Always Forever

#3 The truth at last! She loves me?

Unseen twists (I)

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The City Hospital is a flurry of activity that afternoon. Dr Bong-gi finds a little respite just before the lunch hour can end. Exiting his cabin after a particularly grim consultation that went for two hours, with the patient being stubborn about not getting any tests run, and finally convincing him, Bong-gi finds it easy to breathe in the hallway. This is what he needs, a walk around the Hospital or maybe a visit to the gardens. Some different air than the one in his cabin.

He strolls through the first-floor hallways that are flanked on either side by OP consultation rooms. At the end of which, he finds a lone figure of a slender woman, just outside Dr Ha-joon's cabin.

Bong-gi identifies the woman. Jo Heeji — the bestower of destruction upon Bong-soon's hopes that Gukdoo would one day reciprocate her feelings.

Bong-gi tightens his fists, brow slightly furrowed at the young woman. It's not her fault at all. Not her fault if she and Gukdoo found love, and Bong-soon is left to bear unrequited feelings, he assures himself. It's the truth. But his heart remains conflicted. The sight of that woman is disconcerting. Even more so when she embraces Dr Ha-joon who steps out of his consultation room.

Bong-gi takes a step further, the crease between his brows deepening.

"Thanks for waiting."

"No thank you for your help."

It sounds like a civil conversation between acquaintances but the way Ha-joon holds her hand and she smiles at him. Are they seeing each other? What of Guk-doo?

Though it is rude to interrupt, Bong-gi prepares to barge between the couple. Dr Ha-joon however is called by a nurse. Heeji is alone when Bong-gi stands in front of her.

"Excuse me, Ms Heeji."

They are not acquaintances. They didn't meet officially but Bong-gi saw her with Gukdoo on some occasions. Mostly by chance, passing by the road. Bong-gi introduces himself.

"I'm In Gukdoo's friend. Can we talk?"

***

Heeji's twisted ankle is the reason why they don't bother to move to the cafeteria. The empty hallway is the perfect place for a private chat, lit by bright artificial lights, anyway.

Perched on the visitors' chair, Bong-gi looks at the woman next to him. "I'll get straight to the point. Gukdoo and Ha-joon are my best buddies."

"Oh." Heeji smiles, then falls silent, her expression awkward.

Bong-gi tries to keep his tone calm and less accusatory. "You are Guk-doo's girlfriend, aren't you? What's your relationship with Ha-joon? Are you playing with them? Trying to figure out who's the best?"

Heeji's eyes go wide. Bong-gi presses on, firm on his argument. He's seen such women. And he can't let his best friends be played by one. Heeji looks kind and beautiful, unlike those vamps. But who knows, looks can be deceiving.

"Oh my god, no!" Recovering from her shock, Heeji shakes her head. "No, no. I came here for treatment and Ha-joon is my childhood friend. I recently came to know he's here so I was saying hello. And I told Guk-doo that..."

"You told him what?" Bong-gi's eyes narrow to slits.

Heeji thinks she's having an ill-fated day. First her twisted ankle on the way to music practice and now this interrogation. But if Bong-gi is Guk-doo's best friend then he deserves an explanation. After all, Gukdoo didn't ask for one.

"I broke up with Guk-doo, and he seemed fine about it."

"What? He seemed fine. Are you sure?"

Heeji nods. "Yeah. Guk-doo and I..." She continues after a heavy sigh for the first time, bothering to look at the name of the doctor who's interrogating her, at the letters sewn into the breast pocket of his doctor's coat. "You don't know what transpired between us, do you, Dr Bong-gi? You know nothing."

"Well." Bong-gi feels ashamed of his actions and words for a second.

"It wasn't going well for us." Heeji brushes past the awkward air lingering between them. She's regaling her woes to a complete stranger but at this point, she doesn't care. "I guess Guk-doo never wanted to date me. He never liked me wholly. I kind of forced this relationship on him, anyway. And it didn't work the way I wanted it to. Which explains why neither of us is sad about this decision."

A beat's silence. "I know it's unfair to Guk-doo but it's a necessary decision. It's been a year and we are still where we started." Another pause. "He's always so busy. I can count the minutes we spent together with my fingers over all these months. He's always been rather formal, distant. I thought we'd make progress but..."

"Why did you want to date Guk-doo? He was..." Bong-gi's tone softens, having heard Heeji's honest response. "He was never into things like love. Though he never opposed the idea. He'd always been studious. He was friends with me but my sister, Bong-soon was his confidante."

"I see. Well, I thought I'd feel a sense of security as an orphan when I marry a police officer."

Bong-gi shows Heeji a resigned smile. "That's no reason to love someone. that's probably not love at all."

"I know. I took a chance and now I realise my mistake."

"So about Ha-joon. Do you want to date him?"

Heeji lets out a breathless, mirthless chuckle. "No... I... need a break. I don't want to make a wrong choice again. And love should happen as you said. I shouldn't be in a hurry. It will happen if the heavens bless me."

"Heavens?" Bong-gi laughs ruefully. "Heavens are funny, aren't they? Even if they bless you to fall in love, you're not guaranteed hundred percent success."

Heeji blinks. Bong-gi looks at her. They both are so absorbed in the conversation that they don't notice someone at the end of the hallway walking towards them. Or that the same someone accidentally listens to the last bits of their conversation, going still in their tracks.

"My sister has been in love with Guk-doo since they were kids. Maybe it was their high school days. She adored him so much. It never stopped. She loves him still, I'm sure." Bong-gi goes on, his voice full of brotherly affection. 

His eyes bore holes in the sparkling flooring. "I bet Guk-doo doesn't even have a clue. And then suddenly... Imagine my surprise when he found himself a girlfriend. I was shocked. Bong-soon has been smiling all these years but I'm worried for my sister. I got agitated again and I... I overstepped my boundaries and asked you all these personal questions."

Bong-gi rises to his feet and bows in a formal apology. Heeji shakes her head, shakily rising to her feet.

The someone who overheard their conversation backs away without saying a word. On shaky legs, he runs out of the hospital. He's none other than In Guk-doo.

What did I hear? His thoughts race as fast as his heart is beating from how quickly he ran. Bong-soon? She...

He stopped by the hospital to check on a detective friend who was injured. On his way back he spotted Bong-gi and wanted to say hello. Upon moving closer, he not only found his friend engaged in a deep conversation with Heeji but also overheard a shocking revelation.

Bong-soon has been in love with him since they were kids!

"I..." He pauses in the vast hospital lobby to catch his breath, aware of the wary, funny glances sent his way.

He however doesn't have time to dwell on his shock. His mobile vibrates in his trouser pockets, bringing with it a summon to the PD sent out by the chief.

Though his mind is racing a million miles a minute, he does his best to focus on work. That evening, not he, but another detective accompanies Bong-soon to her home, much to her chagrin.

***

AN: Short chap <3 Thank you for reading. 

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