The Sad Reality

"Your Dad-Jin-Ae.."

"Jin-Ae I'm so sorry to tell you this, Your Dad is no more", Dr Seon-Ho stuttered as sadness seemed to be laced in his voice. He stared at her hurtfully and broke down in front of her, almost on his knees. He knew that Jin-Ae's father was her everything.

The news made her eyelids droop. Jin-Ae's world crumbled down. It felt like her heartbeat slowed down for a moment as it took her a while to process everything. Jin-Ae gulped down the lump of fear formed in her throat as her heart shattered into pieces all around in her chest piercing through the skin making it hard for her to breathe. 

Kim Min-Jae stood at the corner of the room with no emotions on his face, completely overlooking the situation while Seon-Ho was shedding tears. 

Seon-Ho calmed down but the guilt was still visible on his face. He sighed audibly.

When Seon-Ho didn't hear any noise from Jin-Ae's side. He looked up at her and found her inanimate. He quickly stood up and drizzled some water droplets on her face.

She started whimpering the second she came back to the sad reality. Seon-Ho's eyes landed on her heart-broken face as his eyes softened. 

She cried like a baby.

Seon-Ho hugged her tightly, trying his best to bring as much comfort as he could. 

Jin-Ae and Seon-Ho were childhood friends, from the time when they used to run around in diapers to now. They almost grew up together as if they were fated to be on each other's side. 

He knew everything about her, from all her depressing nights to all her delighted days. But everyone knows that no comfort and no friend can ease the pain of losing a loved one. 

After they both calmed down a bit, she asked Seon-Ho if she can see her dad. 

Slowly and deliberately, he helped her walk with small steps towards the room he was in. 

On the other hand, Min-Jae kneaded his temples and spared a brisk peek over the two of them as they entered another room. 

He gave off an infuriating smirk and threw the broken phone into the bin. He called someone, enlightened the other one on the phone about the situation and soon left the hospital.

As soon as she entered the room, her body gave up. No one can gather up the strength to see their loved one lying lifeless in front of them, thankfully Do Hyun was there to hold her tightly.

The fact that he was feeling the same aching as her but he stood straight, whilst Jin-Ae felt vacant, the truth kept tormenting her that this emptiness where the life and colours would be drained out of her life and the pain of wanting her dad back will live within her, she became immobilized. 

She sat there on her knees with her head hanging low. Tears started to fill the brim of her eyes when reality hit her, all at the same time, she realized that she will have to absorb this pain and try to heal, but she can never get over the grieve of losing her dad, and she will need to learn to live with it. 

Her father was the reason she was alive and now what's the point of living like this?

Neither one-night insanity nor the one million cash saved her dad. She didn't even get to say a proper goodbye to him. She was never prepared for this.

She cried her heart out wanting him to come back no matter how and hug her for the longest time ever. 

All the good times, sad days hugs, and all the goodbyes she ever heard from him were the only thing that was left with her. These lifeless memories were making her crave her dad's love again even if it is for one last time.

Jin-Ae stayed there, in that room which smelt like her father for the longest time, feeling sorry that she couldn't save him and sad that she will have to live with it forever.

Seon-Ho wanted her to cry as much as she wants to but at the same time, his heart was burning, the situation was just too painful for his heart. 

"Jin-Ae, I don't want to stop you but we all know that he's in a better place now. He's watching over you and wouldn't be happy to see you like this. He's no more in agony and that's what we wanted, right?", Seon-Ho whispered while he patted her head and rubbed her shoulder trying his best to soothe her down.

"Was he not happy with me? Was he tired of me? Why didn't he fight for me? I know the fight between life and death is hard but- wasn't he better here? Why did he choose to leave me alone here in this cruel world where I have no one now..", She shouted breaking down as she stammered on every word. 

After some time what felt like centuries to her, she felt sick and weak. Seon-Ho told her that he'll take care of all the things and that she needs to rest now. 

She said no with her trembling lips. The agony, the loss was too much than the injuries and the irritation all over your body.

Seon-Ho helped her as she dragged herself to the room and forced her to get some rest after he gave her some essential medicines. 

She was in deep misery. She kept glaring her hands in a fist and losing it with an outburst of tears, she kept doing it till the medicines kicked in and she dozed off.

Next day,

In the morning, Seon-Ho and the nurses tidied the wounds and put on new badges. Meanwhile, Jin-Ae called and when not picked up she left a text to inform her mother and sister about the sad news. 

After a while, she was picking up some fresh flowers for the ceremony when Min-Jae came to her and mumbled, "Um- I know this might be a little uncomfortable for you, I'm still a stranger to you so let me introduce myself first."

A long silence took place as Jin-Ae didn't respond to him in any way so Min-Jae decided to go on with what he had to say. 

"I'm Min-Jae, Kim Min-Jae and you can call me Jae. I'm the owner of the hotel you came to and that's where I saw you um- when that girl pushed you. I was worried about you. I don't know why but ahh- something in you made my heart turn towards you. When you left, my heart was constantly telling me that something is wrong, and then I got a call from the driver who informed me about the accident." She patiently listened to all this and turned around, she could sense the uneasiness written all over his face. 

"I'm Jin-Ae and thank you so much for saving me. If it wasn't for you then I think I wouldn't have survived-it was nice meeting you" Min-Jae gave her a 'no problem' smile. But the question was still there. Why was he still sticking by her side?