Every Year, It's Not That Year

ＡＵＧＵＳＴ ＳＥＶＥＮＴＥＥＮ-•

2019

It's August 17th, a Saturday in 2019. It used to be a Monday four years back.

A Wednesday three years back.

A Thursday two years back.

A Friday one year ago.

Stephanie always have this date marked on her calendar so that she will receive no patient.

That goes the same for Park. August Seventeen will be marked on his calendar. No morning run and other activities prior to this.

Stephanie wore her black sweater paired with dark jeans, while Park wore a black suit, white shirt and a black tie.

She woke him up with no pranks and no nonsense on that very day. Once they are ready, they headed out of Stephanie's house with Park's Mini Copper, driving all the way to Bonnyrigg, a suburb in Sydney.

The arrived at the familiar temple that Park have always visit, moving towards the Chinese traditional arch and headed up the stairs. Clasping both hand in praying position, Park and Stephanie kneels and bow to the statue of Buddha.

Park remains silent as he pray, closing his eyes as he kneels longer than he usually would.

Stephanie waited patiently behind him. Watching his back as the ray of the sun gleams brightly against him.

Upon walking down the stairs, they sat under a huge tree, shading them from the piercing sun. For five years, Stephanie have walked with him through this particular day, staying strong for him when he needed strength.

Aloof Park remains distance not because of his standoffish traits, a part of him is mourning. Five years it's been and this days remains a damage that is incurable. Park have a set of skillful hands, stitching wounds and hunting for disease, but he couldn't save his own brother.

'He would have been a cardiologist if he made it through,' Park muttered as he glance blankly at the dragon carvings on the stone wall.

Stephanie nodded, 'cardio is the most ambitious specialty and he's got the heart for it.'

Park chuckles, 'Sung Jin have a big heart, genuinely showing his care for others, which is why he choose to go Nepal.' He recalls the last time they met were before Park started his internship and exactly a month ago, Sung Jin told him that he would be joining Doctors Without Borders.

Stephanie stroke his back, soothing his heavy heart and the pain that is piercing him. She sat there silently with him, exposing themselves to the peaceful nature, feeling the cold air waking their senses.

'Your mother called me yesterday.' Stephanie mentioned, she knew he needed his mom the most, but their pride distanced them. Their mother was the one who refused to remove his oxygen when Sung Jin, whose surviving on life support, was pronounced brain dead.

Park nodded, somehow, he was glad Stephanie became a bridge to the gap between them. Park knew it wasn't his parent's fault for Sung Jin's death, but part of him wishes they were born in a normal family, where they could fight over who get the last piece of fried chicken during dinner, where his parents could show up when they received awards and not leaving an empty chairs that's designated for them.