I didn’t know what to do with someone suffering from a fever. I’d never taken care of a sick person before. I bit my lip and gazed at Japen’s sleeping face.
So that explained why he was still in bed at this hour!
I climbed out of bed and walked through the living area. Stopping in front of the landline, I picked up the telephone and dialed the reception’s number written on the side.
Someone answered, and I quickly explained about Japen’s fever. I could hear Sofia’s sharp intake of breath as she told me to stay calm and wait for the medical team. My brow furrowed as I heard that an ambulance from a nearby hospital would be coming for Japen.
It was just a fever. Why did they want to send him to the hospital? But I didn’t ask further questions, assuming it was the resort’s protocol whenever a guest fell ill. So I waited a few minutes, then heard the wail of an ambulance siren. My forehead creased even more at the sound, and I looked back at Japen.
I sighed while staring at his face. He was going to be hospitalized for a fever. How caring the resort staff were!
Not long after, there was a knock on the door, and I hurried over to open it. I let the medical team carry Japen out on a stretcher.
That night, I slept in the hospital. It was my first time sleeping in a quiet, white hallway. But I didn’t mind at all because Japen was inside a private room, being looked after by a doctor. I was surprised to see the urgency as the medical team rushed him from the emergency room to a private room. It made me uneasy, not knowing what to make of the situation. It seemed like Japen was being treated with utmost priority at the hospital.
But when I looked at Sofia leaning against a nearby wall, I realized it was all thanks to the resort’s arrangements. I figured the resort owner didn’t want to tarnish their reputation-even an ordinary guest received the best care.
I sighed and checked my wristwatch. It was already six in the morning when I woke up on the hospital bench. Sofia was nowhere to be seen.
I stood up and walked to the door. There was a glass pane where I could see inside the room. I peeked through and saw Japen lying in bed. There was nothing unusual except for the needle in the back of his hand, feeding him fluids through a drip.
I decided to open the door and step inside. I bit my lip, feeling the ache in my back from sleeping overnight on the hospital bench. Standing beside the hospital bed, I looked at Japen, from his pale face down to his stomach covered by the hospital gown. I sighed again.
“I don’t understand why you’re here, but please wake up soon,” I whispered into the air.
The truth was, I didn’t like hospitals. They reminded me of that white room in my dreams. But unlike most people who were afraid or traumatized by hospitals, my reaction was muted. There was a discomfort, but it wasn’t overwhelming whenever I stepped inside a hospital.
“You’re awake,” someone said from behind.
I turned to see Sofia entering the room. She had two cups of instant noodles in her hands. I smiled faintly. “Hi. You’re still here.”
She nodded and placed both cups on the bedside table, then stood opposite me. “I bought some cup noodles. Sorry, it’s the best I could find. There’s nothing better in the cafeteria.” She shrugged. “You know how hospitals are…”
I chuckled lightly. “I don’t mind. I eat cup noodles too.”
“Good.” She glanced over my shoulder. “There’s a hot water dispenser behind you.”
I turned around and saw a small table with coffee and a water dispenser. We poured hot water into our cups and waited a few minutes.
While we waited for the noodles to cook, Sofia asked, “How do you know Japen?”
I looked at her, then back at my cup of noodles. “We’ve been childhood friends.”
“Ah.” She nodded and asked further, “When did he start running a fever?”
“As far as I remember, he didn’t wake up early when the alarm went off yesterday morning. I thought he was just tired, so I let him sleep.”
Sofia blinked. “Y-You were sleeping next to each other in the same bed?”
I glanced at her. Her eyelashes were trembling, as though she was afraid or on the verge of tears. I was surprised by her reaction and looked away. “I guess…” I whispered.
She took a sharp breath. “What did he do last night?”
“Um… he helped dry my hair with a towel.”
“What?” She exclaimed but then cleared her throat. “I mean, is that all he did? Did he do anything else to you?”
I tried to recall what happened last night and then shrugged. “He helped me fall asleep. I don’t remember how I ended up in bed and found him lying next to me this morning. I don’t think Japen did anything inappropriate while I was asleep.” I turned back to Sofia. “Why are you asking such personal questions?”
Sofia blinked a few times, then shook her head. “I-I’m just curious.”
“Okay,” I chirped, then stirred my cup of noodles with a fork. “By the way, thank you for taking the initiative to bring Japen to the hospital. I’ll cover the hospital bill so you don’t have to bother the resort manager or owner.”
“Oh, about that… you don’t need to pay. It’s already taken care of. Once Japen wakes up, he can leave the hospital.”
My brow furrowed again when I heard her casually call Japen’s name, as if they were friends. But I didn’t dwell on it and just hoped Japen would wake up soon.