Chapter 003

✥ Kyujong knock on the door without rest, despite it being the VIP hallway. “Hyungjun!” He calls. Moments later the door is open at a slow rate and he can hearing Hyungjun’s voice. It is already midnight but the man is talking with someone. Hyungjun was in a bathrobe with his black hair combed upward.

As he is finishing up the call, Kyujong didn’t look away from him for one split second. “Sure, see you at tomorrow’s welcoming party. You know how to get there right? Grand Kim Hotel, in Incheon. It’s a four star hotel. Yes, well, it belongs to my friend. You’ll meet him tomorrow. Yes, sure, alright good night,” as he hangs up and look Kyujong in the eyes, he could guess why the hotel’s President is knocking on his door at such a late hour. “Why? Is this about the sudden welcoming party?”

“Why didn’t you tell that Youngsaeng was in a coma?” Kyujong jump right to the point. “What does it mean by him getting into a car accident and being in a coma for the past year?!” Upon hearing Kyujong’s question, Hyungjun hauls the older lad into his room before shutting the door. He guides the president of the hotel in and sat the fellow on the bed.

Hyungjun’s shoulders soon drop before answering, “Listen Kyujong—”

“Answer my questions Hyungjun!”

“Why are you yelling at me? I paid for Youngsaeng’s life support in advance for the past year and you weren’t even there when they pull him out of the sinking car! Youngsaeng thought of you as his best friend, but what?” Hyungjun tries to hold eye contact with Kyujong but he refused the younger’s eyes. “Two years later and you finally read up on him, but instead of taking responsibility you’re here making a ruckus?!” Hyungjun took a deep breath to calm himself down, “Listen Kyujong, I didn’t mean it. It’s just….It’s hard, seeing Youngsaeng in that state….”

Kyujong fought to keep his tears back, “W-why didn’t anyone tell me….? Why did you wait two years to tell me…?” Kyujong hangs his head.

“Everytime I try to bring him up you’d shut me down. Also, I thought that maybe he would wake up within a few months….But unexpectedly months turned into a year and a half….” Hyungjun drops down next to Kyujong. “I didn’t want to hide it from you but I had hope that he’d wake up as if nothing has ever happen. But now, I think, he may be waiting for you.”

The hotel’s owner scoffs, “What does a person in a coma know?”

“Kyujong, it’s not just any person. It’s Youngsaeng and they say that people in coma can still hear everything. They know what’s happening around them, they just can’t wake up whenever they want to. The doctor said, if Youngsaeng has a will to come back then he will. In case,” Hyungjun took a deep breath, “in case he doesn’t, maybe you should visit him before it’s really too late.”

“Why would I? He has Junghwa by his side. Even if I go, it wouldn’t make any difference.”

“I’m telling you, if you wait another year then you’re really going to regret it.” Hyungjun says. Kyujong heft a deep sigh as he ran a hand over his face. “If you’re worry about the hotel then I’ll look after it for a few days for you. Go see Youngsaeng and take a trip around Seoul, so much has changed ever since you left.”

✥ Kyujong was troubled throughout the whole night, once Sungyeol woke him up he had only had three hours of sleep. “The welcoming party will begin soon, we must get you dress and complete today’s task. But first, remember there’s a meeting in a few!” Kyujong who was lying on the single bed in the storage room rubs his heavy eyelids, meanwhile Sungyeol paces from places to places. Coming out of the bathroom, Sungyeol had prepare Kyujong’s wear for the day.

“Sungyeol, reschedule the meeting, I’m going to Seoul.” Kyujong says as he got off the bed and is still wearing the white linen shirt and jeans.

“W-what?” Sungyeol thought he had misheard. “Did you say Seoul just now?” Kyujong hums as he walks over to grab the black dress jacket from the folded stack in Sungyeol’s large hands. Kyujong swiftly swings the jacket around him and put it on. “But President, didn’t you hear any of what I’ve said last night? We can’t keep postponing this meeting as it’s important for the hotel’s next project, also there’s the drama with Mr. and Ms. Jung that you haven’t completely finish with dealing, and then today’s the welcoming party that you’re expected to be present, and if you leave now then who’s going to run the hotel? Surely it’s not me?” As Sungyeol ramble and complains, Kyujong was packing anything he may need for the short trip.

“Everything can be deal with when I’m back, as for the welcoming party and hotel, I’ve entrusted Hyungjun with it.”

“W-wait, then Hyungjun knows about your going to Seoul?”

“Yeah,” Kyujong answer shortly as he pop his shoes on.

“Then what about me? What am I supposed to do?”

“Isn’t it the personal assistant’s job to be where his boss is?” Kyujong asks, holding a black bags with only a few belongings. Sungyeol flashes a smile.

“S-Seoul? I get to go back to Seoul too?!”

“Yeah, so pack whatever you want, we’re taking my car.”

“O-oh, okay! Just a moment President!” Sungyeol cries as he sprints out the door. Kyujong simper as the youth disappear around the corner. He then returns to his desk and pulls out the first drawer, where he saw the necklace. With a sigh he grab onto it and put it around his neck after setting his bag down. Once he was all set, he step foot outside and leaves the room empty.

✥ Kyujong has one hand on the wheel while Sungyeol had his window all the way down. In the passenger seat he rest his chin on his arm that hangs halfway out the window. As he allow the air to charge inside, Sungyeol took a deep breath, enjoying every peaceful moment. “This is nice!” He cries out loud. Kyujong focuses only on the road as they cross a bridge, heading to Seoul. Other than the sound of incoming wind, it was quiet within the car. The silence gives Kyujong time to think of what he is going to do once they reach Seoul.

But instead of using the opportunity to plan anything, he is still bother by the news of Youngsaeng. Had he stick around in Seoul, maybe he could have been there for Youngsaeng, even if Youngsaeng wasn’t aware of his presence. “Sungyeol, is there anywhere you’ll like to go? I’ll drop you off since I have something to do.” Kyujong says after he grabs Sungyeol’s attention.

“Oh, there is somewhere I’ll like to be! Drop me off at our old university!”

Kyujong became flustered, surprise by his choice, “University? Why do you want to go there?”

“President, you ask me where I want to go so don’t question my motive. There’s an old professor there I want to meet again.” Sungyeol says brightly.

“Oh....” Was all Kyujong could utter in the situation. Sungyeol is Kyujong’s four years junior, hence when Kyujong was a senior, Sungyeol was one of the few freshmen that Kyujong was closed with. Mainly for the reason that Sungyeol approached him first because he adored Kyujong’s work. Though the two men had larger dreams to fulfilled, in the end they couldn’t do either one thus ended in the relationship of a boss and employee to a hotel.

Due to the season and time of the year, only summer classes were in session, thus the school’s campus was nearly empty. Sungyeol hops off the car the moment Kyujong stops at the sidewalk’s curb. “I’ll get off here, call me when you’re done with whatever. I’ll be around here,” Sungyeol says waving to his boss. Kyujong respond with a nod and half smile before taking off. Sungyeol pockets his hands and turn to face the field before him. “Ah this is refreshing! I feel like a young student again!” With rosy cheeks and a wide smile, he starts off straight toward the main building.

In the empty but loud halls, Sungyeol makes his way down as quietly as he could. As if he was guilty of visiting, he is half crouch over and sneaking around. Though with caution, Sungyeol was no super human who could predict or see the future. Thus, there is no way he could have avoided the collision, around the corner, between him and another body of the school. Upon contact, Sungyeol is quick to react as he held his arms out and caught the waist of the person.

In Sungyeol’s embrace is a woman not much older than he is. She has large lovable eyes and even-cut black bangs that fell over her forehead. Her dark, thick eyebrows strike Sungyeol’s attention. Before the youth can find even ground and release her, she took it upon herself to shove him off her and frown. “Watch where you’re going student!” She snaps. Unlike her pretty features and lovable eyes, as Sungyeol saw them, her eyebrows and attitude seems to match well. It make her a lot colder.

“S-sorry,” Sungyeol ends up apologizing first as he felt guilty for no particular reason. “Are you okay?” he asks the lass but she hurries past him instead. Once she is gone around the corner, Sungyeol briefly scrowl, “What’s with her? It’s not like I purposely bump into her. Owf I forgot how cold Seoul women are.” He continue to complain as he goes back to finding his destination.

✥ Other than asking direction from the front desk helpers, Kyujong has not said a word ever since his arrival at Seoul National University Hospital. Kyujong took the stairs to find the center that Youngsaeng is kept, it took three flights before he came to the correct floor. On one of the quietest floor Kyujong came to the door where he can visibly read his friend’s name on the door “Patient Heo Youngsaeng - Condition: Vegetative”. The man heave a heavy hesitant breath. He is afraid of what he will witness on the other side of the room if he goes in, and how the guilt may flood his system if he sees an unconscious Youngsaeng. He runs his bare hand along the door’s handle and stood close to the wood, where he could feel his own breath against his skin. As he stalls for a moment, he finally made the decision to see the other side.

Upon opening the door, he first saw the lower half of Youngsaeng on the solo bed with a blue sheet covering his legs. Slowly he widen his view and sees the chest of his friend. The sound of the hospital monitors attacked him before the image of Youngsaeng could. Was it the sound tracker of Youngsaeng’s sleeping heart? Or was it the sound of working machines trying to keep Youngsaeng’s unaware heart working? Kyujong wouldn’t know but all that matters is that his friend’s heart is still beating.

Kyujong soon sees the whole of Youngsaeng. He took in his friend’s now orange-brown hair, his slightly aged features, and how he has lost weight by only sleeping. In the evenly lit room, the surrounding of the room is comforting and even warm. Which Kyujong is grateful for, at least Youngsaeng is sleeping comfortably. As he goes to stand by the bedside, he couldn’t bring himself to grab Youngsaeng’s motionless hand. He felt that it wasn’t right for him to do so, plus he has no rights to grab the friend he had abandoned hands.

The lad traces the chum’s Asian features before stopping at the eyes. “For the last two years I thought maybe you were doing fine. Without ever contacting me, I envied you, thinking you were living so well that you have forgotten about me. But, you were here….Seeing how peaceful you are here, I guess I was the only one who was troubled by our growing distance huh?” Kyujong is about to take another step forward but stops himself. “Anyway. You should get up now, Youngsaeng. You always hated it—wasting time—it’s not like you. You’re wasting too much time here, so you should wake up soon. This time….I won’t abandon you. I promise.” Kyujong whispers.

A few seconds followed when the door to the room suddenly opens. Kyujong pivot to see who the guest is and to no surprise, it was her.

Kim Junghwa.

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