It was past midnight already, but she had not fallen into sleep. She felt everything unusual. The bedroom, the pillows, the blanket and the arrangement of the stuff inside. She stood up to get something from the fridge. She took a can of pineapple juice and then went back on the bed, leaning her back on the headboard.
It was not anymore her first time to be here Korea. She had been here before when she and Jareed attended the wedding of her mom, but that time they just stayed in the hotel and after two days they went back to Manila.
But this time it’s different, because she would be staying with her mom and stepdad maybe for one month or longer than that. She heaved a deep sigh as she grabbed
her cellphone and opened the gallery. She looked at the old pictures of her and Ryle taken eight years ago. It was originally stored in her old phone, but she transferred all the photos and videos when she bought a new one. After a while, she opened Ryle's video that was taken before the accident.
How could she ever forget him? He sacrificed his own life for her. He loved her unconditionally, cared for her and made her special in all aspects. Tears started to form in her eyes. She was longing for his love and affection. It was only him that she had wanted in her life.
But everything had changed when she met Zacky on Facebook because she did not expect that she would open her heart again and fall in love to a person who was a total stranger to her.
She heaved a deep sigh as she got emotional again. Fate was really not kind to her because she remained unfortunate in terms of love. She thought that Zacky was a man that would fill in the great yearning she had been feeling for eight years long. But it was just her illusion, because Zacky is a woman. And she had to accept the reality no matter how painful it is.
Besides, Zacky was saying farewell to her which only means she doesn’t want her anymore in her life.
"Baby"...
She was softly sobbing, until she felt her eyelids were getting heavy and she fell asleep.
*******
She woke up at 7:00 0’ clock in the morning. She stood up and parted the curtain slightly. She yawned and stretched her arms while she was looking out the breathtaking view of Seoul.
After a while, she refreshened herself and dressed in a light sweater and pajama. As she was drying her hair, someone was knocking on the door. It was her brother, Jareed.
“Sweetie, can I get inside?”
She opened the door and her brother went inside.
“You have puffy eyes sweetie. Did you cry?”, Jareed asked with so much concern in his eyes. He sat on the couch while waiting for her answer. Her brother gestured her to sit beside him.
“I know how much you have gone through in this life sweetie. But please, don’t think abut it too much okay? It’s bad for your health”, Jareed said softly and gently caressing her back.
“Uhm, today you need to undergo a series of tests at Asan Medical Center. I hope everything will be okay so that you will be scheduled for a heart transplant surgery as soon as possible”, her brother said in a casual way, showing a gentle smile on his lips.
She just nodded and hugged her brother.
“Thank you so much boo for always being here for me. I love you”, she said and hugged him.
“I love you more sweetie, so cheer up okay? Don’t worry everything will fall into its right place by God’s grace”, her brother’s words of encouragement.
“Uhm, did you sleep with Jungwon last night?”, she asked curiously.
“Nope. Jungwon has his own apartment on the fourth floor sweetie. And why are you asking hmm?”, Jareed asked forming a naughty smile on his lips.
“I know what you’re thinking boo. But it’s not like that okay?”, she pouted her lips.
“Okay, arasseo…arasseo (fine/got it)”, Jareed uttered as he gestured a hands up surrender.
They looked at each other and then after a while they chuckled. Suddenly, their mom called them to come over for their breakfast.
They hurriedly went out of the room because they don’t want their mom and stepdad to keep waiting for them. That’s a sign of rudeness and disrespect.
She noticed Jungwon was there too, sitting on the left side, opposite to her mom, while her stepdad was sitting at the center. As soon as they reached the dining table, they bowed their heads in respect to their stepdad. Jungwon pulled a chair for her and seated beside him. While Jareed was sitting beside their mom.
“Jareed, J.A. yah, jal jasseo? (Did you sleep well)”, Mr. Park asked them, while putting some food on his mouth.
“Ne, abeonim (Yes father)”, she replied, and put some rice on her plate.
After some time, they’re done eating. Then their stepdad, put on his coat ready to go to work. Her stepdad was a director in one of the advertising agencies in Seoul so, like her brother he has a lot of things to do in the company.
“Jigeum, kalkeoya (I’ll go now)”, Mr. Park uttered as he headed towards the entry door.
They stood up and bowed their heads.
“Annyeonghi kasipsiyo, abeonim (goodbye father)”
After some time, JA went to her room and fixed herself. She was wearing a blue cardigan and a light pink trouser. She put on a slight make up and just let her hair fall out.
She went outside the room and saw her mom, Jareed and Jungwon seated on the sofa bed while waiting for her. Her mom was always fashionable when it comes to clothing. Jareed was just wearing a dark blue jacket with a light shirt under it and black jeans. Jungwon on the other hand, was wearing traditional button-down shirts, with a dark jacket on top of it, complemented with beige fitting jeans and a white canvass sneakers.
Jungwon smiled at her as soon as he saw her approaching. After a while, they got into the car. Jungwon fastened her seatbealt, as she was sitting in the passenger’s seat, while her mom and Jareed were sitting in the back seat. When everything was already fixed, Jungwon started the engine and they left.
After 30 minutes of car ride, they reached at Asan Medical Center. They went inside and the personnel and staff bowed their heads. All of them were very accommodating and she couldn’t help herself but smile, upon looking at women who kept on wearing flirty smiles, when these two good-looking men, Jungwon and Jareed approached them.
After a moment of waiting, she went inside the laboratory and undergone different tests. She was still very lucky because even if there were a lot of patients on the waiting list but because the hospital director was Mr Park’s friend, she was put in the top priority.
The pre-heart transplant tests were finally done in two hours. But she still had to wait for the result and wait for the doctor’s recommendation.
“Geokjeong hajima J.A.yah. da jal dwilkeoya (don’t worry, everything will be okay)”, Jungwon said and held her hand.
Jareed and her mom also comforted her, to give her encouragement that everything will gonna be alright. She nodded and smiled at them.
Then after an hour of waiting, the doctor let them get inside. The doctor said that all the tests went well and that she was qualified for a heart transplant. However, undergoing the actual surgery would only have 50% survival rate, due to possibilities that complications might happen.
She clearly understood what the doctor meant to say but she had to be strong because she wanted to be healed.
The surgery was scheduled next week so she had to prepare herself and ensure that before her schedule, she would be free from stress and other emotional problems.
“Gwaenchana, JA-yah (it’s okay.) Museun il-i saeng-gyeodo ulineun pyeon-i doelgeoya (we’ll be by your side no matter what)”, Jungwon uttered certainly as he tapped her shoulder.
After some time of having a conversation with the doctor, they went outside the hospital and had gotten inside the car.
“Uhm, Jungwon, can we go first to Asan World Botanical Garden? You know JA loves flowers”, Mrs. Mercedez exclaimed.
“Ne, eomeoni”, Jungwon replied and started the engine.
She felt really excited when she heard about flowers especially that it’s her first time to visit the place. Well, she knew how her family wanted her to be happy and to be relieved from all the stress in life, before her scheduled surgery.
After minutes of riding, they reached the place. It was the largest flower garden in South Korea with different varieties and species of flowers. The place really looks fantastic and really captivating to the eyes. This is the best place to visit especially during springtime.
Hanging flowers like begonias and fuchsias were in full bloom, that add beauty to the surroundings. Tulips with color ranges from red, yellow to white were planted on each side of the pathways, along with the red and pink camellias.
She took pictures of them at different angles. She was smiling and enjoying the moment she was with her family because she doesn’t know what will gonna happen when the day comes.
For the meantime, she was not updating her story because she doesn’t have something to write. She was just enjoying the precious moments with her family like going to malls, watching movies and traveling around Seoul to visit beauty spots.
*********
Until the scheduled heart transplant surgery came at hand.
Her mom, Jareed and Jungwon accompanied her to the hospital to give her strength and support.
“We’re always here for you dear. Don’t worry”, her mother held her hand and kissed her cheek.
“Sweetie, you can do it. We’re praying for you”, Jareed said softly and gently kissed her forehead.
“Gwaenchaneulkeoya J.A. yah. Uri hamkke igyeonael su oisseo (It’s okay JA, we’ll get through this together)”, Jungwon’s voice quavered as he held her hand tightly.
After a moment she was moved to the operating room by the surgery team.
She felt a little nervous because she knew that the moment she would be in the operating room, her life then would be at stake. The moment that the general anesthesia would be injected to her body, she would become unconscious, and her life then would be on the verge of death.
But she already entrusted everything to God. Whatever the result of the surgery, she was more than willing to accept it.