utopia | markhyuck

21

— Chapter Twenty One —

Donghyuck awoke in a white room. He groaned, his head was buzzing like crazy and every part of his body hurt. He looked up and down his body, for the first time in months not seeing himself either naked or in his ripped clothes. He was wearing a hospital gown.

He didn't recognise his surroundings whatsoever. Sure, he was in a hospital but where? There was a window in his room but it was dark outside, giving him no clue of his location.

He felt the need to pee, standing up from his warm bed. Oh, how unfamiliar the feeling of a mattress under him felt. He stood up regardless and walked into the room next to his bed where a toilet and a sink was placed.

He went to fulfil his needs, head still buzzing and then washed his hands. His eyes found the mirror in front of him and he stared at himself for a good few seconds.

He had completely forgotten what he looked like, only seeing himself in the reflection of water briefly during the past weeks and months even.

His hair had gotten significantly longer and it was lighter too, the sun having it bleached just a little. His face was littered with small cuts and he saw a dark bruise on his neck. He tilted his head in confusion but then could literally watch as his face changed colours when he realized from where the bruise was. Mark had made it.

Donghyuck gulped. Where was Mark? Was he alright? Was he somewhere close? Donghyuck suddenly felt the need to search for the man to make sure he was okay. The last thing he remembered was desperately holding Mark's hand on the helicopter.

It all slowly started to come back to him. They weren't on the island anymore, they were rescued. Tears started to fall down from his eyes as his body just gave up under him. His dropped to the floor, sobbing because of no particular reason, just everything in general.

He was safe but he missed the island. He wanted to go back but also wanted to stay in this warm and cozy room with electricity and light and aircon and a toilet and a sink. Only now that his eyes fell on all those things he noticed with how much less they had survived.

He heard someone enter the room outside and peeked his head through. There was a man, asian as well, looking down at Donghyuck's puffy and red face. The man was smiling and politely offered Donghyuck a hand.

"Thank you." Donghyuck sniffled as the man pulled him up. Now standing straight, Donghyuck was significantly taller than him but the other didn't seem to mind. Donghyuck assumed he was a doctor of some sorts as he was holding a chart in his hand. 

"Hello, how do you feel?" the man asked in Korean and patted the bed as if to tell Donghyuck to lay back down on it. The taller did so, slightly unsure of how to answer. The doctor must have sensed it as he laughed.

"My name is Ten Lee, it's nice to meet you." he introduced himself while tugging Donghyuck back under the covers. The man just let it happen, watching Ten intensely. He knew he was acting creepy but seeing another human just felt extremely weird.

"Nice to meet you too." he mumbled quietly. His voice was hoarse and his throat hurt, for several reasons.

"You are in the Queen's Medical Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. Do you know where that is?" Ten asked him. Donghyuck shook his head, trying his hardest to take his eyes off Ten. The way the man spoke so smoothly and looked so healthy and flawless felt irritating. Donghyuck wasn't used to such a soft appearance. He himself and Mark were always littered in cuts and bruises, may it be from the surviving or their other activities.

"Hawaii is a state in the U.S. but it's located in the Pacific Ocean. It's the nearest place of civilisation to where you were found." Ten explained to him. Donghyuck just nodded.