JA woke up early in the morning because she felt like she needs to log in to the reading platform in order to read private messages.
She reached out for her phone and logged in to her account. And she was not wrong because Zacky was sending her messages. But she was not expecting that this could be another long quarrel for the two of them.
"I guess, it's not good that you're using real names in your story", Zacky's message.
"I'm only using real first names but not real surnames. Why baby, is my story already boring? Please tell me so that I can make necessary corrections", JA responded. She already felt something is going to happen, but she was waiting for Zacky to tell her.
"And why you're still awake at this hour?", JA's chat.
"I cannot sleep because I am thinking a lot of things. Now I know. But bye for now dear"
JA felt there would be another crying time for her.
Suddenly, her brother knocked on the door and went inside her room.
"Sweetie, mom and Jungwon will arrive this morning at 9:00 0'clock. Would you come with me to fetch them at the airport?", Jareed asked intently.
"Yes boo", she uttered in excitement.
"So, you don't have to bring your car, I'll be bringing my car and you'll gonna ride with me okay?" Jareed uttered and blinked his eyes.
"We'll go in 15 minutes, so better fix yourself now", he added then went outside.
********
At the airport.
JA saw a woman in her early 40's who has shoulder-level blonde hair, standing from a distance looking for somebody else. She was wearing a maroon long jacket with a black pants under it and wearing black boots. She smiled knowing her mom was always going along with the trend. Beside her was a good-looking young man who stands 5'11, wearing a sunglass, a brown leather jacket with a plain white tshirt under it, and wearing a blue faded jeans.
It was her mom and Jungwon. So she waved her hands and exclaimed.
"Mom!"
She ran towards her and hugged her mom tightly. Jareed followed her and did the same.
"Mom, we missed you.", Jareed uttered.
"Hi dear, honey buns, how are you. I missed you so much!", Mrs. Mercedez exclaimed as she put her hands around her children's shoulders.
Jareed turned to Jungwon and smiled at him.
"Bro, it's nice to see you!"
"Annyeong Jungwona," JA exclaimed as she turned her gaze to Jungwon.
"Annyeong JA, oneul gibeun eotdae? Jungwon was asking her if how does she feel right now.
"Gwaenchana, komawo" (I'm fine thank you) she responded.
She and Jungwon were usually talking Korean with each other since Jungwon knew she was very interested to learn the language.
Jungwon kept on staring at her and it made her uncomfortable.
"Wae?" (why?) she asked.
"Ani... keunyang" (just nothing)he answered.
"Ehem...Don't look at my sister too much bro, she might be melted away in just a matter of minutes", Jareed jested.
They chuckled as they headed to where the car was parked.
Inside the car, she talked about a lot of things, and her mother Mercedez Park was just listening to her as she was throwing plenty of jokes. Jungwon was just quiet taking a glance at her in the side mirror.
At home.
JA went inside her room after letting her mom take a rest in the master's bedroom and Jungwon in the guest room.
She opened her laptop to start working on Chapter 14. She was almost done when she received a message from Zacky.
"You better tell me everything before it's too late dear. What did you lie to me? Your story is not realistic. Is this all your drama? Tell me.", Zacky's chat.
JA was silent for a moment because she knew what Zacky was talking all about. It's about her story published on a platform. And Zacky was questioning her about naming the characters of her story. She understand that Zacky doubted her for some reason and told her that the story is not any more realistic.
"So you never believed in me?" JA asked and started to get emotional.
"You know, I was just silent the whole time, but I already had a feeling that all of this is just part of your drama. Last time you sent me a picture that you were in the hospital. Why? Did I ask you anything? Now tell me." Zacky's message.
"I have done wrong to you two times. The first one was pretending to be my brother. And the second one was sending you a fake picture. And I'm sorry for that. I was just hurt.", she responded.
"And why you're hurt? Is it wrong to tell you to wake up from your illusions and tell you that I am a woman?" Zacky's harsh response.
"What else did you lie to me? What about those accounts of your brother?"
"I already told you I only did two mistakes. Why do you keep on questioning me? So you don't believe me?", JA responded with tears starting to form in her eyes.
"What about you, do you believe me, when you and your brother blamed me for everything? Now answer me, you have no right to ask me questions not unless I am done!"Zacky was getting more rude and arrogant.
"If you don't believe me, then think of me as "crazy and psychopath" she started sobbing.
"Okay, if that is what you want, then I'll think of you like that". JA already gave in. A loud piercing cry escaped from her mouth.
After reading Zacky's last message, her heart stopped beating for a few seconds. She tried to catch her breath and inhaled deeply. She did not expect that Zacky would think of her as 'crazy and psychopath'. Zacky's words hit her deep within and left a big hole in the deepest chamber of her heart. She cried and cried and the only thing that came to her mind was to delete her account, and so her story will be deleted too.
But before she did that, she sent her response to Zacky, with her tears continued streaming down her face.
"I only have one account here and I created this because of you. If you don't believe me, at least I'm telling you I never faked my tears."
After she sent that message, she deleted the account. She stayed in her room sobbing, covering her face with a pillow. But she needs to comfort herself because her mom is around and she doesn't want her mother to worry about her.
Crazy...
Psychopath...
The words kept on repeating in her mind many times.
Suddenly, there was someone knocking on the door. She hurriedly wiped her tears away.
"Yes," she said trying to make her voice casual.
"Dear it's me, can I get inside?", Mrs. Mercedez asked.
"Mom, I'm sorry I wanted to take a rest. My head is aching", she said trying to make excuses.
She thought she was already free, but after a few minutes, Jareed went inside her room without knocking on the door.
"What happened to you, sweetie? Is your head aching? Mom told me.", Jareed asked and looked at her intently.
She averted her gaze because she doesn't want he brother to find out that she was crying.
Jareed was silent for a moment and looked around. He saw her laptop open and tried to come closer.
"So you've been updating your story, but I guess it's not yet done. What's wrong sweetie?" Jareed asked curiously trying to figure out something.
"Boo, please leave me alone. Please...", she quavered.
Jareed stepped closer to her and sat on the bed.
"Sweetie, is it about Zacky again? Tell me", Jareed asked in a soft voice.
But she did not respond. Instead, she began to weep out loud. Jareed pulled her a hug and caressed her back.
"Okay, cry as much as you can sweetie. After that, let's talk okay. For now, I need to chat Zacky and ask her"
"No boo, please don't chat with her", she pleaded.
Jareed transferred sitting on the couch while busy typing messages. JA knew that her brother was texting Zacky to ask her what happened. After some time, Jareed put his phone in the drawer and sat back on her bed.
"I know it's all about Zacky. But I will not insist on it now. We can talk about it later okay? For now, let's go downstairs and eat our dinner. Don't tell me that you'll not gonna eat or else mom will be worried of you", Jareed said in a soft voice.
At the dining table, everyone was silent. Mrs. Mercedez was a little confused of what was going on until Jungwon spoke and asked what's wrong.
"J.A.ya, gwaenchana? (are you okay)You can tell me everything"
She just nodded and smiled.
After they're done eating, JA went upstairs and Jareed followed her.
"Now tell me, what happened sweetie.", Jareed spoke when they were already inside her room.
"But before that boo, can I ask something?"
"Yes what is it?"
"What did the doctor tell you about my health condition? Please boo. Whatever it is, I have the right to know. Please", she pleaded.
Jareed told her everything. After all, it's her sister's right to know her condition. JA has a ischemic heart disease or coronary heart disease that is one of the major causes of death.
"Am I dying boo?" she asked casually.
Jareed looked at her and pulled her a hug. Then she felt droplets of tears coming from her brother's eyes.
"How many months and days left boo?", she asked trying to hold her emotion.
Jareed did not respond.
"Two months boo?"
Still, there was no response. But JA knew what his brother was thinking. Anyway, she already accepted it. That's her fate and she had nothing to do about it.
"Boo, don't be sad okay? I'll not gonna die", she uttered trying to comfort her brother.
"Please don't tell mom boo okay?"
Jareed just nodded.
"You'll not gonna die sweetie okay? So don't worry. If it's necessary for us to go to US, then we will do that. If we need to spend all our money, then it doesn't matter for as long as you will live longer", Jareed said as he held both her hands.
"Let's forget about it, sweetie. For now, tell me what happened. I chatted with Zacky and she told me you deleted your account. Why?", Jareed asked intently.
She started telling her brother everything. And Jareed was just listening to her in silence. She knew her brother tried to understand her. After all, he is her brother who is always there for her and no matter what happens, he will stand on her side.