c l i m a x

c l i m a x // XXI

Sandara’s POV:

They say you only have one life to live…

That every moment should be cherished….

That every promise should be kept…

That every second counts…

That every people that came into your life are special…

But what if the one you love, your life and your world, might disappear right before your eyes?

…would you still be able to live?

The moment I could no longer feel Jiyong’s hand on mine, my heart beat stopped. It was like time stood still. Everything froze even me.

I was brought back to my senses when I heard the loud thud of the dropped gun hitting the cold floor. I saw Sohee’s face pale with shock as her hands slowly crept up to cover her mouth.

Then I looked back at Shin Yong. He was frozen; tears are flowing endlessly out of his eyes. He is alive, my son is alive.

And then my eyes landed on the figure hovering above Shin Yong, covering him and protecting him with his body. A shade of red is starting to spread on the back of his shirt.

Badump…

Badump…

Badump…

I move my feet in a speed of light. One big step then another. I was running to close the small distance between us. My breath was caught and I can hear my heart beating so loud in my ears.

Then before I knew it…

…I was hugging the blood-drenched body of my own husband… Jiyong.

“…Jiyong,” I called out to him, trying to wake him up. He is scaring me right now. Why won’t his eyes open up? “…baby, come on wake up.”

I caressed his face so slowly with my shaking hand, taking in the sight of his beautiful face in the process. His lips that was of shade of cherry red before has now become pale like a paper. His eyes…I can’t see his eyes.

“Jiyong-ah! Open your eyes, please!” Then I can’t help it anymore, I let the tears flow freely out of my eyes. I shouted his name once again but nothing.

Not even a stir nor a blink or a smile.

There was nothing and that scares me.

“Please, Jiyong…wake up. We still have our forever, right? Y-you said you won’t ever leave me again! Don’t leave me!”

Because when there is nothing left anymore ….

…it means Jiyong would also be gone.

--

Sohee pulled out the phone from her pocket with shaking hands. It feels weird and odd. She doesn’t feel happy at all when she should be. After all, this is what she wants right? To see Dara in pain.

But no, it was far from what she’s feeling right now.

She felt tormented and horrible. And for the first time, she felt disgusted about herself.

“Yoboseoyo?” she weakly greeted on the other line as it picked up. “P-please…help us. Please send an ambulance right now! This is an emergency! Please, I’m begging you…” Sohee cried as she pleaded on the on the other line, telling them where they are.

She dropped down on the floor the moment the line was cut off as she wept her eyes out. The floor felt cold against her skin but she felt colder inside.

Sohee thought it was love with Jiyong. But what does she really know about love? It was a stupid feeling…

….a stupid feeling that led her to do the stupidest thing she has ever done in her life.

She knows it was not love that Jiyong felt for her but he was good to her. He threw away his family for her before. She has hurt the man who has given her enough care despite her selfishness.

“I’m sorry, Jiyong…”

--

As soon as the police and ambulance arrived, they immediately took Jiyong to a nearby hospital together with Dara and Shin Yong.

The medics said that the bullet hit a vital organ of Jiyong, making him in a 50/50 chance of living.

After so many hours of waiting outside the operating room, Dara was greeted by the doctor with a tight smile on his face. She knew it meant a not- so-good news.

“Mrs. Kwon?”

“Neh?” Dara answered, her eyes searching for answers. Her palms are sweaty as she uttered another prayer inside her mind that Jiyong is safe and will be fine.

“Mr. Kwon is now in a stable condition. We managed to get the bullet out of his body and good thing, it didn’t went deep inside the organ.” The doctor said, smiling at her. “He’s lucky.”

“He’s blessed. Jiyong’s blessed by the heaven.” And for the first time after what seemed like forever, Dara smiled genuinely. She’s happy that Jiyong is safe, that he is alive.

“But Mrs. Kwon…your husband is still in a comatose condition and…”

“And what?” the smile on her face vanished the moment it appeared. “Please tell me…”

“He’s still hanging on for his life. If he doesn’t wake up…he’ll die, Mrs. Kwon. It’s still a 50/50 percent chance.”

“What? I-I thought…” a drop of tear fell from her eyes. Dara tried to search for words but she’s at loss. The thought of Jiyong leaving her again was too much.

From the moment she’d met him, Dara have never loved anyone else.

They are an only a step away from their happiness…

They are only a chapter away from their happy ending…

Was it too much to ask if they can be together for the rest of their lives?

--