Remember 1999

Chapter 12 - Sick

After that, he helped her to lie down, soaked the cloth again, squeezed, and then placed it neatly on her forehead.

"What time did you take the medicine?"

Ye Jin paused and recalled, "Around 6 AM."

He looked at his watch and contemplated.

"Take a rest first, I'll cook you something. You haven't got a breakfast yet."

Ye Jin wanted to say something but he immediately left the room leaving her mouth agape. She just wanted to sleep peacefully and not bother anyone. It was really a bad idea that he knew she was sick, she thought. She gasped.

After a few minutes, Hyun Bin came back with a bowl of tomato soup. He shook her shoulder trying to wake her up. She was conscious but she wouldn't open her eyes. She wished he would just leave her alone.

He stared at her and studied her breathing and he knew she wasn't deeply asleep.

"I know you're not asleep," he said flatly.

Ye Jin shifted to her right side away from his scrutiny.

"I have no appetite," she responded.

"I know, but it doesn't mean you shouldn't eat."

"Leave it there."

"You have to eat it now while it's hot."

Knowing he would not let her say no, she raised herself while growling to herself and stared at the bowl of soup he was holding.

"Alright, I'll eat it now. But I want to be left alone and sleep after this, okay?"

He gazed at her pensively. Sullen.

"-I just don't want to bother you... Please."

She wanted to sound considerate and she believed he got the message across as he nodded slowly. She reached for the bowl but he has already lifted a spoon to her mouth. He gestured her to open it and she did so self-consciously.  There was no use in tackling him.

* * *

BEST FOOD FOR SICK PEOPLE

Hyun Bin entered the keyword on his browser and a list of soups with different kinds appeared on his phone. He studied each one and searched the kitchen for the available ingredient. He was holding a squash when the telephone rang.

"Hello," he said after picking up the phone.

"Hello? -who is this?" A voice of a young woman was heard on the other line. A certain person came to his mind.

"Is this Ye Jin's sister? I'm Hyun Bin."

"Oh! Yes. Can I speak with her? I couldn't reach her through her phone."

"She's resting. She has a fever," he replied, trying to elicit some response to the caller. But instead of a startled voice, she paused as if recalling something.

"....ahhh.... Alright, has she eaten?"

"Wait, what does that 'ahhh, alright' supposed to mean. Aren't you worried she's sick?"

"Of course! I'm worried, that's why I'm asking if she has eaten. Tch!" She snorted. 

"-What I mean is, it's normal for her to not feel well today. It's just one of those days in a year where she feels like getting sick."

Hyun Bin did not understand what the other person was saying on the other line, was it just normal to get sick? or maybe he did not just want to comprehend the idea that it was no big deal for a person to get sick. And largely because the person they were talking about was Son Ye Jin. And by the way, what were 'those days in a year'?