firefly | zhong chenle

CH13

"these firefighters fight for their lives to save people, and us as family, we fight for our lives to save them"

-

Upon watching all the trucks leave, she turned her head to see Chenles thermometer sitting on the table. She picked it up and almost dropped it out of shock. It was telling her he had a 40 degree celsius fever. Unknowingly that Chenle just faked his temperature to get her attention, she felt concern filling her lungs.

"He can't go on that mission" Her voice dropped with panic, bolting after the crowd of firefighters but to no avail was she able to catch up to them. When she made it to the entrance, they were already on the trucks and ready to drive. She didn't know what went through her, but she suddenly thought she could run faster than the trucks, so she made an attempt to run at the already driving trucks. Thankfully, a hand stopped her, pulling her back. But the panic and anxiety was eating her up. An over-exercised body with a 40 degree fever can destroy you.

"Miss" It was an old ladies voice.

Arin whipped her head around, trying to take the ladies hand off "He has a fever. He can't go. Please"

The elderly chuckled, beckoning her to come inside "Don't worry. They're stronger than you think". With those words, Arin slowly calmed herself down, walking alongside the woman which seemed to lead her to the cafeteria.

"I'm their cook. I make the food for them every lunch and dinner break" The woman smiled a homey smile. Arin hadn't known her for more than 10 minutes but felt deeply connected with her, like she was a grandmother to her.

"Take a seat" She gestured for Arin to sit down on one of the benches as she went to the kitchen to grab a cup of tea. Shortly, she placed the mug in front of the girl who was still, insanely worried that Chenle might just die in his mission. After all, it was her fault she didn't look after him properly.

"You must be the new doctor" The elderly smiled "My name is Misoon, but a lot of them just call me Miso because they all love my Miso soup" Her laugh was full and bright, like she was an old lady in a cottage house serving her soup.

"I've been here for decades. My son used to work here but he sacrificed in a mission" Misoon took a seat opposite Arin "I know what it feels like to feel the panic of possibly losing someone on a mission"

"Oh no no" Arin frantically shook her head "It's not like that"

It was as if the elderly could tell exactly what was going on "You're worried for him, aren't you?"

"I was tending to him so it's my responsibility to take care of him and that asshole went on a mission with a really bad fever. It just feels...like my fault"

"When my son went on his mission, I stared at the television everyday, in hopes to hear that it'll all just be over and he'll come back to me. The panic, nausea...I couldn't eat for days. These firefighters fight for their lives to save people, and us as family, we fight for our lives to save them" Misoon spoke slowly, staring into the softening expression of Arin's "He didn't come back that day. But perhaps that was the day I knew I wanted to take care of each and every one of these firefighters till my death. Sacrifice and death is inevitable. But I want to make sure they have a warm meal regardless"

"I'm sorry" Arin sighed with a empathetic expression

"You'll learn the pain and suffering of loving someone here soon, but also the joy of it all"

Arin stood up, shaking her head "No it's really not like that. I'm just a doctor and I was treating Chenle and there literally nothing going on in fact I hate-"

"Whatever you say" The elderly stood up too, cleaning up the mug that she had left on the table. Arin left an exasperated breath, looking out the window at the emptiness of it all. There weren't the usual team running in and out, and there wasn't the usual yelling and laughing.

It was silent.

;

Night had fallen and Arin found herself sitting on the bench on the roof of the station. Her chin was in her hands and her eyes gazing into the distance. The cool breeze tickled her cheek, as if the winds were painting soft strokes across her skin. She had never been able to appreciate how beautiful the night was when she was a doctor in the hospital, because she simply had no time. Now that the epidemic was coming to an end, and the firefighters are still on the mission, this peace felt so foreign.

She would check the news every so often to see whether there were any new news on them, but there hadn't been any for the past 10 hours.

"There's no way he'd just pass out right?" She kicked her feet, placing her hands against the edge of the bench in contemplation "There's other doctors there. I couldn't go because I had to deal with this epidemic...it's fine"

She's been sitting out here for a couple hours now, whistling and kicking her feet against the floor. It was currently 2am and she could not sleep with the thought that Chenle was carrying a 40 degree fever out there because she was too careless.

Just as she was about to return back to the room to finally rest, she finally heard the blaring noise of sirens.