened?
Hours later, when patient Ahn's pulse was already stable, and the young man's grandmother was already at the hospital. Someone overheard her calling—as far as could be assumed, Sieun—apologizing and saying that everything was all right now. That there was nothing to worry about.
Not long after, they saw him again. He came in wearing hospital clothes, a dark grey hoodie and empty eyes.
They didn't ask him any questions, just gave him the corresponding papers to write down his name and let him pass.
Did this happen because he learned about Suho's condition?
A doctor who was hanging around the rooms saw him enter, almost like a ghost. No more than 3 minutes passed and he came out again, with a face full of sorrow and anguish, but at the same time, relief.
Others saw him come down, practically dragging his feet. And they watched as he chatted with three other boys.
Oh. So he does have friends. That's good.
It was then, that Ahn Suho woke up.
It was while one of the doctors was on her rounds, she watched as the young man's breathing became more and more agitated, until his eyes began to open.
The people at the hospital began to talk, excited because this young man will finally be able to go on with his life, it will be hard, a long process, but he has company.
His grandmother had already arrived, crying with happiness.
And Sieun was still in his life.
It was then that some of them noticed. Where was Sieun?
It had been a few days since he had come to see him, visits were not so frequent lately, which in a way cheered up several of the nurses and doctors who were there. They could see the exhaustion and depression of the young man with the big eyes from miles away, even more so when they found out that he had indeed had a small accident due to his stress—they found out from Dr. Jiwoo, who has a friend at the hospital that Sieun was in.
It was then that also one of them commented:
"He said he wants to be better before we call Yeon Sieun. He said he wants Sieun to see him with at least some color in his face."
A surprise?
They all began to imagine what the meeting of these two boys would be like.
Suho's condition was surprising, one could tell immediately that he was a healthy young man. He wanted to start his physical therapy as soon as possible, his speech had not been affected, neither had his memories, it really was as if he had just slept all that time.
"Grandma, Sieun has to at least see me sitting in a chair, not like an idiot in this bed. He already saw me here for a long time" was what they heard him say a couple of times when his worried grandmother was telling him not to rush through therapy.
Sieun did not visit him for 3 weeks. Which was strange, many imagined what would happen if he came and saw him awake, unannounced.
By the third week, Suho said he was ready. Some of the doctors teased him saying they knew he was excited to see his boyfriend, but he had to take it easy.
They saw him smile.
"Could you call him now? Or better, I think my grandmother should call him and tell him I'm waking up or something" he thought for two seconds "should I call him myself?"
Several of the female doctors in the room laughed. He's a charismatic and nice guy.
"I'd like to go to the garden right after you call him. Ah, I know my Sieun will try to get here fast, and I only get 15 minutes in the sun, but I'd like to meet him outside" he asked with a smile.
They weren't going to deny him his request, besides, this way many would be able to see their reunion from a distance.
"Are you excited?" a nurse asked him as she pushed his wheelchair.
He nodded "Very much so. He is crazy, I really want to see him. But I'm nervous too... Here's good" He asked her to stop. Right in front of the entrance.
She told him she would wait for him nearby, as he only has 15 minutes outside for now. She looked to the windows and doors of the hospital, there she could see some of her friends trying to take a peek at the garden, waiting for the meeting of these two young men.
A few minutes passed. And they saw him. Running along with other boys, agitated. And their gazes connected, Sieun took a few steps. They couldn't hear them. But they saw it.
A smile.
And kind eyes.