While You Were Gone

Tenth and Eleventh Month

"You're asking permission to go to Albania for two weeks for a volunteer job?" Director Han asked Mo Yeon in his office.

"Yes."

"How about your television show? My secretary said the show rating is decreasing because of your absence. When will you return?"

"I can't make promises. I'm not in any conditions to do any shows publicly," Mo Yeon said.

"Ah..." Director's Han's eyes glinted and the female doctor knew better what that meant. "Is this has anything to do with your boyfriend?"

"No."

"I know you're lying, Dr. Kang."

"Lying or not, it has nothing to do with you. I come here for your permission to go to Albania."

The Director eyed the beautiful doctor in front of her. "And if I refuse?"

"I'm still going." Mo Yeon bowed lightly and then, turned around, ready to walk away from the office before her name got called.

"Alright...looks like that didn't work. Just come back safely," Director Han finally relented.

"Thank you, Director."

At lunch time, Mo Yeon sat with her friends and enjoyed their food before the one and only Dr. Kim approached their table with her usual attitude.

"So, you're going to be Albert Schweitzer again? To Albania?"

Mo Yeon's friends stared at Dr. Kim with penetrating eyes while Mo Yeon chewed her food slowly, didn't appear to be bothered with the comment.

"That's good for you. I told you before if you want to be like Schweitzer..."

Dr. Kim didn't have the chance to finish her words because Mo Yeon suddenly rose from her chair and faced the nosy doctor, staring straight to her eyes.

"Do you have any problems with me, Dr. Kim?"

The latter could only blinked, surprised by Mo Yeon's sudden reaction. "N...no."

"Good," Mo Yeon said sharply, and showed her right hand which holding the chopsticks. "Do you want me to put holes on your head?"

Dr. Kim stared at Mo Yeon and then, squinted her eyes. "You are crazy. How does your boyfriend tolerate you?"

Mo Yeon raised her eyebrows. "He was the one who taught me to put holes on someone's head."

Mo Yeon's friends tried to hold their laughters, but failed miserably. Dr. Kim pouted, feeling defeated, and then, walked away from Mo Yeon's table by stomping her feet.

"That was very good, Dr. Kang," Dr. Song commented.

"Well..." Mo Yeon said while sitting, "at least, I don't have to see her for two weeks."

                                                                        ***

At night, Mo Yeon sat with Dr. Pyo, drinking, for she was on the night shift. They were talking for a while and Mo Yeon admitted she felt she was going crazy for keeping all the good memories about Si Jin.

"You said once that maybe it was fate for me and Si Jin to meet, but why did we have to meet only for being apart in the end? Isn't it better if we haven't met at all?" Mo Yeon asked her friend.

"Fate often plays trick on us," Dr. Pyo answered. "Maybe Fate made you to meet Captain Yoo for a way to find your true love."

"He is my true love."

Dr. Pyo sighed. "Mo Yeon..."

Mo Yeon took a large sip of her drink. "You can love many people in your life, but you never fall in love the same way twice. At least, that was what they said."

"Since you fall in love, you're easily being melancholy."

Mo Yeon grinned. "Thank you."

"So," Dr. Pyo poured another drink to her glass. "What will you do for his anniversary?"

"I'm going to set up the table for him and said my final goodbye." Mo Yeon sighed. "I was thinking to find a new place after that. I don't want to feel sad whenever I come home from work."

Dr. Pyo nodded. "That's good."

Mo Yeon smiled and held her friend's hand. "Thank you for the past ten months, Ji Soo. Thank you for being my friend."

Mo Yeon's friend smiled in return. "You're not just my friend, Mo Yeon. You're my family." With her other hand, she held Mo Yeon's hand. "Whatever happens, I just want you to be happy."

Mo Yeon nodded. "I know."

                                                                                         ***

A few days after her conversation with Dr. Pyo, Myeong Ju called Mo Yeon and asked her to meet at a small bar not far from the coffee shop they used to meet. When she arrived, Myeong Ju gave her the stuffed animal which wearing army uniform and Mo Yeon knew this must be the 'something' Myeong Ju talked about during their first phone call. Mo Yeon was sad when she learned Myeong Ju was being deployed to Urk on the next month. The stuffed animal was her farewell present while Mo Yeon joked they should go together, just like Si Jin and Sergeant Seo. She envied Myeong Ju who could go away from Seoul for a length of time. The General's daughter also asked her to drink together and Mo Yeon thought going abroad was indeed very tempting. Too many places in Seoul which reminded her of Si Jin. She could start new in foreign country.

Later.

That was what she thought.

The first thing in her mind was giving her respect to Si Jin on his anniversary and after that, she would sort out her life.

When she went home with the stuffed animal, she asked emotionally to it about what Si Jin thought when he saw her after almost a year they didn't see each other. In her imagination, she could see him, saying she always look pretty. No matter how hard she tried to hold her tears, she couldn't.

That night, Mo Yeon cried on her bed while hugging the toy.

                                                                                   ***

One month before Si Jin's anniversary, Mo Yeon began to prepare for her departure. Passport, plane ticket, coordination with the doctors in Albania, and also what she wanted to do on the anniversary day. She contacted some doctors in that foreign country to help her searching some things for the ceremonial table, so everything was ready by the time she arrived. Mo Yeon also told her mother about her plan and Mrs. Kang only wished the best for her daughter.

One day before her departure, Mo Yeon said goodbye to her friends and promised them to give a call when she arrived at Albania. At night, when Mo Yeon packed her bags, she stared at the white pebble before putting it in her bag.

At the airport, to her surprise, she met Daniel who held a protest. They talked a while and Daniel praised her for going to Albania to do volunteer job. Mo Yeon said it was more than that. It was because she wanted to remember Si Jin by doing what she loved and gave her respect to him.

Mo Yeon arrived at Albania during night time and then, being picked up by some doctors before going to the camp. Another doctor told her that she could take a rest and he already prepared the things Mo Yeon asked for the ceremonial table.

Exhausted from her long flight, Mo Yeon slept peacefully inside her tent.

Little did she know, the next day would be the day she would never forget.