Coughing, spitting out ill iron taste from , she tried to move. She needed help. She thinks she could die just by lying in there on the ground, feeling every pain in her body stings; wait for her breathing to escape from her. But every move she makes, every part of her stung in pain.

Knowing where the telephone is, she knows she couldn’t make it that far. Thinking of another way, she started looking where her bag is and lucky it’s only a few meters away from her, she couldn’t even manage her head to get up; her back just hurts so bad. Clutching her stomach from pain she tried and managed to reach her bag, yet the pain was excruciating.

Thinking of who to call, she saw a message from Kris and looking at the time, it was just a few minutes ago, maybe just right after he saw her get inside the house, Turn around if I can get inside, maybe some apple pie to share me? and another message, I mean for my son, Ace. Sorry. She couldn’t help to give a pained smile just by reading it knowing she didn’t turn around to say good bye at least, and she thought of the things that happened next, and without thinking she tapped on his number and called.

“Kris. . .he-help-“

*8*8*

Shutting her eyes closed, it was all black, trying to see- the blinding light made her eyes prick. She tried moving a finger, then her fingers and managed to move a hand, and before she could realize what’s happening, a voice interrupted her thoughts.

“Emi! God, thank God! How are you?” and again before she could gather her thoughts, warm palms were on her face, warming her cheeks, “Emi, you got me so worried seeing you like that! How are you? Is there anywhere that hurts, God tell me, Emi?”

All she could do was feel, stare, and hear. She felt lost, all she could think that matters now is she’s alive.

“Emi? Emi speak to me please, Emi?” the careful taps on her cheeks brought her back, and she was face to face with a face with a frown drowning down its forehead.

She put on a finger on it, brushing her thumb and trying to erase the frown.

“Don’t frown, it looks. . .ugly on your face.” She heard herself whisper, and she gave a chuckle.

The face stared at her, she couldn’t even understand it, until her face was pressed hard on broad hard chest of the man.

“Emi. . .” he was hugging her so tight, she couldn’t stop her tears, she felt cared. The hug was so arm she felt very safe.

“Thank you, Kris, thank you.” She managed to say between sobs.

“No, shhh, don’t thank me.” He whispered on her hair, as he draw circles on her back. “Does anywhere hurts? Tell me, God you scared me looking like that!”

“No, I feel good, but my back, my stomach, and my. . .” she ran her hand on her face and felt a few bandage tapes, “my face. . .”

“Don’t worry about them, you should lay down, I’ll just be here okay, the doctor said you’ll be perfect once they got healed.” He assisted her to lay down, and she gave a sigh, a sigh that made her release of all her worries.

Kris sat beside her bed; she was brought in a hospital. Taking a good look on her own body, she had quite a lot of bandages, she suddenly felt sore. Her entire body is in pain, at least she could move.

Glancing around, she caught the face of Kris still looking on her, she couldn’t even read his face that she laughed. “Where is Ace?” she waited for an answer but nothing came, his face didn’t change, “What’s with your face?” and suddenly it hit her. The look on his face wasn’t happy or anything that could be positive. His face was all worried, mad, frustrated, it was all negative. With all the bandages on her face, in her body, it was stupid but she’s thinking it; “It’s always your pretty innocent face Emi. . .” and now her face was damaged.

“Ahhhh, I look ugly now.” She laughed, touching her face, feeling the where the bandages are, “I’d get a lot of scars.” Seeing his face grew worse, more mad, or more annoyed, she looked down, laughing on her own.

“What?” he said with disgust, and upon realizing what she means, “Emi, look. No, it’s not that. I don’t care if you get your face all scared, you’re still you in my eyes. . .” he paused, Emi waiting for him to continue. “Who the did this to you?”

It was the anger, if not anger, worst than it- in his voice that suddenly made her cringed.

“It’s not a thief, or. . .” he struggled on the possible things that could happen, “no, Emi, whoever the did this to you has its own intention of hitting you or. . .dammit, Emi tell me!”

It was clear that he is mad, his words speak to it himself, Kris is the guy who would never curse, especially in front of a woman, and a teacher.

And somehow it made her feel good, that someone cared, she wanted to embrace it, but. . .

“No, it’s no use. Let us just forget it.”

“Forget it?” it came out like a curse, “Forget it? Are you kidding me Emi? I get a phone call, hearing you almost out of breath, and when I get in your house you’re all bloody on the floor, I thought you were. . .goddammit Emi, and you want us to forget all that fcuk?”

She was just quiet, staring on her hands.

“Emi, talk to me, I won’t let this ever happen again, tell me who the fcuk is it.”

“Kris, I think. . .”

“You think what? You know who did this to you? Seeing you all that, it was a bastard!”

“Yes, I know him.” She seems whispering, almot murmuring not wanting Kris to her her, but he did.

“You. . .know who did this to you?”

And she finally look at him with all seriousness, “Kris, let’s just stop this.”

“What? Stop this? Just because you know him we couldn’t let this just slip. Look Emi I don’t care who he is, he needs to be-“

“No, let’s stop all this.” her voice was so down, it sounded so defeated.

“Stop what?” he calmed down hearing her all confused.

“This, you and me, it’s stupid, let’s just stop this.” she couldn’t even look at him.

Kris scowled, “Where is this coming from? If you want me to forget that bastard who did this to you, okay fine, just don’t let-“

“Kris, this is hard, no, let’s just-“

“What’s hard? Emi, I know you are happy with me, I can see it, I can fcuking feel it, if there’s anything that’s making it hard to you let’s talk about it, we just started a few days, we could work all this things out,”

She didn’t respond, still looking down, and when he asked her to look at him, she refused.

“If this is about your face,” he even gave a laugh, “Emi I don’t care even if you burn your face okay, I still like you, dammit, and that’s stupid!”

She stayed still, but he can see her sobbing, “Emi?”

“I’m happy, yes. You don’t know how happy I am.” She struggled to say between sobs, “You don’t know how happy I was. Finally someone giving attention at me, finally someone cared for me, finally someone is eating lunch with me, having dinners with me, finally I can laugh without thinking of anything- to worry, and finally to be kissed like I am the most precious thing for him, Kris I am so happy, I never thought I’d be this happy again.”

“You’re not a thing, you’re a person. You’re the most important person to me now next to my son Emi,” he spoke too gentle, wanting her to know a fact.

“Kris it was just days since all this started! You can’t just put me in your pri-“

“Emi, for you it’s been just day.” He leaned down, making their faces so close, “For me it’s been years, since that day you got transferred to that school where Ace is, it’s only now that you became his teacher, and I had the courage to ask so. . . Emi, please,” wiping her tears with his thumb, “Don’t give me that sh!t ok?”

And with that, she had her face buried on her hands, shaking her head. “This is all too much for me; I don’t deserve any of this, no! No!”

He, who seemed to be calmer, held her hands out her face, “Who said you don’t? You deserve all the best in this world Emi, okay, so please Emi, don’t just give up on this, on u-“

“I’m afraid,” she couldn’t tell why, or to what she’s afraid of, all she wanted is to feel what she’s feeling now; the feeling of being cared, being important, and to be loved.

“Ssssh, no you don’t. I’m all here okay,” he was back at hugging her, making her calm.

*8*8*

She easily fell asleep, tired of all what happened. Kris was still there, watching her. She’s been asleep for hours now, and seems like he didn’t mind being there for her the entire night.

“Kris,” sudden whisper broke his thoughts and he went alert.

“Why? Anywhere hurts? Do you need anything?” he stood ready to get her anything she needs.

“No,” she laughed, and he calmed down, “Calm down, will you? Sit back there.”

“Fine,” like an obedient child he is, he did, “What now?”

“I was married.” she said out of a sudden, catching him off-guard.

“What?” he was lost, thinking she was day dreaming or something.

“I’ve been married, for almost 3 years, and we divorced.” she continued, she wanted it out before anything else; Kris deserves to know before he could want anything else from her. “I married him, I loved him so much, I know he was the one so when he asked me for marriage, I agreed. I thought we’d live like happily ever after.” She stared at the ceiling while talking, all he did was listen, and sure it shocked him to know all these revelations.

“But turns out not, something changed, I thought we are happy. I gave him everything, everything. . .but,” she turned to face him, “Kris, I don’t want you to be like him, you don’t deserve someone like me.” And tears again, started to stream down her eyes. “You deserve someone better. Someone that could make you happy, not like me okay? So now, I’m giving you time to just leave and-“

It was too late when he felt his lips crashed into her, and all she could do was kiss back; it was all too calm, reassuring, and warm. Tears streamed more from her eyes.

He pulled back, had their foreheads touching, “Listen to me Emi okay, I don’t care of your past and whoever he is. What matters to me is now, the three of us, and our future, okay? I can’t imagine him letting go of someone like you, you don’t deserve him.” And he gave him another lingering kiss, “So if that’s making you afraid, you don’t need to, I assure you, all you need is to be yourself, okay?”

I assure you, all you need is to be yourself

She wanted to cry, it was all too much for her, but she wanted it all out.

“He. . .”

He frowned, “He, who?” wiping away again her tears in her face.

“It’s not what I’m afraid the most, he. . .”

He pulled away frowning and face her with all his seriousness, “He?”

“He did this to me,” and the more she keeps it, the more nervous she gets.

“Who?”

“My ex-husband.”

I apologize, it's been decades I know. I don't have a valid explanation as to why updates has been late except that I am really being a busy mummy to my cute and adroable baby son as to all of you who doesn't know yet. To my ex-friend Rhea and Mrs. Junmyeonie, I know you miss Krissy here he is, so next is SHE.