room 387. meanie

found you

For as long as Wonwoo could remember, he did not know what warmth felt like.

All he knew was to live within the four walls of his hospital ward with the distinct smell of disinfectants and the beeping of a heart monitor to his right.

His entire life, he had been diagnosed with paresthesia, the loss of sensation. 

In Wonwoo's case, it had taken over almost his entire body over the course of seventeen years of living. The only part he could still feel were the sole of his feet.

However, that was not the reason for Wonwoo to currently be in the hospital. Wonwoo felt fatigue the previous night while carrying out his fish duties at home. He had been checking them for their health conditions on a stool.

His breathing became heavy and quick-paced, before falling off his stool as he laid on the floor, unconscious.

His mother had called for an ambulance, arriving as quick as they could, they propped Wonwoo onto the stretcher before leaving for the nearest hospital. It had been one rushed night last night. Before, it used to be normal trips to the hospital with already-made appointments then.

Now, everything had happened so quickly that everyone has been set off from their feet.

It was painful news to Wonwoo and his parents to hear when he had awoken. The doctor had confirmed that Wonwoo had liver failure, it was at an early stage if stage three itself; the chances of reversing it was possible, but slim. The doctor then further added that at stages like this, patients would usually have a maximum of five years left.

"Five years?" Wonwoo exclaimed, fear written all over his face as his hands trembled. "But I haven't experienced life to the fullest yet..." he looked down at his hospital gown, playing with the hems of it.

"I'm sorry but I'm afraid that there is nothing more we could do, unless you could try opting for a reverse treatment-"

"What are the chances of success?" Mr. Jeon stepped in.

"It's low but its definitely possible," the doctor said as he flipped through his notes, "it's most likely possible at this early stage."

The family could only stay silent, not wanting to make a mistake in the decision making process.

"I'll leave you guys to think about it," the doctor excused himself as he left with the nurses.

"I don't... Want to die," Wonwoo started, "not when I haven't-"

"I know... We don't want to lose you either," his mother agreed as she laced her arm around Wonwoo's shoulder.

"But..." Wonwoo let his tears stream down his face, "-in a case where you spend so much for the treatment and I don't survive-"

"Shush, you will get better, I promise."

.

Now, Wonwoo was lying alone on his bed, staring at the blank ceiling. He thought of all the possible outcomes to the situation; there were only two outcomes. It was either he lives or he doesn't, and he had hoped it wasn't the latter.