::chapter twenty-five::

‘Sanghyun sorry... I’m so sorry for leaving you like this, for turning my back away from you... for everything. Sorry for hurting you and for cancelling our wedding. Sorry for cheating on you... I’m just so sorry for everything.’

‘Sanghyun... please don’t hate Jiyong... it was not his fault. It was all my fault...he never forced me into it for I am the one who initiated everything. I’ll be honest to you... I’m tired Sanghyun, tired of everything, tired of my life, tired of you, tired of the relationship but most of all tired of myself. Please believe me when I said I loved you because I do, I did and I will always love you but Sanghyun sometimes love is not enough to make everything work out. I tried. Believe me I tried so hard but in the end I just got bored of it, tired of it,’

‘You are perfect, you are lovely, you are sweet and you are everything... every woman envy me... but Sanghyun that’s exactly what my problem is... you are too perfect, too good that it was slowly poisoning me... to the point that I wanted to run away from you because you are pressuring me without you knowing it, I felt like I will never meet your standards, that I won’t satisfy you and it was scaring me. I wanted to break up with you but I can’t bring myself to... then Jiyong came, and he became a great escape for me... but then when you caught us, I was drown in too much guilt that everything was starting to be so hard for me... that I could no longer take it,’

‘I’m sorry for not being a perfect girlfriend, sorry for breaking you trust, sorry for the pain I inflicted... I’m just so sorry for everything. I’m sorry for ruining your friendship, sorry for messing up. Sorry for everything. Please don’t give up on him... you can change him, I believe in you, you’re a man full of love anyways... you can do it. Only you can do it. I believe in you.... I believe so much in you,’

‘I’m sorry. I love you,’

He stared blankly in the air for seconds as he pressed his phone and removed his headphones on his ears. He heaved a sigh as he stared at the sky and the sun that was about to rise. The wind blew hard as he felt his hair danced to it. His lips pressed on a thin line. How many times have he heard it? How many times have he listened to it since that day? He can’t count, he lost count. He tightly closed his eyes as he brought his arm over his eyes as he let pain numbed his body.

It was his fault he knew it from the start but then he refused to accept that fact he refused to accept that everything was his gaddamn fault. He refused to understand everything and put the blame on Jiyong and because of it he hurt not only him but also his sister. He even put her sister’s life on the line. It was never Jiyong who was taking everyone from his life, it was himself who was doing that shit and he knew about it yet he can’t seemingly to accept it. And right now he was committing the same mistake again.

He stood up and placed both of his hands inside his pockets as he started to pace to the door of the hospital rooftop. He then descended down the stairs as he walked quietly to her room. He gently turned the knob and pushed the door open as he was welcome by the sight of him gently placing a blanket over his sleeping mother on the room’s couch. Jiyong glanced at him for seconds. After placing the blanket he then went to the edge of Dara’s bed as he held her hand gently and started saying things.

Sanghyun closed the door as he leaned on the wall staring at Jiyong who was holding Dara’s hand whispering things to her as a faint smile was curved on his lips. He raked his hair as he started feeling guilt spreading on his chest. He bit his lips as he tried suppressing his tears from falling. ‘Jiyong,’ he called as the latter stared at him waiting for him to continue. ‘Sorry...’ he said almost whispering with his head low.

‘I’m sorry for blaming you, for being an idiot, for beating you, for everything...’ he trailed off as lifted his gaze and levelled it with his. ‘Most of all sorry for giving up on you,’ he said as Jiyong kept staring at him. Jiyong closed his eyes as he pushed himself to stand up and walked towards him. Without saying anything he hugged him tightly, like a hug that father gave to their son. ‘You are forgiven,’ Jiyong whispered in his ears as Sanghyun stiffened. He then wrapped his arms around Jiyong tightly as he broke into sobs, saying incoherent words all at the same time. Saying sorry and thank you all over again.

Jiyong pulled away from him with a tight smile on his lips as he offered his hand to him. Sanghyun stared at him for a moment and with a smile as he wiped his tears away he grabbed his hand and shook it. ‘Welcome back Annoying Prosecutor,’ Jiyong smiled as Sanghyun let out a hearty chuckle. ‘I’m back Jiyong,’ he answered pulling him closer to him as he headlocked him and ruffled his hair like the way he used to before as Jiyong let out a grunt of protest before breaking into soft laughter.

‘And thank you for taking care of my sister and for giving her the best room in the hospital,’ Sanghyun said as he gently let go of him. Jiyong stared at Dara’s sleeping figure on the bed as a smile spread across his lips. ‘Only the best for her,’ he said as he glanced at Sanghyun with a smile as the latter heaved a sigh before draping his arm over his shoulder and walked pacing to her. Excited to tell her that they are okay now, that she will not worry anymore, eager to apologize for being stupid and pathetic for letting everything fall into this before realizing.

Jiyong held her hand gently as he climbed on the bed and settled himself next to her, eyes red and tired from sleepless days. ‘Jiyong we are grabbing something to eat don’t you wanna come?’ Dara’s father, Mr. Park who just arrived yesterday asked him. Jiyong smiled as he shook his head politely. ‘I’m not hungry,’ he said as he kissed Dara’s hair. Yunbin walked to him, worried. ‘But you are not resting... and I don’t see you eat, Dara will kill us if she found out we are not taking care of you,’ Yunbin said as he caressed Jiyong’s head.

‘I’m fine,’ Jiyong assured as he held Yunbin’s hand and gave it a tight squeeze. Yunbin exhaled as she leaned down kissing Jiyong on his hair. ‘Thank you for loving our Dara so much,’ she whispered. ‘Jiyong just eat. I’ll look after her,’ Sanghyun offered as Jiyong shook his head. ‘Do me a favour, just buy me something,’ Jiyong finally said to stop their worry streak. The family glanced at each other. ‘Okay... I’ll buy you the whole cafeteria so promise to eat a lot,’ Mr. Park joked as they all broke into small chuckle.

‘Dad, he’s the owner of this place,’ Sanghyun reminded making Mr. Park’s lips form an ‘o’. ‘So does that mean, I don’t have to pay for your food?’ he asked as everyone laughed once more. Then they heard a knock from the door. Sanghyun quickly opened it revealing Mr. And Mrs. Kwon together with their secretaries carrying food. ‘Come in,’ Sanghyun said in respect as they both came in. Good thing the room that they gave to Dara was huge that it was even bigger than Jiyong and Dara’s classroom. Jiyong can felt himself cringed remembering how the whole class of his went to visit one day and it was pure chaos and if he didn’t burst they could have practically woke everyone in the hospital including the dead. He just shook his head remembering.

‘So we will be going now,’ Yunbin said smiling as Jiyong nodded. And with that after bidding a short goodbye the Parks left, leaving Jiyong with his family inside. Jiyong looked at his mom and Tae Hee as they were arranging the food on the table while Ill Woo and his dad were checking Dara’s condition and records. Jiyong stared at them as he gave a small squeeze at Dara’s hand.

‘She’s getting better,’ Mr. Kwon smiled at him as Jiyong nodded with relief somehow washing his face as he stared at the girl he loved the most and gave a small kiss on his head. ‘How about while taking care of her, you take care of yourself?’ Mrs. Kwon said as Jiyong gave a soft chuckle can’t believe how everyone was worried on his condition even Mr. Yang and Mr. Song and their entire classmate. He gave a small nod as he stood up and sat on the table with them as they took their seat.

Jiyong stared at the food they brought and remembered the food he was eating when he was still living in their house, the bland foods, the tasteless foods. He then grabbed his utensils as he started to eat. He opened his mouth and eat spoonful of the food waiting for the bland taste. He was frozen for a while as everyone stared at him in worry. ‘What’s wrong son?’ Mr. Kwon asked breaking the silence first. ‘Don’t you like it? Do you want us to order something then?’ Mrs. Kwon followed as he shook his head as his tears unknowingly streamed down his cheeks as he stared at his parents and their lovers.

‘The food actually tastes so good,’ he whispered as he wiped his tears. Tae Hee caressed his back with a sweet smile on her lips as he kept wiping his tears that seemingly won’t stop while shoving all the food inside his mouth. ‘It tastes so good,’ he said as they all smiled at him and started eating and started with casual conversation. And that’s the time when he noticed how his family were just like other family, how it felt so good eating together with your parents, how the food taste more delicious hearing their jokes, laughter and stories. And on how much he had been waiting for this his whole life.

After having their lunch together they then bid goodbye to him as he gave them a quick nod. Mrs. Kwon gave him a tight embraced which caught him off guard but then he wrapped his arms around her and closed his eyes as he let himself be taken by the warmth he had been longing for. ‘She will get better Jiyong, we will do our best,’ she whispered. ‘Yes... thank you,’ he answered as they pulled away from each other as Tae Hee gave him a quick tight embrace. ‘Take care of yourself, Dara will be sad if she sees you neglecting yourself,’ Tae Hee smiled at him as he nod.

Ill Woo and Mr. Kwon gave him a tight embrace as well which made him smiled. ‘Call us if anything happened,’ Mr. Kwon said timidly as he nodded to him. ‘Dara got the hospital’s four best doctors, worry no more,’ Ill Woo said huffing in pride while pounding his chest which made them chuckle as Mrs. Kwon playfully hit him on his arm. ‘We’ll be going for now, we will be back to check on her later,’ Mrs. Kwon said as he nodded once more and with that they paced out the room.

Jiyong quickly turned to Dara as he gently settled himself next to her. He held her hand as he started telling her stories, as he started crying a bit telling her how happy he was right now, how thankful he was and how much he missed and loved her.

The Parks just went outside the room to buy some of their supplies and he was once again left with her. But he never mind in fact he never left beside her, he sleep, take bath, eat and practically live in her suite. He then sat on the bed as he held her hand and was about to tell her stories when all of the sudden her breathing got heavy and her body started shaking he quickly stood up and pressed the emergency button. Then her ecg started to drop on a fast rate that it made him numbed. He stared at her, body frozen, heart aching as he heard the line went flat accompanied by the long annoying sound. As his parents burst into the door with the nurses and tools, they started swarming around Dara saying things he used to understand but can’t decipher a single thing now.

Her family were running bursting inside the door as they were crying looking at the doctors and nurses attained on her. He was just there standing. Then words started ringing on his head echoing, mocking.

‘She will be fine,’

‘She’s starting to get better,’

‘She will soon wake up,’

‘She will not die,’

‘I will not die Ji... I will never leave you,’

There she was lying on the bed, doctors on panic, mother and family crying. And there he was watching as her ECG kept going on a steady flat line, not moving, not blinking, not breathing. Then all her words rang on his head, they were echoing, repeating, mocking. But still he was there standing stiff, watching the girl he loved more than himself, slowly drift to death, to nothingness.

‘I love you Kwon Jiyong!’

‘You are mine remember?’

‘I will never leave you Jiyong... not now... not ever,’

‘We will work this out,’

‘All yours...’

‘Clear!’ one shouted as he stared at her body moved up as his father pressed the device against her chest. He was doing it for minutes, he can’t count how much but it felt like he was doing it for years. And everything was slow motion in his eyes as he stared at everyone as he heard everything and he felt like he was being sucked inside a black hole. Then memories of them started playing inside his head like he was watching it unfold before his very eyes like he was just standing in the middle of it.

The mixture of cries, panic, ecg and every little sound in his him cursed him to deafness as the only thing he could hear was his heart beat hammering against his chest, his heavy breathing, her voice, her laughter and every little bit of her lovely voice. The only thing he could see was her smile, the only thing he could feel was her embrace, her hold, her kisses and her skin against his.

He can feel her skin to skin, he can feel her hot breath against his skin. He can fell her whole, he can see her eyes as it looked to him lovingly, longingly. He can feel her skin against his lips and he can feel the moment when she completely became his, when their bodies were one like no one could ever break them apart, like they were out of reach, like death even can’t touch them an inch.

‘I, Sandara Park, take you Kwon Jiyong as my lawfully wedded husband for richer and for poorer... in sickness and in health... till death do us part,’

The nurses stared at each other as they gave a tight nod, but Mr. And Mrs. Kwon refused to give as they keep on reviving the girl their son loved, the girl who saved their son, the girl who gave their son a purpose to live. Ill Woo pressed his lips tighter as he held Minah tightly in his hand stopping her from reviving Dara. Minah broke into cries as he gave Ill Woo a tight embrace as she cried on his chest as the latter caressed her back.

‘I promise to love you, to take care of you... and to be with you through eternity... through everything... for you are my life, my everything and my world... I will be your princess, your superhero, your bestfriend... and I will be anything you needed me to be... I love you and nothing will change that,’

Tae Hee moved to stop Jiro as the latter’s tears streamed down his cheeks as he wiped it roughly. Silence filled the whole room as the loud beeping sound of ECG kept on ringing, mocking. Jiyong stared at Dara as everyone seemingly stopped moving as all he can see were them crying as they gave up on her.

‘I can’t wait to return,’

‘NO! YOU CAN’T GIVE UP ON HER!’ Jiyong shouted as she dashed to her bed and started pumping her chest. Sanghyun tried to stop him only to be pushed away. ‘NO! NO! NO! YOU CAN’T GIVE UP ON HER!!’ he shouted as he grabbed the device from one of nurses hold. He pressed and rubbed it on each other as he quickly pumped it against her chest.

‘YOU CAN’T TAKE HER AWAY FROM ME!’

‘NO! YOU CAN’T TAKE HER AWAY FROM ME!!’

‘SHE’S MINE! SHE’S MINE!! DARA COMEBACK TO ME!!’

His shouts were desperate, enough to break everyone’s heart. He pumped the device on her for the last time as he fell on his knees and started crying loudly his father tried to help him stand but he pushed everyone away as he struggled to stand up and hugged her tightly pressing her on his chest. ‘Dara you can’t leave me... no... no you can’t leave me... you can’t leave me,’ he cried as everyone just shut their eyes on his misery.

His eyes snapped opened as it slowly darted on the ECG right in front of him, as it started to sing a different melody. His eyes watched as the flat line moved up and down as his heart seemingly stopped beating. ‘Good job son, you saved her life...’ Mr. Kwon said as he squeezed Jiyong’s shoulder as the latter stared at him in disbelief. ‘You saved Dara’s life,’ Mr. Kwon repeated as Jiyong broke into loud cries.

She slowly fluttered her eyes open as bright light welcomed her. She knew she had been sleeping so long. She fixed her vision as everything slowly cleared in her eyes. She roamed her eyes on the huge and beautiful empty room in front of her. Then she felt someone holding her hand. She looked at him as a smile spread on her lips.

He was there sleeping, his head on the edge of her bed, his hand holding hers tightly. She gave a light squeeze on his hand enough to stir him from sleep. ‘Jiyong...’ she weakly called as the latter slowly opened his eyes. He was welcome by her smiling sweetly at him. Jiyong broke into a big smile as he moved gently to her and kissed her on her forehead, down to the bridge of her nose, on the tip of her nose before fully claiming her lips. ‘I love you, Dara,’ he whispered as the girl smiled sweetly at him. ‘I love you too,’ she answered.

Jiyong stood up as he pressed the button on the corner, as he walked back to her. He sat down next to her as Dara snuggled closer to him. ‘I missed you,’ she whispered as Jiyong hold her hand and kissed it. ‘I missed you more,’ he whispered as he felt every little emotion hammered in his chest as his eyes started to water. Dara looked at him and caressed his cheek. ‘You look so tired,’ she whispered as he shook his head. ‘No I’m not, I never get tired for you... of you,’ he answered kissing her forehead as Dara closed her eyes feeling the moment with him.

‘Thank you for coming back...’ he whispered. ‘Thank you for not leaving,’

Dara smiled at him as she laced her fingers with him and reached for his lips as it brushed hers. ‘I told you I will never ever leave you Ji...’

‘Never...’