written • mingyu

028

3 R D。

Panibagong araw na naman ang lumipas, pero hindi pa rin naaalis ang malulungkot na mukha ng lahat. Habang tumatagal kasi, nawawalan na sila ng pag-asang magiging maayos pa ang lahat. Well, except for Mrs. Kim and Mrs. Xu. Hindi sinabi ng mga ito ang payong ibinigay ng doktor sa mga bata, dahil oras na masabi ito doon ay baka magdesisyon ang Pledis na paalisin na ang iba sa kanila, at pabalikin sa Korea.

Well, the girls are in charge for taking over Mrs. Wong's restaurant. Malapit lang naman ito sa hospital at makakatakbo sila oras na may mangyaring maganda o masama.

Sa kabilang banda, iniwanan muna saglit ni Mrs. Wong ang anak para makipag-usap sa psychiatrist na nakaassign kay Jinxia. Malaki kasi ang hospital na iyon at sa kabilang building pa nakaset ang appointment niya dito.

Kamusta na nga ba ako?

Paulit-ulit na ang mga tanong na sinasabi niya. Hindi niya masagot, hindi niya din kasi alam ang sagot. Siguro dahil na rin sa isang tao pa rin ang bumabagabag sa utak niya.

Si Mingyu.

Wala sa sarili siyang tumayo at hinila ang dextrose na nakakabit sa kaniya. hindi niya alam kung saan siya pupunta, pero gusto niyang mag-isa. She decided to go to the garden, which is obviously, a place wherein she can vent out all of the stress she had the past few days. But even before she could reach up the elevator, nakita niya si Minseo sa tapat ng Intensive Care Unit. She called the latter, and as Minseo turned her back to Jin, para siyang nakakita ng multo. 

"Ate. ." She called. Tinulungan naman ito ni Minseo na buhatin ang bakal ng dextrose dahil halatang nabibigatan ito roon. 

"Bakit ka nandito? Anong meron sa ICU?" She asked. Nanigas naman si Minseo sa kinatatayuan niya. She's currently battling with herself, whether she should spill the tea or not. But even berfore she could construct an alibi, nakita niya si Jin na nakatulala sa glass window. 

"Are...you even planning to tell me?" She asked. Nangingilid na ang mga luha nito. Minseo can't help herself but to cry also, dahil malalagot din siya sa mama niya at kay Mrs. Wong if her condition worsen because of what she had found out. Jinxia stared at her, so she nodded.

"But ate...this is not the time to tell you. You're healing and--" Before she could finish a sentence, Jin already cut it off. "That's the point, Minseo! Paano ako magiging okay nito kung may isa pala kayong sikreto na tinatago sa akin?" Jin shouted. Nakaramdam naman ng sigawan si Mrs. Kim sa labas ng kwarto at nakita nga niya si Jin at Minseo sa labas. She couldn't do anything, but to pull Minseo and ordered the nurse to make Jin wear a proper suit. 

Hindi na umimik pa si Jin. Tuloy-tuloy lang ang luha na pumapatak mula sa mga mata niya habang naglalakad papalapit kay Mingyu. She didn't have the chance to ask Minseo what happened to her brother but one thing is for sure. He saved her. 

"Kailan pa?" She asked out of the blue. Mrs. Kim gave her way to sit behind Mingyu's hospital bed. Buong akala din kasi nito ay kasintahan ng anak niya si Jinxia that's why she tried her best to make her comfortable. Nagkatinginan ang mag-ina bago tuluyang magsalita si Mrs. Kim. 

"The exact day you were admitted here. Hindi pa rin siya nagigising, but the doctor said he would be just fine soon." Mrs. Kim explained. Napapikit naman si Jinxia dahil sumasakit ang ulo niya, which made Minseo come closer to her. Walang nagsasalita, tanging ang machine lang na nakakabit kay Mingyu ang maririnig. Jinxia's tears were unstoppable, and no one could ever interfere with that. Well, except if Mingyu wakes up.

"Ate, let's get you to rest, okay? Ibabalik kita dito bukas, I promise." Minseo said. Mrs. Kim was out to call Jinxia's mother, and to tell her not to worry dahil kasama naman nila ang dalaga. She was furious at first, telling she will be back to get her pero napakalma naman ito ng ginang. She went back to Mingyu's room and saw Minseo helping the latter para makaupo ng ayos sa wheelchair na hiningi nito sa nurse kanina. 

Good thing Jinxia was too exhausted from walking kaya napapayag ito ni Minseo na bumalik na sa sarili nitong kwarto. But knowing her, she's still damn worried about Mingyu. She also wondered what happened to the people behind her abduction, lalong-lalo na sa tatay niya. She loathes him to death, at hindi na niya kaya pang makita ang rason kung bakit nawala ang dignidad niya. 

"Ate, should I leave na?" Minseo asked all of a sudden. Pero hinawakan lang ni Jinxia ang kamay niya. 

"Nah. Stay here, please. I want to know what happened to Mingyu. Tell me everything," Jinxia asked, while looking at Minseo's wounds covered with new bandages. 

"After being saved by Kuya, he went back to make Kihyun pay for what he did to you. Sabi nung mga pulis, they saw Kuya with Kihyun, and your father, all of them were almost unconscious because of their gunshots. While on their way to the hospital, your father and Kihyun died on the ambulance. Kuya was the only one left, and I wonder what made him fight until now. Masyadong malalim ang natamo niyang sugat mula sa pagbaril ni Kihyun. But I'm thankful that he hasn't left us."  Minseo forced a smile. A lot similar to her brother's. "Pero ate, alam mo ba. Your father died because he'd gone mad after hearing Kihyun that he took advantage of you. Pinaglaban ka niya ate. And Kuya knew it. That's what the police said."

Jinxia easily teared up by what she had heard. Kahit pala gaano kasama at kasakim ng tatay niya ay hindi pa rin nawala ang pagiging ama nito. Kahit pala naadik ito sa sugal at nabaon sila sa utang ay may natitira pa itong kabaitan at pagmamahal sa kaniya. Kahit pala ganoon, he still cared for her. 

And after what she had heard from Minseo, it made her love Mingyu more that she ever did. kaya sa oras na magising ito, she will still try her best to keep him close to her.