Jiyeon’s POV

"Good morning Baby!!!!"

That voice.

 Her voice.

 Is that what I'm actually hearing right now?

 "Unnie?" I uttered questioning myself more, than the voice I opened my eyes and she's standing by the foot of our bed, she's wearing her favorite loose white shirt and plaid boxers, and messy hair.

 "Breakfast?"

I looked at her amazed. She's awake. I can smell fried eggs and bean paste stew.

"U-unnie?" I echoed for the second time. I sat up straight.

"Yes. Why you looked surprised?" She walked towards me sitting by the side of the bed. I can smell the faint scent of her favorite perfume and maple syrup.

"Am I dreaming? Is this heaven?" I asked in wonder She laughed her wide eyes disappearing as she did.

 Her laughter reverberated echoing in the huge room.

"This is not a dream Jiyeona. But waking up beside you every day is heaven for sure." She teased.

I cried at that instant and pulled her into a tight hug. She was caught off guard but she hugged me back.

 The best feeling in the world.

She's with me.

I don't care anymore.

I hugged her tightly as tears pooled my eyes.

 "I love you Baby." she whispered close to my ear

 "Jiyeon."

"Ji."

"Park Jiyeon!"

 "A dream?"

 "Yes you're dreaming. And you've been calling Jessica’s name for uhh three times?"

Frustration and longing immediately eroded the piece hope and lucid imagination the dream brought me. I was drag back to hell. I mean in reality. I can never truly call this place hell because unnie is here.

 But having her here without her actually being here is the complete equivalence of hell for me. I looked at my phone it's already 10 in the morning. I picked up my bag and was heading for the restroom to gussy up when we heard a knock on the door.

"I'll get it." Eunjung unnie offered.

"It’s your parents." I settled the bag by the foot of the restroom door and went towards them.

 "Umma. Appa." giving them both a hug

"Jiyeon, we just dropped by to say good bye. Today's our flight remember?" Appa started

"Oh yeah. Sorry I forgot." I genuinely said.

"It's okay; we'll just take a cab to the airport no need to worry about it." Umma said hugging me again

 "Umma..." I hugged her back and begin to sob

"Ji..." she softly said

 “Let’s talk..." Mom insisted that we take a short coffee break.

Eunjung unnie then offered to stay with Jessica unnie.

 "Jiyeona, talk to me. I can't leave you like this." Umma started while sipping on her coffee cup

"I just... I don't know what to do anymore... it's her last two days to wake up and she's not even twitching..." I said my voice breaking but there are no more tears, maybe I cried them all out. I'm dehydrated.

"You know exactly what do..." Appa in

"Yes,  and you're just scared to accept it... it's already in front of you, but you choose to disregard or hide from it..." Umma added

"Should I give her up now?" I asked accusingly

"Jiyeon..." Umma taking my hand across the table

 "You've not giving her up... you're giving her life..."

"I know you're scared... knowing that she might lose her memory... you're scared she won't recognize you... I understand that... but to wait like this and prolong her agony isn't fair for her."

 "Am I being unfair for trusting her?"

"You’re not being unfair... you're just having a faltering reason. You've been waiting for almost two weeks, if she can snap out of coma she would've done it on the first week... But she can't... you need to save her..."

"Your Umma is right Ji. And so what if she does forget about you? You once told me, you two are soul mates right? I know it would never make sense and I can never explain it with enough empirical data, but you can believe that esoteric belief for now. Hold on to it. Come what may, what's important is she lives, because you can always introduce yourself to her."

---

 Getting back inside the hospital was much difficult, I am trying helplessly to stay afloat in the abyss of my own internal conflict, but my worn out arms and legs are starting to feel numb and the only way to survive is to let it take me.

"Hi." I weakly greeted Eunjung who's waiting for me

"How was it? Are you feeling better?" she asked feeling my pain

"Thank you for staying with us unnie, you never left us."

"What was that for? We're friends, and this is part of our friendship." she sadly smiled

"I'm giving her life..."

 "What do you mean?" her eyebrows forming a frown

 "I'll let them take her out. The bullet."

 "Are you sure about this Ji?" she said hurriedly walking towards me cupping my cheek

"Cause you know there's no turning back once you said yes... Uncle already signed his stand... he said it's all up to you..." I just nodded I let my tears wash away the pride I held, I surrendered my sword and shield and I strip off the armor of constraint. We hugged. It's all up to you now unnie.

8:00 pm - two days left

 "Jiyeon?"

 "Uncle..."

"How are you?"

 "Still waiting for her."

"Can I tell you a story about Jessica?"

"Sure uncle, let's buy some time." I answered feeling weirdly enthusiastic this is the first time I am ever going to have a real conversation with the man who raised unnie. It felt weird yet calming at the same time.

"I remember the time when she graduated in high school; I was overly protective of her that time since we just recently lost her parents. I asked if she wanted to have a party and invite her friends but she declined and told me. 'Uncle! We'll get drunk and you'll give me my first real conversation as an adult!' I thought she was just joking so I laughed at her..." He paused looking at unnie's statue figure by the bed a low giggle escaping his chest.

"That's what she wants for a high school graduation celebration?" I asked smiling at how silly it was

"Yes. She even set the whole living room and pulled me to sit in front of the coffee table where she laid di