The Time When Our Path Someday Cross Again

Chapter 8

Sunjae has been convincing Sol for hundreds of times to accept the surgery. Till two days ago, her answer is still a solid no.

Like Prof Chae said, having aneurysm is like keeping a time bomb in her brain. The aneurysm can rupture anytime, nobody could really predict when it will happen. It could be days, weeks, or even months. Before everything became too late, he needed to race with time, between the nearly exploded aneurysm in her brain and Sol's consent to her surgery.

It's been a while since Sunjae saw Sol – not because he didn't want to. He kept coming to her ward every time he can, but the time seemed to be always off. She was always asleep – at least that was what Mrs Im told him - before he realized that it was just made up reason.

Sol didn't want to see him. Sunjae guessed perhaps Sol fed up with his relentless effort to convince her about the surgery.

But what else he can do? The fear, the desperation, the worry, the helpless feeling, all mixed into one intense frustration. The ticking time bomb in her brain wouldn't just threaten her life; its explosion would shatter his as well, leaving scars he feared he would never heal.

And he missed her. He missed the short time that they experienced it together. He couldn't let her go. He couldn't think straight, anything bad can happen whenever he was away.

Sunjae paused his step when he was about to enter Sol's ward. He saw her figure behind the curtain, sitting nearby Sol's paralyzed legs, applying yellow nail polish in Sol's toe nails.

"Mrs Im, can I come in?"

"Oh, Sunjae-ya," after meeting Sunjae in the eye, she sneakily turned her gaze to Sol, as if asking for her approval for Sunjae's presence. A few second later, Mrs Im smiled, then she gave a gesture to Sunjae to come while she closed the nail polish bottle in her hand. "Come in."

As Sunjae stepped in, he was greeted by a faint smile from Sol. He noticed her skin had grown even paler since their last meeting. She's as beautiful as ever.

Mrs Im then took her way out, saying she wanted to buy snacks. He took her right hand that was free from the IV needle.

"How's your feeling today? I'm sorry I didn't see you this afternoon. I heard you were sleeping." Sunjae stared at her softly, he refused to let go of Sol's hand. He decided to play along with her, not wanting to make her uncomfortable. He sat in her bedside, his waist accidentally brushing against her fragile body.

"I'm good. Just a little bit dizzy." Sol replied. "Have you had dinner?"

Sunjae paused, he tried to recall when was the last time he had his meal. "Bread, I ate bread before I came here."

He was lying. He's not sure if he was just really busy, or he was just too occupied with his research on aneurysm, or he just didn't have any appetite at all. He made a silent promise to himself that would buy that bread after he saw Sol.

Sunjae reached out his scrub pocket, taking out a crumpled paper. He had been carrying the paper all day long since her printed the paper this morning. Sol looked at the paper in Sunjae's curiously.

"Sol-ah, look at this image." he said, unfolding the paper to reveal a CT scan of her brain. "This is the part where the aneurysm is located. I zoomed in so you can see it clearly."

Sol didn't answer. Her eyes busy starring at the paper, with the expression that Sunjae couldn't describe. Sunjae stole a glance to Sol, he paused, thinking if he should continue with his plan.

"Sol-ah, you know, basically, prof Chae will insert a very tiny coil of soft wire in this part. As long as this part can be blocked perfectly, that's it. You will be fine." While he pointed out the picture with his finger, Sunjae was being extra careful with his tone and his choice of words. Sunjae peeked at Sol with his side eyes, waiting for her respond. "The surgeons will be supported by a fluoroscopy, it will help them to guide the coil moving inside your artery. It's a great machine, you know."