---

 

Sooyoung's dad just returned to the hospital.

 

As he was walking down the hallway, he noticed several people with cameras sitting down on the waiting benches. Upon seeing how they look, Mr. Choi knew who are they right away.

 

Reporters won't just cut as some slack. What time is it?

 

The old man hurriedly walks but as he passes the nurse station, one of the reporters spotted him. Being one of the most prominent personalities in the world of business, the reporter knew who he was. They rushed to him and a surprising amount of flashes from camera startled Sooyoung's dad. Some even have camcorders rolling in.

 

"Mr. Choi, how's your daughter? is she safe?"

 

"Chairman, is it true that Sooyoung is in coma?"

 

"Do you already have any idea as who the woman who shot her is?"

 

 

Mr. Choi just covered his eyes with his hand. He's holding a large duffel bag and he just want to get out of these reporters' sight. He wanted to shout to all of them out of irritation of their mere presence but even that he cannot do. He just sighed and shrugged, telling the reporters he has no time to answer it. One concerned nurse called the hospital guards and advised the reporters to let the old man go. Mr. Choi can never be that thankful. He's about to turn to the direction were Sooyoung's room is located when one of the reporter's question didn't fail to reach his ears.

 

"Sir, is it true that the real target is Jessica-ssi?"

 

Mr. Choi shot a glare at that reporter who just asked. He shrugged and tightened his jaw.

 

"Stop it. My daughters are fine. We don't have any answers for you today. If you have any questions, we'll answer tomorrow."

 

Then he walked away despite the pandemonium the reporters are creating behind him. Mr. Choi is thankful that her daughter's room is at the corner of the hospital building. It's not that easily reached by the unwelcomed visitors like reporters. He gripped the handle of the door tightly, preparing to see his child once again, telling his self not to waver and be strong. As he's about to turn it, a nurse appeared with a lot of flowers on her arms. Mr. Choi noticed that there are other nurses walking towards him as well, some have food and some have plush toys and other items he failed to identify on their arms. They are struggling to contain them.

 

"Excuse me sir. But these are left by Ms. Sooyoung's fans tonight. What are we going to do with them?"

 

Fans? at this hour? They gave those items, at this hour?

 

Mr. Choi sighed and smiled. His daughter is really loved by many. The tension he felt in his chest suddenly lightens. He opened the door.

 

"You can bring them inside..please."

 

The nurses smiled and entered the room. Mr. Choi followed. They put the things inside the room and It nearly occupied the whole table. The nurses were kinda surprised that the couch has been moved near the patient's bed and Jessica is lying, facing Sooyoung while asleep. Sooyoung's dad was surprised as well. He placed the duffel bag on the chair and thanked the nurses.

 

"if her fans come, tell them Sooyoung is alright. Okay?"

 

The nurses smiled and left.

 

 

---

 

"Jessica.. don't leave me. Please. jaebal..."

 

"Forget it. we're through. We can't continue this.."

 

Jessica sighed. It was a sign of irritation. If there's one thing she's asking for, that would be for this man to let her go without too much drama.  The boy, standing 5'11', with handsome asian features knelt down and begged to the girl wearing a brunette tornado hair just outside her family's house in LA.

 

"Don't leave me..I love you.. you promised me we'll be together always. Did you already forget it? You promised!"

 

She gripped the strap of her bag and faced the guy, telling him to stand up and quit kneeling.

 

"Joon ho-yah.. don't you feel tired of..this? You're here, I'm there. All these years..I just realized this won't work."

 

The guy shook his head. Jessica continued.

 

"I'm leaving you. For good. It's for the better. I'm staying in Korea, i'll live my life there. So don't wait for me or follow me."

 

The guy is now seriously crying. Jessica felt something\s gripping her inside but she chose to supress it. Right now, she'll choose the carreer she always wanted to have. This is something she's only working hard for all these years and she just can't take this guy with her. The guy forcibly hugged her and attempted to grab her suitcase.

 

"I'm leaving. I'm sorry."

 

Jessica woke up with the scene of her leaving her first boyfriend in her head. She dreamt of it once again. She never dreamt of it recently but now it just re-appeared in her dream. It happened just like yesterday. Why are lonely and regretfull thoughts gather around when you least expect it? When you have one heavy situation in your hands already? Jessica shrugged and realized she woke up and she's no longer facing Sooyoung's bed, she's facing the couch's  back rest instead.

 

"Oh..you're awake.."

 

Jessica felt her whole body froze. It's that voice she never fails to recognize.

 

It can't be..

 

Jessica slowly faced the bed and faced the girl. She's awake!

 

"Soo..Sooyoung..."

 

The girl is sitting straightly and leaning her back on the backboard of the hospital bed. Her face is wearing a sweet smile, something Jessica always admire. Her face is glowing and she's dashing as ever, you won't notice something bad happened to her the night before.

 

"You've been sleeping. It's cute."

 

Jessica felt something's blocking her airways. She gasped, just looking surprised. Her eyes glued to Sooyoung's awaken image. Sooyoung reached for her and touched her face. Her tears met Sooyoung's hand. She brushed it away.

 

"I'm alright. Don't cry."

 

Sooyoung wrapped her arms around her, hugging him softly. Jessica felt her body and buried her face to the girl's shoulder. There are so many things she wanted to tell Sooyoung right away. But the hug just make her weak. Jessica hugged Sooyoung back and made her mind. She's telling the most important thing first..

 

"sooyoung-ah.. I...

 

I love you."

 

Sooyoung released her and their now face to face.

 

"I know. Thank you. That's all I wanted to hear.."

 

Then Sooyoung slowly disappeared right before her eyes. Like a smoke slowly becoming clearer. Jessica gasped and tried to hold Sooyoung. She failed.

 

"Sooyoung...!"

 

 

---

 

"Jessica.. Jessica.. wake up!"

 

Mr. Choi is now shaking her somewhat violently. Jessica spring up from the couch. Her eyes and face full of tears.  She faced the old man. She looked around. She's still at the same couch, same room.

 

It's just a dream.

 

Jessica buried her face on her palm and she sobs. She thought she's had enough tears to shed, but her hands are filling up with the warm fluid coming from her overly tired eyes. Mr. Choi pressed his hand on Jessica's shoulder.

 

"You're having a bad dream Jessica.." Mr. Choi said, comforting her.

 

"U..uncle.. Sooyoung.. Sooyoung..she's..."

 

"..she's alright." Sooyoung's dad continued.

 

The beep continuously filled the silence of the room. Jessica looked up and Sooyoung's still sleeping.

 

"I saw her..in my dream."

 

Mr. Choi's eyes widened and nodded. "Of course..

 

..she's just telling you she's doing perfectly fine.."

 

Jessica pressed her lips together. She can't break it to the old man.

 

..she felt as if Sooyoung is saying goodbye.

 

 

 

---

 

 

"Tell me what are you thinking...'

 

Yoona pleaded. The girl beside her just let out a hearty laugh, shook her head and brushed her black wavy hair with her fingers.

 

"You tell me.." Hana replied, in perfect Korean language and accent. She can even speak French, German, Spanish, Filipino.. for all she care. But right now, it's natural to speak this other girl's mother tongue.

 

She grabbed Bokshil who's biting something in the grass. "Yah, Bokshil..can you tell her??"

 

Both of the girls' feet and legs are soaked in the pool, dangling. It make several ripples.  While looking at the ripples caused by their dangling feet in the infinity pool, Yoona scowled. The talk she had with Sooyoung earlier brought so many unknown feelings to her. Something that only Hana can somehow answer or give light to.

 

After all, Hana is the Angel-slash-Gatekeeper.

 

Yoona leaned on the girl's shoulder "Hana.. I'm.. ugh..I don't think I can do my job well.."

 

Yoona felt Hana sighed and knocked her knuckle slightly on her skull.

 

"Yeah. It seems like it. You can't even tell her what her best friend told her...."

 

Yoona scowled once again. The pain of Hana knocking her head is incomparable to the unknown painful feeling she's having inside her.

 

"Ow.. what was that for??!"

 

"What makes you feel that way?" Hana pouted, creating a cute and adorable face. "Because you're troubled just as the girl upstairs?

 

She's talking about Sooyoung.

 

"Aish..that's baloney.." Hana chopped the wind with her straightened hand, like she's doing karate.

 

"Then tell me! You evil witch..."

 

Hana raised her left eyebrow and looked at Yoona as if what she said is offensive. Yoona poked her cheek to make up for what she just said and let out her high-pitched alligator laugh. Next thing they knew, both of them are laughing.

 

"Hana.. I really don't know. Why.. why am I being like this?"  Yoona sighed.

 

"You.. this is the only time you asked me anything...for help.."  Hana sweetly smiled. "I feel...happy."

 

Yoona pressed her lips together. True enough, she never asked anything to the girl before. And now that this angel is expressing her bare delight because she is seeking for her help, Yoona don't know if she should feel bad or if she should feel at the same way happy.

The truth is, Yoona has been accompanied by this angel, from the very start. For a reason Hana never revealed, she's always where Yoona went to-- at every single place, Like her own guide. Anyway, Yoona never asked  why this angel is with her always. Unlike any other lost soul, Yoona never asked why she was in here. Well, maybe she did but she keep it only to herself, despite Hana being able to completely read it out of her mind.

 

She is a such coward by not attempting to know.

 

"You really don't know.......?" Hana looked at Yoona. It's a rhetorical question. Yoona nodded.

 

"Okay. But do you really want me to tell you? huh? Yoongie?" Hana is challenging her.

 

Yoona pinched the girl's nose. Whatever her answer is, Hana is still determined to tell her.  After pinching Hana's nose real hard, she wrapped her arms around her and jumped on the pool, dragging both of their bodies. They are wearing their regular clothes, and they just jumped on the pool. Hana is so upset that her face become red despite her fairness.

 

"You!!! You always push people to the water!!!"

 

"Well..you're not one of the 'people', isn't it?"

 

"Aish!" Hana splashed water on Yoona's face. It's night time already and they just fell on the pool. What a nice way to be bothered by Yoona.

 

Yoona just laughed and swam around. Hana climbed out of the pool. The wind just makes her shiver. She scowled due to the coldness and Yoona just amusingly look at her. Yoona has gotten really comfortable with this girl, despite her nature. Yoona always think angels are unreachable and someone man would never understand, grasp or even feel. But here's this girl beside her looking and acting like a teenager. If that truth were not revealed earlier, she would've thought Hana's just yet another lost teenaged soul.

 

"I'll tell you now Yoona-ssi. Are you ready?"

 

Yoona reluctantly nodded. She wiped the water from her face.

 

Hana knelt down and faced Yoona.

 

"Do you know.. I'm actually Sooyoung's angel. She's dying. You should tell her everything...before it's too late Yoona-ssi."

 

Yoona felt her jaw drop. Her heart skipped a beat. She suddenly felt shivers down her spine.

 

"Tell everything, even your feelings, within 4 weeks time. I felt this is the only time I can tell you. Then when you're ready, I can tell anything about you as well.."

 

Hana reached for Yoona's face. Yoona felt it's unbelievable warmth.

 

"That won't make you sick. Climbed up already and talk to her.."

 

Hana let out a weak smile and turned back because she's about to go inside the house. Yoona found a remaining faculty in her brain that will be able to ask back after Hana's revelation.

 

"Is she..really..really..gonna be taken away?"

 

Hana sighed. "Well.. yeah."

 

"Can that be changed?"

 

Hana's eyebrows met. She looked back at Yoona.

 

"Don't think of crazy things..Yoona."

 

Yoona looked away. Hana walked away, shaking her head.

 

What can they do for love really make humans interesting..

 

---

 

 

 

 

You know what? I'm supposed to publish 5 chapters but BOOM. the files got corrupted. Ugh. So I'm doing my best to rewrite them. anyway, it's good to be back. It's raining real hard here in the Philippines and of course that means no classes! yay. I'll write now. Thank you for waiting!

-RAWRKILOVE <3