Chapter 1

 

Doors of the hospital flew open. Red and white lights flashed from outside through the windows. Sirens rang and a team of medical staff came running down the hall. Eyes everywhere turned to where the chaos was coming from.

 

“Get him into the E.R now!”

 

Jiyong faintly heard the voice shout out. He could tell it belonged to a woman even though it was barely audible to him. He was dazed, barely conscious. His eyes were open but all he saw were flashes of white and black. His body was broken, hurt and numb. He fought to voice out.

 

“Hyu—Hyuna…” Jiyong struggled to say. “Hyuna…” His eyes closed bringing him back to the moments that happened before he ended up here.

 

“Hyuna, don’t go, please,” Jiyong begged, taking a hold of Hyeona’s arm.

 

“Let me go, Jiyong,” Hyeona said. With a hard palm to Jiyong’s face, Hyeona pulled herself away. “Don’t touch me.”

 

Jiyong felt the tears on the edge of his tear ducts. He brought his fingers to the cheek which stung with warmth against the cold air. He sniffled quietly before looking up to Hyeona.

 

“Why?” Jiyong asked. “Why are you acting like this? Did I do something wrong?”

 

“I thought you were the one to take me away from all this,”Hyeona said. “I honestly thought that I’d be happy but I was wrong.”

 

“Hyuna, please stop this,” Jiyong tried to reason. “I’ll tell you everything. I’ll tell you the truth.”

 

“Enough!” Hyeona shouted. “I don’t want to hear anything from you.”

 

Hyeona breathed heavily looking at him with disgust. Her warm breath ghosting out into the winter air. She saw the hurt expression on Jiyong’s face. Her lips curved into a half smirk. With a twist of her heels, Hyeona began running away.

 

“Hyuna!” Jiyong ran after her. He was determined to make her see that he was not pathetic or weak. He wasn’t who is said he was. “Hyeona, stop! Please let me explain!”

 

Hyeona didn’t listen to a single plea Jiyong shouted at her. She ran into the empty streets with Jiyong chasing after her.

 

“Hyuna, stop!”

 

As he stepped foot onto the street, Jiyong saw a bright flash of head lights striking towards him. The car had come out from nowhere, striking Jiyong critically. His body toppled over the hood and roof of the vehicle. Jiyong landed roughly on the hard street. His vision blurring but his eyes would not keep off of the girl who didn’t even bother to look back.

 

The emergency room doors flew open and immediately Jiyong was operated on. The doctors and nurses rushed into saving his life.

 

“We have to stop the internal bleeding, prepare for emergency surgery,” the doctor said tearing apart Jiyong’s clothing.

 

“Fractures to the head and ribs,” a nurse said. “Hold on… Just hold on…”

 

“We’ll always be together, right?” Jiyong asked.

 

“Always,” Hyeona breathed against his neck.

 

“Forever?”

 

“Forever,” Hyeona confirmed. “I promise, Jiyong.” 

 

You lied. You broke your promises. Hyuna, you broke your promises.

 

The last thing Jiyong heard was the flat line of the monitor.

 

Two years later…

 

Hyuna stood at the frame of the door watching Jiyong in his long deep sleep. He looked peaceful yet still bothered. It was quiet inside the room except for the monitors beeping. It was the only thing that was keeping him alive for now. Jiyong couldn’t breathe on his own but he was getting stronger day by day. Soon he wouldn’t need that machine anymore.

 

Gayoon walked up from behind Hyuna, taking place beside her. She followed Hyuna’s eyes to their assigned patient of two years.

 

“He’s been like this for two years,” Gayoon said to Hyuna. “Do you think he’ll ever wake up?”

 

Hyuna sighed as she stepped foot into the room. She took a seat next to the unconscious male, taking his hand into hers. She smiled sadly at the poor soul, leaning into his ear. “I don’t know if you can hear me but this is your choice. If you choose to stay or if you choose to go. It’s been two years. I’ve looked after you every day and I’m not giving up on you but… But if you decide to leave, it’s ok.”

 

Gayoon walked up behind her also staring down at Jiyong with a sad look. She put her hand on Hyuna’s shoulder. “It’s late, Hyuna. It’s time to clock off now.”

 

“Mmm,” Hyuna hummed. Her hand slowly released Jiyong’s. She placed it onto his stomach but before she could let him go, she felt his fingers cling onto her. It wasn’t a strong grip but it was movement. Hyuna smiled, feeling a response. “He held onto me.”

 

“What?” Gayoon asked running up to the bed. “He responded?”

 

“There’s still fight in him,” Hyuna said.

 

“Well if there is,” Gayoon began, “then we will see progress in the near future. Come on, let’s go home.”

 

Hyuna left the hospital that night and returned home. She took a step inside and closed the door behind her.

 

“Rough night at the hospital?” Her father, Seungsung asked as soon as she walked in.  

 

“Not really,” Hyuna said taking off her shoes. “I was just worried about my patient again.”

 

“Aw come on not that excuse again,” Jung-Hwa, Hyuna’s stepmother said as she entered the room. “What can be so important about a patient in a coma that you’re working this late for?”

 

Seungsung shot Jung-Hwa a look. “Jung-Hwa,” he said with a calm but warning tone.

 

Hyuna looked down as her Jung-Hwa continued to glare at her. Hyuna took in a breath then looked back up at both her parents. She forced a small smile at Jung-Hwa then looked at her father happily.

 

“It’s ok,” Hyuna said. “Some of us actually work for a living while others live off the wealth of their spouse.”

 

“Why you!” Jung-Hwa screamed, marching towards Hyuna. Before she could get to her, Seungsung held her back. “Watch your mouth! Learn to respect those who are more superior to you.” Jung-Hwa looked up to Seungsung. “Aren’t you going to say something?”

 

“Hyuna, it’s late, why don’t you head to sleep,” Seungsung suggested. “We’ll talk in the morning.”

 

“But—”

 

“Of course, father,” Hyuna said interrupting Jung-Hwa. “Goodnight.”

 

Hyuna made her way up to her bedroom. She closed the door behind her and walked to her bed. With a sigh, she fell backwards onto the bed, head slightly bouncing off. She stared up at the ceiling with the thoughts of her patient. Every day for that past two years, he was all she thought about. She remembered the first day she had been assigned to him. It was when she began as a nurse’s assistant.

 

“This is our unidentified patient,” Dr. Heo said, bringing Hyuna and Gayoon into the room.

 

Hyuna stepped in and saw the patient bandaged up on the hospital bed. The monitors were running and there were many of them.

 

“Unidentified patient?” Hyuna asked not keeping her eyes off the male.

 

“He was in an accident earlier this month and ever since then he’s been in a coma,” Dr. Heo explained. “We have no way of identifying him. No words from family or anybody yet. We hope to hear from someone as soon as possible.”

 

“You’re assigning him to us, mom?” Gayoon asked.

 

“I’m putting you two in charge of watching over him,” Dr. Heo said. “Until he wakes up…” She paused after that and it scared Hyuna what she had to say next. “If he ever wakes up.”

 

Dr. Heo and Gayoon made their way out of the patient’s room. Hyuna, on the other hand stayed. She walked up beside the broken male. Her eyes began shedding tears. It was like she could feel his pain.

 

“I’m sorry this happened to you,” Hyuna said wiping away her tears.

 

***

 

“I’m sorry this happened to you.”

 

Jiyong heard her voice ringing in his head.

 

“I don’t know if you can hear me but this is your choice.”

 

Jiyong’s body began responding quickly.

 

“If you choose to stay or if you choose to go.”

 

No, I can’t leave. I must find you.

 

The monitors were beeping loudly inside the silent hospital room. Doctors and nurses were rushed to the room to check in on him.

 

Jiyong’s eyes shot open. His mouth took his first breath of hair in a long time. He began screaming and crying. His body was tossing and turning. He sprung up from the bed with tears in his eyes.

 

He looked around the room he was in. So many strangers surrounded him. He was afraid and so confused. He blocked his ears wanting to stop the voices in his head. The faces of those strangers just kept staring at him. Some of them were speaking to him but he couldn’t hear anything. All he heard were the voices in his head. They were her voice.

 

Hyuna’s voice.

 

“Do you remember who you are?” Dr. Heo asked.

 

Jiyong calmed down once the voice disappeared. He looked up slowly, holding back his tears. He tried to speak but the words wouldn’t come out. His lips were parting but nothing would come out.

 

“It’s ok,” Dr. Heo said. “Take your time.”

 

“Kw—Kwon Jiyong,” he rasped out with a weak and quiet voice but it was enough for Dr. Heo to hear him.

 

“Do you remember what happened?”

 

The memories came back to him in waves. Jiyong sat in silence for a moment, reliving those last moments before his accident. He felt his heart break all over again. His hands gripped the blankets of the bed tightly.

 

“I remember everything.”

 

That same night, Jiyong asked to be discharged from the hospital. He was granted this wish and left that same night. The doctors agreed that he needed to find his family. It’s been two years. Jiyong didn’t want their help any longer now that he can walk on his own two feet and breathe on his own.

 

Jiyong was lucky that night. He rushed into a phone booth after picking up some dropped change on the streets. He quickly dialed a number hoping for the person to pick up. It rang once then twice and when the third ring came, the voice of his beloved mother answered.

 

“Hello?” Eunju said.

 

“Mom…” Jiyong cried not being able to hold back the pain.

 

For a moment there was silence. Jiyong cried into the phone. He could see his own breath ghosting the cold air. His tears were warm against his cold skin. His fingers held on tightly to the payphone. He swallowed hard not sure whether to hang up or continue to wait for a response.

 

“Jiyong?” Eunju’s tone of voice immediately changed. There was a mix of emotions. Happiness, sadness, hope were all in her voice. “Jiyong, where have you been? Two years and I’ve heard nothing from you. My son, where are you? Do you know how worried your father and I are?”

 

Jiyong bit back a sob. “Mom…” He held the phone away so she wouldn’t hear him cry. “Mom, I’m not ok. I need you. I’m coming home.”

 

“Tell me where you are right now. I’m sending Teddy to get you.”

 

After revealing his location, Jiyong sat on the bench reliving what happened on that fateful night. Hyeona left him. She didn’t come back for him. She never looked back. Jiyong bit down on his lip to stop himself from sobbing audibly but it was hard. His first love broke his heart for the first time.

 

Bright headlights flashed in front of Jiyong. He closed his eyes tightly covering his face with his hands. It seemed so familiar. The lights on that night.

 

“Jiyong!” The familiar voice called out for him.

 

Jiyong knew that voice. He opened his teary eyes and saw Teddy running up to him. Jiyong rushed from his seat and ran into Teddy’s arms.

 

“Teddy, is it really you?” Jiyong asked in between sobs.

 

“Let’s go home, Jiyong,” Teddy replied leading them both back to the vehicle.

 

Jiyong sat in the back, hugging himself with his arms. He asked Teddy to ignore him. He didn’t want Teddy to worry or hear him cry but it was hard.

 

The car ride was long and quiet. It gave Jiyong some time to put his mind at rest and get some sleep. He only woke when the car came to a slow stop. Jiyong opened his eyes and saw the mansion he left behind years ago. Everything still looked the same.

 

Jiyong got out of the car and made his way to the front of the mansion with Teddy by his side. He was scared to face his mother. He was also scared to face his father.

 

Right at the door waiting frantically was his beautiful mother.

 

“My poor Jiyong,” Eunju cried running up to Jiyong in her white silk robe.

 

“Mom, I’m sorry,” Jiyong cried as his mother took him into her arms. “I’m so sorry.”

 

“It’s not your fault, Jiyong,” Eunju assured. “It’s not your fault.”

 

“I was in a coma for two years, mom,” Jiyong sobbed. “I was in that state for so long. It was so lonely, so tiring. I wanted to give up.”

 

Eunju shook her head, trying to calm her son down. She wanted to fight back her own tears for Jiyong’s sake but couldn’t. There was guilt in her. She felt guilty for not knowing that her own flesh and blood had been in a coma for the past two years. For those two years she believed he was well and happy.

 

“I should’ve came after you,” Eunju said. “How could I not know that my son needed me? I’m such a terrible mother. I’m so sorry, Jiyong. I should’ve—”

 

Jiyong shook his head. “You trusted me, mom that’s all I ever asked for. I’m fine. I’m alive, see?”

 

The two cried in each other’s arms telling their stories of what happened over the past two years. Jiyong knew he would have to face his father soon and he was afraid.

 

Jiyong returned to his bedroom. Everything had been left the way it was when he left years ago. Jiyong climbed into bed and cried everything out until there were no more tears left in him.

 

He learned his lesson. He learned the truth about love. And the truth was there is no love. After two years of his life wasted, spent in a coma, he came to realize love truly doesn’t exist. But it still hurt.

 

Hyuna.

 

Jiyong ran his fingers through his blonde hair and cried out. The tears ran down his face as he felt his heart breaking once again. All this pain because of one girl. Once girl whom he loved. His first love.

 

His eyes looked up into the mirror. They were darkening with anger. It was in that moment, at that very second he swore to himself that if he ever found Hyeona again, he’d keep her by his side. Jiyong would never let her go. This way they’d both be tortured by each other.

 

Hyuna…

 

A/N: Another Hyundragon story. Not edited.