Listener
902 Words
The morning sunlight slipped through the curtains of Ward 12.
Chang Wook was already awake.
The novel he had been reading the previous night was nowhere in sight.
Instead…
His phone displayed a familiar profile.
DTK_22
His thumb hovered over the Follow button for a few seconds before finally pressing it.
A small notification appeared.
You are now following this author.
He immediately locked his phone.
"...There."
As though following an author was some huge decision.
A soft knock came from outside.
"Come in."
A nurse entered carrying his breakfast and morning medication.
"Good morning, Mr. Chang Wook."
He nodded.
The nurse placed the tray on the table before smiling.
"Doctor Kyunmin will be here after he finishes his rounds."
"Okay," Chang Wook replied quietly.
The nurse hesitated before speaking again.
"By the way... thank you for sharing your birthday cake yesterday."
Chang Wook looked at her.
"You all looked happier eating it than I would've been."
The nurse laughed softly.
"Still... thank you."
She bowed politely before leaving the room.
Silence returned.
Chang Wook glanced at the empty chair beside his bed.
Without realizing it...
He remembered someone sitting there without permission.
Talking.
Smiling.
Pointing at random flowers.
Asking countless questions.
"...Noisy."
A faint smile escaped his lips.
---
Meanwhile...
The HR department was as lively as ever.
"Ayan Unnie!"
Lisa practically ran into Ayan's office.
Ayan looked up from the pile of documents on her desk.
"What happened now?"
Lisa leaned dramatically across the table.
"Do you know everyone is talking about the successful surgery Doctor Kyunmin performed yesterday?"
Ayan smiled proudly.
"Of course. He's my brother."
Lisa narrowed her eyes.
"There you go again."
"What?"
"Whenever it's about Doctor Kyunmin, you smile like a proud mother."
Ayan gasped dramatically.
"Excuse me! I'm too young to be anybody's mother."
Lisa burst into laughter.
Just then, another HR staff member poked her head into the office.
"Manager Ayan."
"Yes?"
"The director has scheduled a departmental meeting in thirty minutes."
"I'll be there."
The staff nodded and left.
Lisa stood up.
"I should get going too."
Before reaching the door, she suddenly turned around.
"Oh, Unnie."
"Did anyone read the story you were talking about the other day?"
Ayan rested her chin on her hand and sighed dramatically.
"I wish."
Lisa laughed.
"Don't worry. One day you'll have thousands of readers."
Ayan smiled.
"I hope so."
Lisa pointed at her playfully.
"And when you become a famous author, don't forget me."
"I'll make you buy every chapter."
Lisa gasped.
"You're so evil!"
The two laughed before Lisa finally left the office.
The room became quiet again.
Ayan looked at her phone for a moment.
"I wonder if that angel read my story..."
She quickly shook her head.
"No, Ayan. Stop thinking about him."
She picked up another file and forced herself back to work.
She quickly shook her head.
"No, Ayan. Focus on work."
She opened another file.
But somehow...
Her thoughts drifted back to the quiet patient with the beautiful face who rarely spoke.
And somewhere upstairs...
That same quiet patient had already finished another chapter of her novel.
Without realizing it...
Both of them were thinking about each other.
---
Kyunmin finished checking on Eunwoo before heading upstairs to the VVIP ward.
He knocked gently on the door of Ward 12.
"Come in."
Chang Wook looked up from the novel in his hand as Kyunmin entered.
"How are you feeling today?"
"A little better."
Kyunmin smiled with relief.
"Good. Your vitals look stable."
He walked over, checked the monitor, then pulled a chair closer to the bed.
His eyes landed on the empty cup of ice cream.
"So... she delivered it."
Chang Wook nodded.
"She did."
A brief silence settled between them.
Then Kyunmin scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.
"My cousin..."
Chang Wook raised an eyebrow.
"Did she disturb you too much?"
A faint smile crossed Chang Wook's face.
"She talked."
Kyunmin laughed.
"That's exactly what I was afraid of."
Chang Wook looked at him.
"She kept saying she writes stories."
Kyunmin covered his face for a second before laughing again.
"I knew it."
He shook his head helplessly.
"I even texted her not to start telling you about her stories."
Chang Wook remained quiet.
Kyunmin looked at him apologetically.
"Don't feel pressured to read them."
"She's always like that. Every chance she gets, she'll recommend her stories to someone."
He smiled fondly before continuing.
"She isn't trying to bother anyone."
"She just... wants someone to listen."
His voice softened.
"She's been writing for years. Most of the time she gets very few readers, but she never gives up."
Chang Wook lowered his gaze to the phone resting beside him.
"I see."
Kyunmin stood up after checking the IV line.
"If you don't want to read them, just tell her politely next time."
"She'll be disappointed for a few minutes..."
He chuckled.
"...Then she'll come back the next day acting as if nothing happened."
A tiny smile appeared on Chang Wook's lips.
"I'll keep that in mind."
Kyunmin smiled.
"I'll see you later."
As the door closed behind him, Chang Wook's eyes slowly drifted toward his phone.
The screen was still displaying DTK_22.
He stared at it for a few seconds before quietly opening the another chapter again.
Not because he felt forced.
But because...
He genuinely wanted to know what kind of stories someone like Ayan wrote.
- Writer
