The Way for Us | Vincenzo

Chapter 17 - Jihong's Request

***

Sokcho Memorial Hospital
Sokcho-si, South Korea

Vincenzo was running as he furiously searched for Room 401 where his cousin was staying. He couldn't careless about the stares he received from all the patients family and nurses. As soon as he reached the room at the end of the hallways, he quickly pushed the door and found that his dearest cousin, no, his best friend, was laying helplessly at the hospital bed. 

Jihong opened his eyes slowly and turned his eyes toward the door. 

"I thought you're in Italy," he smiled a little at Vincenzo who was clearly out of breath due to all the running. 

Vincenzo held the urge to yell at his cousin for keeping his worsening condition a secret from him. Luckily, Vincenzo had predicted this beforehand. He had told Luca to keep an eye on Jihong the moment they met at the bar that night.

"What happened?" Vincenzo walked slowly toward the bed whilst trying to control his breath. 

"I knew you make Luca spied on me," Jihong dodged Vincenzo's question, making the latter only getting impatient by his cousin. If he wasn't laying at the hospital bed, Vincenzo could easily burst into anger right then. 

"Are you planning to hide your condition forever? How about Auntie? Didn't she deserve to know?" Vincenzo kept his distance from his cousin. 

Jihong looked away from Vincenzo and stared at the view outside his window. His room was overlooking the sea. The water was glistening because of the bright moonlight above it. 

"Are you going to hide here forever?"

Jihong closed his eyes for a moment before taking a deep breath. "You sound like a nagging girlfriend," Jihong chuckled, but his smile didn't reach his eyes. He was still staring at the calming view of the sea outside. 

Vincenzo was about to say something before Jihong spoke up. "I'm going to Swiss in two days. I should go while I still can endure long-distance flight."

Vincenzo's eyes widened at his cousin's decision. He thought it was the most stupid thing his very smart cousin ever said. "The reason you come here is for your medication. You said it yourself that your professor is here and he is the best in the world to treat your condition. So why in the world you would-"

"Don't you think I should spend my last moments with my mother?" Jihong was now looking at Vincenzo, making him stood frozen. "I have avoided her long enough, not wanting her to be sad because of me. But now that I think about it, I will just be an ungrateful child if I leave without ever saying proper goodbye to her."

"What the heck are you saying, Park Jihong?" Vincenzo clenched his jaws. He clearly understood what it meant, but he just refused to believe that it is finally time. 

"I should be gone long ago. The fact that I'm still here, it's a miracle enough for me. I shouldn't keep evading my fate, right? It's just not right," Jihong smiled sadly and looked back at the window. 

"You still can do a lot of procedures. We still have the transplant, heck we have the most advanced medical tools in the world!" Vincenzo was now furious, his eyes were getting teary but he refused to cry. This is not the end, he is not giving up, Vincenzo thought.