Story5:  RicMin - 2nd Chance part.2  - by: LADYERROR           

             Min Woo rushed to the address Eric texted him.  Right after he found a spot where he could park his car, he jumped out, locked it and ran into the bar.  He did not care what would happen there.  He would do anything to get the money he needed, even if Eric wanted him to his dirty shoes, he would gladly do it.  For the sake of his sister.  Min Woo glanced at his watch.  Thirty minutes.  Exactly thirty minutes after he received Eric's text.  He was on time.  He just hoped Eric was still there, waiting for him to beg on his knees.  Min Woo rushed and pushed the entrance door.  There were not so many people inside, so it would be easy to spot where Eric was.  But after a few seconds, Min Woo realized he could not see Eric anywhere.  The bar was almost empty.  There was only this one man carrying a giant white teddy bear, and he was waving at him.  Wait.  Waving at him?

 

            Junjin could see Min Woo just entered the bar as he had expected.  Min Woo was right ON TIME.  He quickly waved at the man to come over.  He had something to give to him.  Something Min Woo needed.  

 

              Min Woo was puzzled at first.  Did he know the man?  He was dressed in white, and Min Woo could tell from the way he dressed, he was not an ordinary man.  Min Woo did not know what to do.  He was sure he did not recognize the man, but the man kept on waving at him to come over.  So Min Woo did.  Slowly he marched to the man in white.  

              "Welcome, Min Woo-ssi!"  Junjin gave him a big smile.

              "Do I know you?"  Min Woo asked directly.

              "No."  Junjin answered, still smiling.  "But I can help you."  Junjin could see Min Woo was very confused.  "My name is Junjin.  I'm Eric Mun's friend.  I believe you know him."

 

              Min Woo's eyes were widened in surprise.  No wonder this man knew him; Eric must have told him.  "Yes, I do.  I'm his assistant.  I-I-" Min Woo paused.  He took a deep breath to calm his nerves.  "I'm looking for him."

              "I know."  Junjin softened his voice.  "But he has LEFT."
 

Min Woo was surprised.  Was he late? 
 

          "He asked me to wait for you."  Junjin quickly continued.  He could tell Min Woo was turning pale with the idea of being late.  "He needs to RETURN to his home.  Something urgent happened, he could not wait for you."  Junjin put out an envelope right from his suit's inner pocket.  "He asked me to give you this."

           Junjin handed the envelope to Min Woo who looked really, really puzzled now.  "What's this?"  Min Woo asked Junjin.

          "Why don't you OPEN it yourself?"

 

           Min Woo hesitated at first, but he gradually ripped the top of the envelope and revealed a piece of bank cheque.  He was surprised to see the amount of money written on the cheque.  Was this really true?  He was not dreaming, was he?  Min Woo read the numbers again and again, there was a nominal of 25 Million Won on that cheque.  It was MORE than Min Woo expected before!  "But-but it's IMPOSSIBLE!!!  Are you SURE it's for me??"  Min Woo looked at Junjin.
 

          Junjin lifted his eyebrows.  "That's what he SAID."  Then slyly he glanced at the Teddy Bear.  Eric had to feel very MAD now.  It was his MONEY and Junjin just gave it easily to someone else. 
 

           "But how can I repay him?  It's too MUCH.  I can't never return such big amount of money, not with my present salary."

           "You don't have to," Junjin replied.  He swore he could hear a growl coming out of the Teddy Bear's mouth.  "He said you could return him ANYTIME you like.  He doesn't mind.  Even if you don't, he's still going to give it to you anyway.  He just wished your sister get well soon."
 

A lash of anger heated Eric's cheeks, but he could not do anything about it, could he?

          Min Woo could not believe it.  It was too good to be true.  So after all, he was quick to judge Eric.  Tonight he was proven wrong.  Eric was a good man after all.  He might act just like a jerk in work, but he was a considerate man after all.  Eric must be testing on his persistence on phone before.  Luckily he had a strong heart and kept on going whatever happen.  Min Woo was so grateful.  He surely would remember Eric's kindness for the rest of his life.
 

           "One more thing," Junjin continued, "he wanted you to have this adorable Teddy Bear.  He wanted you to give it to your sister."  He issued a little laugh.  “He hopes your sister will LIKE it.  I do too.”  Junjin lifted the big Teddy Bear and handed over to Min Woo.  Min Woo could not stop feeling fortunate and grateful deep inside his heart.  Eric after all was NOT a bad person at all.  He did pay some attention and care towards his employees.

           “Please tell him I’m so thankful.  I’ll remember his generousity.”  Min Woo bowed his head deeply. 

           Junjin looked at him happily.  “I guess he already KNOWS that.”  He winked naughtily to the Teddy Bear.  “Now GO.  I believe you have somewhere else more important to go.”

           “Ah, yes!”  Min Woo held the envelope and the doll tighter.  “I must be going now.  I have to see my sister in the hospital.  She must be very HAPPY to see this huge bear!!”

            “I’m SURE she will.”

            Min Woo exited himself for the place as soonest as possible.  He could not wait to see his sister and tell her this good news.  And the Teddy Bear was within his hands.

***

            Min Woo stepped in carefully into his sister’s room in the hospital.  It was already very late at night; Min Woo did not want to wake her sister up.  But it was too late, right when Min Woo closed the door, his sister opened her eyes and sighted her loving brother.  Min Woo realized he just woke her up.

            “I’m sorry,” he said, “I didn’t mean to wake you up this late.”  He whispered.

            “It’s okay, oppa.”  She answered with a smile.  “I wasn’t really sleeping anyway.”

            “How are you, Soon Hye?  Are you feeling better?”

            “Come here.”  Soon Hye called him.  Min Woo walked towards her, and put the giant bear he was carrying on her bed right beside her.  “He’s so CUTE!  Where did you get him?”

            “My boss gave it to me.”

             Soon Hye looked surprised to hear Min Woo’s answer.  “Really?  I thought he didn’t like you.”

            “I thought so too.  But look at this!”  Min Woo put out the cheque he got from Junjin.  “He even gave me this.  He said to USE it for your medication.”

Soon Hye’s eyes grew even bigger to see the numbers on the cheque.  It was indeed enormous.  “Are you sure, oppa?”

Min Woo nodded his head.  “Now you can rest well, Soon Hye-ah.  Finally we find a way to heal you.”

           Soon Hye was unsure how to react.  She was afraid that none of this was true, since it was simply too good to be true.  Was it real?  How could they be so lucky?  “But oppa, I’m still scared.”

           “Aish, don’t think about other things.  I know the operation look scary, but I believe you can go through it.  You’ll be fine and soon you’ll be home again with me.  I promise you I’ll buy you anything you want to have.”

“I don’t want anything, oppa.  I just wanna be HOME with you.”

          Min Woo smiled.  “I know.  I missed you too.”  He kissed his sister’s forehead, praying everything would be just fine in the end.  “It’s getting late now.  I have to leave tonight.  I have to prepare for your operation tomorrow.  I promise I’ll be back early in the morning.”  Min Woo could see his sister’s expression was turning sadder.  “It’s okay.  I promise I’ll be here even before you know it.  Anyway, you have this big fellow here to accompany you while I’m gone.  You shouldn’t be afraid at all.”

Soon Hye smiled.  Min Woo talked to her as if she was still a little girl.  “So,” she said, “promise me you’ll be back first thing in the morning.”

Min Woo nodded again.  “Of course I will.”  He kissed her again right on her forehead.  “See you soon.” 

          Soon Hye looked at her brother exiting the room and closed the door, leaving her all alone with the Teddy Bear.  She looked at it and let out a little smile.  “Well, nice to meet you, Mr. Teddy Bear.  You will be my cute prince for now.”  She hugged the bear tightly.  “My name is Soon Hye, Mr. Teddy.  I’ll take good care of you.”  Soon Hye fixed her position so that she could sleep while hugging the bear.  “You feel so good,” she whispered.  If it was possible, Eric would be blushing into different shades of red, being hugged like that.  “Before we go to sleep, I’m going to tell you a little secret.”  She stared at the bear, seemed hoping the bear could answer her – but of course it could not say anything to her in return.  “You know,”  she said.  Her eyes were starting to wet.  “I wish I could just die.”

          Eric [the Bear] just gasped in his heart.  Even though his whole body was turning into a doll, he could still see and hear clearly what was around him.  Did Min Woo’s sister just want to die?  Why?  Eric could not understand what she was thinking about.  He could see the desperation on Soon Hye’s face, she had taken it hard.  Was it because of her illness?

          “If I die,”  Soon Hye sobbed quietly, “Min Woo-oppa will be free.  He doesn’t have to think of me all the time.  He doesn’t have to take care of me, worry about me all the time.  He will have more friends, and definitely he will have better life.  He doesn’t have to stay in his terrible job and serve that horrible boss.” 

Eric felt his head heating. 

          “You know what, Mr. Teddy?  Min Woo-oppa’s boss was such a bastard, he made Min Woo-oppa do lots, lots of thing.  Anything, anywhere and anytime he likes.  He doesn’t care how Min Woo-oppa is, as long as he gets what he wants.  Once, Min Woo-oppa was having this high fever, still he didn’t care and asked him to get his stuffs from his home to the office.  And you know what he asked Min Woo-oppa to get?  Just his pair of ugly socks!!  Can you imagine that??”  Soon Hye was emotional now.  She really hated Min Woo’s boss to the core for always torturing his brother time and again.

          “I know Min Woo-oppa keep his job because of me.  He once told me that it was not easy to get a job nowadays, and his boss was generous enough to give him the salary he needs.  But I know, Min Woo-oppa is NOT happy.  I really want him to QUIT the job,” she paused, “But I just didn’t want to get into a fight with him.  Min Woo-oppa deserves BETTER.  Yet it won’t happen BECAUSE of me.”

          Eric could feel Soon Hye embrace him tighter.  But somehow he did NOT mind.  Something about Soon Hye managed to touch his deepest heart and make him wonder about what he did all this time.  He never realized he had caused so much pain to Min Woo. 

           Soon Hye reached out a hand and put it around Eric’s body.  Eric felt he was so selfish.  He had been spending almost 24/7 with Min Woo by his side, yet he knew NOTHING about his life.  He even wanted to make FUN of him when Min Woo needed his help the most.  Eric never felt like that before.  He started to REGRET what he had done.  Perhaps, this was what Junjin meant.  Junjin told him that he wanted Eric to learn a lesson.  Perhaps, this was the LESSON Junjin wanted him to learn.  He often took other people’s kindness for granted at times.

“You feel warm.”  Soon Hye whispered and closed her eyes.  She was falling asleep in her embrace.  “Thank you for being beside me.”

           Eric felt his heart hurting.  He never heard someone told him that.  He never heard someone thanking him for being beside him or her.  Eric really wanted to hug her back or caress her soft hair, but he could not do any of that.  All he could do was staring back at her and falling asleep together.  Before he slept, he wondered WHEN he would be back to his original body again.

***

           Min Woo arrived at the hospital very early in the morning.  There was a bouquet of tulips in his hands.  They were Soon Hye’s favorite flowers.  Min Woo hoped these beautiful flowers could lift up her sister’s spirit.  He knew how scared her sister was, having to face the crucial operation in her life.  He was also scared actually, but he had to act tough.  He could not let her sister know his weakness.  He had to be strong for both of them.  Now, life was smiling back to them.  Finally, her sister got another opportunity to relive her life normally.  After the ring transplant in her heart, Min Woo wished things would eventually get better for her.  She could go back to her school, on weekends they could spend some time together in the park, and many other things he wanted to do with her.  She could learn the piano as she always wanted.  Min Woo was smiling when he was thinking these happy thoughts.  But suddenly he noticed something out of place.  He could see there was a commotion happening nearby her sister’s room.  Doctors and nurses were running back and forth.  Out of the blue, Min Woo got the urge to find out what happen soon.  So he ran towards the crowd and tried to have a look what happen.  He was WRONG.  The commotion came from NONE other than his own sister’s room.  Min Woo pushed his way in, and how shocked he was to see... HER.  No.  Min Woo could NOT see her sister anymore, because the nurses had covered her under the white sheet.  The bouquet he was holding on fell right onto the floor. 

           Soon Hye passed away in her sleep.  Her heart stopped beating in a sudden.  There was NOTHING the doctors could do to help.  Eric was there when it all happened.  He could see how Soon Hye gasped for air, yet he could not reach her.  He could not even move his arms to hug her, to embrace her and ease the pain.  Eric witnessed everything.  Eric witnessed how Soon Hye’s life was slowly and painfully out of her body.  And there was nothing he could do.  NOTHING.

***

           Min Woo stared blankly to his sister’s coffin.  He could never understand how cruel life could be to him and his sister.  One night he thought he had found hope, and another night, his hope was taken abruptly from him.  He sat there with the Teddy Bear right on his lap, listening to the priest who was giving his sermon.  He was not really listening anyway.  His mind was totally BLANK.  He could hear his friends and family sang the last song before they buried his sister’s coffin.  Min Woo felt someone placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.  He turned around to see who it was.  How surprised he was to see that it was the man in white.  Was his name Junjin?  Min Woo quickly stood up to greet him.  This man was Eric’s friend, he should pay him some respect, after all Eric had done for him.

“I’m very sorry for your loss.”  Junjin said softly.  He was looking at the big doll Min Woo was carrying.

“Thank you.”  Min Woo said, looking down at the grass in dismay.  “I appreciate you come.”

Junjin just smiled and nodded.  “I’m here for Eric too.  He’s sorry he could not make it here.”

“It’s okay.”  Min Woo quickly responded.  “I understand.  His kindness is more than enough.”

Junjin nodded again.  This time he was staring at the Teddy Bear. 

           Eric really wanted to shout out aloud.  He wanted to shout at Junjin to get him back to normal again.  He learned his lesson WELL.  He knew he would have a different life from before.  Now he was begging to Junjin to let him have his body back.

          Standing close to the open ground, Min Woo looked desperately to the moving down coffin.  When the coffin touched the lowest ground, they would cover it with soil and it would be the last time Min Woo could see his sister.  And it was so difficult for him to bid his last farewell.  Min Woo finally let out his cry.  He was on his knees now, still embracing the Teddy Bear.  It was the LAST thing his sister hold till the moment she died.  Min Woo hugged the bear tighter. 

Junjin kneeled right beside him.  “Why don’t you BURY the doll with her?”

Eric was SHOCKED.  He wanted to scream out loud, but of course, he could NOT do that.

          “Your sister must LIKE it so much, and it was the LAST thing she had by her side, right?  Why don’t you let her take it with her?”  Junjin repeated his words.

          Min Woo looked at him.  Junjin got a point.  Min Woo remembered the last thing he mentioned to Soon Hye was, NOT to be afraid since she had this bear right beside her.  “You’re RIGHT.  This bear could accompany her forever, so she won’t feel lonely or scared anymore.”

          //NOOOO!!! Don’t!!!!  Don’t DO that!!!//  Eric struggled to move, but NOTHING happened.  When Min Woo threw him hard into the open grave, he still could do ANYTHING.  The only thing he could do was to see bit by bit the soil covered his eyes. And before his vision was totally blocked, he could see Junjin smiling at him and then it all turned.... BLACK.

***

           “Sir? Sir?”  Someone shook his body hard.  Eric felt his head was very dizzy.  He was sweating a lot, and he could feel his entire body aching.  Slowly he opened his eyes and straightened his body up.  What happened?  The last thing he could remember was, he was a teddy bear and was buried deep under the ground.  When his vision was back, he found himself back to the bar where he met Junjin the first time.  And there he was!  Junjin was still THERE!!  He gave him a smile that he did not like.

“Are you alright, sir?” It was the bartender who woke him up.  “Just now you passed out.  Are you alright now?”

Eric was muted.  He also did not know what happen, and the only person who knew what happened was sitting THERE, right in front of him. 

          “He’s fine, Bartender,”  Junjin answered the worried bartender.  He poured some water from his bottle to a glass and handed to Eric.  “Just drink this.  You’ll be fine.”

The bartender nodded and went away since another customer called him.

           Eric pushed away the glass Junjin just gave him.  He was afraid Junjin just gave him another toxic water that would harm him.  “What HAPPENED?”  Obviously Eric sounded MAD.  “What did you do to me?  Was it all only a DREAM?”

Junjin shook his head.  “It’s NOT a dream.  I just took you to the near future.”

Future?  What did he mean?

          “In five minutes’ time, your assistant, Lee Min Woo, will ENTER that door.  And the whole experience you just had will go OVER again.  Only this time, you DECIDE what you want to do.”  Junjin explained. 

There was a disturbing blank space in Eric’s memory.  What did Junjin mean by that?  Would he turn him into a doll again?

“No, I WON’T turn you into a doll anymore.”  Junjin said, as if he could read Eric’s mind.  “Unless you haven’t had ENOUGH lesson in your life.”

“So it was REAL?  Everything will happen?  Min Woo’s sister would actually die in the end?”

Junjin lost his smile now.  “I’m afraid so.  It’s written in her FATE.”

“NOTHING we can do to change that?”

Junjin shook his head.

“WHO are you?  How can you do this?  How can you travel in time?”

           “I can’t tell you who I am, and you don’t need to know.  At least, not now.”  Junjin said in a gentle voice.  “What matters now is, you understand what it’s like to have someone to love, to appreciate them, and what it’s like to lose them.  You see what it’s like to lose a life without anything you can do.  You can’t even do anything to save your own life when it’s taken from you.  The point is, look around you.  There is LIFE around you.  Don’t be too late to appreciate one.”

Eric did not know what to say.  He lived his life so far in such a carefree way.  He never cared anyone’s not even his own life. 

          “Lee Min Woo,”  Junjin continued, “is a kind man.  He has only one thing mattered to him in this world, yet he’s about to LOSE it.  You’re the only ONE now who can ease his pain.”

Just then, both of them could hear the bar door opened, and just like Junjin said, it was Min Woo.

“He’s HERE.  I should leave then.”  Junjin stood up and was about to leave when Eric pulled his wrist and stopped him.

“Will I ever SEE you again?”  Eric’s sharp gaze penetrated his eyes.

“Perhaps. Who knows?”  Junjin slowly released Eric’s grasp. 

           Before Eric questioned him again, he could hear Min Woo calling his name and approached him in high speed.  Eric glanced back to Junjin, but magically, the man had DISAPPEARED.  He tried to look for him everywhere he could sight, but he failed to find him.  Eric looked back at Min Woo who was now standing right before him.  Out of the blue Eric realized, Junjin had given him a second chance.

Second chance to live and appreciate LIFE.

***

THE END.  ~ Unless you want this story to continue XD - Please leave some comments!  Thank you!