It was still dawn, before the darkness had completely dispelled. He woke up a little earlier than most, and the first thing he did was something else. Without even fully opening his eyes, he tidied up the blankets on the hospital bed next to him and gently adjusted the oxygen mask to ensure his feeble breathing was not suffocated. His hands were as careful and delicate as anyone else's, as if he were handling a small child. Only after several minutes of movement did the owner of his hands properly stretch.
"The weather is unusually nice today."
"Should we go for a walk?"
"......"
There was no answer from the oxygen mask. His unfocused eyes blinked fleetingly a few times, and he met those pupils with a faint smile before entering the bathroom. As he buried his face in the sink, which was slightly lower than his height, the back pain he had endured all night came rushing back. The man, trying not to let out a groan, expressed his pain with his expression rather than words. As if it were already part of his daily life, he took a deep breath and returned to the bedside with an indifferent expression.
His still blinking eyes were filled only with the ceiling, and his tall body moved around occasionally.
As morning dawned and the light smell of side dishes filled the hallway, someone entered the two people's hospital room. However, it wasn't the woman who served the food, but a nurse holding an IV needle and a nutrition pack in both hands.
"You're here again today, guardian."
"Oh, hello. Nice to meet you."
"Yes, I'll go for a quick needle change."
The nurse took hold of his thin arm and sharpened the needle with a practiced touch. Soon, a new pack was placed on the pole, replacing the medicine that had been in there all night. The nurse quickly picked up the old needle and pack, bowed, and was about to leave when she took a step closer to the man and cautiously asked him a question.
"Well... a new caregiver came in a while ago."
"Are you sure you don't want to hire me?"
"......"
"I hope you pass the test with full marks
"You're also quite handy. I'm sure it won't be too hard for you, guardian..."
The man's expression darkened as he heard the nurse's words. He remained silent for a moment, forced a smile, then stepped out of the room, closed the door, and answered in a slightly trembling tone. He tried not to meet the nurse's eyes.
"I'm truly grateful, but... I want to keep coming."
"It's not that I don't trust other people,
Our Hye-young... I can't live without her."
"...I'm sorry. I must have bothered you for no reason..."
"It's something you said with Hye-young and I in mind, but I'm still upset.
We would like to thank you."
"Please go in carefully."
After calmly dismissing the nurse, the man re-entered the room, leaned against the door, and collapsed with a thud. Tears welled up in his once-steady gaze, and even then, trying not to be noticed by Hye-young, he hid in a blind spot and sobbed silently. Suddenly, grief overcame him, but he held it back as he looked at Hye-young's face. But that day, like a broken faucet, his emotions overflowed without a moment to turn off. At that moment, he felt as if he could unleash any harsh words on Hye-young.
Beep- beep-
If only it weren't for the sound of a heartbeat piercing my ears.
The man suddenly came to his senses and ran to the bed to check on Hye-young's condition.
"Hye... Hyeyoung..."
"......"
Fortunately, it seemed to be a temporary symptom caused by the nutritional supplement. Her heartbeat quickly returned to normal, and Hye-young's condition remained normal. The man, who had cleared his throat, stared intently at Hye-young's face, then found tears welling up in his own eyes, which were now in a state of dazed focus.
"... Black..."
"Hye-young... What was I thinking about you..."
The thought he had just heard was so embarrassing that he couldn't bear it. The man wept again. He simply held Hye-young's hand, making noises, hoping that his feelings would reach her too. He cried like that for a long time, making even the onlookers' hearts ache.
[Short Story] Thirsty Season
On a day when a slight heat enveloped the air, making the summer that had already passed pale in comparison, tragedy came silently to us two, who were enjoying a thrilling love like everyone else.
Thinking back, that day was a bad day from the start. It was the first day we were planning to leave for Jeju Island according to our vacation schedule. I left my suitcase behind, and Hye-young left her passport behind, so we had no choice but to make plans to meet at the airport and part ways. I arrived a little early and finished the departure procedures, so I waited endlessly for Hye-young, but I was getting more and more annoyed when she didn't show up even though the departure time was approaching.
"Hye-young, where are you? We need to go in now..."
"Can't you ask the knight to come a little faster?"
As it turned out, the traffic was so bad that day that the roads were practically paralyzed by the time I got to the airport. But I had no way of knowing that, so I kept calling Hye-young and urging her on.
A few minutes later, my phone rang, and a call from [Hye-young๐] came. "She's finally here!" I happily answered the phone, but what I received wasn't news of her arrival, but a paramedic briefing on the accident.
"Is this you, Mr. Kim Seok-jin? Are you Kim Hye-young's guardian?!"
"I'm your boyfriend, what's going on...?"
"A taxi accident occurred near the entrance to Gimpo Airport, and passenger Kim Hye-young was also seriously injured.
"He is being transferred to OO University Hospital, so please come quickly!!"
"... yes?"
The hospital emergency room I rushed to after receiving the call was already a scene of chaos, and Hye-young was at the center of it all. I nearly lost my temper and rushed into the hybrid room, but several nurses barely managed to stop me. Only after I was on the verge of collapse, crying so hard I could finally hear about Hye-young's condition.
"He survived, but suffered extensive brain damage."
"If the symptoms don't improve, you may end up in a vegetative state, so prepare yourself mentally..."
"... ah."
"Ahhh... ahhhh..."
Aaaa ...
In the end, Hye-young was unable to avoid being hospitalized for the rest of her life, and out of guilt, I volunteered as her caregiver and practically lived in the hospital. Since I had been working from home, it wasn't too difficult for my life, but the thought of never again seeing her voice and smiling face, which had always been by my side, pierced my heart.
Just as an unquenchable thirst continued, even though I was with Hye-young all day, a corner of my heart that could not be filled continued to grow, filled with guilt and loneliness.
"...Hye-young, can you hear me?"
"......"
"The seasons really go by quickly. Isn't it a bit cold?"
"It was August when I got here... and it's already mid-September."
"......"
Hye-young still didn't move, but I continued to speak to her, still unable to respond. I don't quite remember what I said. Perhaps I was half-asleep?
"... Next summer, let's definitely go to Jeju Island together."
"Jeju Island, you really wanted to see it, right?"
Oh, yeah. I remember this one.
Because that was probably the last thing he said.
and...
Because that would have been the last time you heard my voice.
beep___
The funeral was held quickly. The cause of death was brain death. The doctors said they didn't know the exact cause. After a few sleepless nights, I became the chief mourner and received Hye-young's mourners. Some patted her on the shoulder, thanking her for her hard work, while others offered large condolence money, expressing their deep sorrow. Each offered a different method of consolation.
The three days that seemed like a long time passed quickly, and the day I returned home after finishing all my schedules, it rained that day. It was a summer rain that even the weather forecast couldn't predict, signaling the beginning of fall. The rain that soaked the entire country came over the window and seemed to seep into me as well.
Is this your last trace, or perhaps you came to see me?
Only after I was so soaked that I couldn't tell if it was rain or tears running down my cheeks was I able to be true to the emotions I had been holding back for the past two months.
Our thirsty season, which was always together but also the loneliest, was gradually coming to an end with the lightening rain.