The Words of Someone: [CH2] June 13
Eli and the others were awakened by an early phone call. They were told to come to the hospital immediately and that there was an important development in Kevin’s comatose state. They were, however, not told what it could or couldn’t be. Eli panicked the whole trip to the hospital. “Oh god,” he muttered, “he could be losing his stabilization or he could be losing his grip on what consciousness he has, or-“
“Eli, relax,” Soohyun urged him. “I’m sure whatever it is will be fine. He’ll be fine, Eli.”
Eli couldn’t relax. He ran his hands along the thighs of his jeans anxiously. His eyes darted from one window to the next. He couldn’t focus on a single person or object. His heart was beating ninety to nothing and he couldn’t sit still. It only grew worse the closer to the hospital they drew.
Once at the hospital, Soohyun had hardly parked the car and Eli was out on the sidewalk, running to the front doors. The others had to race to catch up with him. Eli was in the elevator, tapping his foot as he awaited them. He wasn’t going to tell them to hurry-it seemed they were doing that much on their own. He breathed somewhat heavier than average. His heart was beating faster than it should. He knew his blood pressure was at an alarming level. He knew he should calm down. But something told him that it was perfectly alright to be this excitable.
It had been five months with no signs of anything changing, and now this. Eli and the others checked in with the nurses before meeting up with the doctor outside Kevin’s room. “He’s awake,” the doctor began, “but not all of you can race in there. Kevin doesn’t remember much at all. He doesn’t even remember what caused him to end up in this state. He honestly might not remember any of you, either. Names, faces… it could have very well disappeared from his memory bank.”
Eli dropped and held a hand against his face. The part where Kevin was awake was what he wanted to hear. The fact that Kevin may not remember him-and the doctor being unsure if he ever would… that hurt Eli more than anything-including death.
Soohyun helped him up, an arm wrapped around Eli’s shoulders. Soohyun could understand well enough. If he were in that position, he’d have been crushed as well. Kibum volunteered to enter first. He had known Kevin the longest; surely he would remember him at least. Kibum somewhat hugged Eli in reassurance before entering the hospital room. Sure enough, Kevin was sitting up and staring out the window of his room. Once he’d heard the door open and shut, his attention was drawn to Kibum. “Um, hey there, Kevin,” Kibum murmured awkwardly, moving toward the bed a bit.
Kevin smiled slightly which gave Kibum some hope. “Hi,” Kevin responded simply. “Have we met before?”
Kibum gulped and glanced at the floor. That wasn’t what he wanted to hear. “Actually, uh, yeah. We know each other quite well, Kevin.”
Kevin squinted a little and tilted his head. “Hm, your face does seem familiar… but I can’t place it for some reason.”
“Can you remember my name?”
Kevin shook his head. “Not really. I’m thinking it started with… an S?”
Kibum felt destroyed. “No, not it.”
“Wait, what about… does it start with a K?”
A faint flickering light of hope. “You do remember, sort of.”
“Do you know why I’m here? The doctor wouldn’t quite explain it to me.”
Kibum sat down beside the bed in the chair that was provided. “You just… had an accident a little bit ago. You were pretty hurt, so you were brought here.”
“Oh, okay,” Kevin replied.
Kibum managed to leave out the length of time that he was unconscious. The length of time that had passed might have startled him. He didn’t give any details, either. “So, remember anything else about me, maybe?”
Kevin shook his head again. “I have a feeling that I should. I just… I don’t.”
It was then that Kibum realized Kevin was crying. It was a gentle sort of crying, so it was really silent. The only thing that gave it away was his incessant sniffling. Kibum edged closer to the bed a little bit. “It’s alright, Kevin. It’ll take some time but you’ll come to remember everything again. I promise,” Kibum reassured him, slowly placing a hand on his shoulder.
Kevin instantly clung to it-not the reaction Kibum was expecting. He expected Kevin to be more paranoid, unsure of him, since he didn’t remember him. However, it seemed like Kevin knew that Kibum was important to him somehow. “I want to remember,” Kevin mumbled between sniffles.
“I can tell you my name, and we’ll see if you remember it. If that’s what you want, Kevin,” Kibum told him.
Kevin slightly shook his head. “I should be able to remember you. I know I should. You’re…” Kevin paused and looked up at him. He spent a solid minute studying Kibum’s face before smiling faintly and wiping his eyes with the back of one of his hands. “Kibum. Right?”
Kibum grinned from ear to ear. He couldn’t suppress the happiness he felt from Kevin’s vaguely returning memory. “Right. See? It’s already starting to come back to you a little. We’re best friends, Kevin.”
Kevin smiled. “I knew that. Sort of. That’s what I assumed anyway.”
Kibum and Kevin laughed together a bit. “Our other friends are standing outside, but I really don’t want to overwhelm you right now-not right after waking up,” Kibum told him.
Kevin shrugged his shoulders slightly. “Honestly, I want to see if I can remember any of them at all. I know I’ll be a little startled at first, but… I really want to know, Kibum.”
Kibum was still relatively against the idea of letting him see everyone at once. However, if it was Kevin’s wish, he wanted to do whatever he could for him. “Alright, Kevin. I’ll… I’ll go let everyone know. If this is what you really want, I’ll let them all come in at once.”
Kevin nodded as if he were somewhat excited. “It’s like… getting to meet everyone again for the first time. I might not remember their names or what they’ve done for me, but it’s kind of exciting that way, isn’t it?”
Kevin was certainly strange. He was still a sweetheart, though, even for having gone through a terribly traumatic accident. Kibum left his side to walk out into the hall where the doctor and the other five men stood, waiting. “How is he?” Eli questioned anxiously.
“He’s well. It took him a moment, but he does remember me. It took him awhile, though,” Kibum murmured with a smile. “He wants to see everyone. I told him it might not be a good idea, but he insisted. He’s indignant on seeing you all. He wants to see if he can remember anything.”
Eli’s eyes fell to the floor. He knew that Kevin wouldn’t remember him like he wanted him to. If it took Kevin forever to remember Kibum, it wouldn’t be any easier to remember Eli. The doctor agreed that it was fine if it was Kevin’s wishes. One by one, they all filed into the room after Kibum’s reentry. Kevin smiled at them all awkwardly. He didn’t seem to recognize any of them instantly.
“Hi,” he told them softly. “I… I wish I knew your names. I know that I know you, I just… don’t know who you are… or how we met. Kibum told me you’re my friends though.”
They all nodded and chuckled faintly. “It’ll come around to you, Kevin,” Soohyun murmured. “We can introduce ourselves to you like old times, if you want.”
“That’d be nice,” Kevin told him. “At least I would know your names then.”
They proceeded giving Kevin their names and briefly explaining how they met until it came to Eli. Eli wasn’t sure he should divulge to Kevin that they were together. Eli whispered faintly in Kibum’s ear, and Kibum felt the same. Instead, Eli opted toward being a friend, too. Until Kevin could at least vaguely remember, perhaps it was better to be nothing but friends. “Eli is my name,” he murmured, “and you met me on a train after I’d been rather rude to Dongho.”
Kevin squinted at him for a moment. He swung his legs over the bed and stood up a bit. His legs were like noodles and he almost couldn’t walk, having been in bed rest for the past five months. It was convenient that Eli caught him when he stumbled. Instinctively, he held him closely and picked him up a bit. “Why in the hell were you trying to stand and walk so soon?” Kibum nagged.
Kevin smiled and touched Eli’s face. “Not sure, honestly. I just… I felt like it. I wanted to see him closer.”
Eli felt that small spark of hope return. ‘God, Kevin… you’re still so precious and gorgeous. I hope you remember soon. I’ll do anything to have you remember. I love you,’ Eli thought silently, still holding the angelic boy as they gazed at one another, fixated.
“Eli, relax,” Soohyun urged him. “I’m sure whatever it is will be fine. He’ll be fine, Eli.”
Eli couldn’t relax. He ran his hands along the thighs of his jeans anxiously. His eyes darted from one window to the next. He couldn’t focus on a single person or object. His heart was beating ninety to nothing and he couldn’t sit still. It only grew worse the closer to the hospital they drew.
Once at the hospital, Soohyun had hardly parked the car and Eli was out on the sidewalk, running to the front doors. The others had to race to catch up with him. Eli was in the elevator, tapping his foot as he awaited them. He wasn’t going to tell them to hurry-it seemed they were doing that much on their own. He breathed somewhat heavier than average. His heart was beating faster than it should. He knew his blood pressure was at an alarming level. He knew he should calm down. But something told him that it was perfectly alright to be this excitable.
It had been five months with no signs of anything changing, and now this. Eli and the others checked in with the nurses before meeting up with the doctor outside Kevin’s room. “He’s awake,” the doctor began, “but not all of you can race in there. Kevin doesn’t remember much at all. He doesn’t even remember what caused him to end up in this state. He honestly might not remember any of you, either. Names, faces… it could have very well disappeared from his memory bank.”
Eli dropped and held a hand against his face. The part where Kevin was awake was what he wanted to hear. The fact that Kevin may not remember him-and the doctor being unsure if he ever would… that hurt Eli more than anything-including death.
Soohyun helped him up, an arm wrapped around Eli’s shoulders. Soohyun could understand well enough. If he were in that position, he’d have been crushed as well. Kibum volunteered to enter first. He had known Kevin the longest; surely he would remember him at least. Kibum somewhat hugged Eli in reassurance before entering the hospital room. Sure enough, Kevin was sitting up and staring out the window of his room. Once he’d heard the door open and shut, his attention was drawn to Kibum. “Um, hey there, Kevin,” Kibum murmured awkwardly, moving toward the bed a bit.
Kevin smiled slightly which gave Kibum some hope. “Hi,” Kevin responded simply. “Have we met before?”
Kibum gulped and glanced at the floor. That wasn’t what he wanted to hear. “Actually, uh, yeah. We know each other quite well, Kevin.”
Kevin squinted a little and tilted his head. “Hm, your face does seem familiar… but I can’t place it for some reason.”
“Can you remember my name?”
Kevin shook his head. “Not really. I’m thinking it started with… an S?”
Kibum felt destroyed. “No, not it.”
“Wait, what about… does it start with a K?”
A faint flickering light of hope. “You do remember, sort of.”
“Do you know why I’m here? The doctor wouldn’t quite explain it to me.”
Kibum sat down beside the bed in the chair that was provided. “You just… had an accident a little bit ago. You were pretty hurt, so you were brought here.”
“Oh, okay,” Kevin replied.
Kibum managed to leave out the length of time that he was unconscious. The length of time that had passed might have startled him. He didn’t give any details, either. “So, remember anything else about me, maybe?”
Kevin shook his head again. “I have a feeling that I should. I just… I don’t.”
It was then that Kibum realized Kevin was crying. It was a gentle sort of crying, so it was really silent. The only thing that gave it away was his incessant sniffling. Kibum edged closer to the bed a little bit. “It’s alright, Kevin. It’ll take some time but you’ll come to remember everything again. I promise,” Kibum reassured him, slowly placing a hand on his shoulder.
Kevin instantly clung to it-not the reaction Kibum was expecting. He expected Kevin to be more paranoid, unsure of him, since he didn’t remember him. However, it seemed like Kevin knew that Kibum was important to him somehow. “I want to remember,” Kevin mumbled between sniffles.
“I can tell you my name, and we’ll see if you remember it. If that’s what you want, Kevin,” Kibum told him.
Kevin slightly shook his head. “I should be able to remember you. I know I should. You’re…” Kevin paused and looked up at him. He spent a solid minute studying Kibum’s face before smiling faintly and wiping his eyes with the back of one of his hands. “Kibum. Right?”
Kibum grinned from ear to ear. He couldn’t suppress the happiness he felt from Kevin’s vaguely returning memory. “Right. See? It’s already starting to come back to you a little. We’re best friends, Kevin.”
Kevin smiled. “I knew that. Sort of. That’s what I assumed anyway.”
Kibum and Kevin laughed together a bit. “Our other friends are standing outside, but I really don’t want to overwhelm you right now-not right after waking up,” Kibum told him.
Kevin shrugged his shoulders slightly. “Honestly, I want to see if I can remember any of them at all. I know I’ll be a little startled at first, but… I really want to know, Kibum.”
Kibum was still relatively against the idea of letting him see everyone at once. However, if it was Kevin’s wish, he wanted to do whatever he could for him. “Alright, Kevin. I’ll… I’ll go let everyone know. If this is what you really want, I’ll let them all come in at once.”
Kevin nodded as if he were somewhat excited. “It’s like… getting to meet everyone again for the first time. I might not remember their names or what they’ve done for me, but it’s kind of exciting that way, isn’t it?”
Kevin was certainly strange. He was still a sweetheart, though, even for having gone through a terribly traumatic accident. Kibum left his side to walk out into the hall where the doctor and the other five men stood, waiting. “How is he?” Eli questioned anxiously.
“He’s well. It took him a moment, but he does remember me. It took him awhile, though,” Kibum murmured with a smile. “He wants to see everyone. I told him it might not be a good idea, but he insisted. He’s indignant on seeing you all. He wants to see if he can remember anything.”
Eli’s eyes fell to the floor. He knew that Kevin wouldn’t remember him like he wanted him to. If it took Kevin forever to remember Kibum, it wouldn’t be any easier to remember Eli. The doctor agreed that it was fine if it was Kevin’s wishes. One by one, they all filed into the room after Kibum’s reentry. Kevin smiled at them all awkwardly. He didn’t seem to recognize any of them instantly.
“Hi,” he told them softly. “I… I wish I knew your names. I know that I know you, I just… don’t know who you are… or how we met. Kibum told me you’re my friends though.”
They all nodded and chuckled faintly. “It’ll come around to you, Kevin,” Soohyun murmured. “We can introduce ourselves to you like old times, if you want.”
“That’d be nice,” Kevin told him. “At least I would know your names then.”
They proceeded giving Kevin their names and briefly explaining how they met until it came to Eli. Eli wasn’t sure he should divulge to Kevin that they were together. Eli whispered faintly in Kibum’s ear, and Kibum felt the same. Instead, Eli opted toward being a friend, too. Until Kevin could at least vaguely remember, perhaps it was better to be nothing but friends. “Eli is my name,” he murmured, “and you met me on a train after I’d been rather rude to Dongho.”
Kevin squinted at him for a moment. He swung his legs over the bed and stood up a bit. His legs were like noodles and he almost couldn’t walk, having been in bed rest for the past five months. It was convenient that Eli caught him when he stumbled. Instinctively, he held him closely and picked him up a bit. “Why in the hell were you trying to stand and walk so soon?” Kibum nagged.
Kevin smiled and touched Eli’s face. “Not sure, honestly. I just… I felt like it. I wanted to see him closer.”
Eli felt that small spark of hope return. ‘God, Kevin… you’re still so precious and gorgeous. I hope you remember soon. I’ll do anything to have you remember. I love you,’ Eli thought silently, still holding the angelic boy as they gazed at one another, fixated.