24 visits || SOOSHU

Visit Five

Reason: Check up, blood work

Symptoms: None

Time in: 10:00 am August 31st, 2014

Shuhua sat in the chair, tapping her foot against the flooring of Doctor Seo's office. Soojin. It was Soojin's office. Soojin who was 15 minutes late, but still Soojin. Shuhua had said it to herself a few times, practiced it, making sure it sounded natural on her tongue. She liked the name, or at least, she liked it more than its owner.

This was the edge she could get, this was the small semblance of power. She remembered when she first started out as an idol, really started. Saying someone's name gives you a tie to a person, a familiarity, a closeness. Most people loved it when Shuhua said their name, they'd blush and get all starry-eyed. But Soojin wasn't like most people.

She was frigid, mean and closed off. Closeness was the last thing she would want from Shuhua, so Shuhua gave it to her anyway with one, simple word.

Shuhua heard loud footsteps outside of the door and knew it was Soojin, so when the door opened Shuhua made sure to smile at her. Soojin glanced down to where Shuhua was sitting, gave a small grunt, and looked at her clipboard.

"Blood work today, Ms.Yeh," Soojin said, not bothering to look up.

"Shuhua."

"Which arm?"

Shuhua glared at Soojin, but Soojin wouldn't even look up from her damn board to see the glare, so really she just looked stupid. "Yuju did it last time, Soojin."

"Yuju is our only nurse today and is helping out Dr. Kim. Now, Ms. Yeh, which arm?"

"Call me Shuhua, and I'll tell you." Shuhua flashed one of her famous smiles, the really cute one she used when she wanted something. The one where she made her eyes go all big and-

"Don't tell me, and I'll restrain you."

Of course that wouldn't work. Shuhua pouted, folding her arms one over the other. "So-Soojin can't do that. It's not allowed."

"Well, I can refer you to another doctor." Soojin finally looked up at Shuhua, smiling as she did so.

Dammit dammit dammit.

"Soojin can be so mean..." Shuhua said with a more exaggerated pout. Going with cute was going to have to be the method today, after all, it seemed to annoy Soojin more than any other variant of herself. Shuhua sighed, rolling her head right to left. "Left!"

Soojin went to the counter, pulling out a small, black box. Inside were viles and a needle.

Shuhua felt her stomach drop at the sight. With Yuju it wasn't so bad because at least she talked to Shuhua, however - she didn't expect the same courtesy with Soojin.

"How have you been feeling?" Soojin asked, flicking one of the needles.

Shuhua looked at it and gulped. It was especially unnerving considering the way Soojin was smiling at her. Like she was going to enjoy this. "Uh...good. I guess."

"Stay still," Soojin said. She wrapped something that looked like a giant, broken rubber band around Shuhua's upper left arm tight so that the circulation was cut off. Then with narrowed eyes she looked up and down Shuhua's arm. Slowly, Soojin pressed her thumb against the skin of Shuhua's wrist, pushing down on a popped out blue vein. "You've got good veins."

"I think that's the first time Soojin has ever been nice to me," she said, the cute slipping out of her voice despite effort.

Soojin looked down at her arm again, needle in hand, and stuck her.

" Mmph." Shuhua forced herself to look away from the needle and tube and Soojin. Soojin who was staying dead silent while Shuhua was clearly in pain. Shuhua never thought she'd miss Yuju so much in her life.

Shuhua couldn't even feel the needle anymore, but just knew it was in her. Each passing second, minute, moment, felt like hours of something draining the blood from her.

And then, without warning, Soojin jerked the needle out causing Shuhua to let out a loud whimper. "Hold onto that," Soojin said, positioning Shuhua's thumb over a small, reddening cotton swab.

She put a bandage over it. "Keep that on for at least an hour. You'll most likely bruise, but if it is any worse than that call--" she paused, biting her cheek. "A hospital."

Shuhua gave a faint smile. "Your hospital?"

"Examination table," Soojin said, gesturing towards it.

Shuhua stayed reasonably quiet the rest of the appointment. A little tired and, literally, a little drained.