XXI – Back To The Present

They could have been happy. They could have been together until now. It should be blissful. It shouldn’t be like this. He couldn’t have been hurt. They wouldn’t have been suffering. If only she didn’t left.

Their relationship should be perfect. Not until her parents found out.

“I have all the evidence,” Madame Park slide a manila envelope on top of the table. They met up on a coffee shop near her apartment where she blocked her when she was about to go to the underground.

Dara looked at the envelope skeptically before opening it. Her eyes widen in shock as she rummaged through the contents of the file. There showed a flash drive, some report and photos of the gang in the activities in the underground. Those stuff is already enough to put them behind bars.

“I will give you two choices, my dear daughter. You will come with us to US and leave your so called friends. And I’ll let them be in their…business. Or, you can stay but I will make sure your friends will rot in jail with these evidences as a proof? I heard that there’s a minor one. What’s her name again? Gong Minzy? Poor child, she will spent her life in misery if she will be involved with this?” her mother pointed at the evidences in her hands with a wicked smile.

“You’re so cruel. I’m your daughter! Why are you doing this to me?” she cried.

Madame Park tilts her head to the side as she stares at her. “Exactly, Sandara. I’m your mother. I’m just doing what’s the best for you,” she said.

“And taking away my happiness is the best for me?” she sobbed painfully.

Left with no choice, Sandara left the underground without a word. She chose to leave so her friends that she already treat as her family will have a peaceful life in freedom. Even though she knew it will hurt them nonetheless. Especially GD. She sacrificed her happiness for them.

She came with her parents and they live in US. During her stay, she just drank all night and gives cold shoulders to her parents. She gave them a hard time and doesn’t talk to them. She became stubborn and a constant headache. Not until her parents met the accident that took away their life. It became a wake-up call for her.

She straightens her life and went back to her study while managing their business in the process. She became workaholic to the point she had forgotten to take care of her health. Then, one time, she had suffered from severe headache and fainted inside her office. Paramedics came and she was sent to the hospital immediately.

She never notices that she already showing some symptoms. She thought it was only a simple headache. She never knew it was already something serious. Her doctor dropped the bad news once she woke up from unconsciousness. She had developed tumor on her brain.

She was heartbroken and scared at the same time.

All she thought was her friends and GD. She cried hard. She had plans. She wanted to go back to Seoul. She wanted to return to them. But with her condition right now, it might be impossible.

She undergone operation to remove the tumor and prevent it to develop more to cancer. She thought it was successful. The doctor said it was successful but before she planned to fly back to Seoul, she recognized the symptoms again. She returned to the hospital and had another examination. It will just deliver to her once she landed to Seoul.

Dara cried again looking at the medical record in her hands. It was written in bold capital letters.

PATIENT’S NAME: PARK, SANDARA

DIAGNOSED: POSITIVE OF ACUTE BRAIN TUMOR

RECOMMENDATION: IMMEDIATE SURGERY

How can this happen to her? Why her? Is this the payment for all her sins? What is she going to do? What about her friends who are still oblivious of her condition or the truth? Except V.I. What about GD? She is just starting to take him back. She was ready to take him back.

But with this, is right thing to do? Can she still get him back when she’s going to leave again if ever?

“What should I do?” she asked to no one helplessly.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Noona?” V.I found Dara inside the underground seating in lost in front of the bar. She had a faraway looked in her eyes and she looked down. He can only think of one thing why she’s acting this way. It’s his GD hyung again. But V.I cannot blame GD. He was hurt.

V.I walks up to her and seat beside her. When Dara turns to her, tears immediately pooled her eyes. Finally! Someone who knows everything.  Someone she can turn into. Someone she can trust and tell everything without lying.

The maknae was startled and got alarmed when fresh tears flowed down on her cheeks.

“Dara-noona? Why are you crying?” he asked. Dara didn’t answered and bury her face in his chest and cried even more.

Though confused, V.I wrapped his arms around her hoping it will help her somehow feel comfort. He even didn’t care if his shirt was all drench with her tears. He just wants to at least help her to take away some for her pains.

“What happened noona? Is GD hyung—“  Dara cut him off and told him the reason why i