Old Symphony

C5: The aftershock

The questions in his mind never left him. Jake wanted all those questions be answered now and its frustrating him as time passes by.

To calm him down, he went to the usual pub where he would drink with Mark. He found him there and even when the latter wanted to ask what was going on, he kept his mouth shut seeing that his friend wanted to be left alone.

Mark knew about Jake's past when they met in college. They became best friends then and decided to be business partners after graduation. So even when Jake doesn't talk, Mark knows that his friend is being haunted by his past from time to time.

After drinking, Mark drove Jake to his foster mom's house, Mrs. Santos. He opted to take him there because he knew she would take care of him rather than in Jake's house where he'll just be alone.

"What happened to you today, son?" Mrs. Santos said as she wiped Jake's face.

"Mom...she's back."

"Who is?"

"Snow." As he said her name, tears started to fall and he thought of the past...everything between him and her before the accident.

"She...she doesn't know me. God! What have I done ten years ago?!"

He blamed himself for what happened and he blamed himself even more. He was really thankful for the answered prayer, which is her coming back, but the wound he carried and tried to mend for the past years reopened and the cut grew deeper.

On the other hand, Snow called to inform Rina that she won't be home for the meantime as she was with someone. Rina teased her about it and told her to enjoy her time.

Snow was looking out the window when someone hugged her from the back.

"You should've told me about your plans. I thought I was really going to lose you." He said and she held his hand.

"You're working and I didn't want to disturb you. I'm sorry." She whispered and she felt him shake his head.

"You'll never be a disturbance. I will always choose you no matter what." He assured but she didn't want to hold on to his words anymore because she knew she will only hurt him.

"JB, don't always choose me. Please choose yourself, too. You deserve that more than anyone else." She felt his arms tighten.

"I'm tired, let's just sleep." He said to change the topic.

"You're going back to America tomorrow, aren't you?"

"If you promise that you would answer my calls."

"JB."

"Snow. Please."

She looked out the window, the rain started to fall.

"Okay. Now go to sleep, you've had a long ride." She said.

In the middle of the night, Snow heard a sound coming from a piano then suddenly there was fire and she could hear herself screaming.

"Snow. Wake up. You're having a nightmare. Snow!"

She woke up to the sound of JB's voice and she could feel tears on her eyes. JB hugged her tight and she kept on saying she was afraid.

There were nights she would have such a nightmare everytime it rains. Though there were more times when she was awake and she would run and lock herself in her room feeling so afraid of the sound of the rain and thunder. Those were the hardest darkest times in her life after waking up from coma.

"It's okay. You're safe now. I'm here with you. No one's going to hurt you here." JB comforted her until she was calm. He brought her some water afterwards.

"I'm sorry. You shouldn't have seen that part of me again." She apologized but JB just drew her in for a hug.

"I've seen it a lot of times and I don't mind. I will always be here to make sure you are safe. I swear. I will always be here." He promised and Snow felt like her decision of coming back to South Korea was unfair for him.

Here is the man who, even in his busy taping schedule in America, would ran to her because he missed her. And yet she chose not to involve him in whatever she plans to do in South Korea.

Seeing his worried face brought her back to the time she first met him. They met each other at the hospital where their parents both had undergone a transplant, Snow's mom who was in a critical condition from the plane crash donated her kidneys to JB's Mom, who needed it badly and was waiting for a donor.

Her mom's life ended but his mom's life continued because of the generosity of her mom. He felt thankful to their family and they became friends afterwards. They both were able to reach for their dreams. Snow being a film assistant director and JB, being an actor and a model. Their friendship grew and it developed into something deeper, so they got into a relationship, in secret because of the line of work they do.

Now, she realized...if she really wanted to face the future with him, she must understand herself first through the missing pieces of her past...