✓ IF YOU STAY | HEESEUNG

18 - Just Like A Star

Harin left after the picnic, and Rose and Heeseung remained in their own little bubble of intertwined souls, navigating the world together as he gently pushed her wheelchair along the familiar path to her house. The silence between them held a profound understanding as if their hearts communicated in a language only they could comprehend.

"Are you cold?" Heeseung's voice broke the tranquil silence as he glanced at her, concern etched in his eyes, aware of the chill in the evening air. He gently pushed her jacket closer, his touch tender and filled with warmth. 

Rose smiled softly. "I'm okay. Having you by my side keeps me warm, no matter the weather." 

It made him chuckle, and his hand went to his chest. "You have a way of warming more than just my heart, Rose."

Upon arriving at her house, he held her keys and opened the door before the two of them walked inside. Her grandmother went to visit some friends so she wasn't going to be home for the night, and Rose couldn't let him leave. "Can you stay for the night?" Her words came out in a gentle plea, her eyes searching his.

"Did you think I'd leave you alone tonight?" His eyes softened and he crouched down in front of her, kissing her thigh gently, his lips soft against the fabric of her dress. Then he looked up at her, her eyes wide and her cheeks flushed, feeling the warmth of his breath against her skin. "I wouldn't dream of leaving your side, especially on a night like this."

Her heart skipped a beat as she nodded, her voice barely above a whisper. "Thank you." 

With a tender smile, he gently lifted her from the wheelchair, cradling her in his arms as he carried her to her room. Gently putting her down on the bed, he excused himself to let her change but she held his hand, making him turn to her in confusion. She looked down, trying to find the right way to tell him what was on his mind, but he understood it very well.

"Give me your hand, Rose." He whispered, taking her hand in his before he gently kissed it. "I want you to know that I've loved you since the first moment we met. That one day at the hospital. I fell for you right then, all at once, and now I'm still falling. Deeper and deeper everything I get to know you better. And I'm not afraid of doing so."

She let out a chuckle, her eyes welling up with tears. Then she traced circles on his chest with her finger, a playful smile dancing on her lips as she stared at him. "I'm thankful you're my soulmate in this life."

"Thank you for letting me be with you, Rose. I'm so grateful for that." His hand rested against her cheek before he leaned in to kiss her, their tears mingling in a bittersweet embrace. In the quiet of the room, they shared their love, their sorrow, and their pain. 

Heeseung's guilt lifted off his shoulder knowing that Rose loved him and would do so no matter what. He was leaving, but he was leaving her with a promise—a promise to find her, to return and hold her in his arms again. 

The night deepened, and the night breeze felt nostalgic. They sat on the balcony, his arms wrapped around her as they watched the stars.  Rose leaned back against Heeseung's chest, feeling his steady heartbeat against her back. He was alive and that was enough to make her relieved. But that relief would soon vanish away, just like stars that fade with the dawn.

"Heeseung-" She looked up at him, only to find blood coming out of his nose. It was her biggest fear, to see him hurt, to witness his pain. With a gasp, she quickly reached up to wipe away the blood from Heeseung's nose, concern etched on her face. "Heeseung, what's happening? Are you alright?" Her voice quivered with worry as she held his face in her hands, searching his eyes for answers.

His expression tightened, pain and frustration crossing his features. "I... I don't know, Rose," he managed to say, his voice strained. "I feel-" He slightly pushed her away from him, quickly getting up before he fell on the ground. She never hated being paralyzed more than she did right then. She just watched, her hand over her mouth, she coughed blood and groaned in pain. 

"No, no, no," Rose whispered, tears welling up in her eyes. Her heart pounded in her chest as fear rushed through her veins. She knew Heeseung was eventually going to leave, but she had hoped for more time, more moments like this, where they could just be together. 

The pain etched on his face tore at her heart, and she knew she had to do something, anything, to help him. And so she screamed for help, for anyone to hear her desperate cries and come to help. 

And eventually, people surrounded the house and the emergency services were called. Paramedics rushed inside, taking Heeseung away while she cried her heart out. They had to bring her too because it almost seemed that she would go insane if she wasn't right next to him.

The sirens blared as the ambulance sped through the roads. The city lights blurred into streaks of color, a visual representation of Rose's racing thoughts and emotions. She whispered prayers under her breath, desperately hoping for a miracle, for more time. She wasn't ready. She would never be ready.

At the hospital, Heeseung's doctor rushed to them, his eyes filled with sadness because he knew that if its time, there was nothing they could do. Rose clung to a flicker of hope, her hands trembling as she reached out to the doctor. "Please... there must be something you c-can do. We can't lose Heeseung, please. I can't- I can't lose him."

The doctor's gaze softened, and he placed a comforting hand on Rose's shoulder. "Rose, be strong, okay?" Her heart sank, the weight of reality crashing down upon her. She knew deep down that no matter how desperately she wanted to hold on, sometimes the forces beyond their control were simply too strong.

Time seemed to both stand still and fly by in a blur. Rose's heart clenched with every beep of the monitors, every hushed conversation between medical professionals. Until Harin rushed to her, wrapping her arms tightly around her trembling body. "I'm here, Rose. You'll be f-fine."

She didn't need to hear that she was going to be fine. She wanted to hear that Heeseung would be fine, that everything would somehow be okay. But she knew Harin wouldn't promise her that, because it was a promise no one could make.

Hands intertwined, they sat in the waiting room, the clock ticking making Rose's heart break every time. Until the doctor walked out of the room and smiled apologetically at her. "He's awake, you can see him." 

She took a deep breath, her eye glistening. What was harder, hearing that he was gone or seeing him and knowing that he will be gone soon? Harin was asleep, so Rose stepped inside Heeseung's room alone, the sight of him lying in the hospital bed making her heart drop. He looked frail and weak, but his eyes lit up as they met hers.

"Rose." He whispered as she approached his bedside, their hands reaching for each other as if trying to bridge the gap between their worlds. His smile was bittersweet. Rose could see the exhaustion etched on his face, the toll of his illness evident in every line.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she held his hand tightly, their fingers entwined like a lifeline. "I love you, Heeseung."

He smiled, sightly closing his eyes. "Thank you for staying by my side." 

Stars do die, but their light lives on, illuminating the darkness long after they are gone. That's how Heeseung's love was.