On Wednesday, 25th of February, at 10.11 AM, it’s pronounced that Jin Joo has lost her battle.

She has succumbed to her fight against her illness.

8 days after Ji Hyo’s informed about her little girl’s illness.

Ji Hyo’s tears are no longer streaming down, but everyone can see how tired she is. She’s skinnier, pale, the bags under her eyes are significant, there’s no smile and happiness on her eyes. She’s just there and barely breathing, barely living.

She wills herself to be strong. She doesn’t need to cry anymore. She doesn’t need to stress anymore. It is all out of her control.

There’s a smile on her small still face. At least she dies happily, right? That’s what Ji Hyo tells herself over and over. Her little girl dies thinking that her parents are in love with each other. Her little girl dies knowing that her parents care about her so much. Her little girl dies realizing that her parents will always be there for her and support her. Her last wish of having a family like her friends has been fulfilled. At least, her little girl dies happily. Her little girl will meet her Halmeoni and Harabeoji now.

Joong Ki visits them and tries to hold them back together. Her little brother even helps clean their apartment and provides food. Ji Hyo doesn’t really catch what he’s saying, though, she can only hear her husband mutters ‘okay’ and ‘thank you’. When she’s out of her blank state later, she makes a mental note that she has to thank her brother later.

Everything happens in a blur next.

Her will is not as strong as her emotion.

For the next three days, Ji Hyo doesn’t sleep. Every time she tries to close her eyes, her daughter’s laughter, her daughter’s giggle, her daughter’s smile, her daughter’s cry, her daughter’s mischief, her daughter’s this, and her daughter’s that fill in her brain. And tears will start forming in her eyes again. She’s tired, she wants to stop, she’s sure her daughter’s happy now and no longer feels pain, but she can’t help it.

She also doesn’t talk much. Her days are filled with her staring at the wall or ceiling. She smiles sometimes just to appreciate someone’s condolences, or says ‘thank you’, but other than that, she doesn’t really do much. She doesn’t really eat, only a bite or two here and there, but doesn’t finish any dish. She tries keeping everything inside of her, piling them up until she explodes.

Throughout this time, Jong Kook has been by her side. He holds her tight when their daughter’s being cremated. He holds her tight when they visit Jin Joo’s columbarium, that’s beside his mother’s. He holds her tight when she’s shaking and feeling too tired she can’t hold herself any longer. He’s been there.

She’s been so strong that he’s scared she will fall into depression and will fall hard. That’s why he tries to be there for her as much as he can, especially since his work gives him a week break.

He sometimes hugs her at night on the bed, and sometimes surprisingly, she replies. She hugs him and puts her head against his chest, and they will stay like that for a really long time until he usually the one who falls asleep first.

It’s like they’re a happy couple they were once.

Does their daughter have to pass away first for them to be the way they were?

His phone is buzzing. It has been for quite some time. From people who give their condolences to Eun Hye, his girlfriend, who’s looking for him.

It’s been the eighty-fourth time since three days ago, and yet he doesn’t have the desire to answer any of them.

He’s looking at his weary wife, that’s finally asleep. Her body loses all her energy, and even though she’s scared of closing her eyes, her body demands to do so. He sighs tiredly when Eun Hye calls for the eighty-fifth time.

“Eo, Eun Hye-yah.” He answers finally.

“Oppa! Where have you been? I’ve been calling you forever!” He closes his eyes when he hears Eun Hye screams across the phone.

“Ara. I’m just still grieving.”

“By yourself?” Right. Jong Kook hasn’t told her that he’s been spending his time with his family. That he’s been helping his wife and himself to get through the day for the past three days.

Jong Kook just hums quietly.

“I’m so sorry for your loss, Oppa. The world is cruel for letting you lose your daughter,” Eun Hye replies sullenly. “Just come to my apartment, Oppa. It’s Saturday and I don’t have any work. You can talk to me, you know. Don’t grieve by yourself.”

Jong Kook glances at Ji Hyo, then nods. There’s something he’s sure of and he has to talk to Eun Hye about it. “Geurae, Eun Hye-yah. I’ll be there in thirty minutes.”

-

“Eun Hye-ssi.” Jong Kook greeted when they walked past each other. Eun Hye had been lowering her head and it made him curious.

Eun Hye lifted her head up slightly. “Ah, annyeonghaseyo, Timjang-nim*.” Eun Hye replied quickly and lowered her head again.

“Gwaenchanayo?”

“Ne, geogjong hajimayo*, Jong Kook-ssi.” Eun Hye bowed politely and headed off somewhere.

It had been almost a week since his mother passed away. His wife had returned but he was so angry that he didn’t acknowledge her. And ever since that day, Jong Kook happened to see Eun Hye all the time. Had she always been there before?

He also didn’t notice that Eun Hye’s table was right outside his small cubicle. If he turned his head to the right, he could see the back of her head. He knew now because of that.

At almost nine in the evening, Jong Kook walked out of the building to see Eun Hye was fighting with someone. Then, the man hit her on her cheek. He quickly approached them just before the man in front of her swung another punch against her cheek. Feeling like a superman, he grabbed his arm to stop him.

“You shouldn’t do that to a lady.” Jong Kook warned the man in front of him. He gently pushed Eun Hye to stand behind him.

“Jong Kook-ssi, jeoneun gwaenchanayo.” Eun Hye tried to push him away but he insisted.

“Oh, you’re the great Jong Kook, huh?” The man in front of him chuckled menacingly. “The one who kidnapped my girlfriend to stay with you until late at night.”

“Oppa, he didn’t kidnap me, I’ve told you that.” Eun Hye sighed tiredly.

“Stop arguing with me, Eun Hye-yah!” The man that apparently her boyfriend, again, lifted his hand, ready to hit her. She closed her eyes, expecting the worst, but it never happened.

“Excuse m