211 Gaining Experience (1/2)
Secretary Kwon dropped Yeo Ri off at the entrance. He had wanted to follow her inside, but Yeo Ri forbade him seeing as she did not want to be seen with him—there were quite a few people who knew her at the hospital, and she didn't want them to gossip.
Yeo Ri was familiar with the layout of the hospital so she easily made her way to her friend Ra Hee's room without any referrals.
Yeo Ri stopped in front of the door, schooling her expression into that of cheerfulness and mischievousness.
Peeking through the narrow glass panel on the door, she could see her friend staring intently at her sketchbook, her hand moving continuously as she drew something.
As quietly as possible, she opened the door and slipped into the room.
As luck would have it, Ra Hee was deeply absorbed in her work, so she did not realise Yeo Ri's presence until her shadow towered over the girl.
”Bah!”
Yeo Ri tapped the other girl's shoulder suddenly, scaring her out of her wits.
”Omo—!” Ra Hee exclaimed in surprise. Her head snapped towards Yeo Ri, and once she realised what the girl had done, her face flushed.
”Lee Yeo Ri, you—!” She started hitting Yeo Ri's arm, feeling both flustered and annoyed. ”I almost had a heart attack!”
”Why can't you just greet me like a normal person?” She grumbled.
Yeo Ri giggled in response. Instead of answering, she turned her gaze towards the sketchbook Ra Hee was holding.
Noticing her gaze, Ra Hee quickly shielded her work-in-progress. ”Don't look!” She shrieked, panicking.
”Oho~” Yeo Ri smiled widely, ”I saw it~”
”Wh-what!”
”You must really like that boy, huh~” Yeo Ri teased. She had caught a glimpse of the drawing. Though incomplete, she could make out a male profile, with short hair and broad shoulders. It must've been a sketch of Ra Hee's mysterious boy-friend whom she had yet to meet, she supposed. Ra Hee seemed intent on keeping him a secret from everyone, treating the matter as though he was a treasure only meant for her eyes.
Though curious, no one felt offended by her secrecy. Rather, the fact that she was trying her best to hide him made it fine fodder for them to use to poke fun at the girl. Seeing her squirm from embarrassment had somehow become the recent hobby of the nurses and neighbouring patients.
”Wh-what boy?!” Ra Hee's voice cracked. She coughed awkwardly, pacifying herself, ”I-I mean, what are you talking about, Yeo Ri-ah? I was merely doodling randomly.”
”Oh, is that so?” Yeo Ri pursed her lips to stop herself from laughing. ”That's awfully detailed for a random doodle. You must be really skilled, Ra Hee-ya~”
”...” Ra Hee closed her eyes, turning away from her friend. 'No comment,' her body language seemed to say.
”A-anyways, what are you doing here?” Ra Hee cleared her throat awkwardly as she fumbled to hide the sketchbook.
”Can't I visit my friend if I want to?” Yeo Ri raised her eyebrow, smiling. ”But anyways, why were you drawing him? Do you miss him or something? Even though you see each other so often.”
Ra Hee glowered at her friend, but did not get angry. Instead, she sighed deeply. ”He's getting discharged.”
”Oh? When?”
”Tomorrow,” Ra Hee sighed again.
”What's the matter, though? It's not like he can't visit you anymore.”
Hearing her words, Ra Hee seemed to deflate. ”That's the thing. I don't know if he'll come visit.”
”What? Why?”
”I never told him where my room is, for one thing. We usually meet at the rooftop. And besides...”
”—Besides?”
”...Besides, he's moving soon,” Ra Hee's eyes reddened. The corners of her mouth pulled downwards. Her lips trembled, looking like she was about to burst into tears. ”I don't know if I can see him anymore.”