Old Symphony

C15: How We Deal With Loose Ends

"Did we just see an award-winning international actor visit Snow?" Jin could still not believe his eyes upon seeing JB approaching Snow, giving her a hug and pushing her wheel chair going inside the hospital.

"I think so." Jake tried to calm his heart but a lot of questions ran through his head. Of course, he already knew the answer.

Ten years is a very long time and a lot has happened within that span of time. Both of them lived a different life due to the impact of the tragedy ten years ago. He knew clearly that even if the last words he heard from her contained the emotions he also felt for her, the uncalled for situation has changed a lot of things in their life.

"I'd better approach him later and see if I could cast him for our next project. Or at least ask him to do a cameo in our film. Or whatever works, we have to get JB in our team." Jin murmured.

"But wait..."Jin looked at Jake and he gave him a puzzling look.

"What could be their relationship? I doubt that...Wait...You were holding hands a while ago and now she didn't even say goodbye when she went to him. Wait...What if?" Jin covered his mouth at his sudden realization but Jake shook his head, not wanting to believe it himself.

"Don't go in there, Park-PD. We don't know the real story." Jake said but Jin had an idea.

"We should probably visit her tomorrow and learn the truth, shall we?" Jin suggested and gave him a meaningful smile.

Jake could not respond anymore, his mind and heart dealing with the pain he knew he shouldn't feel.

Meanwhile, Snow and JB got back at her room but soon as the door closed, silence enveloped both of them. JB was still holding onto her wheel chair so she couldn't see his face.

A little while later, Snow could hear sobs from the back and when she tried to look back, JB held him in place.

"JB...what's –what's wrong?" She asked and JB lightly squeezed her shoulders.

"I-I'm sorry...I'm late. I thought I was going to lose you that way." JB muttered his apologies and Snow shook her head as she held his hands still holding her shoulders.

She pulled him lightly so he could turn her around to face him. Then he knelt in front of her, holding her hand, tears in his eyes. She held his cheeks and wiped his tears.

"It's not your fault. I'm okay now. Alive. Please dry your tears." She whispered and JB cupped her hands still covering his cheeks.

They stayed that way for a while, whispering about the what ifs and trying to comfort each other.

When Asher called JB to inform him of what happened to Snow, he immediately cancelled all of his shooting that day. He couldn't function well and only thought of Snow. Although he doubted his feelings for her at first, thinking that his feelings were only of gratefulness towards her family, he never knew that those feelings could develop into a deeper one. And although he knew that her heart was always reserved for someone else, he wanted to be selfish for once in his life. He didn't want to lose the only person who brought sunshine in his dark life.

Snow gave JB a hug and she could feel how warm it is to be in his arms, but a different feeling that's pushing its way to her heart scared her. For all those times JB had been by her side, she never truly gave her whole heart afraid of hurting him because of her past. That is why when she realized that she wanted to invest wholeheartedly to their relationship, she decided to face her past. But she never imagined that the past could shake her that way and make her feel a lot of confusion and doubt.

JB stayed for two more days but Snow had to convince him to go back to work saying that she was feeling much better. Although he wanted to protest, he promised to call her once in a while to check on her.

Snow never knew that his hesitation to go back to America was because his fear of losing her from her past was eating him up. He saw how Snow smiled when Jin and Jake visited her the day after he arrived and he wanted to keep her away from the possibility of reconnecting with her past, which is Jake.

After JB's departure, Snow was visited by an unfamiliar face, Jake's psychologist and foster mom.

"I'm sorry. You might be at the wrong room. Or maybe my memory is failing me. Who are you, if I may ask?" Snow politely asked and Mrs. Santos gave her a warm smile.

"Don't worry dear. This is the first time we're seeing each other and I am not in the wrong room." She informed and Snow just gave her a puzzling look.

"I'm Jake's psychologist and soon became his foster mom when he lost his dad." She clarified and that's when Snow eased up a little.

"I'm sorry." Snow apologized for not knowing about that part of Jake's life. But what caught her attention was the mention of psychologist. She could not imagine how painful life had been for Jake ever since the tragedy ten years ago.

"I'm just here to ask how you are doing and if you may allow, I can help you deal with the trauma of your recent tragedy." Mrs. Santos offered and Snow's eyes began to water. She doesn't know what good she did to deserve so much care from people around her.

She accepted the offer and soon, she was also able to learn what happened to Jake after their first tragedy. It broke her heart how he had to deal with the pain alone for years without even knowing how she was. She promised to talk to him when things get better so they could be able to mend the wounds and scars they both received. She thanked Mrs. Santos for saving Jake from drowning in his own misery and she promised her to also do her best to deal with the trauma in the most positive way.

After two weeks in the hospital, both Jake and Snow went back to work. A lot of the staff lauded the two for the "heroic story" Jin had been feeding them. They would somehow laugh at it when they go out on some days after the filming.

At work, Jake and Snow had the best working atmosphere but after work, they somehow feel awkward especially when Jake would invite Snow for dinner or breakfast outside. They never really talked about the past though Snow would try to ask about it and Jake would try to answer in a way she wouldn't blame herself for not being there, and so does he when Snow gives details of her life after her four-year comatose stage.

After a month, the filming ended. Soon enough, the whole movie was completed and the whole team watched it together.

They also planned to go on a team vacation in Jeju Island but Snow said she won't be able to join because she was catching a flight back to America. She had to also face the work waiting for her and decide if the life she had established there is worth more than the career she could have in South Korea.

When Jake found out about her flight details, which was the same day and time they were going to Jeju Island, he informed Jin that he will follow after meeting with her.

"Snow." Jake called out while Snow was standing in line to board the plane.

"Why–What are you doing here? I thought you are going to Jeju?" She asked, Jake breathed deeply before giving her a smile.

"This might be really late but I wanted to give you this." He said and handed her a small sky blue box laced with a blue green ribbon and a snow flake at the top.

"Thank you for returning and thank you for saving my life. I hope this would somehow help you reminisce all the happy days." He added and Snow can't explain why right then and there, she pulled him into a hug.

"Thank you." She said and Jake returned the hug, knowing that it might be the last hug he would receive from her.

On the way to the airport, he had been thinking of asking her to stay and give him a chance so they could start all over again. But he knew better. The love he has for her has gone so deep through the years that he was willing to let her go so she would be happy. He believed that he can prove his love by not being selfish rather selfless. He is contented with the second chance given to them so they could  meet and reconnect, answer the questions in their minds and hearts and heal the wounds of yesteryears.

"I think this is goodbye." Snow said when they pulled away from each other.

"Goodbye and maybe, we'll see each other someday. Take care. Happy birthday." Jake said and a stray tear fell on Snow's eyes.

They parted just like that, tears in his eyes knowing that he may never see her again.