Serendipity

21

Mr. Jung reclined in his luxurious couch on the Jung mansion when his phone suddenly rang. The number displayed was unfamiliar, but he reluctantly picked it up. "Appa, it's me... Jin," a voice on the other end said.

Mr. Jung clenched his teeth, his frustration evident as he promptly ended the call.

"Hwan, who is it?", Mrs Jung who was sitting watching the TV asked curiously.

"Nobody, just a wrong number," he replied, trying to dismiss the matter.

"Oh, okay."

The phone rang again, persistently. "Hwan, you should answer it. It might be something important," Mrs. Jung urged. But Mr. Jung continued to ignore it. After a few seconds, Mrs Jung's phone rings. "Eomma, help me," a panicked voice on the line pleaded.

Jae's heart raced. She could feel the thumping of her heart, her first-born, her pride, her son – Seokjin.

"Jin... my baby... where are you? What happened? Why did you leave us?" she questioned, her voice filled with a mother's worry.

"I'm sorry, eomma. I'm so, so sorry. I want to come home, eomma. Please, ask appa to forgive me. Tell him to forgive me. Eommaaaaa..." Jin cried over the phone, and Jae couldn't hold back her tears.

But before she could respond, Mr. Jung stepped in and seized the phone. "Stop calling my wife, Seokjin. You are no longer part of our family," he declared, ending the call and leaving Mrs. Jung in tears.

"He is our son, Hwan. How can you?" she implored.

"Not anymore, Jae. He is dead to me. And you better don't get involved in his matters," he coldly replied as he walked away.

Later that night, at the Jung mansion, Jae's phone was ringing continuously.

"Hello," Jae answered the call, but her eyes widened as she heard the shocking news. Hwan also woke up, concerned. "What's going on, Jae?"

"Hwan, we need to go."

"Go where?"

"To Seoul Hospital."

"Our son, Jin... he..."

Hwan took a deep breath and cut her off. "Enough, Jae. I don't want to hear anything about him."

"But, Hwan, he..."

"Shut up, Jae. Go back to sleep."

"Hwan....our son is in hospital and this is the way you react. What's wrong with you? He is almost dying. Are you so heartless that you want to see my son dead?", Jae grabbed her husband's collar wailing loudly hugging her husband.

"Jae, listen to me", Hwan tried to hold her hands but Jae stopped him.

"No, Hwan....I won't live to see another day if my son is not with me", Jae cried as he fell at her husband's feet.