It was as if time had stood still and everything was in slow motion. Yonghwa was blinded by a bright light, and then a flurry of colors and images passed before him like a bad motion picture. Only it was not some kind of movie but important faces and events of his life. His mother, his father, his brother, his friends, his band mates, Shinhye, Jiyeon, Seohyun….

His first bicycle, his most memorable birthday, his first car, that one Christmas he made his mother cry because of his gift, the first time he went onstage and heard fans screaming his name, the day he met Shinhye, the very first time he had kissed Seohyun…

Seohyun…

Her face was the last thing on his mind before everything went black and awareness left him.

……………………………..

They were stuck in the traffic and Seohyun almost screamed in frustration. Tears streamed down her face as she fervently prayed and begged God to let Yonghwa be okay. Minhyuk had told her over the phone to come to this particular hospital right away. Yonghwa had been rushed there early in the morning for he met an accident while driving back to the city from heaven knows where. His car had a head on collision with a bus. Fortunately no one was killed. But Yonghwa still isn’t safe.

“How bad is it?” she asked Jungshin who was the first one to meet her at the corridor near the Intensive Care Unit.

Jungshin’s face was grave. “We don’t know yet if he will live.”

Seohyun gaped at him, her mind refusing to register what Jungshin said.

“You may see him if you want to,” Jungshin said and he turned and led the way to the ICU.

The nurses would only allow one visitor at a time. Seohyun went alone inside the room where Yonghwa is and she almost fainted by what she saw.

There he was, lying still, hooked to different sorts of apparatus, tubes and monitors. She could hardly identify him. A part of his head was wrapped in a bandage, his face was bruised and the left side a bit swollen, and a tube was on his mouth and it was connected to a mechanical ventilator with another set of tubes.

Seohyun covered as more tears ran down her face. Knees shaking, she slowly approached the bed where he lay.

He looked lifeless and she couldn’t help breaking down and crying. She held his hand and squeezed it, but he didn’t squeeze it back.

“Yong,” she whispered. “Wake up, Yong.”

He didn’t.

Why must everything come to this? Where did he go? If he hadn’t gone somewhere he wouldn’t have met an accident. And they hadn’t talked about her decision to accept him yet. He didn’t know that she still loves him, and is now willing to give their love another chance. Is it too late?

Suddenly his heart monitor started beeping and Seohyun, having a little background about medicine immediately knew that something was wrong when she looked at the lines in the monitor.

“Oh, God!”

She watched, horrified, as she was being pushed to the back and nurses and doctors gathered around Yonghwa and a flurry of activity erupted all around her.

“You can’t die, Yong! You can’t!” she cried.

She couldn’t anymore understand what was happening as she absent mindedly let one staff hold her by the shoulders and usher her out of the ICU.

Jungshin, Minhyuk, Jonghyun, Yoona, their parents and Yonghwa’s parents were outside, and they immediately turned as soon as they heard the door to the ICU being pushed open and went to Seohyun.

“How is Yonghwa?” his mother asked.

“What happened, Seohyun-ah?” Jonghyun asked.

But she could hardly hear what they were saying. She could hear, but she couldn’t figure out their words. She felt weak, dizzy, and finally her knees gave way and she fell unconscious as both Jungshin and Minhyuk caught her on time.

………………………………………..

Seohyun opened her eyes and the first thing she saw was Kyuhyun’s face, looming over her.

“Thank God you’re awake,” she heard him say.

She blinked a few times and tried to remember where she was and what happened. Then she realized she’s in a hospital and immediately she remembered Yonghwa. She shot up from the bed, ignoring the dizziness she abruptly felt.

“Hyun, easy,” Kyuhyun tried to make her lie back down on the bed but she didn’t.

“How is Yonghwa?” she asked and looked around the room. She is alone with Kyuhyun. Is everyone there with Yonghwa? Why? Is it because…because…

She couldn’t make herself think about it.

“Oppa, answer me. How’s my husband?” tears began to gather in her eyes again.

Kyuhyun sighed.

“Oppa?”

“His condition is more stable now, but he’s not out of danger yet.”

Seohyun tried to get out of the bed. “I want to see him.”

Kyuhyun immediately assisted her. “Careful.”

…………………………

“Yong, can you hear me? I hope you do. It’s Seohyun,” Seohyun said, holding Yonghwa’s hand and putting it against her cheek. For days she was always beside his bed, going away only when she needed to eat, do her personal hygiene or respond to nature’s call. Even when sleeping she never left his side. She would fall asleep or take short naps sitting beside his bed.

As his condition and vital signs grew stable he underwent surgeries for the fractures he sustained and when the doctors were sure he can breathe on his own and that he was going to survive, they removed him from the mechanical ventilator and transferred him to a private room.

The doctors said there is no brain damage and Yonghwa should be awake by now. But he still lay there unconscious.

“Why?” Seohyun had asked.

“I can’t give you a precise answer, Mrs. Jung, because I myself couldn’t understand. All his brain CAT Scans and MRI results are normal. It seems like the patient is just sleeping,” the doctor just gave her a vague answer.

“You might as well talk to him. Talk to him always. I think it can help bring him back,” a nurse had told Seohyun once.

And so every day, Seohyun would launch into a monologue. She would recall happy memories to Yonghwa, or would simply tell him how blue the sky is on that particular day.

“Seohyun-ah?”

She turned. It was Yonghwa’s mother, and behind her stood Krystal with Minho.

“Hyun, why don’t you take a rest first? We don’t want you to get sick,” Yonghwa’s mother said.

“No, umma, I just want to stay here,” she glanced at Yonghwa, then peeked at Minho and Krystal, who both bowed at her.

“Oh, yes, by the way, Yonghwa has visitors. I presume you know them?”

Seohyun nodded.

Krystal stepped closer to the bed and Minho followed, but he stayed slightly behind Krystal.

“Unnie…” Krystal laid a hand on Seohyun’s shoulder. “How is Yonghwa oppa?”

Seohyun smiled. “He’s fine now, but he’s still asleep. He has never woken up yet.”

Krystal frowned. “Why?”

“I don’t know. I always talk to him, hoping it helps,” she looked at Krystal, then Minho and smiled. “Thank you for coming.”

Minho nodded and smiled back.

“He’s my friend, too, unnie. He has told me lots of things about you,” Krystal said.

Seohyun turned to Yonghwa. “Yong, you have visitors. Minho and Krystal are here to see you.”

Krystal patted Yonghwa’s hand. “Oppa, wake up. Don’t you miss your wife’s beautiful face?”

Seohyun laughed, then noticed the ring on Krystal’s finger. “Oh, is that an engagement ring? You’re getting married?”

Krystal glanced at Minho and nodded at Seohyun. “Yes.”

Seohyun immediately understood. She slightly laughed. “Oh. I guess I’m too busy to hear news from the outside. I didn’t know the two of you are together. So, when is the wedding?”

“Next year,” Minho answered.

“Did you hear that, Yong? They’re getting married.”

“Oppa, I want you to be at my wedding. So wake up and get well soon, okay?” Krystal said, patting Yonghwa’s hand again.

The three of them talked for a while, including Yonghwa in the conversation although they were aware he wouldn’t respond.

A moment later Kyuhyun got inside, and Minho and Krystal decided it was time to leave. They bade Seohyun and Yonghwa goodbye and went on their way.

……………………………..

“Oh, I wonder what they would talk about,” Krystal said as soon as she and Minho were out of the door.

Minho’s brows furrowed. “Why are you so curious?”

“Do you know that they were like…a love triangle? Seohyun unnie, Yonghwa oppa and Kyuhyun oppa?”

He chuckled. “But Seohyun’s married. And I can see how much she loves her husband.”

Krystal raised her eyebrows. “I wonder if you had pursued her, is there a possibility that she would choose you?”

“Of course,” he teased, laughing at her.

She pouted and glared at him.

He ruffled her hair. “Aish, that’s what you get for asking that kind of question. Why would I court Seohyun?”

“Because you like her.”

He smiled. “I like her. I like a lot of women, in fact. But do you know why I didn’t pursue any of them?”

“Because you’re a coward?” she teased.

“No,” his face turned serious. “It’s because I may like many women, but subconsciously I know that I only love one.”

Krystal frowned at him, but her heart began to beat fast as Minho gazed intently at her.

“You.”

“Aish, now you’re getting cheesy, it’s creeping me out,” she said, blushing furiously.

“Yah, isn’t this what you wanted?”

“Who told you that?”

They went out of the hospital bickering playfully.

……………………………

“Seohyun-ah, I just want to bid you goodbye,” Kyuhyun began as soon as Minho and Krystal were out of the room. “I’m going back to Connecticut this evening.”

Seohyun was saddened by his news. She needed Kyuhyun’s support, but she knew it would be selfish for her to ask him to stay. “So soon?”

Kyuhyun smiled. “Don’t be sad. You have your family and Sue-ji is still here. Speaking of which, she told me she’s coming here again later today.”

She nodded.

“Don’t worry, I know Yonghwa’s going to be fine. He will wake up soon.”

“I hope so,” she glanced at Yonghwa, the sadness evident in her eyes.

“I’ll see you soon.”

She got up, went to him and gave him a hug. “I’m going to miss you, oppa.”

He hugged her back. “Same here, Seohyun-ie. Be happy, okay?”

“You too.”

……………………………………………

“Yong, why aren’t you awake yet?” it was hours after Kyuhyun had left. “Don’t you want to see me anymore? Are you tired of me? Is that why you filed for a divorce?”

She recalled the day after Yonghwa’s accident. His lawyer had given her a set of papers to sign. It was Yonghwa’s petition for a divorce. He was on his way home from meeting with his lawyer when the accident happened.

Seohyun was hurt and she didn’t understand. She thought Yonghwa loved her and he wanted to be with her. Why did he file a divorce? Maybe it was just too much for him and he just decided to give up…just when she realized it was time to let go of her grudges and give their love another chance.

“Yong, I’ve already forgiven you. I still love you. Please come back to me,” she squeezed his hand as she bowed her head and burst out crying.

“Seohyun-ah, Yonghwa’s got another visitor,” she heard her mother-in-law’s voice from behind her.

“Let them in, umma,” she answered, sobbing, but she didn’t turn.

A hand touched her shoulder.

“I’m sorry,” a soft voice said. It belonged to a girl, it sounds familiar yet she couldn’t quite place it, for her ears had grown unaccustomed to that voice. That voice…which finally brought down many painful memories.

Seohyun slowly turned and looked up at Jiyeon’s tear-streaked face. She looked the same, pretty, yet she had matured.

“You must hate me so much after everything I did. I can’t blame you. I know I’ve been such a . I want to say I was just too young and that would be my excuse for behaving as such. But that would never bring back together the pieces I broke, wouldn’t it?”

Seohyun was speechless for a moment. She watched as Jiyeon wiped her tears and took a deep breath, and as a batch of fresh tears began running down her face again.

“You can slap me or curse me, Seohyun-ssi. I’d take it. And I’d understand if you could never forgive me for deceiving you and Yonghwa…but please, allow me just this once to see the only true friend I ever had. Just give me a chance to talk to him, even if I know he wouldn’t talk back to me.”

Seohyun got up from her seat. “I’ll leave you for a moment,” she said curtly and went to the door.

“Thank you.”

Jiyeon sat beside the bed. “Oppa, this is Jiyeon. Remember me? The one who ruined your lovelife?” she chuckled. “Oppa, can you forgive me? If not, then that’s too bad. But could you at least hurry up and wake up? Seohyun’s waiting for you and you both have already wasted too much time apart because of me. Don’t add to it, please?”

Yonghwa lay there unmoving.

She held his hand and squeezed it. “I’ve been such a selfish brat, but you always had been kind to me. Now I want you to be happy, oppa. I want you to be happy with Seohyun. Didn’t you always give me what I wanted? It’s what I want. So you better wake up and do it!”

Jiyeon bowed her head and began sobbing. After a moment her sobs subsided. Calmer now, she wiped her tears and stared at Yonghwa. She smiled. “Your mother was so angry at me the first time I walked in. I couldn’t understand it at first. They were blaming me for everything that has happened. Your mom said if it wasn’t for me Seohyun wouldn’t have hated you so much. You wouldn’t have gone filing for a divorce and would never have met that accident.”

She took a deep breath. “I’ve never felt so guilty in my life. I’m so sorry, Oppa. Though I know it’s not enough,” she stood up. “I must go. Get well soon.”

At the door she met Seohyun and Sue-ji.

“What is this woman doing here?” Sue-ji demanded.

Jiyeon just bowed her head.

“Sue-ji…” Seohyun began.

“Seohyun-ssi, thank you for giving me time alone with him,” Jiyeon said to Seohyun. Then she turned and started to walk away.

“Jiyeon-ssi!”

She stopped and turned and Seohyun came running toward her.

“I know I must hate you, but I don’t,” Seohyun took a deep breath. “I may not understand it but, in your own way you loved him and it was your way of showing it.”

Jiyeon couldn’t believe Seohyun was telling her that. “It was selfish of me, Seohyun-ssi.”

“I know. But let’s forget everything. It belongs to the past now.”

“Does that mean I’m forgiven?”

“Yes.”

Jiyeon suddenly hugged Seohyun and began sobbing on her shoulder.

Seohyun smiled and hugged the girl back, feeling that finally things are starting to fall into the right places.

……………………………………………

Yonghwa could hear the soft hum of air conditioning, and the faint sounds of footsteps and voices. He began to feel like the muscles in his body are stiff and weak. He felt tired and thirsty. He slowly opened his eyes. He was on a bed, in a room with white walls and a white ceiling. He slightly turned his head. Sunlight was streaming through the slats of the open blinds that are hanging on the window. He couldn’t figure out if it was early morning, midday, or late afternoon sunlight, though.

For a while he couldn’t recall what had happened. Where is he? Why is he here? He slightly wriggled and turned to the other side of the room. He saw someone seated on a chair right beside his bed. It was Seohyun, her head and arms resting on the edge of the bed. She was fast asleep.

He could feel something on his nose and his hand went up to feel the things. They were tubes. An oxygen cannula? And another tube which he could feel goes up all the way to his nose and down his throat. Is he in a hospital? So he really had that accident? He thought it was all a dream. And how long had he been unconscious?

He looked at the sleeping Seohyun again. Had she always been there with him? He felt touched. But suddenly he stopped the happiness that started to spread in his heart. Is she doing this out of pity? It doesn’t matter. What’s more important was that she’s there. He reached out to touch her head. He began to caress her hair.

He stopped when she suddenly stirred awake.

…………………………………

Seohyun could feel something gentle touching her head. It was a hand, caressing her hair. Who could it be? Maybe it was her mom again. She slowly opened her eyes and started to get up. She looked at Yonghwa. She was staring unto his open eyes…and he was looking at her.

She was surprised at first. Then happiness surged through her.

“You’re awake!” she exclaimed.

She leaned down and hugged him tightly until he complained.

“H-hyun…I can’t breathe.”

She let go of him and leaned away. She stared at him and tears were in her eyes.

“I’m so happy. Thank God,” she offered a silent prayer of thanks.

Yonghwa smiled weakly.

“Oh, wait, I have to call and tell the others,” she fumbled for her phone, but Yonghwa reached out and held her wrist, stopping her.

“First, I want to talk to you,” he said, his voice hoarse.

She turned back to him.

“I had an accident, didn’t I?”

Seohyun nodded.

“How bad is it?”

She sat back down on the chair. “We were thankful that there is no major damage and the doctor said that with physical therapy you would be able to walk and function normally again. They said it was a miracle.”

He looked at her intently. “How long have I been unconscious?”

“Two weeks?”

“And were you with me all that time I was sleeping?”

“Yes.”

He smiled. “Ah, maybe that’s why I was able to survive, because you’re beside me.”

Tears came to her eyes again.

He reached out to wipe her tears. “Hyun, don’t get me wrong. I don’t want to be dependent on you. If it’s because of pity that you’re staying with me now, then please don’t stay. It would only hurt me more,” his own eyes began to get moist.

“Oppa-“

“Shhh…,” he cut her off. “Let me finish first. I’m setting you free, Seohyun-ah. You can be with…” he swallowed, finding the words difficult to say. “Be with…Kyuhyun now. I’m sorry if I stood on your way.”

Seohyun’s eyes widened. “What are you saying, Yong?”

“It was him you love now, right? It would be selfish for me to stand on the way of your happiness. Don’t worry, I’ll be the one to explain everything to our parents.”

Seohyun gaped at him. “What made you think I’m in love with Kyu oppa?

He looked at her, his expression morose. “I saw the two of you along the Han River the night before the accident.”

“Is that why you hurriedly filed for a divorce? Because you thought…oh, God!” she put a hand on her forehead. “Why do you jump to conclusions? You could have talked to me and none of this would have happened! How can you be so stupid?!” she said, angry at him now.

Yonghwa’s expression became bewildered. Why is Seohyun suddenly angry?

“Listen to me, you silly man,” Seohyun began. “I was saying goodbye to Kyuhyun oppa when you saw us. I was telling him of my decision to give you another chance because I still love you!”

Yonghwa’s eyes widened all the more. “Hyun, please...is that true? You seemed to hate me so much that I thought…”

She held his face in her hands. “I love you, Yong. Why is it so hard for you to understand?”

He didn’t answer.

“Yong, I have forgiven you for hurting me. Can’t you do the same? Can’t you forgive me for hurting you, too?”

He shook his head and smiled. He blinked to keep the tears away. “I just can’t believe I’d hear you say that after everything.”

She cocked her head. “Say what?”

“Say that you love me.”

“I love you, Jung Yonghwa,” Seohyun hugged him again. “Let’s start over again, okay?”

“I’d like that, Hyun. And by the way, I love you, too,” he grinned, feeling like his heart would burst with so much happiness.

When she leaned away he pulled her back and kissed her.

That was when a nurse came in.

“Oh.”

Seohyun pulled away and smiled awkwardly at the nurse. “I was just going to tell you. The patient’s awake.”