Chapter Text
The antiseptic smell of the hospital was starting to burn Yoohyeon’s nose. Handong stood beside her with a clipboard, checking the discharge paperwork in silence.
“Okay,” she said, handing it over. “The doctor’s reviewed your x-rays. No fractures, which is the good news.” Her gaze softened as she looked back at Yoohyeon. “But you’ve got a really nasty deep-tissue hematoma. Probably one of the worst I’ve seen. You’re going to be sore and stiff for a while.”
She tapped one section of the form with her pen. “They’ve prescribed a muscle relaxant and painkillers. Take them exactly as directed, and don’t push yourself. If the pain gets worse or you notice any numbness, you come straight back in, okay?”
“Thanks, Handong. Really.” Yoohyeon took the papers, her mind already on the agonizing drive home.
Handong must have seen the look on her face. “Where do you think you’re going?”
“Home? My truck is in the parking lot.”
Handong crossed her arms, shifting instantly from friend to nurse. “Absolutely not. Your farm is what, twenty minutes from here? On dark roads? You can’t drive with a leg that injured.”
Yoohyeon sighed, looking at her hands. “Handong, it’s… what time is it?”
“Almost 2 AM.”
“Right. It’s 2 AM. It’s not like I have a long list of people I can call for a ride right now.”
“A friend?”
Yoohyeon hesitated. There was… one person. She pulled out her phone, her thumb hovering over a name in her contacts:
Yubin 🎮
“I might know someone,” Yoohyeon said. “She’s… a bit of a night owl.”
She pressed the call button. It only rang once.
“Yo!” Yubin’s voice was wide awake and clear. “You finally ready for that raid? I’m at the final checkpoint, but I can wait. I’m just working on a build at the shop.”
“Hey, uh, not exactly.” Yoohyeon felt a wave of embarrassment. “I’m… I’m at the hospital.”
The easygoing tone in Yubin’s voice vanished, replaced by concern. “What? Are you okay? What happened?”
“I’m fine, I’m fine. I just… I had a stupid accident. I tripped and kind of… met a car. I’m totally fine, but the nurse here won’t let me drive, and my truck is in the ER parking lot…”
“Don’t move. I’ll be there in five.” The line clicked dead.
Yoohyeon looked at her phone, a small, grateful smile on her face. “My friend is coming. She’s... she works late.”
Handong nodded, leaning against the counter. The two women sat in an awkward, but not unkind, silence.