⟢ hospital.

@✧ iris moon Miyeon was almost always at peak physical health, even when she wanted to spend the days being lazy. Her work allowed her some leeway for rest, since the library wasn’t active 24 hours in the day. When she’s outside work, she’d have to constantly monitor herself in terms of fitness. So hearing Iris mention her bad sleeping habits were disappointing to say the least. A doctor was the last person Miyeon wanted to disappoint. ‘That’s why you’re never gonna visit a therapist, you’re just gonna try to please them, Miyeon.’ she remembered one of her few college friends say during a point where they hung out for coffee in Seoul the month before Miyeon returned to her hometown. She was right of course, but it still hurt.

“Ah, sorry… I do try to sleep, but my mind keeps me awake at night more than I’d like.” The librarian hummed, forming a quick pout as hearing it from the doctor made her want to at least try harder when it came to her sleep. “Why’s that?” Miyeon blinked again without realizing, but her true reaction to that was her nose wrinkling. “My dad doesn’t mind, he has reading glasses. My mother minds, she’s an ex-actress born with perfect vision.” she answered flatly, her glare slowly heating up as if it could melt the lens of her glasses in Iris’ hands. She hated those glasses and her imperfect vision, at least that’s what her mother taught her to think. It’s been years and MIyeon still hadn’t realized that she can call her father ‘dad’ which was informal but her mother just stayed as mother, or Madame Choi, as her close friends teased with how uptight the older woman was.

Listening intently and now focusing her eyes on Iris, whom she felt guilt towards for not sleeping well, Miyeon took multiple mental notes on her advice. “I got it, I can take the test and pay for it as soon as you’re free. A year, that’s alright.” Practically friends felt like Miyeon was stepping over some boundaries, but since Iris wanted it herself, she’ll be okay with it.

”Okay, Iris it is– what?” Miyeon was about to say, until the doctor’s "Never mind, you can refer to me however you wish!" Oh, she understood what that face was immediately and she felt a chuckle almost come up, tickling as she held it back. It was the face of mild panic or fear, something Miyeon would mostly see with newcomers in the town or strangers who get on her bad side. Her holding back a chuckle could at least be seen in her subtle, pursed-lips smile. “I’ll call you Iris, since you want me to. When can I take the test?”

@✧ iris moon "I'm sorry! I just thought you looked youthful... never mind."

Miyeon’s fingertips have been idly tapping away at her phone as she quietly monitored Iris’ actions and responses, her eyebrows raising immediately at her apology. This doctor was immediately assuming her age, which was kind of her to say she was youthful, Miyeon agreed with that. She was just worried to sound informal, since a doctor’s work should never be diminished by friendly informality no matter what. Although Miyeon wasn’t sure if she should risk even asking Iris’ age, they looked about the same, a year gap in age at most. She deemed Iris to look young as well, so she would shift her tone to ask politely. Unfortunately, Iris seemed to want to move forward from her side feeling awkward, so Miyeon allowed her to speak.

"Ocular hypertension in 2021, cleared nil acute by ophthalmology... dry eyes, mild astigmatism." Her ears had registered every single word, though it was whispered by the doctor. She quietly nodded, already settling comfortably in the seat nearby mere milliseconds before Dr. Moon gestured to it. Miyeon sat up straight like normal, crossing one leg over the other and keeping eye contact with Iris whenever she looked up. “No trouble sleeping, I sleep 4-5 hours every night, with some 30 minute gaps in between like I’ve always done since high school.” Miyeon couldn’t resist blinking as Iris mentioned it, not even rolling her eyes but just blinking out of discomfort. She wondered if she should bring up her bad habits during the morning, which included her realizing she kept her contacts on for the night for a few nights a week when she’s stressed.

“My mother always told me to take my contacts off nightly and wear glasses, but only at home. Since I live away from my family now, I just slipped out of the habit a little. They don’t like seeing me in glasses in public–” Miyeon spoke nonchalantly, almost mumbling, as she dug through her purse and pulled out her glasses case, the container coated in dark blue velvet. She opened the case and pulled out her glasses, branded as Polo Ralph Lauren in the PH1001 model. “The frames are a bit thin but the lenses are fairly new, only replaced last year. Are they still good? Also, I think I’d be comfortable knowing if you’re at least older than me. It feels disrespectful addressing a doctor who might be older than me like a friend on the first day.” She refused to let her little thought about Iris fester until the end of the session, it would annoy Miyeon to no end so it was best she dropped it before things moved forward.

@✧ iris moon Miyeon disliked any type of doctor’s appointment, being inside the hospital always reminded her of memories she wished she could erase but going for check-ups was a necessary evil she had to deal with. Staying almost completely still in the waiting room of the resident optometrist, only Miyeon’s thumbs moved slightly as she was quietly reading an ebook on her phone she recently purchased, one leg crossed over the other. Something about the efficiency of human labor, or something.

“Rang Miyeon? If you could follow me into the second room down the hall, please.” Miyeon barely looked up from her phone, dusting off anything that settled on her outfit while she was waiting. She was wearing straight leg denim jeans in dark wash and a white button-down shirt with thin blue stripes going down vertically, and she preferred to not get any dirt on those pieces since they were fairly expensive. With a few particles flying as she tapped her clothing, she rolled her eyes without notice. Dust in the air and her contacts were never a good combination, and Miyeon would instinctively roll her eyes since they had become so sensitive and possibly dry. She followed the doctor to their office and tucked her phone into her purse, which also carried her prescription glasses for emergencies.

Miyeon glanced at the door, her eyelids lowered slightly since there’s less chance of her eyes drying out that way and she bowed as the young doctor introduced herself. “Hello. Iris or Yeju, alright.” At least Miyeon’s lessons in English translated well when she spoke, less of a Korean accent when she said ‘Iris.’ “I can switch between both. Nice to meet you, you can call me Miyeon. I guess we’re close in age.” Miyeon bowed slightly once more before settling in the examination seat inside Dr. Moon’s office. It was strange that a doctor would choose to be addressed by name, it felt informal compared to the more traditional doctors she’s had before.

She went straight into explaining her problem, and without realizing that she rolled her eyes again just from discomfort. “It’s difficult for me to sleep these days, but I don’t wear my contacts to sleep. Only my glasses.” she spoke in her default monotone voice, blinking multiple times and briefly looking at the subtle room decor around her.