Bring It On! - Chapter 66

Chapter 66.

I was discharged.

Thanks to somehow managing to eat and live decently even on that barren deserted island, no particular health issues were found. Just some light scratches and nutritional imbalance. 

Thinking about it, maybe I’d been hospitalized unnecessarily for a whole month when one night’s stay would’ve been enough. I should’ve brought up the idea of leaving first.

Unlike me, Suho had a lot more tests to undergo and conditions to monitor, so his hospitalization inevitably stretched longer.

“Noona… you’re leaving?”

Suho carefully grabbed my hand. I guess putting on normal clothes instead of the hospital gown made me look like I was about to go somewhere far.

“Why? Are you trying to kick me out early?”

“No… that’s not it.”

The way he trailed off, stammering, was both pitiful and cute. I pinched his soft cheek.

“Where else would I go? I’m just stepping out for a bit and I’ll be back.”

“What time? What time are you coming back?”

I checked the clock hanging on the wall.

“I’ll be back before dinner. Go play in the playroom.”

Only then did Suho nod in relief. Lately, he went to the playroom every day. I wondered if he’d made any friends his age, but whenever I asked, all he ever talked about was playing games with Park Jong-hoo. 

Apparently, as soon as Suho rushed off to the playroom after lunch, Park Jong-hoo would show up around the same time, hang around playing games for anywhere from 10 minutes to over 2 hours, then vanish without a word. Did that man not have a job?

It was while taking care of Suho that I realized something.

“…”

Since escaping the island, this was my first time stepping out of the hospital alone.

Even finding the exit in the maze-like building wasn’t easy. Why were there so many sick people in our country? Even on a weekday, the place was crowded everywhere I looked. 

With separate entrances and exits, I wandered for a long while before finally making my way out, asking security staff for directions along the way.

Just half a year ago, this had been an ordinary part of life. Now everything felt unfamiliar and awkward.

Outside, the air was chilly. All I had were thin clothes, so it felt even colder.

“I’ll need to buy Suho some clothes first.”

With that thought, I slowly walked on. The road in front of the hospital was packed with cars, horns blaring nonstop, and tall buildings thick as a forest filled my view. 

No matter which way I turned my head, there were crowds of people everywhere. It still didn’t feel real that I was back in a civilized city. For some reason, my heart was pounding. I couldn’t tell if it was nerves or excitement.

I finally activated my long-delayed phone service.

Thankfully, my belongings had remained untouched in the shipping company’s dormitory, so this was possible. The company president had sent them to the broadcasting station, and the TV crew, the same team that had rescued me, Jay, and Suho, brought them to the hospital.

My luggage was minimal. A laptop, some clothes, toiletries. But the real reason I was glad to get it back was because of my passport and ID card. I’d never carried my wallet around much, and especially on sailing days, I’d always locked it away in a drawer. 

There’s nothing more troublesome than losing your ID in an unfamiliar place. Just imagining my wallet dropping into the sea made my head ache.

Because of that habit, I was able to safely recover my ID even after escaping the island.

The new phone had not a single number saved in it.

Before, if that chunk of metal wasn’t within sight even for a minute, I’d feel restless. Now it just felt awkward. I fiddled with it for a while, then lost interest and shoved it into my pocket.

Next, I reissued my bank card.

The balance was just over 30 million won. I had thought I’d saved everything from my working holiday, but apparently not. After more than two years of work, what I’d managed to save was only about half of what I’d earned. Still, rather than feeling regret, I felt reassured. It wasn’t a fortune, but enough to start something new.

Before returning to the hospital, I stopped by a nearby SPA brand store. I was there to buy Suho some extra clothes. Just stepping inside made me tense for some reason. Like oil floating on water, I felt like I couldn’t blend in. I cleared my throat for no reason.

The kids’ section was on the third floor. Unlike my awkward start, once I began browsing I lost track of time. A sky-blue pajama set from an animated movie collaboration caught my eye.

It was so cute I knew I had to buy it no matter what. The price tag made me dizzy for a moment, but imagining Suho wearing it made it worth it.

I also picked out a thick winter jacket and several pairs of socks. Since payment was only available on the first floor, I chose to take the stairs instead of the crowded elevator.

Halfway down, I stopped in front of the men’s clothing section on the second floor.

A black tracksuit on a mannequin caught my eye. It wasn’t so different from a regular sports brand design, but I thought it would look amazing on Jay, like something out of a fashion spread.

“…Not sure if he’ll accept it quietly, though.”

Three questions a day, three answers a day.

The condition I proposed to Jay, so he could brush me off quickly and simply whenever I clung to him, felt to me like an opportunity. Without fail, I went out to the lounge terrace at 2 a.m. every day to wait for him.

“Do you remember when we were chased by those hornets and hid underwater? You pushed me up so I could breathe, but you nearly drowned yourself.”

“I don’t remember.”

Jay lightly held a cigarette between his teeth and lit it. The way he dragged on the filter and exhaled couldn’t have looked more careless. Our Q&A always went like this. 

I kept trying to dig up the past, while Jay half-listened and brushed me off with perfunctory replies. If things kept going this way, it would be a problem. He seemed intent on muddling through with random answers until our agreed time was over.

“Don’t you remember how we even shared a toothbrush? Really?”

That was the first time Jay’s reaction changed. He frowned, as if he couldn’t believe what I’d just said, and stared straight at me. Back on the deserted island, he had gone crazy insisting that no matter what, sharing a toothbrush was absolutely out of the question. 

For a moment, I felt like I was seeing the real Jay peek through, and without realizing it, a laugh escaped my lips.

I was lost in the memory when suddenly, I felt the weight of his gaze. His eyes were fixed on my face, unyielding. The fierce energy in them had softened a little. 

The sudden shift in atmosphere startled me. Could it really be that sharing a toothbrush had shocked him that much?

“We even kissed, you know.”

“…So what.”

“Should I not mention that we had sex too? Maybe it’d be too much of a shock for someone who’s still sick.”

“You already said—!”

“That’s my fourth question. I’m over the limit. Anyway, I’m leaving. Good night.” 

I gave him a little wave and walked out of the terrace. Jay’s stunned eyes, frozen as if he’d been struck by lightning, clung to the back of my head until the very end.

Remembering his horrified expression from last night made me burst into mischievous laughter again.

“Would you like me to take it out and show you?”

Since I hadn’t moved from where I stood, someone approached me.

“This one’s a new release in collaboration with an overseas football team. It’s really popular.”

A cheerful staff member eagerly began explaining all about the clothes. At first I listened, but soon the complicated terms made me feel dazed. I’d already decided to buy it anyway, so I cut him off and said I’d take it. 

But far from being annoyed, the clerk brightened even more and asked,

“Should I get you the same size as the mannequin?”

“…That’ll be too small.”

“Sorry?”

“Bring me a bigger size. Actually, your biggest one.”

***

The more I thought about it, the more convinced I became. Jay couldn’t possibly be 100% Korean. His body was so much bigger, thicker, and more solid than the flimsy proportions of a store mannequin. Even in Australia, you didn’t see many builds like his. 

Sure, some of it was natural, but muscles don’t just appear on their own. Just how insanely hard must he have trained?

Either way, the weight in my hands felt pleasantly heavy. My errands had taken longer than expected, but fortunately, it was still before dinner.

“Oh, right. Food.”

Up until this morning, he’d been eating hospital meals, but now that he was discharged, he wouldn’t have any. I couldn’t shamelessly steal Soo-ho’s food either. 

So, at the convenience store in front of the hospital, I grabbed some kimbap and milk. At the counter, I spotted something familiar.

Without thinking, I picked it up, and the part-timer asked, “Shall I ring this up together?”

“Oh, yes.”

A pack of instant coffee went into the translucent bag. Back on the island, I felt like I’d die if I didn’t have at least one cup a day. Here, I hadn’t touched it for almost a month. Out of sight, out of mind, but the moment I saw it, strangely, my mouth watered.

At the hospital entrance, I showed my guardian pass and went in. Another maze of endless hallways. But since I’d already been there once, I didn’t get completely lost this time. My pace quickened as I walked back.

It was about time for dinner service. I’d said I’d be back before then. I grew anxious, imagining Suho waiting and worrying for no reason.

The elevators for the private ward were separate from the general ones. I ran full-speed to the bank of elevators and jabbed the button. One of the six lit up. As I stood there catching my breath, the doors opened….

And a massive, dark figure toppled straight toward me.

“Ugh—!”

The shopping bags in my hand scattered across the floor. I couldn’t withstand the heavy weight crashing into me. I staggered back and landed hard on my backside.

“Haa… ha…”

“Jay?”

The body in front of me was Jay. I grabbed his face with both hands to check his condition. His whole body was damp with sweat, his complexion deathly pale. 

Only a faint feverish flush lingered around his eyes. His breathing was ragged, each breath so shallow it felt like it might just stop. The sound of it tightened fear around my heart.

“Hey, are you okay? What’s wrong? Jay, wake up.”

His eyelids kept drooping, heavy and unfocused, yet he struggled to lift them as if to take in my face one last time.

“…Don’t go.”

The words rasped out of his cracked lips. Then, like a puppet with its strings cut, Jay’s head slumped forward.