Chapter 3: Fighting

Today is like any normal day in the hospital. I went to have a round check-up of my patients. I’m a cardiologist and my patients' cases vary from hypertensive, rheumatic and ischemic heart diseases. Some were children in their early childhood and most were elders in late 60’s. Basically, I meet a lot of people in a day.

To finish my round check-up, I went to this room, the room I always visit into. It was a typical hospital room with a bed and heart monitor. But you know what made every visit of mine different?

It was because of the person inside.

She’s Haneul. She was my first patient ever since and till now, she’s here. Haneul is someone whom I treat special, she’s the one I talk to, share stories and cook for. She already made a special place in my heart in that long span of time. She has Marfan Syndrome and thus, it is hard to know the possibility of living but fortunately, she’s still surviving.

I remembered one time we had a conversation where she once said she has a family. When her husband knew about her condition, he left her. Actually that didn’t really broke her heart, it was the fact that her husband is dying to leave her since the day they knew she can’t bear a child. She really cried hard that time and I can’t help but have my heart broken as well. Haneul is a strong woman. She’s fighting for her to have the chance to see her husband again.

Today, I saw her reading the book I gave her the other week, it was “For One More Day” by Mitch Albom. I checked her vitals before sitting down beside her.

She closed the book and looked at me “Minho, how long has it been since I came here?”

I smiled “I guess, it was eight years since then”. It was eight years since I handled her case, though she really didn’t stayed in the hospital for all those years for she always goes home when her condition permits but this month has been indefinite so I advised her to stay in the hospital.

She nodded. She then held my hand and said “Aren’t you going to introduce me your ‘someone special’?” I looked at her confused. “It has been eight years and not even once I saw you with someone, unless if it were your childhood friends” she explained.

“But, I don’t have time for things like that.” I said

She shook her head “No, Minho. You have all the time you want to find ‘her’, you’re not someone like me, aren’t you?” she tighten her grip on our hands.

“I really don’t----“ she then placed her pointing finger on my lips to shut me up.

“I feel that you’ll find her this time or maybe you found her already but your heart is still in turmoil” she smiled at her thought “Whatever it is, you have to make sure that I’ll meet her. My time is limited and you better do your moves fast” and with that she patted my head.

“I’ll be going then. Goodbye, Haneul!” I said and went to the door. She waved and smiled, I waved back and replied with a smile too.

I went to my office to have lunch and do my research as well. My phone beeped and I checked it, it was a message from Sungyeol.

“Bro, are you going to attend the restaurant’s 5th anniversary today? Call or text me if you can so I can reserve the seats.”

Oh yeah! I almost forgot that today is the fifth anniversary of our restaurant, how can I forget such special date? I hurriedly sent my reply saying I would. I went to Chief Eunhyuk to tell him about the sudden schedule and he permitted me to go.

Before, finishing my duty, I went to check on Haneul again and she was in deep slumber, I raised the blanket up to her shoulders and kissed her forehead. I turned her bedside lamps off and went out.

When I was about to go, I saw someone familiar. Oh right, that’s Sulli, but why is she here? I don’t know but as if my feet have its own control, I went to check her.

“Hi” was all I can say. She looked shocked with my presence. She smiled “Hello Doctor Choi”.

I can’t say anything, my words and sentences were all hiding. I literally had a mental blackout. Finally, I managed to say “Uhmm…why are you here? Aren’t you supposed to be in a mall preparing for tonight?” lucky thing was, I made it without stuttering.

She looked confused “What about tonight?” she asked, just then my phone beeped again, I immediately excused myself and checked it. It was a message from Sungyeol again.

“Oh and don’t forget to bring a date!”

With that sentence, I had another mental blackout. Sulli might’ve noticed it and she called my attention “Doctor Choi?”

“Uh.. sorry. The restaurant would be celebrating its anniversary tonight and I suppose you should be invited right?”

She smiled “Ah, that! But I don’t think I’m really needed there, besides I’m not prepared and I don’t think I received an invitation.” She laughed. Oh my goodness, her laugh is heavenly.

“But you already look pretty the way you are” I whispered

“What was that, Doctor Choi?”