"Thank you for the food..." Haneul shows him a small smile, staring at the fried rice he makes on the plate.
He decided to take a day off since he still feels tired from last night party.
"You should start paying rent, you slept here, you shower and you even eat here." Jay let out a scoff, grabbing the chopsticks before reaching the omelet.
She shows him a sheepish smile, stuffing the food inside her mouth.
"We're friends now, it shouldn't be a problem." she mutters with the food full, making Jay looks at her in disgust.
"Friends? I don't remember befriending you." He teased.
"Yes, you did. You met me at the club to 'befriend' me and introduce me to your friends as your 'friends'." she let out a chuckle.
"It's an act."
"Yeah, yeah whatever."
Her eyes lit up with every bite she took, looking at him in amazement.
"I didn't know you can cook."
Jay lifts his gaze, Unconsciously smiling at her without replying. Suddenly, a ring from Haneul's phone caught both of their attention.
Haneul takes a small glance at her phone on the table, examining the caller id.
Gangnam Severance Hospital
Haneul immediately grabs her phone, hiding it under the table to avoid him noticing before slowly standing from her seat. He looks at her weirdly, not saying anything.
"Sorry, let me... Answer this call." she bowed slightly, walking towards the balcony in the living room leaving Jay alone on the table.
She slides open the door, taking in a deep breath while looking at the scenery outside.
Her finger slowly moved to the screen, tapping on the answer button before placing it to her ear.
"Hello?"
"Good afternoon, this is Gangnam Severance Yonsei University hospital, is this miss Haneul?"
"Y-yes it is, may I ask what's wrong?"
"Thank you for answering, miss Haneul. We're calling you because we've found out that you didn't come to a checkup for the past 2 weeks, we need an update on your health and an update on the surgery."
Her heartbeat fastened, getting nervous all of a sudden.
"Ah... I'm just a little busy..."
"I understand. Is there any day you're free to come for a check-up? You should check with us frequently because your condition is not going really well on the last checkup."
Her face dropped, thinking of how much she's been neglecting her health for the past few weeks. She swears to herself to do anything to be healthy, but it changed after she met him.
"I'm still not sure what day I can come, I'll inform the hospital once I know." she replies guilty.
"I see, I will call miss back in a few days, be sure to come for a quick check-up. Good afternoon and thank you."
"Y-your welcome..."
Haneul turns off her phone, holding it tight as she feels her eyes burning in tears. She tilts her head up, trying to stop tears welling in her eyes.
"I forgot that I'm sick for a while..." she smiles, fixing her gaze on the scenery outside of the balcony. Haneul let out an airy scoff, walking back to the kitchen to continue eating with Jay.
---
"Why are you suddenly so quiet?" Jay asks when he realizes she's not as talkative after the phone call.
"What? No... I'm eating, what am I gonna talk about?" she replies without looking at him, causing Jay to look at her suspiciously.
"Who called you?"
"Friend."
"You don't have friends."
Haneul let out a scoff, before opening her mouth to answer. "How would you know?"
He shrugged his shoulder, playing with his spoon in the bowl.
"When I think about it again, I don't really know you..." he mumbles, gaining attention from Haneul.
It's true since she's never really opened up about herself to him. Haneul always tries to hide every single bad thing that happened to her from him.
Haneul let out a nervous chuckle, lifting her gaze to look at him. "What do you want to know about me?"
His ears perk up when she said that, staring into her eyes in curiosity.
"Do you have insomnia?"
That question is enough for her to feel her heart beating thumping loudly. Her eyes tremble in nervousness, getting worked up all of a sudden.
"W-what do you mean?"
Jay's eyelids drooped, leaning on the chair with his arms across his chest.
"You confessed about it to me last night."
That night-
Haneul refuses to get off his car, whining like a child. She takes off her heels, complaining her feet hurt.
"Are you sending me back home?"
"No I didn't, this is my house. Now get off my car." he replies, looking at her in the back seat who didn't even move an inch.
She's been begging him to stay at his house since her excuse is that her aunt will kill her when she knows Haneul is back late at night.
"I can't walk... My feet..." she pouts, pointing at her reddened feet.
Jay let out a sigh, getting off the driver's seat before opening the back passenger seat. He took a small glance at his watch.
It's fucking 3 am.
"The door is just inches away from you, get your lazy ass up." he looks at the door, mentally facepalming himself.
"Carry me."
"Hell no."
"Then I'll stay in your car."
"Oh my God..." Jay complains but later on gives in. He leans inside the car, carrying her in a bridal style causing her to cheer in excitement.
"Yay! Mr. Park is carrying me!" she shouts happily, making Jay squints his eyes in annoyance. Haneul wiggles her legs, hands playing with his hair.
"Can you stop? Do you want me to throw you in the trash?"
Haneul immediately stops, tightens her hold around his neck.
"Hehe, sorry~"
Jay is struggling to open the door with one hand, trying to enter the password while carrying her in his hand is hard work. He pushes it once it's unlocked, immediately placing her on the big sofa.
"I'm not gonna give up my bed for you again, you can sleep here." Jay speaks, stretching his body while yawning slightly.
Haneul's eyes are wide open, no signs of drowsiness are clear on her face. Jay leaves her alone, walking to his bedroom to immediately sleep.
As usual, he sleeps without clothes on.
1 hour later...
Jay feels a warm body behind him, causing him to open his eyes slightly to look. He's still sleepy, realizing it's Haneul who is hugging him from behind.
"Why are you here?"
"I can't sleep, insomnia is killing me." she mutters, still hugging him.
Jay stays quiet, not knowing what to reply. He tries to reach his shirt under the bed to wear, but Haneul stops him.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm trying to wear my shirt--"
"Don't... I like it better without your shirt on." she let out a chuckle, causing Jay to feel his heartbeat fasten. He realizes that she's still unaware of herself, but it still makes him flustered.
"Are you not cold?" Jay asks.
"A little."
Jay removes her hold, stands up from his bed before walking to the wardrobe to pick something.
"Where are you going?"
Jay didn't answer, instead he throws a cream-colored hoodie to Haneul's face, causing her to squint her eyes in surprise.
"Wear it if you're cold."
Haneul sigh, shaking her head. "I'm too lazy to change."
"Just wear it without taking off your clothes..." he says one last time before walking towards the bed again.
She paused, understanding what he meant before wearing it above her head.
Jay tries to close his eyes, but Haneul hugged him again causing him to swallow his saliva down his throat as he feels nervous.
He wiggles his body slightly, trying to remove her hold around his body. But Haneul didn't budge at all. He let out a sigh, closing his eyes shut again.
"Whatever..." he mumbles, feeling drowsiness taking over his body before drifting to dreamland again.
End-
"I-i did all of that? How can I not remember all of it?" Haneul asks eyes wide open staring at him in disbelief.
"So..."
"Do you really have insomnia?"
Haneul's speech paused, words stuck in her throat.
"I..."
"It's not really insomnia, just... A bad sleeping habit." she finally speaks after a couple of seconds. Jay obviously didn't take in her words, a sigh could be heard from him.
"Can you stop... Lying? Is it your favorite thing to do? Lie about everything and being dishonest?"
"N-no! I didn't mean it that way--"
"So you have insomnia?" he cuts her off, glaring into her eyes. She bites her lower lips, slowly nodding her head.
"B-but it's not that bad! It's treatable, just need to fix my sleep schedule better..." she explains, letting a nervous laugh while grabbing the omelet with her chopsticks.
Jay didn't reply, diverting his gaze to the food on the table. He's a little shocked, but expected it too. Haneul notices his sudden change of expression, how his eyes drooped, and his face turns gloomy.
She still feels her heartbeat starting to race, trying to get out of her chest.
I fucked up right?
---
As soon as she reaches home, Haneul immediately runs to her bedroom, laying on her mattress with his hoodie still on her body.
She glances at the journal book next to her, slowly reaching it.
When is the last time I wrote?
She grabs her pen, opening the pages to write something.
7 June, 2 pm.
I don't usually write in the afternoon, this is new. What happened these past few days? A lot. He knows about my illness, not one, but two. Oh, and recently the hospital just called me... Reminding about the checkup.
Of course, I'm gonna do a check-up, but I don't know when. Oh and remember when I said that I will cut off alcohol? The promise just broke last night...
Weirdly, I don't remember anything except the bet for money. And why did I bet such things? I have no idea... I can't recall anything. That's weird... Or is it just because of alcohol? Maybe it is.
Honestly, I'm terrified.
Why is my heart always beating so fast? But it doesn't hurt. And if it does hurt, why is it so bad? To the fact that I felt like throwing up and fainting any second. My savings... That is not enough since I already used some for my meds and new phone...
What should I do?
I'm scared...
When am I gonna do the surg--
Haneul glances at the slowly fading ink on the paper. The pen ink is already empty. She let out a sigh, closing her journal before placing it next to her.
She closes her eyes, trying to recall anything that happened last night.
No clue.
"I don't think I do anything crazy..." she mumbles trying to convince herself.
"But... Why do I feel like I was about to kiss someone?" her eyebrows furrowed, trying hard to remember but failed.
"Nah... I don't think so."
---
Jay is just chilling in the living room, scrolling through his phone with the television turned on which he didn't even look at.
His mind suddenly thought of Haneul, how she acts when she's normal and when she's drunk...
Totally opposite.
He let out a chuckle, remembering how she gets emotional, and how clingy she is when she's drunk. His stomach twisted, remembering her droopy eyes and flushed face staring straight into his eyes, as if she's in love with him.
That girl almost-kisses me too, what a dumbass.
He grins to himself, unconsciously playing with his fingers while thinking of her.
A realization hits him, smile drops from his face instantly.
"She has insomnia?" he asks himself, still leaning on the couch. He rakes his black hair with his finger, diverting his gaze to the ceiling above him.
"This idiot is holding so much illness at a young age." he let out a scoff. He tries to ignore it, but his hands slowly lift his phone to search for something on the web.
How to treat insomnia.
1- healthy habits
--Healthy habits such as exercising, doing yoga and eating healthy.
Exercising? I don't think she can handle a heavy workout. Yoga? That might work.
2- avoid drinking alcohol
--Avoid drinking excessive amounts of alcohol. Alcohol is a sedative that may induce sleep initially, but it can disrupt deeper stages of sleep that allow your body to rest fully.
This... She drinks last night. I should stop her when she tries to drink again.
3- sexual intercourse
-- In 2016, research is done and it's proved that doing sex with someone before sleeping can decrease stress and improve your sleeping better--
Jay immediately closes his phone after reading halfway through, getting enough of it. He feels his cheeks heating up just by the thought of it.
"I don't need to know that." he speaks to himself, throwing his phone to the sofa next to him.
He closes his eyes again, but for some reason, Haneul is never going away from his mind. He slowly opens his eyes back, fixing his gaze to the ceiling.
What's wrong with me?
Am I worrying about her?
Or...
Do I like her?
No way. What are you thinking, Jay?
He shakes his thought away, letting out a scoff.
It'd be crazy if I fall for her.
--------------