Hana

Yongbae and I talked for over an hour and a half. About yesterday, about how I got to that point. Why I didn’t go through with it… Everything. At the end of it all, we started talking about school. He had been told by JiYong that I wanted to go into art, and so he was asking me about my favourite artists, of course I told him, going into detail of my favourite pieces.

It wasn’t long after I started talking of my second favourite artist when there was a knock at the door and JiYong’s voice could be heard on the other side. Yongbae simply told him to come in and gestured for me to continue. JiYong sat down next to me and smiled, not saying anything more.

“So… Hana…” Yongbae starts after I am finished ranting, “I think it is time that we start you on your medication.”

JiYong looks at me, mouth wide open in shock, “You’re not on medication yet?”

Simply shaking my head, Yongbae tells him why.

“At the university, I have to get parental permission to medicate students under the age of nineteen for legal reasons. As Hana had been eighteen when we started our counselling I wasn’t able to give her the medication she needed in order to help her without her mother’s consent. Of course, her mother was – is – still in denial about the entire thing.” He sighs, “Now, however, with Hana coming up to her nineteenth birthday after the exam period and completely understanding of what can happen in a complete breakdown, she is able to come to the conclusion if she wants it or not. But… I can’t give it to her legally until after her birthday.”

“Ah…” JiYong sighs, “I think you should take it… But that’s just me.”

Yongbae nods, “We will give you a low dose of anti-depressants. And in order to limit your break downs we will need to make some life style changes.”

“What?” I ask, “What sort?”

He looks at JiYong, and the other looks just as confused as me.

Am I not going to see JiYong anymore?

“I am recommending that you change to a degree that you would be interested in. I hear that there are some good art degrees opening at the beginning of next semester... I also think that you should be excused from exams…”

“What! No!” I shout, standing up, “I have to do this course. I have to do the exams… My… My mother will…”

My chest tightens. Breathing becomes harder.

JiYong reacts faster than Yongbae, wrapping his arms around my waist. “It’s okay.” He says my hair, “You don’t need to worry about that. You don’t need to become an accountant… You should do what you want… Not what she wants.”

I nod slowly. I know that. I do… I just… I don’t want to disappoint her more than I already do. I take deep breaths.

“Hana…” Yongbae calls, and I look up at him. “There is one more thing that I think your health would benefit from.”

I hum, “Yeah?”

Looking at his feet he sighs, “Normally, I tell my patients to use this time to become closer with their family. But in some cases, it is the family that triggers the worst of the mental break downs. In cases like that, in cases like yours,” he looks up, “I recommend that you try to lessen your contact with them.”

I frown at him. “What?”

“I think, I mean, I know, that it will be hard. But you must, Hana, for your health. Limit contact with your mother. Especially after what happened yesterday.”

Sighing, I shake my head.

Could I really do that?

Tao

Hana has been a lot better since her session with Yongbae. She still came to the last of the classes – even though Yongbae and JiYong try to tell her not to. But she no longer paid much attention. She drew rather than taking down notes. Which I think was her way of compromising between them and her mum. Even though they don’t speak anymore and she doesn’t know Hana’s plans to change degrees next session…

After she had fallen asleep on that day, JiYong and I decided that we didn’t need to know Hana’s answer until she was ready to give it. So we haven’t been pressuring her with more dates or anything since her incident. I feel that for me there would be no point anyway. I mean, it is rather obvious by the way she reacted back then when she saw him… Just the way she had looked up at him while crying… I felt my heart break, I am sure I did, but in the pit of my stomach I knew that I never really had that chance with her. There was no point in even trying to begin with. I guess I just wanted to know what it would be like to be with her in a more romantic sense.

In a way, it was the same as before. But… It was nice while I could pretend we could be more.

Hana taps my shoulder, “Yongbae just asked if I could bring you to my session today, apparently he has something important to tell me and wants you to know too.”

I nod, “Sure,” smiling I look at my watch, “we should leave soon then.”

She hums an affirmative before packing away her books and pencils. Once she is finished she nods tells me to hurry up with one of her small smiles.

“Where is JiYong today?” I ask, folding my papers and placing them into my bag.

“Oh… He said that he had something to today. I think he mentioned his friend Heechul… I don’t know though. He was running out the door when I asked.”

I shrug, “Fair enough.”  With all my stuff in my Gucci bag I stand up, “Let’s go meet with Yongbae.”

JiYong

“Are you serious?” I ask, not smiling at all, it can’t be real. It’s a prank. It has to be.

“Why wouldn’t we be serious Mister Kwon?” the man behind the desk says, handing me a file. “It is up to you though.”

I take the paper, reading through it. This is when I can’t hide my happiness. “Thank you,” I bow, “Thank you so much, you won’t regret this!”

The man chuckles. “I doubt I would.”

Tao

“What?” She asks. The all colour in her face draining away.

“I am sorry Hana… There was… is nothing we can do, or anything he can do…” Yongbae sighs, and I wrap my arms around Hana’s shoulders.

“Why…?” her breathing becomes shallow. “C…Couldn’t he… Couldn’t…”

Yongbae rubs her back. “I tried to convince them while I was on the phone… But there was nothing I could do to stop them.”

“But…” I start, watching as tears threaten to fall from Hana’s eyes, “Isn’t this his job?”

Shaking his head Yongbae sighs, “Technically his job ended last week… This is study break now. He has no more ties here except you…”

Hana falls from her chair and onto her knees. Into my arms.

“I am sorry Hana, but, in a way, this could be for the best…” Yongbae says, “JiYong wouldn’t have been able to pay rent anymore and would still have to look for another job anyway. Plus the chance that he would be allowed to live on campus as well… it was low…”

I take over rubbing Hana’s back as she attempts to breathe evenly. As she fights back the tears that are starting to fall. I can see her fighting the urge to do something.

“I am sure he will come back Hana. I am sure he will…” I whisper. Although… I don’t know if he really will… I seriously hope he does… I seriously hope he knows what his doing.

You’re an idiot JiYong.

A/N:: Stay tuned for the end guys. Lots of love.