Butt Shot
"Hello."
"Yes, yep!"
I entered the examination room and, the moment I saw the doctor, found myself answering in a voice that trembled without my realizing it. I'd definitely been to the hospital back in the old days, so why was I so nervous?
"No need to be so tense. You mentioned headaches and coughing, so let's check your throat first. Open your mouth and tilt your head back, please."
"Ah...."
I carefully opened my mouth and tilted my head back a little. The doctor shone a flashlight into my mouth, then pressed a cold wooden stick down on my tongue, making me flinch involuntarily.
"Hmm, your tonsils are swollen. Does it hurt every time you cough?"
I nodded faintly, and the doctor removed the stick. Back in the day, I'd just grab some cold medicine from the convenience store and sleep it off, but now I had streams to do, and Ul Eonni would obviously worry, so I needed to get better fast, no question.
"Headaches and coughing, got it. Any trouble sleeping?"
"Oh, no. Sleep's fine."
"Alright. I'll prescribe three days' worth of meds—take them after meals. And I think you should get a shot today before you go."
The word shot made me tense up automatically. After coming back from the military, shots didn't faze me, but since I'd never done it in this body, my reflexes were kicking in hard.
"Um, do I have to get the shot?"
"Pfft... It'll help you recover faster if you do."
The doctor chuckled like she found me adorable. Her expression, like she was looking at a little kid, made my face heat up—I must've seemed way too childish.
"Okay... I'll do it...."
In the end, I had to mumble my answer. I needed to recover quick for streaming, and I didn't want to keep worrying Ul Eonni.
"Then follow the nurse to the injection room, get your shot, and pick up the prescription at the desk."
"Yeees...."
I hung my head limply and let the nurse guide me straight to the injection room. The way she smiled—like I was some cute animal—made me want to die of embarrassment right there.
"Okay, patient. It's a butt shot, so lie face-down on the bed and pull your pants down just a bit."
"Y-yes? Butt?"
"Yes."
I'd assumed it was in the arm, so butt shot threw me for a loop. I almost asked if it couldn't be the arm instead, but then I remembered: I was only wearing a hoodie and padding. ...Yeah, just those. No underwear underneath! The hospital was right by home, and panties felt stuffy, so what choice did I have?
If it were the arm, I'd have to pull it out from under the hoodie, exposing my bare chest with nothing on. I couldn't bring myself to suggest the arm, so I took off my padding and obediently lay on the bed. At least I didn't have to pull down my panties....
"Haa...."
I let out a small sigh, buried my face in the pillow, and with trembling hands, grabbed my pants and tugged them down a little. Had I ever been this embarrassed in my life? When Ul Eonni groped me? Or when Huran-i called her "honey"? Or when I cried playing horror games? ...Come to think of it, there were a lot.
"Perfect, just down to there. Relax and let your muscles go loose."
"Eek...!"
The alcohol swab touched my bare skin, and I yelped in shame as my body curled up on instinct. This was it—the shot was coming. I braced myself for the pain, heart pounding.
"It'll sting."
"Ngh...."
The sharp needle pierced inside, and I felt the medicine flooding in as I gripped the pillow tight. I'm never getting another shot—I'm managing my health from now on, no matter what!
"All done. Don't rub it—press firmly for ten seconds."
At the nurse's kind voice, I felt the soft cotton on my butt, quickly pressed it with my hand, and yanked my pants back up. There might be a little blood on them, but I was too embarrassed—I just wanted to escape.
"Hehe... Get your prescription at the desk outside."
"Th-thank youuu!"
She giggled at how cute I must've looked, and I seriously thought I'd die on the spot. I grabbed my padding and bolted out like I was fleeing, dashing to the desk. The slight ache in my chest—not my butt—must've been from the shot, right?
"Seo Ha-yoon?"
"Yes...."
Head bowed, I finished at the desk with the prescription and payment, grabbed my meds from the in-house pharmacy, and burst outside. The cold wind hit my face, finally cooling my burning cheeks.
"Haa... I'm never coming back here."
I shoved the medicine bag into my pocket and hurried out of the hospital parking lot. Trying to forget what just happened by thinking random thoughts, I suddenly remembered Ul Eonni telling me yesterday to call Mom and Dad.
"Hmm... Is now okay to call?"
I checked my phone—still before lunch, so probably fine. They both ran a café anyway, so no big deal, but it had been a while, and I hesitated a bit. Back when I was a guy, they didn't care if I went half a year without calling, but now Ul Eonni had called them after just a few days.
"Ugh, what do I do...."
After agonizing forever, I swallowed hard and hit call.
-Ring ring...
"My pretty baby girl!"
Mom's voice burst through before the first ring even finished. Or rather, her energy seemed weirdly amped up.
"Uh... yeah, Mom."
"Mom? Does my girl have something against calling her mom? Or did something happen?"
She sounded so worried, like she'd never heard "Mom" from me before. She'd already been fretting since I hadn't called, so I couldn't worry her more.
"No, Mom."
"Good. You outside?"
"Yeah. Just out for a quick walk."
"What? Really?"
Mom reacted like she'd never heard such a thing. Had I really been that much of a shut-in...? Closing my eyes, I realized yeah, probably, and had nothing to say.
"Just... the weather's so nice."
"Oh my, what's gotten into my girl? You're always holed up in your room unless you're going out with your sister."
"Ahaha, I'm in college now."
"Smart thinking! You eating properly? Your sister says you eat dinner together, but lunch isn't just instant ramen like at home, right?"
"N-no! Eating properly."
My voice pitched up guiltily—I'd barely had real lunches till now—and came out a little hoarse.
"Your throat sounds rough. Caught a cold?"
Classic Mom. Her intuition was as sharp as ever.
"Y-yeah. Kinda happened."
"'Kinda' my foot! You wore short sleeves and shorts in the dead of winter again, didn't you!"
Hearing her nagging after so long since discharge felt nostalgic yet unchanged. Still hard to listen to.
"I keep telling you to dress warm inside! Did you go to the hospital?"
"...Yeah. Just came from there, heading home."
"The shot? You didn't cry like last time because you hate them?"
Wondering what kind of kid the original Seo Ha-yoon must've been to Mom. I'd teared up a little from the shot, but no crying. More like she saw me as younger than an elementary kid—like Ji-on-i from earlier.
"Got the shot. Don't worry."
"Really? Mom believes you. But last time you drank with your sister, why'd you go radio silent after..."
I zoned out through the rest of her lecture, trudging home. On the way, I'd grab porridge and post on the café. Dad... later. Sorry, Dad.