Chapter 67

All his family member & friends were already at the airport, waiting to bid him farewell. They didn’t know that he had turned at the last minute to go back to the hospital. He just couldn’t help but see her once more before leaving. Putting his bags on the ground, Jejung walked over to Tiffany’s bed. He sat down on the bed beside her & took her hand in his. He pressed something within her palm. It was her pink rose pouch. He had been stitching it back together & cleaning it since the incident at the park. He remembered how relieved he was that he had saved every last rose petal. He wrapped her fingers around it & then proceeded to tie his own blue & black rose pouch at his belt loop.

When he was done, he reached out for her hand again, & wrapped his around it. A tear fell from beneath his lid as he bent over to kiss her on the lips, “I’m going to miss you so much, Miyoung. How I wish that you could go with me too, but the doctors said that they just couldn’t risk removing you from the hospital.” He said, against before sitting up straight again. He glanced down at her hand that was wrapped around the rose pouch, “I’m sorry for all that I did at the park, for the things I said, for hurting you so much.” He took in a deep breath & wiped away his tears with his sleeve, “My promise might have been broken once but they are imprinted in my mind, heart & soul once again. I want you to know that I love you so much, dearly & truly. I have always loved you & will continue to love you even more for the rest of our lives. We survived all these trials in our life but still, we have been brought together once again. This has to mean something to you. Destiny wants us to be together.”

Tiffany didn’t utter a sound. All that could be heard was the steady beat of the heart rate & brain activity being monitored. He her hand that was carrying the rose pouch, “Our rose pouches are still here. They have survived everything as well. Know that I will never take away rose park or destroy it. Never. It’s waiting for us to return to just as the rose pouch is waiting for you to tie it against you once again.” There was still no responses given by Tiffany.

He kissed her lips again, “I have to leave now. I promise that I will be back very soon so don’t leave while I’m gone okay?” Holding her hand for a minute longer, he then let go & walked over to the CD player at the windowsill. He opened his CD cover & inserted the CD in, pushing play. As the first song started playing, Jejung picked up his bags & took one last glance at Tiffany at the door before closing the door quietly behind him.

The hand around the rose pouch suddenly moved & tightened around it. Jejung got into his car & started driving away, not daring to look back, afraid that he wouldn’t be able to leave again. A nurse walked into the room just as Jejung left the hospital. The vase of flowers she was holding dropped from her grasps as she saw Tiffany’s eyes flutter & her hands twitch. One glance at the heart monitor, she saw that it was beating frantically.

The nurse started yelling like never before. She dashed out of the room & cried out, “Doctor!” Tiffany’s body started having spasms but still, her eyes didn’t open. Dr. Kang rushed in while some nurses proceeded to press Tiffany’s body to the mattress as he checked her vitals. Placing his stethoscope on her, his eyes widened, “Prepare an operating room stat.” A stretcher came into the room & two orderlies lifted Tiffany’s still twitching body onto it & she was wheeled out of her room, her hand still clutched tightly around her rose pouch.

Sunny was the last one to hug Jejung before he boarded, “I know you always think that I hate you but I don’t. I’m just very protective of Tiffany. She’s my best friend, you know?” Jejung smiled knowingly, “So, you just go on your tour & leave Tiffany to us. She will be as good as new by the time you come back. Nothing is going to happen to her because she wouldn’t want me to end up as an old maid either.” Jejung chuckled at her last words, “Thank you Sunny, for your friendship, for everything.” Sunny reached up & kissed him on the cheek & then drew back from his arms to land a punch on his shoulder. Jejung grimaced slightly. Some things just never changed, “Go wow your fans in Japan. We will look forward to your return.” Siwon said, as he stepped behind Sunny, placing his hands on top of her shoulder. Jejung nodded & waved goodbye to them all at the gate, leaving with Yunho.

The group left the airport together. They were just saying their own individual goodbyes when Siwon’s smart phone suddenly rang, “Hello?” He said. He recognized the voice of Tiffany’s doctors, “Hi, Dr.” His eyes turned as round as saucers as he took in the news, “Are you serious? We will be there right away.” Sunny was scratching his bare arms, drawing some blood in her anxiousness to know what happened, “What’s wrong? Is something wrong with Tiffany? Tell me?” Keunsuk, Sooyoung & the Kim’s were all looking at him with worried faces, “It’s Tiffany, she started moving after Jejung left. Her body started having abnormal spasms & was taken to the operating room immediately.” Mrs. Kim clung onto her husband, holding him for support as she took in the information.

Keunsuk grabbed Sooyoung’s hand & started running with her towards their car as did Mr & Mrs. Kim. Siwon made a move to take Sunny’s hand & do the same thing but she hesitated, looking back at the airport entrance, “What’s wrong? Let’s go.” Siwon said urgently. Sunny looked into Siwon’s anxious face & into his eyes, “Don’t you think that we should let Jejung know? Do you think he’s taken off yet?” Sounds of airplanes leaving their respective runways could be heard overhead. Siwon & Sunny, both looked up into the sky to see a plane start its ascent. Siwon shook his head & pointed to the plane overhead, “I think Jejung is on that plane. He’s not going to be able to make it back now.” Sunny nodded sorrowfully, “Okay, let’s go then. We will call him as soon as he reaches Japan.” Siwon nodded too, & grabbed her hand to run towards his car. They made it to the hospital in record time.

Keunsuk paced about as Sooyoung & Mr. Kim comforted Mrs. Kim. Siwon walked up to Keunsuk & patted his shoulder to tell him he was there. Keunsuk nodded in acknowledgement, “How long has she been in there?” Siwon asked, “The nurse that came out earlier told us that it’s been about an hour since Tiffany’s been in there. That’s all we know. They didn’t give us many details.” Siwon pursed his lips & nodded. Sunny stood at the door to the operating room & tried her best to peer inside. Siwon smiled at her & went up to take her hand, turning her around to face him. He lifted her tearstained face up for her to meet his eyes. He bent down to kiss her gently on the lips.

When he pulled away, he was startled to see that she was really crying hard right now. He wrapped his arms around her waist. Sunny willingly placed her arms around his neck to hug him close to her as she sobbed on his shoulder, “She will be okay, right?” Siwon kissed the top of her head, smoothing her short blonde hair.

“She will be fine. It’s normal for a body to suddenly experience shocked as the body’s nerves are awakened & start doing everything at once.” Sunny pulled away from him slightly to look into his eyes, “Is that true? You are not just making this up right, NRD?” Siwon chuckled & wiped away the tears that formed in her eyes, “It’s true. I would never dream of lying to you.”

With his words, she allowed herself to relax & just enjoy being in his arms. They stayed that way until the lights finally turned off & the doctors came out with the nurses, wheeling Tiffany out from behind them. They all had wide smiles on their faces, “She has come out of critical condition & is just fine now.” Mrs. Kim let out a happy wail as she ran alongside the stretcher with Tiffany’s hand clasped in hers, “Oh Tiffany, sweet Miyoung.” She said, & sure enough, as the whole family along with Sunny & Siwon seated themselves within Tiffany’s new hospital room, devoid of any EKG & brain wave machines, Tiffany opened her eyes for the first time in eight months. Sooyoung, who was sitting beside her at the time, gasped out loud, “Tiffany, you are finally awake!” She leaned forward to hug Tiffany lightly. Then she pressed the button to alert the nurses & doctors. They all gathered around her. She smiled as she heard the voices that surrounded her bedside but the first words out of was, “Jaejoong Oppa.”

Dr. Kang put the x-ray up to the light board so that Tiffany can see it clearly. He pointed to the small dark mass above her eyes, “You see this? This is the blood clot. It’s miraculously reduced in size during the time you were comatose for the last few months. Your last fall also moved the clot a couple of millimeters.” Dr. Kang looked at Tiffany’s confused expression & laughed lightly, “What I’m trying to say is that the clot has moved to a less precarious position & is now at a place operable.” Tiffany gasped.

“Are you saying that it can be removed & I will be able to see again?” It almost seemed too much to hope for, “Yes, the surgery will be a very simple one. It can be removed completely in about an hour & your vision will be corrected.” Tiffany was in a state of wonder, “I will be able to see again!” She said, out loud but inside, she rejoiced in the possibility of being able to see Jejung again, to be able to read his eyes & expression. She would also be able to see her babies. Her mind made up, Tiffany nodded, “I want to do the operation.”

“I was hoping that you would say that.” Dr. Kang opened his desk drawer & took out some paperwork typed in braille. He put it in front of her. Tiffany felt for the papers, mouthing the words as she read with her hands. When she got to the lines that asked for her signature, she didn’t even hesitate as she signed. Dr. Kang smiled as he closed her file & got up to help Tiffany out. He handed the file to his secretary outside, “If all goes as planned, you will be having your surgery in three days. You will be instructed to not eat & only drink water before the surgery date.”

Tiffany smiled happily. She went with her instinct & hugged the doctor tightly. Dr. Kang was startled by her embrace but hugged her back, “Thank you so much for everything, Dr. Kang.” Tiffany said, “It was my pleasure.” Dr. Kang replied back, as he retreated, “Do you need someone to you back to your room?” Tiffany shook her head, “Sunny’s supposed to be in the waiting room. Sunny?!” She called out. Dr. Kang looked out to his seating area & spotted Sunny walking up to them. Sunny came up beside Tiffany to take her arm, “So, what’s up?” Tiffany embraced Sunny tightly, “I’m going to be able to see again.” Sunny looked at her in surprises. Tiffany nodded vigorously.

“The operation is going to be in three days. I will be able to see again.” Sunny continued to look at Tiffany in shock & then she started jumping up & down with her, “Oh my gosh. That’s so great, girl.” A thought came to her & Sunny stopped in mid jump, “Oh my gosh, Jejung Oppa. Are you going to tell him?” Tiffany shook her head again, “No, don’t tell him. I’m standing firm in my decision on not telling him anything.” Tiffany smiled as if deep in thought, “I don’t want to take him away from his fans. He needs to be where he’s at right now.” Sunny pinched Tiffany’s cheek lightly & laughed, “I just don’t understand you but okay, I will play along.” Tiffany laughed too, & they bid their farewell to the doctor & left for their room. Sunny had managed to let the hospital admit her for a few more days so that she could stay with Tiffany, “It’s going to be hard to keep it from Oppa. He’s going to go ballistic when he comes back. He was really against leaving you in the first place. He really does love you very much, you know?” Sunny said, as she sat cross-legged across from Tiffany on her bed. Tiffany nodded, “I know.” She closed her eyes & thought about Jejung, “But it’s for the best.”