White Walls

Chapter 4

I have a dream, that one day I'll get unlimited cheese tarts because the cheese tarts from next door smell so good goddamn yisssss (this is why none of my friends suspect that I'm a writer on Wattpad have you seen how weird I am in real life omfg I can't believe myself)

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When he woke up, he remembered the cool feeling of freshly laundered sheets. But his chest ached, and a weird hissing sound could be heard.

And came the confusion that clouded his mind. The eerily white walls, the silence in the room. The plastic mask over his mouth, the hissing noise it made. He could feel the air it was blowing onto his face, like it was saying here is your air, I'll bring you more air, okay now take this air yes I'll bring more air

And god was it annoying.

And he felt scared, he was intimidated by these white walls. They trapped him, and he felt like an animal sent for slaughter: utterly helpless.

But then, he saw her.

That peaceful girl, resting in the bed beside his. The same plastic mask over her nose and mouth, but she was beautiful. She had brown hair, and some freckles, but her face looked so peaceful and innocent, it seemed to clear all the fear and confusion away from him.

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"So, your name is Yu-Zu-Ru Han-Yu?" Em pronounced slowly, trying to get the hang of his name. Damn Asian names.

"Yuzu is fine," he replied, shifting his pillow a little.

"Oh yes you're hella fine," Em mumbled quietly.

"I'm...fine?" Yuzu questioned, raising an eyebrow. He wasn't used to some phrases and sayings in English.

"And your name is?" He asked, propping himself up against the pillows again.

"Emerson Cole. Just call me Em." She replied, shifting herself too. Hell, it was difficult sustaining a conversation in an uncomfortable bed and with overenthusiastic oxygen masks on. Em accidentally jabbed a button on a small remote with her elbow, and the bed jerked.

"Holy--" she started, but stopped herself in time. She didn't want to be a bad influence to his growing vocabulary.

"Emma-San?" He asked again, his head cocking slightly.

"No, no Emma. Just Em." She repeated. She'd had enough of the Emma Emma Emma thing.

Yuzuru felt uncomfortable with his seriously overenthusiastic oxygen mask, and moved it out of the way. But he soon realized there was a legitimate reason why his mask was overenthusiastic.

Launching into a coughing fit, he tried to yank the mask back but immediately had to pull it away again to avoid coughing into the mask.

Em tried to warn him against pulling his mask away, but he couldn't hear her over his own coughing. Being the ultimate genius she was, she pulled hers away as well.

In less than five seconds, two complete idiots were hacking away at their lungs, albeit laughing about whatever just happened.

When the coughing finally died down, they were breathless, and tried to regain their composure and their breaths.

The door opened again.

This time, it was the same plump man who brought the plop of Asian into Emergency.

Just a plump man, and a Winnie the Pooh tissue box.

"Hey Yuzu--" he started, but he stared at the two breathless and disheveled teenagers for a moment. He took one step back. "Um hey, do you need time alone? I'm sure I can--"

"Coach, nothing is happening, we were coughing," Yuzu stuttered, blushing furiously.

"Uh yeah I don't know him," Em added, a little too chirpily.

"Goodness, thank god," the plump man breathed. "Hi, I'm his Coach, call me Brian," he introduced himself to Em. He walked over to Yuzu's bed, tossing him the tissue box and messing his hair, muttering about how "boys will be boys".

Em, meanwhile, stared from the other bed curiously.

Did his coach just come all the way to the hospital to pass him a Winnie the Pooh tissue box?

Is that his? Oh god no please don't let it be his comforter or something no just no--

"Pooh San! Thanks, Coach," Yuzu smiled through his mask.

There you go, Em thought, what in the living hell is wrong with this kid he--

Brian passed him a small bag of things, and told him that his "boots were well taken care of by Javi".

He even has "boots", first the tissue box, now his "Boots by Javi", Em thought, incredulous.

But as Brian laughed with Yuzu, and Yuzu cracked some lame joke about Javi taking his breath away, Em saw it.

She saw.

People have come and go, but the walls never changed.

They were always white.

No colour, no life, nothing.

Just white.

But as Yuzu's childlike laughter filled the room, the walls started to take on colour.

And today, it took on a hue of yellow, just like the joyful mirth that came so naturally from Yuzuru.