Wicked Fate

THIRTEENTH CHAPTER

In a second

"Oh my God!", Dara exclaimed for the nth time, waiting for Ji's head to emerge from the water as he had stayed down for almost more than 40 excruciating seconds now – looking for the young Seuki.

In a freak accident that the island has never seen before, an unmanned speed boat toppled over a jet ski that Seuki was riding. The boat had crashed in the rockies while Seuki who was hit by the boat had not emerged from the water since.

The riders of the speed boat had jumped out before it even hit Seuki and they had already been rescued.

"We're right on the beach coast", she told Hanteuk over the phone, a coast guard she had immediately called when she realized how serious the situation was, "You have to get here fast and we need the air ambulance too!" When she and Ji Yong reached the part of the quay where the scream had come from, blood had already pooled in the water.

As soon as she put down the phone, she saw movement out of the corner of her eye and turned immediately towards Yun Mi, Seuki's mother, who has been struggling to also get into the water. "Let me go!", she told the two fishermen holding onto her, "I have to go to my daughter! Seuki needs me!"

Oblivious to the audience or building tension, she saw Ji's head emerge from the water to get some air and then dive back. Time and time again, he vanished into the water while tourists and locals huddled in groups, watching the drama unfold.

Offering what comfort she could, Dara walked towards Yun Mi and held her hand. "Ji Yong will find her", she said firmly, praying desperately that she was right, "Ji will find her".

"Ji Yong?", Shivering violently and still restrained by the fishermen, Yun Mi looked at Dara blankly, as if she hadn't realized until now who was rescuing her daughter, "Kwon Ji Yong?"

"He's in the water now", Dara answered gently, wondering whether Yun Mi was going into shock. Her eyes were glazed and her face was white. "He's looking for her Yun Mi."

"Ji Yong?!? When has he ever put his life on the line for anyone??? He won't help her! He won't help my baby!" Her eyes suddenly wild with terror, Yun Mi developed superhuman strength and wrenched herself from the fishermen. She lurched herself towards the quay again.

The two men quickly grabbed her and she wriggled and pulled, struggling to free herself. "Get the coastguard! Anyone! Oh God! No!"

She collapsed, sobbing, and Dara slid her arms around her, this time keeping her body between Yun Mi and the wharf.

"Yun Mi, you're no help to Seuki if you fall in the water too", she explained, "You have to trust Ji Yong."

"Who in their right mind would trust Kwon Ji Yong?!?"

"I would", Dara said simply, and realized that it was true, "I would trust him with my life."

"Then you're obviously infatuated with him", Yun Mi shrieked, "like every other woman who comes close to him." But she sagged against Dara, her energy obviously depleted by the extravagant surge of emotion.

Infatuated?

Dismissing the accusation swiftly, Dara stared at the surface of the water but there was no movement. The crowd that had gathered on the coast began murmuring dire predictions.

She turned and was about to tell them to stop when a scream broke through the apprehension spreading throughout the beach.

"HE'S GOT HER!!!", one spectator announced and everybody turned to see Ji Yong hauling himself out of the water with the limp, almost lifeless body of Seuki in his arms. It was still a long swim and Dara breathed a sigh of relief when she saw a coastguard speed boat speeding from the other side of the beach. The rescuers immediately reached the speeding Ji Yong and carefully lifted the child and the doctor towards their boat.

There was a collective pause as everybody watched Ji Yong trying to revive the young Seuki with the help of the coastguards. He was seen directing them and Dara felt her throat going dry.

The boat headed for their direction and in a matter of seconds, Seuki was on dry land but still very much unmoving.

She ran towards them and caught Ji Yong's eyes. She felt panic, jagged, and dangerous. Oh no... please no.

Coming up next to her was Yun Mi. She had stopped at the sight of her daughter bloodied and inert. She let out a tormented moan and then the sound stopped as she slid to the sand in a faint.

"Leave her", Ji Yong ordered, "Someone else can look after her and at the moment she's better out of it. Help me here!"

One of the coastguards came down the boat with a CPR machine and towels. "I can't use that", he told them, "She's too wet and it might electrocute her."

Panic was beginning to press on her as she noted that they had created a tourniquet for the young girl's left leg but blood was still spurting from her other leg and right arm. She would have shriveled up and fainted just as Yun Mi had if Ji Yong had not looked up at her again and glared, his russet eyes burned with determination.

"Dry her up and bandage the right arm while Hanteuk creates another tourniquet for her other leg", he looked at the other guard, "Press here. I need to start CPR now."

She stared at him for a moment, so stunned by the enormity of what was happening she couldn't respond. Seuki was one of the kindest kids she knew and to see her –

"Pull yourself together!", Ji's tone was sharp, "I need all the help I can get and she's badly injured. You're the only other person who knows what's supposed to be done here. Everybody else is just gaping."

The guys from the coast guard began with their work and despite not knowing what she was supposed to do, a sudden revelation flashed to her – Ji Yong knew. He knows what is supposed to be done. She has to just follow his lead.