Chapter 64: After Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall (3)

    TL: looloo

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    How many hours had passed? I had collapsed, unable to even scream properly, only letting out pained groans, until someone who heard me called 119 and had me taken to the hospital.

    The college entrance exam was completely out of the question now. It might as well have been on the other side of the Pacific. I really wanted to crawl there if I had to, but my arm hurt so badly that it was impossible.

    Anyway, after being rushed to the hospital, I received an injection and underwent a medical examination.

    It was a stroke of luck, albeit a small one, that my right elbow was only fractured, not completely shattered, so I didn''t need surgery. But I did get a cast.

    Thanks to the medicine, or maybe the injection I received halfway through, the pain had significantly subsided. Once I regained some consciousness, a nurse came to collect my personal information.

    Mourning my smartphone, which was split in two just like my elbow, I borrowed a phone to contact my parents.

    By the time lunch was approaching, not only my parents but also my entire family had gathered in my hospital room.

    "How''s your arm? Are you hurting anywhere else?"

    "No, I''m a bit sore all over, but there''s no other broken bones."

    "That''s good... You did well. You can always take the entrance exam next year. You really did well."

    My mom said this as she checked over my body. I nearly cried... but I didn''t. Honestly, it still didn''t feel real to me.

    Yoonjung noona, on the other hand, was crying beside me.

    "Sob... You worked so hard... What now..."

    "It''s okay. Like mom said, I can just take it next year."

    Trying to lighten the mood, which had turned a bit gloomy thanks to my weeping sister, I forced a smile. Although I wasn''t in the mood to laugh and joke, if I looked as morose as I felt, we wouldn''t be able to say anything to each other.

    "Ah, why''s the mood so down? This year, I guess I''ll just help out Sunhoo hyung at the workshop or something."

    "Yeah, you can join us anytime. We''ll work you like a slave."

    "Shut your mouth."

    -Click- Fortunately, my nonsense was well-received, and we started to chat about this and that when dad and Jeongwoo hyung entered the hospital room.

    But as soon as they entered, Jeongwoo hyung silently started gathering my belongings.

    "Yeonho, let''s move to a different room."

    "Suddenly? I thought I could just be discharged today and continue treatment as an outpatient."

    Earlier, the doctor said that as long as I took my medication and kept the cast on, it would be okay to go home.

    Looking at dad with confusion, he pointed outside and explained the reason.

    "The grandmother and her son whom you helped earlier came by. They''ve offered to cover all the hospital bills. Let''s get some physical therapy later and stay a few more days to monitor your condition."

    "Oh, how''s the grandmother? Is she okay?"

    I wouldn''t have known what to do if the grandmother had been hurt after I had thrown my body to save her during the college entrance exam.

    "Yes, she''s fine. She sprained her ankle, but there''s no serious injury. She''s usually hypertensive, so she suddenly showed signs of anemia."

    "That''s a relief."

    Right, as long as she''s safe.

    ---

    Raei Translations

    ---

    Sigh.

    It''s distressing to think that everyone has to move on. Damn.

    The hospital food had a rather unique taste, so I ended up eating the kimbap my mom had packed for me in the morning. After that, I wandered around the hospital out of sheer boredom, heard about how the physical therapy would be conducted.

    Then, everyone went back home. It wasn''t a serious situation, and it seemed odd for them all to stay. Actually, it was right after my admission, so they had let it slide, but the visiting hours for lunch had long passed.

    My parents said they would come back with my clothes.

    Sitting alone in the small room, I felt really bored. Especially since I had been studying every spare moment recently, this free time felt even more pronounced.

    Especially without Heena by my side.

    Thinking about my girlfriend at random moments, I checked the time. It was about when the college entrance exams would be finishing, and students would be heading home.

    The university hospital where I was staying wasn''t far from the school where Heena was taking her exam, so she might be coming soon.

    -Tap tap tap tap!!!

    Just as I was idly wondering when she would arrive, suddenly, there was a lot of commotion outside my hospital room.

    Thinking someone had brought a child for a visit, I didn''t pay much attention and lay down.

    -Bang!!

    "Yeonho!!!!!"

    Bursting in with all her might, throwing the door open.

    A face smeared with tears, her hair a mess, clinging to her face.

    It was my girlfriend.

    "Ah... you''re here?"

    "Are you okay?! How badly are you hurt?"

    As expected, she examined my body with a more serious expression than I anticipated, even though she must have heard some details from Heeseong hyung.

    Closely inspecting me, she finally looked at my casted elbow and started to cry.

    Seeing her like this, I felt grateful and somewhat overwhelmed by the depth of her concern for me.

    That''s probably why, instead of reassuring her, I unintentionally started with an apology.

    I was afraid that if I said anything more comforting, I might start crying too.

    "I''m sorry."

    "Sob... For what...?"

    "For not being able to take the exam after you spent so much time teaching me."

    I made this unnecessary comment, even though it wasnt a situation to be too worried about. I was both touched and embarrassed by her dramatic reaction.

    But...

    "What does that matter!!!!"

    My words were drowned out by Heena''s loud outcry, the likes of which I had never heard before. She looked furiously upset at me, the first time I''d seen her like this since we started dating.

    "You''re... hurt... like this... Sob... Why would... that... matter..."

    She burst into tears, clutching my hospital gown and burying her face in my chest.

    Right. Heena would worry about my well-being over anything else, whether I messed up the exam or not.

    It was obvious when I thought about it, but I had unnecessarily brought up something else to hide my embarrassment. I reflected on this internally and hugged Heena, who was holding onto me and sobbing heavily.

    "I''m sorry for getting hurt. I''ll be more careful in the future. So, please don''t cry, okay?"

    A four-week injury was minor, but making my girlfriend cry like this felt like a grave sin.

    Why does the exam matter right now? Seeing her so upset over something as trivial as this injury, I resolved to be more cautious with myself in the future.