Once Upon a Star

Chapter 19

“I’m looking for Mr. Ronald Joseph Kim,” Hanna told the receptionist. “Do you have an appointment with him?” the receptionist asked. “No, but this is about his son,” Hanna told her. “Pass it to me!” Lyndon yelled as he waited for Sean to kick the ball. Sean kicked the ball and they score. “Woo! Well done!” Lyndon yelled.

“Sir, this is the girl who says she has something to say about your son,” the secretary told Ronald. Hanna sat and looked around Ronald’s office. “So,” uttered Ronald as he looked at Hanna. “What would you like to say to me again?” he asked and drank his orange juice. “Good day sir, I am Hanna Park, Sean’s friend,” Hanna introduced herself and bowed. Ronald smiled at her, “I never met his friends before, I was indeed excited to meet one now,” he told her and laughed. “Sean, he’s… He’s been holding grudges towards you sir, and he really feels upset about it,” Hanna told Ronald. Ronal frowned and looked at Hanna, “I know that, my dear,” he told her.

“I tried to please him but I can’t. Ever since his mom left for abroad, he was extremely quiet and insensitive. I really tried to overcome my shortcomings but, I don’t know,” he told her. “You may call me a meddler sir, but I wouldn’t want to see Sean in pain, as the pain hurts me as well,” Hanna said as she sincerely looked at Ronald. Christine went to the office and saw that someone was in there, “That girl…” she thought and she remembered that she saw him at Sean’s unit.

“Your son needs you, sir. You need to let him feel that you’re his father,” Hanna said. “I let him feel that,” he argued. “But you gave up,” she said. Ronald looked puzzled, “You let him do what he wanted to do, to live alone? It only proved him that you didn’t want him, that you didn’t want to see him. You never visited him, you never called; is that being a father to him?” Hanna questioned with concern. “Every night he waits for you, but you didn’t come. He thought he’s a burden to you, he thought he was nothing to your eyes; he felt sad, he felt depressed, he…” Hanna uttered.

“Ms. Hanna, where are you coming from?” Ronald asked with teary eyes. “I… I really didn’t intend to barge into your family affair but seeing him suffer makes me suffer too,” she explained as she started to cry. “Your wife… whom you thought was enjoying her life abroad…” Hanna uttered as she looked at him. “She’s admitted in Lourdes Medical Center; she has pneumonia, apparently a severe case of pneumonia,” Hanna said as her tears fell. Christine was surprised when she heard what Hanna had to say. Ronald was confused; he was shocked.

“Keeping that secret from his father… is a hard job, sir. Aunt Grace didn’t want you to pity her. She thought that divorcing her is what’s best, thus you have someone new to look after you; someone who’s not sick, like her. Aunt Grace pleaded, she asked Sean not to tell you, that was her wish, sir. The pain you felt right now, is the pain Sean has endured for so long; so long that he can’t contain it anymore,” Hanna explained and cried. Tears fell from Ronald’s eyes when he heard everything. “I’m not telling this because I wanted you to pity them, but because I don’t want Sean to hurt anymore because I can’t stand seeing him suffer. Everything just seems to burden him, it worsens his illness and I don’t like it sir,” Hanna told Ronald.

“What do you mean?” Ronald asked with concern. Suddenly, Hanna’s phone rang. They looked at her phone; Hanna took her phone and saw that Lyndon was calling. “Come on, answer the phone Hanna!” Lyndon yelled as he contacted her. “Go ahead and answer,” Ronald said and thought deeply. Hanna answered Lyndon’s phone call, “Hello?” she greeted. “Hanna? Where are you? Sean just fainted, he lost consciousness, we’re taking him to the hospital,” Lyndon told Hanna.

Hanna hanged up and looked at Ronald. “I… I have to go sir,” Hanna said and ran. Ronald followed her and saw Christine outside the office crying. “I… I’m sorry,” she apologized to Ronald. Hanna pressed the down button as she cried harder. “Please don’t let anything happen to him, please,” she kept saying in her mind as she waited for the elevator.

Stanley was at the hospital walking when he saw Sean lying on a stretcher being pushed to the emergency room. “Hey, hey, wait; what’s wrong with him?” he asked Lyndon. “He just lost consciousness,” Lyndon explained. Stanley went with them, “I know the patient,” Stanley told the nurses.

Lyndon and Stanley stayed outside the emergency room and sat down on the seats. “What happened to him? Why did he faint?” Stanley asked. “We were playing soccer, and then suddenly he was catching his breath in the midst of the game,” Lyndon explained. Hanna went straight to the emergency room and looked for Sean. “Lyndon, what happened to Sean? Is he okay now? Is he doing well? Tell me he’s okay,” said Hanna as she cried. Lyndon stood up and hugged Hanna. “He’s in the emergency room right now, calm down,” he comforted her.

“We’re at the hospital; St. Anthony Hospital uncle, in the emergency room. Okay, I’ll look after Sean,” Stanley said in a phone call and went back to Lyndon. Stanley saw Lyndon hugging a girl as they sat down. He went to them and sat beside Hanna. “Oh, she’s our school mate, one of Sean’s close friends,” Lyndon told Stanley. Hanna wiped her tears and greeted Stanley.

“As of now he’s fine, but I think we’ll have to monitor his condition until tomorrow,” the doctor told Stanley. “Thank you sir,” Stanley thanked the doctor. Hanna sat beside Sean’s bed and held his hand. “Who is she again?” Stanley asked Lyndon, “Hanna, Hanna Park; they’re just really close,” Lyndon explained. “Hanna Park…” Stanley uttered. “I miss Hanna so much,” Stanley remembered Jenny. “I told you not to exhaust yourself but still you went your way, and you didn’t drink your medicines!” Hanna told Sean as she cried.

Hanna wiped her tears, “Why did you let him play soccer? It’s so hot outside,” Hanna asked Lyndon. “I…” uttered Lyndon. “Didn’t you know he’s easily wearied? Didn’t you know he…” uttered Hanna as tears fell from her eyes again. “Miss, I already call his father, they’re probably on their way,” Stanley told Hanna. “Stanley?” a voice called from the door. “Uncle,” Stanley uttered and bowed. Ronald saw Sean lying on the stretcher. Hanna stood up and let Ronald sit beside Sean. Ronald held his son’s hand. “Auntie,” Stanley greeted Christine. “What happened to you? I told you to drink your medicines, but you never listened. You insisted on rebellion,” he told his son.