I do become Valedictorian just like she says. I graduate with my Bachelors in Pre-med at the top of my class and continue on at Oxford School of Medicine in England. My mom is delighted my dad is elated. I just want to be home so I can visit MinYung. I only get to sit with her in her hospital room on holidays and summer vacations when I am not taking summer courses so I can graduate sooner. Our only contact now is in dreams.

Being a med student sleep is a precious commodity rarely seen. It will only get worse as I do my residency. Sometimes I am so tired when I fall asleep that I don’t dream at all. Minnie says when that happens I don’t have the energy to expend to let her in. I haven’t talked to her in over a month. I miss my friend.

I’ve been trying to do as she asked me and live a normal life. I have had girlfriends. They never last because of my schedule. They don’t understand why I push myself harder than the other med students they know. I tried explaining about MinYung but that just causes jealousy. I had one girl tell me I am in love with a corpse and tried to make me choose between Minnie and her. She was unreasonable and inconsiderate. Minnie was not only my best friend but the catalyst to my life’s purpose. I chose Minnie and I don’t regret that.

“Long time no see Dr. Kwon”

“I’m not a doctor yet. I’ll get there though.”

“I worry about you Ji.”

“I know but I am keeping my promise. I am living a normal life. As normal as a med student can really.”

“You don’t eat enough. You have always been thin but this is different.”

“You sound like my mom.”

“Good then maybe you will eat more! I shall learn to nag.”

“Good God No! I’ll become an insomniac!”

“You have been warned! You better start gaining some weight or you will never have a peaceful nights rest.”

My alarm clock buzzes to get me going for my next round of classes. The days are grueling but I will make it. I have to make it. There is a woman waiting for me. She is a woman now. It has been 14 years since the accident. She has been in a coma for 14 years. I have to finish school. I have to complete my residency. I have to become a neurosurgeon. I will keep my promise.

“Paging Dr. Kwon you are needed in Surgery Room 3”

And there goes my idea of going out to lunch. I’ll just grab something from the vending machine to shove in my face on the way to scrub up. Residency but I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything in the world. Going through your Residency while you still attend classes for your practice is even harder. That is what I am doing.

My father thinks I am nuts. My mother sends me food because she thinks I am starving. I just want more than 3 hours of sleep a night. Minnie lets me rest. I haven’t spoken to her in a year. A YEAR! I try not to think about it but how can you not? I spent 16 years talking to her almost every night. How am I supposed to get used to the silence?

3 hours of surgery and I lose my patient. I have never had someone die on me before. What is worse is having to look the ones they love in the eye and tell them that their sister, lover, mother, daughter, friend, didn’t make it. That is the worst feeling in the world. I am still on call but the hospital gave me the rest of the night off at least. I am going to sleep damn it.

“I’m sorry I made you miss me”

“You don’t know just how much I needed to talk to you today.”

“You are pushing yourself too hard. You expect too much.”

“I took an oath to save lives. I am responsible for doing just that.”

“You are not God Ji. You do all that you can but the decision on who lives and who dies is not yours. Don’t take on so much.”

“I know I am not God Minnie! I am not trying to be. I am trying to be the best doctor I can. I have to! I made a promise to you.”

“You were a 10 year old heartbroken boy with a guilt complex. I am not holding you to any promise.”

“I am holding MYSELF to my promise and you better not give up on me! You have to fight every day to stay alive Kang MinYung. You have to try to get better!”

“It has been an eternity. I am tired Ji. Let me go.”

“NO!”

“Find a good woman, marry her, have children and live a happy life. Please. Stop pushing yourself so hard.”

“How DARE you! You don’t speak to me for a YEAR and you come back to me telling me to let you GO! YOU! you for feeling sorry for yourself! I have done everything you have ever asked of me. EVERYTHING! The only thing I want from you is for you to TRY and you are giving up on me because you’re TIRED! You don’t think I am ing tired? I am EXHAUSTED!”

“Be angry with me. Hate me if you want. This will be the last dream I visit. If you won’t let go of me I will have to abandon you. You are not living. If you love me at all you will LIVE. It is the one thing I cannot do. I have been and always will be your friend. I love you Kwon Jiyong. Take care of yourself.”

I woke up like I had been forced from my own dream. I tried going back to sleep. I couldn’t. I tried taking a sleeping pill and I slept the dreamless sleep of the dead. That was the last time I dreamed of Minnie. My residency is over. I am done with school. I am officially Dr. Kwon Jiyong Neurosurgeon. I am on my way home to Itaewon to keep the promise of a 10 year old boy.

“Son I will let you try whatever you want because at this point there are no other options for her. She has been this way for too long. Nothing has been working. I just want you to keep a level head when you do this. I know you have residual guilt about Minnie’s accident but it was just that, and accident. You are not responsible.”

“This isn’t about that dad. I became a neurosurgeon like you because I want to help. I understand that I can’t help everyone. I may not even be able to help her. I have to try.”

“Alright”

Walking into her room again is like being thrown back in time. The machines have been updated. The room has been remodeled. Even with those changes, it is the same. She has aged into a beautiful woman. She still looks like Snow White. Her hair is still jet black over her pale skin and red lips. Her face is as youthful as the child she used to be. She is surrounded by every stuffed teddy bear I have ever given her. There is one for every birthday, White Day, Valentine’s Day, and Christmas for 19 years. She looks like she could get up and walk if she chose. I wish that were true.

None of the machines she is attached to are for life support. She still breathes on her own and her heart is as strong as it ever was. The machines monitor her brain functions and give her the nutrients her body needs to keep going. Looking at her charts there is no medical reason that I can see for her still being in the coma. Her brain functions are absolutely normal.

“I know you can hear me. This is Kwon Jiyong. That is Dr. Kwon Jiyong now, I am a neurosurgeon like I said I would be. I have been looking over your chart my dear MinYung and I must tell you that your case is puzzling at best. There is no medical reason for you to remain this way.”

I watch the machines as I talk to her. She can hear me and I know she understands what I am saying to her. I grab her hand and squeeze it gently. The machines respond. She can feel me touch her. She doesn’t need a doctor. All these years what she needed was a good kick in the pants. I lean over her hospital bed and take a good look at her face. She has grown into a beautiful woman.

“Open your eyes Kang MinYung. You don’t need a doctor. You are scared. You are still a scared 10 year old little girl inside. You are a grown woman now Minnie. There is a life out here waiting for you that you have to be brave enough to live. I want to show you the world you have been missing.”

The kiss I give her is gentle. It is little more than a feather light touch of my lips on hers. Her monitors are going wild. I can feel her squeezing the hand I still have within hers. Come on girl, you can do this. Open your eyes for me. Let me see the eyes I have not seen in 19 years. Help me keep my promise. Taking a look at her vitals I see she may need a little medical assistance after all.

“Nurse Jackie can you give me an adrenaline shot please.”

“Yes Dr. Kwon”

“Dr. Kwon is my dad. Call me Dr. Ji.”

The nurse is swift. I get what I require in rapid speed. Uncapping the needle I apologize mentally for the pain I am about to cause her. The needle will go through her plate and into her heart giving her system an immediate surge of energy. Raising my arm high above my head I take aim and stab through the chest of my closest friend. I immediately press the plunger and the miracle I have been waiting 19 years for materializes.

She opens her eyes and screams. The surge of energy has even triggered her to sit up in bed bringing her within an inch of my face. She is wide awake and bewildered. There is a flurry of activity from the nursing staff and doctors. She is checked and rechecked and found to be completely healthy. There is a great deal of weakness due to her lack of activity. She will have to learn to walk again but there is no paralysis.

“Ji! I want Ji! Where is he?”

“Dr. the patient is calling for you.”