Minho

I know Siwon told me not to go near Sulli but I can’t just sit here and do nothing. I ran back to my apartment to get my car keys only to find Taemin and the others waiting for me, each of them wearing a worried and gloomy face.

“Minho, what happened? We saw Siwon carrying Sulli to his car downstairs,” said Key, concern was eminent all over their faces.

“Minho, what happened?” it’s Taemin’s turn to ask the question. “And why do you have Sulli and Ji-Yong’s picture?” I look at my cousin with a stunned face, as much as I want to follow Sulli, I know Siwon wouldn’t let me go near her especially in this situation. “I’m not in the right position to talk to you about this but taking things into consideration and the turn of events tonight, I think Sulli wouldn’t mind if I tell you.”

“Cut the crap Taemin, who is this Ji-Yong?” I didn’t mean to raise my voice but I’m almost over ruled by my emotions right now. Onew stand up beside me, afraid that I might throw a fit.

“The guy who is with Sulli in the picture is her late boyfriend Kwon Ji-Yong,” everyone’s jaw drop but what surprised us most is what Taemin said next, “But I don’t get it, why is the picture dated early this year?”

“What do you mean?” ask Jonghyun.

“Sulli and Ji-Yong got into a car accident three years ago that caused Sulli to have a heart condition and Ji-Yong’s died in that car accident.”

Sulli

Today, I’ll be finally be discharge at the hospital. It’s been a week since Siwon and I came back to London.

Flashback

I woke up lying in a hospital bed, I know I’m not dead yet because beside me is my guardian angel, my best friend.

“Hey, are you feeling?” he asks me.

 “I’m alright. You can take this off now,” I said while I try to remove the cord attached to my chest. He gently grabs my hand and tucks it inside the covers and said, “For once, please be a good patient and follow your doctor’s order.”

“So now you’re my doctor?” I .

“Yes, I am.” He kissed my forehead and went to the door. “I’ll be back soon, I need to call Heechul and tell him you’re awake now.”

After a few minutes, Si came back with Heechul.

“So how am I doc?”

“Well if you’re like any other patient I would say that you need bed rest and I have to keep you under observation, but you’re lucky you’re my favorite patient, I can discharge you tomorrow and clear you for your flight in the afternoon.”

“Getting rid of me soon doc?” he laughs and his face becomes all serious again, “Ssul, like I said you’re not like any other patient, your condition is very unpredictable you have to exercise extreme caution. We don’t know but the next episode might be the last.”

I look at hands and played with the stuck blood on the IV tube and said, “I know.”

End of flashback

“I told you not to move around too much didn’t I?”

“Si, I can manage, you said it yourself that I can do almost everything just like a normal person can, even better.” My best friend gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you,” I said.

“Thank you for what?”

“For taking care of me, for being my partner, my doctor, my best friend, and my everything.”

“If you’re really thankful, you can show it by living a long life, a long and happy life.” I just smiled at him.

“Do you mind if we make a stop-over before we go home?”

“I knew you’d say that, don’t worry I told your mom and dad we’ll be there by dinner time instead.”

“You remember.” I ask him. He just nod and said, “Of course, how could I forget the date my best friend almost lost her life in an operating table?” We quietly drove around the busy streets of London to Kensal Green Cemetery. We stop in front of a big white mausoleum, Siwon got out first to get something in the trunk, he walk beside me carrying a big bouquet of lilies.

“I know you have a lot of things to tell him, I’ll wait for you here, just take your time okay.”

I entered the mausoleum and walk towards the center, the name engraved on the black marble in front of me instantly brought tears to my eyes. “Hi Ji-Yong,” I said. “Long time no see, how have you been? You know I thought I’ll see you sooner but uhm… Siwon decided that it’s not time yet. He turned out to be a very annoying cardiologist; he should have followed your advice and become a businessman instead.” I sit in front of the grave while I lay down the bouquet of lilies. “Siwon was the one to pick the flowers this year; sorry I just got discharged today at the hospital so I wasn’t able to choose them myself.” I wipe the tears flowing on my face.

Three years ago, Ji-Yong and I got into a car accident on a highway. He was trying to avoid a truck that is swerving on the road; unfortunately the truck hit the driver’s side of the car we’re driving that caused the car to turn upside down. I instantly lost consciousness and woke up a few days after the surgery because of a metal bar that pierce through my chest. When I woke up I ask Siwon how is Ji-Yong, he couldn’t answer me directly then he said, “Ssul, he didn’t make it.” My world crumbled as soon as Siwon said that he died in the accident. I was crying day in, day out, and no one could ever talk to me, especially after the funeral service. I was lifeless as those patients on the ICU, my brother even stayed for months just to be with me. After my injuries are partially healed, I started going to his grave every day, I wasn’t function at all, and everyone around me were all worried. It all changed when he visited me in a dream, he’s smiling at me and said, “I love you, please be happy.”

I decided to divert my attention to school and business; I worked every day including weekends just to busy myself and to avoid thinking about the accident. Then I decided to study abroad to take my MBA, and then I met Minho.

“I’m supposed to take someone special with me today,” I continued. “I hope you don’t mind, I know you’ll be happy because I learn to love again, isn’t that what you wanted to tell me when you visited me in that dream three years ago? Unfortunately, things didn’t turn out so well. I called your mom when I said yes to him, she said she was happy that I already moved on and that’s what you want for me to do. I know you’re watching over me, I’ll always love you no matter what, you’re already a part of who I am today, please remember that. I love him Ji-Yong; I love him so much that it hurts me to know that I lost him because I wasn’t brave enough to tell him the truth about us and what really happened.”

I found Siwon sitting inside the car, when he saw me; he went out to open the passenger’s door. “Did you tell him everything?” he asks me. I just nodded and he gave me a hug. “Come one, everybody’s excited to see you at home.”

Everybody in our family knows how special and important today is to me. When everyone had the opportunity to hug and kissed me, we take our seats and had our dinner very quietly, when the elders excuse themselves to go in the parlor. Donghae and TOP pulled me and Siwon to the garden to have the usual drinks after dinner; I know they’re just using it as an excuse to fish information about me.

“So have you heard anything from the bastard?” I looked at my brother, based from his line of questioning, he already knows everything. Let’s just say that TOP, Siwon and his brother Donghae have their own way of finding out things when they want to know something about anything or anyone.

“I just came back from the hospital and you already want to ruin the reunion dear brother?” I tried to mock him but he just laughed at me.

“Stop it TOP, Ssul’s already having a hard time,” Donghae said “So Ssul do you want us to get rid of him?” my brother almost spit out whatever he’s drinking and laughed so hard by what he said. “Look who’s talking,” my brother retorted. “But seriously Ssul, did you try explaining to him the situation or even listen to his?” Donghae added.

Might as well answer their questions, “No, but when I decided to explain, I saw that he didn’t need to, because he’s already comforted by someone.”

“Are you sure something happened to them?” I can’t believe my own brother is asking me these questions.

“Wait up Ssul, what TOP means is that are you sure that the girl didn’t set it up so when you come in, you’ll see the two of them in bed.” I can’t stand this anymore, I stand up and walk towards the house, Siwon runs after me and drag me back to my seat.

“Choi Sulli, you’ve been dodging questions since last week, I didn’t push it because I’m afraid you might have another episode again,” Siwon said.

“Siwon, you said it yourself, you yelled and threatened him that if he ever comes near me you’ll make his life miserable, so tell me, why are you asking me these questions wherein we both know the answer.”

“Ssul, you can’t blame my brother. He saw his best friend lying lifeless on the floor, if I were in his situation, I could have killed him on the spot and ask questions later.”

“Little sis, we’re not defending the guy but we all saw how he looks at you when you guys visited for the holidays. I don’t think he’s the kind of person who’ll come running to another woman’s arm just for comfort, give him some credits.”

After hours of torturing by the guys, I finally retired for the night. Siwon walked me to my room and said goodnight.

“By the way, we have a present for you on your bed, I hope you like it.” I thank him and kissed my best friend good night. “One more thing, don’t be afraid to face things, you’re not alone you know, sometimes you just need to be brave and take a leap of faith to find your true happiness.”

I found a disc on top of my bed, “play me” is written on top of it. I put the disc on the player and hit the play button.  I was surprised to see Minho on the video. I was torn on whether I will stop or continue watching the video then I remember what Siwon said a while ago, “Sometimes you just need to be brave and take a leap of faith to find your true happiness.”

Video playing…

“Sulli, I know I’m the last person you want to see right now, but please before you stop this video, please listen to me first.” He looks down on the floor, I think he’s crying. My heart is aching from what I am watching right now, I want to stop the video but I know I need to know his side of the story. “When Yuri gave me the envelope and I saw the picture, your pictures with Ji-Yong, I felt betrayed all over again, I want you to explain, I want you to defend yourself and to tell me that everything was a lie, but when you didn’t answer or said anything when I went to your apartment everything went crashing down for me all over again. We both have skeletons in our closet, and I think that’s the reason why we’re in this situation right now. When you said yes to me on the yacht, I feel like I was reborn again.

Yuri and I were together for a very long time, four years ago we broke up because she cheated on me, she went to a weekend trip with a senior student, but she said she’s going with her family. I felt really betrayed back then, I felt I was really worthless, because the girl I love cheated on me. Before I rush inside the hospital, Onew said that she was with another guy during the accident, that she lied to me and has been cheating me for several months. From then on, I became very distant and cold towards other people especially to women. It all change because I met you, you melted my stone cold heart Ssul, and those pictures triggered a very dark memory. I drank all the beer or any alcohol in the apartment until I fell into sleep. I woke up because I heard my room door slam and then I saw Yuri beside me, I swear to God Ssul, nothing happened to us. I ran outside and saw Taemin at the corridor, I followed you immediately at your apartment but then you had a heart attack and Siwon needed to bring you to New York. I was about to follow you but the other convinced me that it wouldn’t do anything good and that it might only worsen the situation. Taemin saw the pictures and he’s the one who told me that it’s impossible for you to cheat with the guy you’re with because he’s already dead. He also told me that he died during the accident that caused you to have your heart condition. I’m sorry Ssul for not listening to you, I’m sorry because I allowed this to happen, I’m supposed to be strong for the both of us but instead I failed you.” Then the screen went black, I was crying the whole time I was watching the video, I grab my phone and was about to dial his number when the video started playing again. This time, it show’s Minho outside my hospital room, I cried even harder. He was just outside the room all week. Only a wall separates the two of us during my hospital confinement, I really want to rush outside and ask Siwon where is he, then he started talking again.

“Ssul, you should get better. I really want to be by your side right now but I know Siwon has been exerting extreme patient letting me stay outside your room, please be okay. I don’t know what I will do if something bad happens to you.” The next video shows him outside our garden, he’s sitting on the very same chair I was a while ago. “I already talked to your family and Siwon’s and thank God they’re all very open minded not to shoot first before listening to me, I already explained everything to them Ssul, now I really want to explain to you everything.” The video changed, he’s now in a corridor, a familiar one, and he’s outside my room! “I can’t wait to see you, please forgive me. I love you so much I’ll certainly die if I ever lose you.”

End of video.

I was stunned by the video, Minho is here in London. He’s inside our house, but why didn’t anyone tell me this? I dialed his number and ran towards the door. CLICK. “Minho… I’m… sorry,” I said in between sobs, but he didn’t answer, when I open my door, he was there. Standing outside my room is Choi Minho.

***I'm very sorry for the late update, I hope you like this one! I really hope this chapter is worth the wait. Excited to read your comments!***