48: A Very Long Night

They sat in the waiting room for four hours. Inho was starting to sincerely regret contacting Stephen. When he wasn’t pacing around the room with arms folded over his chest, glaring at everyone who entered, he was aggressively petting Inho’s hand and bouncing his leg like he could drill through the floor.

Inho wanted to reassure him, but he had a splitting headache that felt like a metal band slowly constricting around his brain. He bowed his head over his knees, supporting it with his still-functional hand.

“Inho,” Stephen rushed over to him from where he had been staring down a vending machine. “What’s wrong?”

Before he could answer, a nurse walked up, “Inho Kim?” she inquired in a tired voice.

He was sent for a CT scan, two x-rays, and settled in a bed surrounded by curtains. Finally, after several more hours waiting, a doctor came by to examine him and view his scans. He manipulated Inho’s joints and inspected his cuts and bruises. Then while conducting some type of exam that involved poking Inho all over with a sharp toothpick, he spoke, “The good news is, you don’t have any bleeding in your brain. The bad news is you have a concussion, a sprained wrist, and a fractured rib.”

With that, he got up to leave.

“Wait!” Stephen stopped him, “Does he have to stay? What kind of treatment does he need?”

The doctor looked confused at being asked, and he rubbed his stubbly jaw while he considered, “He can stay here tonight for the concussion. Sprains and ribs heal on their own. Don’t ride a bike again until it’s better.” He waved his hand in the air dismissively, “Someone will be by with some pamphlets,” and with that, he tossed aside the curtains and strolled away.

Stephen gaped after him, his face clouding with fury, but before he could say anything, someone else marched in. A woman in a button-down shirt with a clipboard.

“Hello, I’m Gurleen, she announced, “Are you Mr. Inho Kim?”

“Yes, ma’am, I am,” Inho answered politely. He was oddly compelled to offset Stephen’s boiling intensity with extra courtesy.

“There’s been some issues with the traveler’s insurance you provided. The insurer has cited errors in your application and has declined to pay your bills at this time.”

“What?” Inho gasped, “My insurance? Why?”

Abruptly, a pair of nurses entered the small curtained space. One of them unwound the fresh bandages around his head.

“Don’t mind us. We’ll be cleaning and applying local anesthetic to your face for the sutures.” The nurse said before he began cleaning the area. The other nurse readied a needle. “Your tetanus shot,” the first nurse explained when Inho’s eyes widened, “Just to be safe.”

Inho looked back at the lady with the clipboard, “What about my insurance?”

Stephen stepped in front of her before she could elaborate, “I’ll go get this sorted Inho. I’ll be right back.” Then he just stared at her until she turned on her heel and led him out of sight. Inho didn’t protest because just then a different doctor came in, this one was much younger.

“Hello, I’m doctor Wu,” he introduced himself, “Please sit on the edge of the bed if you can.”

The nurses helped him shuffle over. Now that he knew which ribs were broken, it was easier to tell where the general pain was coming from. The doctor gripped his face firmly and stitched it with quick efficient movements. It didn’t hurt after the numbing but the sensation of thread pulling through his flesh made his skin crawl.

Dr. Wu finished quickly, and with a quick smile and nod, rushed off, leaving the nurses to walk Inho through the care of his wounds. They gave him some pamphlets before disappearing as well. He waited, anxious and alone, for news about his insurance.

Shortly after, Stephen came back and closed all the curtains. Sealing out the sights of other injured and sick people, if not the sounds. In their small square of privacy, Stephen cupped his face, much more gently than the doctor had, “You look better without all that blood on you,” he said and placed a tender kiss on Inho’s lips. Inho wanted nothing more than to go home together and cuddle. Ignoring the searing pain in his ribs he leaned over so he could rest his head on Stephen’s stomach. Stephen stroked the nape of his neck, “Sorry I wasn’t here while they were stitching you. Was it awful?”

“Nah, it was fine,” Inho lied, “What happened with the insurance thing?”

“Ah, some technical bullshit on their end.” Stephen shrugged, “They said your insurance wasn’t valid yet, and you can try submitting the claim later.”

“But...that means I have to pay for everything upfront?” Inho’s heart started to pound, and he pulled away. He’d heard of people going bankrupt from injuries here. “Isn’t it insanely expensive?”

“Hey, hey, don’t panic, you’re thinking of America.” Stephen pulled his head back against his belly.

“Still, it’s got to be thousands right?” Inho patted the bed for his phone, “I’ll have to ask my dad if I can borrow it.” This was a disaster, an honest to god disaster. Inho felt the curtained walls tightening in around him. This was...wow, I don’t even know how to...Inho’s thoughts started to shut down in terror.

“Slow down, stop freaking out,” Stephen soothed, “I handled it.” He bent to look Inho in the eye, “You nearly died earlier, and you’re only getting upset now? Come on, deep breaths.”

Inho shook his head, “W-what do you mean you handled it?”

“What do you mean? I paid it. Let’s talk about this later,” Stephen’s voice was calm and even as if he hadn’t just done something insane. He pulled the visitor’s chair up to the head of the bed and started flipping through Inho’s pamphlets.

Inho was at a loss for words; he was grateful – though he couldn’t currently identify that feeling – but they been dating for one day, this was not…

It just made him feel so small.