stardust | park seonghwa ✓

33

"Yes please."

"So I'm guessing we're staying until we hear from Seonghwa and San?"

"Oh God, yes."

Out of my peripheral vision, I see Yoonjin smiling at the both of us.

"Now don't keep that frown on your beautiful face, Hyeshin," Yoonjin tells me, rubbing the back of my shoulder soothingly. "How about I tell you more stories?"

My eyes slowly open. The joints of my neck are sore from my head hanging low―I must've drifted off without knowing. I'm still sitting on the chair I was on earlier, my now empty coffee cup placed on the floor by the chair legs. The halls are a bit quieter than before, the night must be late already.

Yeosang is next to me, head threatening to drop to my side. By the looks of it, he's sleeping too. Poor guy must be tired.

My eyes roam the waiting room. Lights are still bright, but they somehow make the space look a little dimmer. It's cold despite the heater buzzing with life, or maybe it's just my nerves but I'm not sure. I can feel chilly air seep through the walls.

There are still some people in the room, although not as much as before. Most of which are, like Yeosang and I previously, are asleep or on the verge of slumber. Everyone but Yoonjin.

Seonghwa's mother stands in the corner of the room by a glass case protecting a pin board. It looks like she's absorbed in a call, speaking in hushed tones as to not disturb the atmosphere.

Yoonjin notices me waking up and smiles at me before continuing on her conversation.

The first thing I do after is reach down for my coffee cup and fish my phone from my pocket. I press on the home button―it's eleven. After throwing my cup in the bin, I busy myself with scrolling aimlessly through the many apps in my phone, now feeling not so sleepy.

Breaking the eerily serene quiet was the sliding doors as it opens and out walks a doctor still in his pair of scrubs and a nurse carrying a clipboard in her arms, conversing together in a serious manner. The doctor stops by the front desk whilst the nurse goes behind the counter, eyes searching over a rack of files.

My eyes glance at Yoonjin who appears to notice the presence of the two medical workers. The woman hurriedly switches her phone off and slips it into her handbag, approaching the doctor when the two seemingly catch each other's gazes.

"Relative of Mr Park Seonghwa and Mr Choi San?" the doctor speaks as he turns away from the front desk.

My back straightens in alert, watching closely as Yoonjin replies with a yes.

I try to listen in to their exchange but I'm too far, feeling my anxiousness and curiosity rise a little higher.

So I wait for them to finish. I'm sure Yoonjin can feel my gaze on her as when she returns, she offers me a knowing smile.

"Hyeshin, Hwa and San are now in their ward, they are both asleep and hopefully will wake soon," she explains to me, "but unfortunately, only a maximum of two people can see them in one go. So I'll go ahead first and check up on everything, let San's family know as well, give them updates as we wait for them to come here―hopefully they arrive tomorrow morning. After that, you and Yeosang can go see them, how does that sound?"

"Oh... of course," I say, noticing that the doctor from earlier is still standing by.

"At first, I thought about you coming in with me but I feel like you won't be too comfortable with me being in there with you, so I hope that's fine."

"I'm fine both ways but thank you."

"Anyways, I'll head in now and I'll let you know what's happened to both of them too, 'kay, honey?" Yoonjin tucks a strand of hair behind my ear.

I hum in response and Yoonjin leaves with the doctor behind the sliding glass doors.

From next to me, Yeosang shifts in his position before he yawns, stretching his legs outwards and sits up from his leaned position.

"Was that Yoonjin auntie?" he asks, scratching his neck as he tries to keep himself awake.

"Yeah, Seonghwa and San are in their rooms already," I answer.

"Oh that's great then! Why aren't you with her?"

"She thought it'd be better if I went with you."

Yeosang nods.

He then turns to face me. "Are you ready to see them? This all happened so fast even I still feel like it's a dream. I can't imagine what it's like for their families, and I can't imagine what it's like for you―especially since you're connected to one of the two."

I shrug weakly.

"Well I'm already here, aren't I? There's no more ready or not I guess. I just hope they're both okay... since their uncle's wedding is so close."

"What time is it?" Yeosang asks after a moment of silence.

"Eleven."

"Holy fuck," he curses, "it's nearly been six hours."

"Do you think their injuries are that serious?"

"I can't tell for sure... but it's six hours."

I sigh. "I hope we're wrong."

"I hope so too."

Yeosang yawns again.

"You tired?" I question him.

"Yeah, pretty much. But it's nice being away from home for a bit―how long are we planning to stay here?"

"I wish I can stay until they get better or until they get off from the hospital but... my project..." I sigh again. I wonder how many sighs I've let out today. "If I could bring my paintings here, I would, but I can't."

"That's okay, Seonghwa and San will understand."

"But I feel bad."

My best friend places a hand on my knee and gives me a reassuring grin. "They'll be fine, Yoonjin auntie said so and I'm sure the doctors will say so as well. Your projects will get along great. Everything will pass."

"Thanks, Yeo-Yeo."

"Don't call me that, people can hear!" he pushes my knee away jokingly, chuckling a little. It's nice, it makes me smile and forget about where we are right now.

"You like it when I call you that," I tease him, watching in amusement as his face turns a faint shade of berry red.

"But it's embarrassing! We're in public, and we're not ten anymore."

"Okay... Yeo-Yeo."

Yeosang glares at me, but I know deep inside he doesn't think it's embarrassing. Not really.

+

idk what this chapter is meant to be bc i feel like it's lacking somewhere hoho but i hope that little explanation yoonjin said gave you a somewhat rough idea about the accident oof-

originally i was supposed to finish writing a future chapter beforehand (since i like pre-writing chapters) but i had the biggest block all week it's almost painful to go through sjdjkss but bc i love you guys so much i thought huh why not, yk?

have a great day!