Mee Yoon arrived at the hospital early in the morning to fetch Daewon. The doctor discharged him after a week of babysitting. The press didn’t stay silent about the incident. They took some photos of them together and spread some speculations that Mee Yoon and Daewon were going back together.
“Are you ready?” Mee Yoon asked. She turned her back when Daewon was half-naked. He smirked and wore his black long sleeves.
“Don’t be too shy. As if you haven’t seen my anatomy before,” he said.
“What?” Mee Yoon’s face turned crimson. Daewon held his bag and put his arms around her shoulder.
“Let’s go.”
Mee Yoon was astonished and put his arms away.
“What are you doing? Don’t you know we are on top of the issues?” she whispered in a hushed tone.
“Who cares? Let’s not care about them, okay? They are doing their job to create tumult. It’s nothing new whether you accept or deny the issue. They love creating theories.”
Mee Yoon went to the driver’s seat.
“Thanks for doing this,” Daewon said, as he fastened his seatbelt.
“It’s not a big deal. And this is only temporary since you have recovered.”
“Recovered? I don’t understand why they released me when my head is aching like it’s about to crack open,” Daewon blurted.
“You just want to stay longer in the hospital with me,” Mee Yoon said as a matter of fact. Daewon blinked and diverted his eyes to the window.
“That’s not true. I hate hospitals.”
They entered Daewon’s magnanimous and empty mansion. It was like a little castle in an old painting with ghosts lurking around.
“Would you like to stay for a cup of coffee?” Daewon asked.
Mee Yoon gazed at his enthusiastic face. His grim vibe has changed into a blooming flower. She stopped drinking coffee when they broke up. But at that moment, she said yes. Daewon mixed what used to be her favorite blend. He was humming while filling the cup with boiling water.
“Thank you,” she said when he placed the coffee on the table.
“How was it?” he asked while she sipped an ample amount of coffee.
“Still the same. Tasteful. Nothing has changed,” she said as a half-smile formed on her lips.
“It’s like my feelings for you. No matter how hard I try, it keeps me awake during the night and keeps me alive during the day.”
Daewon held her delicate hand.
“I know it’s unmanly for me to beg someone to stay, but for you, I’ll drop all my pride and shame.”
Sorrow sparked from his eyes.
“Please stay with me, Mee Yoon. You are tired of hearing this, but it’s all I ask for and the reason for my existence.”
Mee Yoon put her other hand on top of his with a lamentable look on her face.
“Daewon, I promise to stay. But I cannot give you romance.”
He rubbed his cheek in her hands.
“Remember when I told you I never stop loving you? That was true. I still do. But as the day went by, my emotion became clearer. It wasn’t you I that want back. It was the feeling of having a friend and a lover by my side who gave me security. It wasn’t you that I missed. All that was left is the love of a dearest companion.”
Daewon looked at her with tears falling down his cheeks.
“Please don’t do this. I hate seeing you like that,” she said and wiped his tears away.
“You are unfair. You taught me to love, but you didn’t teach me how to unlove you,” he said.
She kissed his forehead and wrapped him in a warm hug. Daewon buried his face in her chest as he sobbed. His dream of walking down the aisle with her vanished through thin air.
***
It was eight in the evening. Mee Yoon lay in bed with Daewon. She stayed for a while to comfort him as he cried himself to sleep. His eyes were swollen and he couldn’t take his hands off her like she was a teddy bear. Mee Yoon brushed his hair until his chest was no longer heaving. After making sure that Daewon was in a deep unconsciousness, she left.
Mee Yoon stopped by a convenience store to buy some soju and drank them on her way home. She stood at the Hangang bridge, relishing the view of the city. She hugged herself and rubbed her hands on her shoulders to ease the cool breeze. It was as if an enormous boulder disappeared from her back, a burden of sentiments she’s been carrying.
“Why am I walking when I can take a cab?” she said, a little tipsy. She shook her head and journeyed the dark alley. There was a deafening silence, and she could only hear her footsteps.
“Am I hallucinating?” she whispered when she heard another footstep aside from her.
Mee Yoon walked faster, but the footsteps were also keeping up with her speed. Her heart pounded like she was running in a marathon and it made her sober. She groaned when her right foot twitched and she fell to the ground. A man wearing a black hoodie and a face mask stood in front of her with a knife in his hand.
“Who-who are you?” her voice trembled.
The man took a step forward and raised his hand, but out of nowhere, Daewon grabbed his hand and twisted it behind his back. The knife fell off and the two guys exerted forces to fight back.
“Daewon! Stop!”
Daewon knocked the man down. He glanced at the knife beside him and grabbed it before Daewon could. They rolled over as Daewon tried to stop the knife from piercing through his neck. Mee Yoon grasped all her courage and stood up.
“Don’t come closer!” Daewon roared like thunder. Mee Yoon bit her nails while staring at them with agitation. The man pushed Daewon with utmost strength and kicked him. In a split second, he struck Daewon’s abdomen and ran away.
Mee Yoon hurried towards Daewon and knelt.
“Hey! What am I going to do?” she said. She pressed her hand to cover the blood from flowing and dialed 911.
“You’re always stupid,” she said and gazed heavenward to control her tears. Daewon’s eyes were half-closed.
“My love, don’t worry about me. I’m glad I am here to protect you. You need security, right?” Daewon uttered before closing his eyes.
“Hey, wake up.”
Mee Yoon kept tapping his cheek, but to no avail until she wailed nonstop.