As Ryujin's eyes slowly opened in the hospital room, waking up from her induced coma. Her body heavy and sluggish. Her head aching, trying to grasp the situation.
The last thing she remembers was waiting for a bus.
Then everything went blur.
She had been in an accident and needed a heart transplant. Fortunately for her, a heart became available.
Grateful for the gift of a second chance at life, Ryujin couldn't help but wonder who was the previous owner of the organ that's now pumping blood throughout her body.
"Hey, how are you feeling?"
The door opened, and a nurse entered the room.
"Uhm, fine I guess." She’s not really fine, but what she's feeling is too extreme to be described in words.
The nurse gave an empathetic smile.
"I'm nurse Yuna by the way, just need to check your vitals."
Ryujin was silent while Yuna was doing her routine. But she needed to know something.
"uuhm nurse, by any chance, is there a way for me to the name of my donor or their family?"
"Your doctor Lee Chaeryeong, can answer that, she'll be here in a few minutes, but I'll see what I can do as well...Everything seems normal, just call if there's anything else you need."
"Okay, thank you."
As soon as she was able, Ryujin set out to discover the identity of her benefactor. After a few days of searching, she found out that the donor was a young woman named Hwang Yeji, who had also been in the accident but did not survive.
Ryujin knelt in front of the grave, as she read the name on the headstone. She had been told that this was the resting place of the person whose heart she now had - her lifeblood, her reason for the second chance.
She had expected to pay her respects in solitude, until a figure stepped forward from behind the tree nearby. Ryujin's heart pounded as she looked up and saw the face of the other mourner - a young woman, her eyes full of sorrow with a single tear rolling down her cheek.
The scene made something inside Ryujin ache. Like someone was squeezing her heart.
Ryujin thought this person must be close with Yeji.
Was it guilt that she's feeling?
No, it was something else, something ineffable.
Why does the scenery of a woman crying she saw for the first time wring her heart so?
"Sorry, I didn't think anyone would be here today." Ryujin stood up and watched as the woman walked closer and wiped her tear.
"No, it's okay, I just visit every few days."
Ryujin contemplated if she should ask the stranger's relationship with Yeji.
Would it be rude?
But her instinct tells her to just go for it.
"Do you mind me asking, how did you know Yeji?"
"She’s.. she was my best friend."
Ryujin felt another pang in her chest as the woman gave a sad smile.
"How about you?"
"Oh, I uh, don't really know her. But, she's my savior, the reason I have a beating heart right now, I'm Shin-"
