purpose - nomin

The door slid open, faint sounds of footsteps that gradually turned louder. It startles the boy and causes the boy to flinch on his bed while he remain seated. He kept his gaze on the woman who came to his room, cutting him from his trance. She holds a black backpack in hand, seemingly familiar and identical to the one the boy owned. While she holds a paper cup on her other hand.

"Ah, I was expecting that you would be sleeping. I thought wrong. How are you feeling?" she emits a faint chuckle, striding towards the only cot inside the room.

He fiddles with his fingers, averting his gaze away from the woman before he feebly mutters a reply, "I'm alright, but it could be better."

The woman hums in response, shuffling away from the cot to place the bag down on the couch, pushed against the other side of the room. He observes her movements while she nears to the water dispenser with another similar paper cup in hand, only difference is that the other one is empty, waiting to be poured with water.

"I am sorry to hear that. But I am certain things will get better for you. Your friend said he couldn't come today, he left the bag on the information desk and told me to give it to you." she gives the boy a sympathetic smile while she extends the paper cup to the boy, which contained a couple pills inside.

The pills weren't foreign to the boy, so he tosses them in his mouth before taking the other cup from the woman to gulp it all down. The bitter taste lingered in his mouth and it made his face distort in distaste.

The woman noticed how the boy looked at the paper cup in disgust after returning it back, causing the woman to laugh shortly after. It wasn't the horrifying kind of laugh. Rather, it was soft and gentle.

"Oh, Jaemin. You're still not used to the taste, I see. I know the taste of it is not pleasing, but it's the only thing that can help lessen the pain."

"I know.. It's not like I have a choice anyways."

Jaemin hummed at the thought, his lips pursing into a pout.

"Hmm. I'll be right back to bring your breakfast, okay? If you need some urgent assistance, just press on the button or call the information desk with the telephone. You know what to do."

Jaemin nods his head as the woman walked out of his room along with the paper cups he used for disposal. The sliding door shut close after the woman has finally left.

The room felt a lot more colder than usual, and Jaemin would've blamed the air conditioner if it weren't for the current weather itself.