I was busy making phone interviews to the people I need for my next article when it rang once I ended the last call I just had. “This is Song Rae In, speaking.” I said in my usual welcoming spiel on professional duty.

“This is from Seoul Medical Hospital. There is an emergency regarding Ms. Han Dan Mi and you were the last person she contacted so we decided to call you.”

“What?! What happened to Dan Mi?!” I just couldn’t control the sudden burst of emotion that came to me as soon as I heard about my bestfriend being in the hospital. Who wouldn’t feel anxious anyway?

“She and her daughter were involved in a hit and run incident and she was rushed in the emergency room. I can’t explain to you everything in detail over the phone. You need to come here immediately.”

“Alright, I’m coming!” Without any other thing in mind, I ended the call, took my things and went out of the house. I needed to be there. I needed to see my bestfriend. There was no other people who would look after her. Her parents were dead, and her husband also got into an accident and died. There was no other person she could rely on. It was only me.

I came rushing to the hospital. “I’m Han Dan Mi’s friend. Where can I find her?” My voice was shaking and I was already in the verge of tears. I wasn’t feeling good about what’s happening. My heart felt heavy, and it seemed like something’s not going to be alright. I was hoping it was just because I was so worried.

“She is still in Emergency-“ I didn’t even let the nurse finish her words. I rushed to where the emergency room is located.

“Auntie!!!” The loud cry from a sweet little girl welcomed me as I stepped into the hallway towards the emergency room. “Auntie! Umma’s still inside… she’s… she’s…” Dan Mi’s 6 year old daughter, Dannie, cried as she ran towards me and hugged me tightly. I knelt down to hug her back though her clothes were stained with so many bloods. She had a plaster on her right elbow.

“Don’t cry, Dannie, umma’s gonna be alright.” I hushed her though I was in panic myself. The situation didn’t look fine at all. Dannie almost got blood around her body though her wound was just on her right elbow. I was thinking those blood were from Dan Mi. As I looked up, I saw three police officers standing not so far from where we were. I stood up, held Dannie in one hand, and went to the Police.

“What happened, sir?” I asked, voice still shaking.

“It was serious.” The police only replied. “They were crossing the road when a van suddenly came speeding up and hit them. We alerted all police troupes regarding the van’s plate number. Soon, we are going to get whoever caused this accident.”

“How about my friend? Will she be okay? How serious was her injury?”

“According to the initial findings, she had a huge injury on her ribs, and there’s a possibility for brain damage. The doctor said she had a bad fall and her head was badly affected.”

“Oh my, this is not happening.” Tears went down on my face as soon as I heard about what happened. It sounded really bad, heck, the way I imagined it was already horrible. I was hoping it could still be possible. Oh please, let her be… just let her…

Just then a group of doctors came out of the emergency room. I rushed. “Doc, is she okay now?”

There was only silence, and I felt a sudden hush of cold wind embracing me all throughout. I looked at the doctors, trying to wait patiently to whoever will talk first.

“I’m sorry…” The doctor in the middle finally spoke after few more seconds. Sorry… he could only feel sorry for one apparent reason. “We did our best, but the bleeding on her brain was incontrollable. I’m sorry, we were not able to save her.”

“What?! No. No. No, doctor. You’re kidding. This isn’t true. Tell me this isn’t true.”

“I’m sorry.” Another doctor said, and though it was still hard to believe, man… I just couldn’t believe this is happening.

“Auntie?” Dannie went to me. She was shaking. Her tears were about to fall again. “Is umma…”

I knelt down, clearing up myself and made up my mind not to cry and look horrible in front of this little angel. “Dannie-ah…” I called softly, trying hard not to show any hint of weakness in front of her.  “Umma… she is…”

“Is she dead?” Dannie was really an intelligent girl. She knew what was happening, and she knew the possibility knowing she saw how bad her mom went. “Auntie… is umma…”

“She’s going to heaven.” Every word was painful, but I was trying to use the most soothing words possible, though I didn’t believe words could ease her pain as of the moment. She just lost her mother, and she had lost her father, too.

“She left me? Why did umma go without me? How about me, auntie? Appa went to heaven as well… why did they leave me here alone?” I couldn’t do anything but hug her. I didn’t know any words to say. Nothing could lift her up. It was too painful, and I could feel it.

“Auntie’s here… Auntie’s gonna take care of you. I promised umma I’ll be your mommy whenever she isn’t around, right?”

Suddenly, I felt her hug tightened. I realized that right at that moment, I became her everything, and there was no one to take good care of her but me. This little girl over here, she didn’t need to experience all these painful events at her age.