19.20 | The Truth

 

***

 

After so long I have been doing this, I came to realize the truth. That I am not after all the Santa Minguk and Seohyun believes.  All of their wishes are just part of my job; to make them happy - to  always see them smile. I think, it's the same giving them hope.

 

There was no Santa, but there's only me. No power to give their instant wishes. I'm just obviously a human. Obviously I can't give what Seohyun is wishing for.

 

I felt so weak. I felt so helpless.

 

I'm  not a magician nor a Doctor to help her wish come true.

 

Oh, Joohyun. What am I gonna do? Should I tell you the truth now? But I'm afraid it will lose your hope. It will make you feel more the pain. It will just literally break you.

 

I think it's better to keep this.

 

I am not into miracles, but please... Lord, I hope this happens for my beloved Seohyun. She really deserves to live more years. She's such a precious innocent girl. She doesn't deserve to suffer more please.

 

This must be the first time that I wish for Seohyun's wish to come true.

I wish forher wish to come true.

 

I wish for her wish to come true.

 

I wish...

 

--

 

Yoona sobs more harder as she put her head against the steering wheel. All the sadness and disappointments had come into one as she let herself broke down in an endless cry - letting it all out. Her pain must be just nothing for Seohyun's pain right now.

 

Meanwhile, outside, she was so unaware of her father's presence, watching over her. But soon, he left when it started to snow again.

 

Inside in her own room as well, Seohyun had woke up after half an hour of sleep only. She repositioned her lying position to the left, and let out a sigh, heavily. She was reminded by her wish, which is heavy for her. Despite being optimistic, she still has this worries inside, especially when she always can see the people around her is concerned. It's making her sad, apparently. Because she's the cause of it.

 

"Aigoo, will my wish come true for the last time? I hope and pray." She closes her eyes and clasp her hands to pray in silence, until she had fallen asleep again.

 

Uknown to her, a shooting star falls from the sky, after her eyes closes.

 

 

***

 

 

The loud sound of the ringing made one doe-eyed girl opened her eyes again, forcefully. Groaning, she made some few blinks for a couple seconds before a huge yawn and another groan was heard from her, upon feeling a pain in her neck. 'I fell asleep here?' she realized she's still in the car, and her head is against the steering. 'Damn, I fell asleep while crying.' Tilting her head to the right, she felt more pain in her neck, causing for her to turned back her head to the left. So rather than turning to the right, she just reach for her phone on the passenger seat and let out a tired sigh when she realized  the caller -- Chanyeol. Another thing, it's already 8 in the morning.

 

Leaning back on her sea, she put her phone against her right ear while she massages her neck through her free hand. "Channie? Why did you call?"

 

[Where are you Noona?]

 

"Outside."

 

[What, outside?] Chanyeol confusedly replied.

 

"Outside the hospital. Waeyo?" came Yoona's low response. She let out another huge yawn before she continued, "You actually force me to wake up."

 

[Wake up? You sleep in the car?]

 

Yoona rolled her eyes. "Obviously, Chan. So why did you call?"

 

[That's like not a good place to sleep into Noona. Anyway, I called because your father ask me to. I mean, he wanted to have breakfast with us in the cafeteria.]

 

"Oh, that sounds good. I want to see father about my neck as well."

 

[Why?]

 

"I think I'm having a stiff neck. Aish." Ending the call without any warning, Yoona keeps on massaging her neck and put her phone back to her jacket. She once again couldn't take it and let out such a huge yawn, as she left the car. She shivers, after a wind brushes her bare face. She put her hands inside the pocket of her jacket as she proceeds to the hospital. Just as she entered, she was greeted by rushing nurses, pushing a hospital emergency bed outside. She decided to stop and turn, realizing that there's the ambulance. The nurses opened the two doors and quickly transferred a seemed to be a woman, screaming out of pain. She raised her brows as she made a way for the nurses to take the girl into the emergency room. It passes so fast in front of her, but she had a glimpse of the girl. "In delivery room?" The girl is screaming because she's pregnant, rather than she had some wound or something, which she expected to see.

 

Just as she wanted to continue, another screaming was heard. Yoona accidentally turned her head instead of turning her body, quickly causing for her to winced and immediately, she held her neck. At the same time, she's watching a boy being also brought out of another ambulance. By this time, the victim is screaming because of a wound in his leg and in his arm. She heard one of the nurses says 'he was shot'. So in her mind, the man is a policeman? Security guard? She has no idea, but she grimace at the scene of his blood in his body.

 

For the third time, Yoona came into a halt when she heard loud cries. However, it's a woman, in her 30's she guesses. But unlike the others who came outside, the woman is crying as she headed outside the hospital, with a nurse with her, assisting her.

 

"If you want a 2nd opinion, you can ask another doctor from another hospital. We wish you well, Miss."

 

That was Yoona heard, as the woman left completely the hospital. She got curious, so she block the nurse after sending the woman outside.

 

"Why is she crying?" asked her, carefully in her soft voice.

 

"She has cancer, Miss Im. And she doesn't want to accept yet, so I told her to visit another doctor. But to be honest, I think she's more than crying because she seems to have trouble in money... You know, some cancer patients have no money to do any therapy... And also, how will she tell her family." The nurse smiled at Yoona and walked away.

 

Yoona's world pauses for a while, as her visions averted to the woman outside, who was still crying. She felt a little pain inside her heart when she realize how it must be more painful for that person. Not just because she was diagnose, but it looks like, she can't able to have a therapy to be able to survive. Now it hits Yoona's heart so much. Seohyun is so lucky to have her family. And she thinks, there's only rare opportunity for this. A sudden idea came into her mind. In regards to less fortunate cancer patients. But before that, she has to visit Seohyun first. There's no more stopping as she headed to Seohyun's room again.

 

She arrives at the room, not regretting. Because apparently, Seohyun is awake and was smiling to Nurse Hwang, while the girl is checking on her. She waves to br able to catch her girlfriend's attention. The latter instantly turned to the glass window, greeting her with bright smile, despite the obvious weak eyes.

 

Yoona signals the younger girl to wait as she grabs her white board again from the bench and started writing. She shows her message right away, telling her; Have you eaten breakfast?' Or rather, asking the younger girl.

 

Seohyun did not mind and only shows thumbs up.

 

Satisfied, Yoona once again wrote a text: Good. I will have mine later. U feeling good now, right?

 

By this moment, Seohyun showed two thumbs up.

 

Yoona had a big smile and relieved as she once again raise another text: I think I'm having some stiff neck baby girl, so don't be surprise the next time you see me. She showed a pout towards her before she finally wave and send kisses to the girl before leaving the place.

 

"What does she mean, Nurse Hwang?" Seohyun asked Tiffany right after the doe-eyed left.

 

"She wants to warn you about a cast on her neck because of stiff neck. But I don't think that's necessary." Tiffany chuckled. 

 

"You mean, she can't able to move her head?" Seohyun frowns. "What happened and she had a stiff neck?"

 

"I don't know. I've been here with you, You know. I don't know what is happening outside."

 

"Ah... Yeah, Sorry. But can you ask her later, Nurse Hwang? Please?" Seohyun begs, pouting her lips. "I want to know if she's really okay."

 

"Aigoo, you guys are really so sweet, worrying each other. Anyway, I'm pretty sure going to ask her. You know, I'll be off later and Nurse Lee will be back again." 

 

"Thanks, Nurse Hwang."

 

"Likewise, Seohyun." Tiffany winks at the younger girl before she got up from the edge of the bed and headed to the window. She parted the curtain and let the younger girl see the sunshine outside. "Wow, it snowed a lot last night. The park is full of snow. I barely can see the snowman."

 

"Snowman?" Seohyun raised her brows. 

 

"Yep. The only standing snowman now? The one with the heart?"

 

Seohyun felt a bit shivers when she recalled the night she caught that girl who made the snowman. Then she also recalled the time Yoona made snowman for her in the resort. "Omo." It made her just realized that the girl who made the snowman outside the hospital and Yoona is just one person, base on her back, when she's making it for her.

 

"Why? What's wrong?" asks Tiffany confusingly.

 

"The girl... who made that snowman... is... Yoona." Seohyun chuckled lightly, as she felt really stupid for not recognizing Yoona's back, back in resort. She just realized it, now that she's back in the hospital.

 

"Are you sure about that?"

 

"Yes. I-I think? Well, I really should ask Yoong too. This is really epic, if it's true." Seohyun can feel it strongly, Yoona is the one who also made the snowman outside. As much as she want to deny it also, it looks like it's really her. She really should ask her girlfriend later. Tiffany could only smile in amusement. It's still the same bright smile, she can see in Seohyun's face. She has nothing to be surprise anymore.

 

__

 

 

Doctor Im looked at his daughter in disbelief after putting on a cast on her neck, which he thought doesn't necessary because she had taken a medicine already for it. He's sure she'll be fine in a while. But the doe-eyed wants him to put the cast, so she won't accidentally turned her head to the right.

 

"Tell me, what's your real intention?" Heck, he wanted to make sure she wasn't really stupid yet.

Yoona grinned. "I want to feel what others feel when they're in an accident or something. Hehe."

 

"What? Are you insane?"

 

"Appa, when that accident happened years ago, Is my girlfriend also have this in her neck?" Though it's hard to move, Yoona wanted to experience it.

 

Doctor Im opened the door in his office. "Yes. She had it for about 3 days only. Chanyeol has a week because he got some wound on there. But seriously, you don't have to do this, Yoong."

 

"Just don't complain. And let me. It's a new fashion." said Yoona, getting up from her seat and walked out casually with her father. The moment she and her father headed to the elevator, few of the nurses are staring at her, wondering what happened. And she just smiled at them, like it wasn't really hard to not move her head.

 

"You're seriously crazy, Yoona." mumbled Doctor Im, as he press the 2nd floor button.

 

"I'm hungry." Yoona said, rubbing her stomach. "You should feed me later, Appa." the old man chuckled at her request.

 

"No way." But declined right away. "If you want to eat properly, put that away, idiot."

 

"Appa, so bad eh?"

 

"Seriously, Yoong. Stop it."

 

Yoona giggles victoriously. "I know, I'm idiot."

 

"Whatever." Doctor Im murmured.

 

"By the way Appa. Can I know about the foundation of the hospital? What is it about, Appa?" Yoona switched the topic randomly. Her smile is from ear to ear.

 

"The foundation is for kids. You know, those less fortunate cancer patients."

 

"So more on the kids only?"

 

Doctor Im weirdly looked at his daughter. "Y-Yeah. It is. Why?"

 

"Ah... I see." Yoona nodded her head a little, understanding.

 

"It was your mother's choice, so the hospital have agreed. But you know what? If it's me, I would not just focus only for the kids, I will go for all ages. However, there are a lot of foundation for that already. There are less for kids only. So I thought, it's good thing we focus on kids as well."

 

Yoona felt more proud hearing her father's words. It's no surprising for her anymore that everyone in the hospital really respected him well. It's such an honor to have a father like him. But she got more ideas in her mind, which she plans to keep before sharing it to others.

 

*Ding*

 

"You haven't tell me why are you asking about this?" asks Doctor Im still, as he walked out with Yoona, heading to the cafeteria. But instead of answering him, Yoona stuck her tongue out and suddenly runs away from him, leaving him behind. "What... " his lips parted, as find himself puzzled by what just happened. "This kiddo." Heck, he chuckles lightly, following his daughter momentarily.

 

Chanyeol, who is already waiting in the cafeteria was surprised when he saw Yoona skipped and smiled to him before heading to the buffet counter. He is already in his seat, with his food, just waiting for the Ims. A couple of seconds later, Doctor Im also walked in, greeting him with a warm smile simply and followed Yoona on the queue. "What happened?" he wondered what had happen to the two that they did not came together. And much to his dismay, Yoona has a this neck supporter. For her stiff neck? Yet, she looks like she doesn't care about it. Or it's just his observation? Whatever it is, Yoona is sure the only person who seemed enjoying having a stiff neck. 'So weird girl'.

 

"Hey, Chan." Yoona greeted still, brightly. She put her tray down and take her seat across the young boy. "So what happened earlier while I was away?" ask her casually, as she grabs her chopstick and started eating.

 

"Nothing. Seohyun Noona just woke up earlier than me. And she even left her bed already." Chanyeol replied, following the doe-eyed girl.

 

"Why? Yesterday, she didn't?"

 

"She didn't tell you? Her entire body is in pain that time."

 

Yoona was about to eat, but freezes when she heard Chanyeol. She looked at him, doesn't want to believe. However, it made her also realize when she was talking with her through the white board. She's only on the bed, and would simply raise the board. "So that's why she ain't moving a lot."

 

"Just a simple heart sign and wave... but she will put it down immediately. Around 5pm?"

 

"Oh. I was already out to grab some dinner that time."

 

"She confessed she's feeling the side effect again."

 

"No wonder when I went back, she's already lying on the bed."

 

"Yup."

 

Yoona had another pang in her heart. She didn't even notice it last night. She sighed and simply resumed with her meal. Just then, her father followed them in the table.

 

"I ask you guys here to have a breakfast together because I want to talk about my plans." Doctor Im stated with a serious look.

 

Chanyeol and Yoona's attention eventually avert to the middle-age man. Both looked at him with a blank face.

 

"New Year is in a week and I was planning to send Seohyun back in the mansion. However, it depends. She should be able to leave the icu first before we can bring her back. And, the cancer cells shouldn't be able to have a chance to grow again. As I can see it through, she only has few cancer cells actively working on beating her. But, there's a chance it will grow again and divide. I just want you guys to always make her happy, coz I think that will help her gain her energy. In that way, I can also have more confidence in curing her. Especially you, Yoona. Since you told me you are not going to disappoint me - don't stop and always do whatever are you doing outside her room."

 

"I was just conversing with her through the white board."

 

"Yes, that's what I am talking about. It's accompanying her."

 

"That's childish Noona." Chanyeol commented, chuckling a little. "Me, I can send food to Noona." and can't hold it, but share what he did.

 

"What? You can go inside now, Chan? Yah, what about me, Appa?!" Yoona literally complained.

 

"No. As much as possible I don't want to let you in, Yoona. It was because I know, you can't hold yourself and hold her. Like what happened last night." Doctor Im half scolded his daughter. "You sneak in last night, didn't you?"

 

Yoona looked away. "So you saw me?"

 

"No. I ask Nurse Hwang if you did something last night."

 

"And she honestly told you?"

 

"Yes."

 

"Aigoo. Fine, I admit." Yoona mentally face-palmed and accepted her defeat. She did not mind to ignore her father's stare. Though it's hard to look down, she still did for a little to have her meal.

 

Doctor Im and Chanyeol looked into each other's eyes, doesn't know what to react. Rather, they quietly finished their meal.

 

"By the way Chan, Can I ask for Seohyun's childhood photo? I mean back when she's still 5 years old?" Yoona suddenly broke their silence, a minute after the others also keep their mouth shut.

 

"What will you do with it?" Asked Chanyeol back.

 

"I just wanna keep it. Can you hand me one?" 

 

"Yeah, sure. Later, I'll give you."

 

Yoona smiled in satisfaction. "Thanks." but with a hint of something when she also glance at her father. The latter looked at her weirdly.

 

__

 

 

It's after lunch when Chanyeol decided to enter back the room, still in his protective hospital gown that's required for the hospital. His sister was on the bench, playing with the white board in her lap. She's writing something. "Noona." he called out for her to catch her attention and as he also take his seat.

 

"Channie." Seohyun smiled. "How's everything outside?"

 

"Fine. It's good. You shouldn't be asking that though. You should stop worrying us. We will always be fine." Chanyeol replied softly. 

 

"I just can't help it. How about Yoong?"

 

"Your girlfriend?" Chanyeol teased with a big grin.

 

"She never visited me anymore after she had earlier in the morning." Seohyun let out a sigh. She was disappointed that her doe-eyed girlfriend didn't comes back anymore. She thought she'll get to see her back and converse with her again through the white board. But turns out, she did not. "Where is she right now!?" And she wonders where could have the girl right now.

 

"She left the hospital after the breakfast. But she never told me where is she going. Probably home." Chanyeol replied honestly.

 

"Aish, that kiddo. She's making worry over."

 

"Yah, I told you not to stress out Noona! Seriously there's no need for that!"

 

"But she had a stiff neck. I think she's not well Channie!"

 

Chanyeol literally chuckle at his sister's obvious innocence. "Stiff neck is just nothing for her Noona. She's already okay after her