Your voice | yenyul

II: I could hear it

"Hello" I didn't reply but after that I still heard her coughing heavily. Based on the sound that she's making she seems to already have trouble breathing. I searched for the water bottle inside my bag and stood up. I tried to make my way to her by following the sound.

"Here drink this" I opened the bottle as reached my hand to her. She grabbed it as she was still trying to stop her coughing. I could hear her drink the water, then she stopped and I heard her take a deep breath.

"Thank you ... *sounds of moderate breathing" I guess since she's here at the office maybe she's also a patient. Should I ask her, she might be ...

"You know ... when someone *cough says hello, you *cough should *cough AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH *cough say hello back" I smiled at the thought that she's really trying. But it must be really hard, since the coughing makes it hard.

"AHAHAH your right, i'm sorry. Hello, I'm Jo Yuri and I obviously can't see" I heard a giggle and I felt that she was smiling. I felt her hand took mine and it was soft.

She suddenly pulled me off to somewhere. I am confused and amused at the same time as she kept on pulling me. A lot has happened this day starting with someone who wants to donate her eyes for me, then I need to stay here at the hospital. And now this girl who obviously is having difficulty in breathing is taking me off to who knows where. I heard a sliding door being opened and felt the wind smashing through my face.

"Where are we?" she was still holding my hand, she led me to a bench as we both sat down. "Were at the Open garden, I'm Chaewon by the way. And I am suffering from pneumonia, I come here at least three times a week and at night time" At night?, why would she come here only at night.

"Why do you only come at night?" I'm just really curious, I heard from some people that it could be really dark at night.

"Because it's the only time I know no one would be watching me, I feel that I could be free" She has a point, most people would be already sleeping at night. I guess she comes here alone since she doesn't want to be watched.

"Is that why you pulled me here? you want someone to talk to but you dont want to be watched?" I could say that what I said is a bit funny and insulting for us who cant see.

"eyyy ... that's not what I mean. I just wanted to see the sky but I also didnt want to leave you at the room alone" remembering the image of the sky makes me sad, but the fact that she didn't want to leave me there was really sweet.

"I also wish to see the sky but sadly I ..." she stopped me from what I was saying and "shhhhhh ... you want me to describe it to you?" hearing her words comforted me, Its my first day at the hospital and I already gained a friend. I nodded as I felt her hand touched mine.

"Well ... imagine a black canvas splashed along with a purple to white gradient. Then sparkled with only a pinch of glitter just enough to see that they're shining. Then a perfectly rounded white with grey spots moon brightly looking down on us" She's really kind to explain the sky to me. No one has ever done the same, she let me imagined her perspective on the world.

"Chaewon?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you" then I hugged her as a real thank you for talking with me. "Your welcome" I removed myself from the hug and just sat quietly feeling the breeze.

"It's nice here, right?" I nodded and smiled as I still felt the wind gently touching my face. "The air here is fresh because of all the plants, that allows me to breathe and not cough that often" ahhh ... I see why she led me here. This is the only place where we could talk without her coughing all the time.

"I hate to say this but we should go back" She's right, it is already night time and eomma might be looking for me. I stood up and let out my hand for Chaewon to grab. She lead us back to the room where eomma and Doctor Choi were already inside.

"Chaewon, thank you for spending time with Yuri. But you should be going now. It's already late, the car must've been waiting for you" She let go of me then bid all of us goodbye. Later on that evening eomma eventually left as well. I was still in Doctor Choi's office she said that my room was being cleaned. There was silence for a whole 30 minutes. I heard the door open and footsteps coming closer to us.

"Ahh ... Yuri, your room is ready. And this is Nurse Eunbi she'll help you to your room" I nodded as I reached out my hand. Ms. Eunbi took it and lead me to the room.

"All the patients rooms are in the third floor. Your room is 3-C its right next to the elevator..." Then she moved my hand to the wall. "... Now this is a button that will call us nurses, just in case you need anything. All your clothes are over here and your bed with a table right next to here" she kept on talking as she guided me to all the parts of the room. I am slowlly imagining what it looks like so I would eventually be familliar with it. "That's all for today, you should get some rest. I bet it's been a busy day" I heard her leave the room. I ran my hand through the bed. I felt it's soft blanket and it's fluffy pillow.

Well Jo Yuri, this is your new home. You should get lots of sleep and try to have new friends tomorrow.