The Misery of Hospitalization
Hospitalization was a torment. Some even said it was as bad as military enlistment. Naturally, the pain and suffering of having your freedom stripped away couldn't be understood without experiencing it firsthand. Unlike enlistment, hospitalization varied depending on the severity of the illness, but from the perspective of an indirect taste of lost freedom, there were some shared aspects.
Of course, Tae-il lacked any real sense of reality about being injured and hospitalized, so he was unusually carefree for a patient. He even complained of boredom whenever he had a moment.
"Man, I'm so bored."
"What? You say that even with me here?"
Sakuya, who had been grunting while clumsily peeling an apple, suddenly thrust the sharp tip of the fruit knife toward Tae-il. It was impossible to tell if the wobbly lump dangling precariously from the knife's end was apple flesh or just peel.
"H-Hey, that's dangerous, so put the knife away first..."
"Answer me."
Tae-il grinned widely and raised both arms high.
"Wow! Being in a private room with Sakuya is so fun and happy! No time to be bored at all! Sakuya's the best!"
"Hmph. But that was a pretty dangerous thing to say just now?"
"Dangerous? I'm the patient here."
"Idiot. That's why it's dangerous. Puhuhu."
Sakuya jammed the knife roughly into the apple and let out a sly chuckle at Tae-il's innocent reaction. Tae-il blinked dumbly.
"Why?"
"Sigh. Now I get how Ayane feels..."
Sakuya shook her head, feeling like she'd released an innocent, worldly-naive kid into rough waters.
"You know what? All the girls around you are basically wolves."
"Is this some abekobe world?"*
"Ahaha!"
Sakuya clapped her hands and burst into a wide grin at Tae-il's quick retort. She was the type who'd only chatted about otaku stuff online, fearing weird looks from others. But real-life otaku talk in person was way more fun than she'd imagined. She'd never understood why people went to meetups before, but now she kinda got it, she thought with an inner chuckle.
"Abekobe, huh. It suits you and Tae-il pretty well."
"What're you saying."
"Hm? It doesn't?"
"Of course not! Where do I look feminine?!"
At Sakuya's assessment, Tae-il launched into a proud speech about why he was such a manly guy.
"Honestly, it's just that you're such a tomboy. Compared to other guys, I'm not that bad, mumblemumble..."
"Yeah, yeah."
As always, Sakuya brushed off Tae-il's triggered excuses. "Here, eat this."
"Mmph?!"
A lumpy, earless rabbit-shaped apple slice shut the chattering Tae-il's mouth.
"How is it?"
Tae-il munched and swallowed the apple. "How what? Of course it's delicious."
"Right?"
It's the taste that matters, not the shape, Sakuya boasted as she proudly chopped the apple into big chunks like kimchi. For the record, Izumi had secretly left the apples before the concert yesterday out of guilt.
"Wait, you didn't even buy these apples yourself, so why are you acting so smug...?"
"What's wrong with that?"
Tae-il chuckled as Sakuya winked shamelessly. "Anyway, private rooms are nice. No one yells at us for chatting like this."
"Ward rooms make you self-conscious?"
"A bit? Plus, age is everything in a hospital room."
Even if friends visited, students had to stay quiet if the elders gave them looks.
"Sounds like you speak from experience. You been in hospital rooms a lot, Sakuya?"
"My friends have."
Athletes got injured often. Especially competitive ones—they were practically hospital regulars. Sakuya, being human, had gone straight to the hospital for injuries or even minor warning pains.
"Nothing major?"
"Not for me. Volleyball aside, I don't have chances to get seriously hurt."
And in high school volleyball right now, Sakuya was treated like a god. Who'd dare try to beat her? She brimmed with pride over her massive status in the high school sports world.
"So you've basically never had to use a room alone?"
"Here's hoping it stays that way."
"You mean don't get hurt? Such a shy guy."
"It's just so the band schedule doesn't get messed up."
"Wait, you're not a darudere—you're a tsundere?"
"What's a darudere...?"
"It's fine. Tsunderes are within my tolerance."
"I asked what a darudere is."
"It's divisive, but Asuka's my type anyway. My main is LRS, though."
"More unknown terms..."
"That's why I'm kinda mad about the new theatrical release! No way Shinji ends up with Mari!"
Sakuya, a strict fundamentalist when it came to couplings despite forgiving other things, raged at the director's choice. Tae-il, who'd enjoyed Eva but never dived deep, was filled with question marks. His first deep dive had been morevshowa, so the doujin world was still too complex for him.
"Anyway, since you're worried, I'll be extra careful not to get hurt."
"Thanks, even if it's just words."
"For real? I'm never getting hurt again."
"Don't say 'never' lightly. That's a death flag."
"Kuhuhu!"
They laughed together, but soon a nurse arrived with meal trays. Carrying three heavy trays into the room with only two people, she tilted her head.
"Oh? Wasn't there one more friend here?"
"She went home to rest for a bit."
"I see?"
The nurse eyed the room suspiciously, then sniffed the air. Sakuya shot her a sour look at the rude behavior anyone could see was inappropriate. Tae-il was just baffled.
"Well, fine. Meals are already paid for. What do you want to do? Want an extra if it's not enough?"
Tae-il glanced at Sakuya at the offer for more food.
"Why look at me?"
"You're the biggest eater here..."
"Even I can't fill up on hospital food."
The nurse added belatedly, "Patient meals are separate, by the way. Boy, you can't eat those?"
"That's right."
In the end, they took just two trays at Sakuya's refusal.
"Oh, right."
As she set down the trays and turned to leave, the nurse spun back with a stern expression and warned Tae-il.
"Your friend needs absolute rest for a couple days. No funny business just because you're alone, got it?"
"Pardon?"
"I know it's rude, but we had some annoying trouble recently, so the nurses are a bit sensitive. Understand?"
"Uh... yes."
"Hehe. Big sis trusts you."
Tae-il nodded awkwardly, and the nurse patted his head, calling him a good boy, before leaving with a smile. An awkward silence fell.
"S-Sounds like someone was doing indecent stuff in a room?"
"Yeah..."
Unlike the flustered Tae-il, Sakuya calmly set up the trays.
"Seriously. If they were gonna pounce, they'd have done it already..."
Sakuya muttered softly, barely audible so no one would hear.
"Ah. Still, hospital play sounds a bit regrettable... Should I ask Miki-nee about nurse cosplay?"
Nurse cosplay. Famous for having as little controversy as bunny girl outfits, Sakuya pondered temptingly.
* * *
After the meal, Sakuya stretched out on the sofa like she was loosening up.
"Nngh! Private rooms are convenient for this."
"Yeah?"
"Caregiver beds are usually uncomfortable. Too small."
Sakuya rolled her stiff shoulders, saying sleeping on them knots your neck and shoulders easily.
'Doesn't feel like it's just the bed being uncomfortable...'
Tae-il blushed and looked away as her ample chest jiggled with each bold shoulder roll.
"Ah! But when friends visited, it was easier if the other patient was a guy."
"Not another girl?"
"Yeah. Guys were nicer than girls. Wonder why."
Sakuya tilted her head in her relaxed, home-like attire, and her loose shirt slipped slightly at the neckline. Tae-il covered his face and sighed quietly.
"I think I know why..."
"Oh?"
Sakuya grinned slyly at his embarrassed reaction. She leaned on the sofa armrest, provocatively crossing her legs as if to show off. Left hand propping her chin, right hand wrapping her waist to emphasize her chest. Tae-il whipped his head away at the blatant action that forced him to get the point. Confirming his red ears, Sakuya smiled satisfiedly and relaxed her pose. Too much and she might break him. For Tae-il's sake, she changed the subject.
"Right. No word from Tenma-san?"
"She came last night."
"What'd she say?"
"Eh, nothing much. Apologized a ton."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. I said no need, but she even called and was on the verge of tears..."
"Hahaha."
Anyone else maybe not, but it fit Izumi perfectly. Tae-il didn't remember, but bloodied from the back of his head would've scared anyone. Iris had been shocked too.
"Just accept the apology once. She's pitiful."
"No..."
Tae-il felt wronged. He was the victim, but he'd never needed her apology from the start. He just wanted a promise. Be careful on railings. Stairs. Cliffs or high ledges. High places. Extra careful everywhere you might fall—he was inwardly gearing up to drill it in.
"Anyway, she's coming tonight. I'll talk then."
"Yeah?"
Sakuya resolved to drag Iris out if she showed at night. Honestly, she'd thought Ayane was bad enough. But Iris was the real deal.
'In romcoms, late-blooming runners-up are the scariest.'
There was a saying that belatedly realized crushes were the fiercest. To Sakuya, Iris fit. Unaware herself, which made her post-realization self a cheetah-like rival.
'Tae-il looks at Iris with eyes that are a bit...'
Like a boy. The immature kind who can't hide what he likes. Even if it was just liking her as a singer and vocalist, that was a problem.
'Quasi-romantic feelings easily turn romantic.'
People fool themselves. Not others—their own emotions and thoughts. The brain's wired that way.
'Gotta be careful.'
Iris was the type to grab even an idol's collar in rage. Bouncy like a rubber ball—who knew where she'd bounce next. Unlike the cautious, predictable Ayane, her impulsiveness required extra vigilance. Sakuya's sharp gaze caught Tae-il. Oblivious to the storm brewing around him, the eye-of-the-hurricane boy was munching hospital snacks carefree.
He was oddly endearing, making her smile.
"You're eating that like it's delicious. Is it good?"
"So-so?"
Hospital food. Another reason hospitals sucked. Nutrition-balanced, healthy meals were bland and tasteless. For Sakuya, used to high-calorie athlete diets, it was hell. She'd lose weight for sure. She couldn't even finish half. Even a big eater like her couldn't fill up on it.
"You ate it all already...?"
"Yeah."
Sakuya was amazed at Tae-il polishing off the hospital meal without complaint. Feeling her gaze, Tae-il puffed up.
"I don't eat much, but I can handle most stuff. Cheap tastes."
"Impressive."
"Your stomach impresses me sometimes too, Sakuya."
"Hey."
"Why not finish? Stomach shrink?"
"You're awful, seriously."
Was that something to say to someone who'd stayed up nursing? Sakuya pouted her lips, and Tae-il giggled until he winced, "Aah!" in pain. His wound throbbed.
"Serves you right."
"Can't even laugh freely now..."
"It'll heal in a few days."
"True."
The doctor said the tight pull at the back of his head would feel normal in a week max. Tae-il restrained his hand from touching it and leaned against the bed. Headrest raised, it was one of the few perks of a hospital bed.
"Sakuya."
"Yeah?"
"If you're hungry, just go eat outside."
His limbs were fine; he could handle the bathroom alone. Or call a nurse if needed. He'd sung from boredom, but with his phone, he wasn't that lonely without company.
"Nah. I'll behave till the others come."
"Not pushing too hard?"
"Eh, you'll make it up to me later, right?"
"Who expects payback for nursing?"
Tae-il chided mildly, and Sakuya smirked mockingly.
"What? There's tons."
"Tons?"
"Didn't know? Caregivers get paid. And I'm premium help. Right?"
"No..."
Tae-il shot her an incredulous look, and Sakuya grinned, brushing it off as a joke. Of course, she planned to collect with interest later.
"Oh, right. The young miss duo's coming after lunch."
"Young miss duo?"
"Rich girls, so young miss duo. Kinda?"
"Rena's not rich, is she...?"
She'd earned money young and had assets, but "rich" felt off. Though flexing 200-300k yen on the spot showed her spending sense was far from commoner. Tae-il blamed Iris for it all.
"What."
But Sakuya tilted her head at Tae-il's unexpectedly blasé reaction.
"You really didn't know?"
"Know what?"
"Hm. Nothing."
Tae-il prodded at Sakuya's dodge, curiosity piqued.
"No, it's not a big deal..."
Seeing he truly didn't know, Sakuya scratched her cheek awkwardly and answered carefully.
"You seem totally clueless about how rich Rena is..."
"Rena?"
Tae-il pressed his temples, recalling original story knowledge. Most was fuzzy, but he still roughly knew the main four's settings.
'Was Rena that rich...?'
Money episodes always tied to Iris, leaving him puzzled.
'Sure, she's a popular doujin author at Comicon, so she makes bank...'
As a Korean with zero knowledge there, Tae-il had no grasp of doujin earnings. Still.
"Does it matter if Rena's rich?"
"Haha. Nah, right?"
For drumming, her wealth didn't matter much.
"I'm not rich either, but I've got some money..."
"No. You're broke."
"Excuse me?"
"Save some cash, please."
No matter how music tied to money, Tae-il spent too much for a non-rich student. He quietly countered.
"I get what you mean. But think of it as future investments—not that expensive..."
"Exactly."
Sakuya grabbed his lengthening lips forcibly.
"Investments aren't late even after results."
"Mmf?!"
"Might be sneaky, but the public loves hidden backstories, as always."
She grinned at him sweetly.