95. Hospital Date

Somin and Teho

The sounds of a text message woke Somin far too early for her taste.

Teho: Be by the back door in 20 min.

Teho's text read.

Somin: Can we postpone it?

She answered.

Teho: I'll drag you there myself if you don't move your butt. We're going, I already called there and they're waiting for us. I emphasized we're an ambulant case.

Teho replied.

Somin:
What the hell?

Somin wrote back.

Teho: Stop replying and get going.

He cheekily remarked.

He did call in advance?

Somin jumped out of the bed, totally exhausted. Changed her bandage, observing the ugly semi-infected scab.

I'm glad he's taking me tho.

Clothed comfortably in a long skirt with warm pink stockings, she put on a royal blue sweater and went out.

Back door, huh? So Mia won't see us.

Feeling like the biggest backstabber, Somin left her roommate a note.

"I've gone to the hospital. Gonna have my wrist checked, see ya later."

What am I doing? Her heart raced.

Teho stood outside of the building, facing the park. He had hands in his pockets while he kicked around a small stone. His warm brown jacket had soft black rectangles on it and the big black buttons make it feel very artsy. Somin softly closed the door and it tore him out of his thoughts.

"Are you sure we're going to the hospital," she joked looking at his stunning self.

"Do you feel better? You sound more cheerful." He skipped her remark and offered her his elbow.

Somin wanted to pass the offer with all her heart, but he came closer and helped her decide. Teho took her injured hand and put it through his arm with care.

"It's a rest for your hand," he said when he noticed her conflicted stare. "Don't comment," he answered her worries. "Just go."

"It's wrong and you know it," she whispered, looking longingly at him, moved by his care.

"Pretend you're my sister, then," he laughed a bit. "I can attend to my sister, right?"

"Do you have a sister?" Somin asked while he led her to the clinic, which he looked up directions to yesterday.

It trailed a different part of the outskirts she had never been to.

"I have two in fact," he proudly said. "One 'cute' young one and one 'pain in the ass' older one."

"Oh, does she give you a hard time?" she mocked him. "I love her already," Somin said giddily.

"And here I am, sticking up for your butt while you can't have empathy for a poor boy in a woman's surroundings, they're eating me alive," Teho whined theatrically.

"I love everything about that sentence," Somin laughed.

...

When the nurse called Somin's name the adamant boy went in with her.

"Hello, I called here for the appointment," Teho said, trying out his "serious boyfriend" fantasy.

"Thank you for bringing Ms. Lee in, sir. Let's have a look," the smiling young doctor said.

Handsome. Somin thought, blushing a bit.

Teho noticed her lips tilting up and disapprovingly shook his head. Somin smirked back at him, making eyes that said:

You can't deny it.

Teho rolled his eyes and made a gesture for her to be more present.

Somin got extremely anxious when she sat on a leather chair. The pretty photographer sat closer, to have a better view of the wound. The doctor smiled at him, seeing the care. As he peeled off the makeshift bandage the bloody wound showed.

"Is it alright, miss?" the doctor asked as he had to remove the cloth carefully. The reddish scabs cracked and a bit of blood got out again.

"Ouch," Somin hissed.

"Easy," the young doctor comforted her, his fingers working expertly.

That's nasty. Teho thought alarmed.

I should have brought her here much sooner. The boy felt remorse.

"Oh well," the doctor said, "That doesn't look good, why hadn't you come sooner Ms. Lee?" remorse was heavy in his voice.

Somin looked to Teho for help and the boy stood up and came closer.

"We were on a school retreat, this was the earliest we could go," he lied, having an "I told you" stare written on his face.

"We have to sew this up," the young doctor worriedly said. "Firstly we'll need to clean up the wound and remove the dead tissue. There seemed to be a mild infection," he circled the area with his fingers.

"How did this happen?" the doctor asked warily.

"I was clumsy with a bottle of wine," Somin admitted.

"That's unfortunate," the doctor tried to make light of the dark situation, hoping there wasn't a sinister reason, "Mr. Kim should have had a better look after you."

I should have. Teho felt guilty.

"I will locally anesthetize you, but if you still want your boyfriend to hold your other hand, he can." The doctor winked at her, and Somin just looked dumbfounded at Teho. He already brought his chair closer and grabbed her healthy hand.

"Don't look there," he said when the doctor started to prepare the needle.

Somin got really pale from the whole ordeal. And when the numbing spray pinched her wound she cried out loud.

"Alright, let it out," the doctor warmly said, eyes focused on the process.

Teho held her sweating hand firmly and said, "Look at my eyes, right, don't look the other way." Somin nodded while the doctor started his procedure.

The sting of the needle got through her body like an electric shock and her muscles tensed. The beautiful photographer massaged her hand while talking lightly.

"Breathe," he whispered.

She had time to observe the drawing of his irises. The lens was like a small island on the shore of very dark shades of brown. She pictured fall moors in a strong wind and herself walking up small hills to have a better look.

"You have such beautiful eyes," Teho whispered, leaning close to observe her extremely pale brown ones.

"They look like a copper nebula," he smiled. "I would love to take a micro photo of them if you agree, such a stunning drawing," he gushed, his warm breath soothing her agitated body.

"I love to watch them since we met," he continued. "Your stare is so hypnotizing." He hoped his attempts to confess or hint at his feelings are clear.

Somin's expression was outright desperate and not only because of the excruciating pain she had. She teared up from all the emotions attacking her senses, slightly shaking her head like she wanted to say, "No, please stop."

"You're holding on greatly madam," the doctor said and continued to sew tightly her big gash.

Teho reached with his second hand to dry her tears.

"Let me be the male lead," he joked and she chuckled and tightened her teeth in a spike of pain.

"You already are," Somin whispered back. "Such a terrible one." And he smiled warmly.

"I know."

...

On the way to school, Somin limped with exhaustion and Teho held her weight.

"Maybe you should go back to the dorms and rest," he offered.

"No, I'll be good," she protested.

"Why do you always need to be so difficult?" he asked.

"I thought you were the difficult one," she joked.

"Thank you for bringing me there," the small paintress softened her voice.

"It kinda was five minutes to midnight," he said, frightened.

"I was starting to worry I'll have to learn to paint left-handed," she went for a joke.

"That would be the end of all art." Teho smiled as she got away from him from the foyer with words.

"Thank you, see ya at dinner."

...

😳 Author's corner 😊

🚑 Are you able to go to the hospital when injured or do you wanna treat yourself just at home? 🚑

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🎨Illustrations of each chapter are available on my Wattpad acc, AO3 acc -klubickoArt🎨