At Director Kim Tae Ho’s office few days ago…

“Dr.Yoo, I know you will get married to Dr.Hong soon. I think I need to talk to you about this, before I talk to Ji Hong by myself”, Kim Tae Ho tried to explain what the occasion he wanted to meet her.

“There is one vacant position for professor next year. I hope you can join the competition”.

Hye Jeong looked so enthusiastic. That’s always been a dream for her, being a professor in neurosurgery. “Yes, I know it. I’d gladly join the competition”. Her voice was full of energy.

“But.. one thing can be your problem right now”, Dr. Kim continued.

“What is it?”, Hye Jeong asked him back.

“I know well you’re more than capable to hold that title. As we know together, I may be this hospital’s director and I cherish you, but I just can’t ignore rules and give you special treatment. For me it doesn’t matter which school you attended. And there’s an offering letter for us to send our doctors to US to get some training and research. I’d like to recommend you. It’d be good for your experience and will help you to get you professor position next time. I know I may be cruel person in this world, despite that I hope you can take this opportunity”. Dr. Kim looked at Hye Jeong who just silent in front of him. Hye Jeong just stunned.

“How long will the program take, Director?”. Hye Jeong asked Dr. Kim. Maybe if it was short enough, maybe if she could, she wanted to take that program. But, there was Ji Hong. They would get married soon even though the date was not set yet. But could she do it? Left Ji Hong for a moment and pushed back their wedding? But she really wanted to take this big opportunity. Could Ji Hong understand? She didn’t want to be separated with Ji Hong. There were big clouds of thought in her mind.

“One semester”. Kim Tae Ho smiled.

One semester? Hye Jeong felt relieved for a moment. One semester was not long period. She thought it would last for at least a year. “Huuh”. She exhaled deeply. Dr. Kim Tae Ho just smiled.

“Ji Hong will scold me later”, he laughed.

At Ji Hong’s place…

 “Teacher, I think we need to postpone our wedding”

Ji Hong put his spoon down. “Why?”. He looked up at her. He couldn’t believe what just he heard. He wished he heard it wrong.

“Actually, there’s an offering for me, to US, for six months”

Ji Hong was silent. The atmosphere was gloomy. He looked down at his soup then at Hye Jeong.

“Really? Do you have to go?”. Ji Hong asked, his voice sounded weak.

“Andwaeyo?” . Hye Jeong bitted her lower lip. Ji Hong was taken aback. He was flustered. He didn’t spit any words. Hye Jeong felt sorry.

“I won’t go if you say I can’t go”. Hye Jeong put soup broth into and smiled bitterly. She knew she shouldn’t bring this topic. There was paused moment.

“Hmm… No. You can”. He finally broke his silent. But he sounded not happy and Hye Jeong could feel it.

After sent Hye Jeong home, Ji Hong laid down on his bed and caressed his temple with his finger. He recalled what Hye Jeong’ said earlier. He concerned about it so much. How could she want to leave him?.

“No. You can”. Ji Hong lied.

He was sad. He thought that they would separate again, soon. But he loved her, he would do anything to make her happy. He would always be by her side and would never ever leave her. Of course he would support every good decision she made. But, could he bear not to see her? Even only for six months? He even could wait her for thirteen years in uncertainty. Why not if he waited for her again? Six months was nothing. And this time, he was certain, her heart was his.

Ji Hong dived into his pocket and opened his phone. He read all his conversations with Hye Jeong. He opened his phone’s gallery, when he realized he didn’t have any Hye Jeong’s photo, even for one.

Flashback..

Six years ago..

Ji Hong sat in the bench when his father, Dr.Hong Doo Shik, came to see him. Ji Hong looked down and seemed in deep thought.

“What have you been thinking? You look so serious? Hong Doo Shik tried to break his silent.

“Oh.. father!”. Ji Hong was aware of his presence and diverted his eyes to him.

“You will fly to Korea tomorrow?”. Hong Doo Shik asked.

“Yes”

Ji Hong had bought a plane ticket to Korea tomorrow morning. He had something to do on his mind when he came to Korea. Ji Hong would visit Korea every time he had a holiday. He was so busy with his internship for past seven years. But he finally completed his internship and became surgeon staff in John Hopkins Hospital. Soon, he would be a professor.Looking for Hye Jeong’s whereabouts was like a habit for Ji Hong whenever he came to Korea. Once, he tried to ask help to private detective but he found nothing. Or he thought he found nothing.

A year after the last time Ji Hong met Hye Jeong in Namyangju...

“Sir, I need you to find a girl”. Ji Hong put a piece of paper on the table. There’s hand written.

-Yoo Hye Jeong, 19 years old, Namyangju Girl High School, expelled. Last time appearance with high school boy riding red motorbike-

“Don’t you have her photo?”. The detective asked Ji Hong while seeing the note.

Ji Hong had taken aback. He didn’t have Hye Jeong’s photo. The only Hye Jeong’s photo he had ever seen was on her resume. But when she expelled, she brought the resume with her and the school admistration office didn’t have it either. They tought Hye Jeong was only their student for a short moment and didn’t want to admit it anymore due to her fire incident. The last time he was here, he visited grandma’s house in Namyangju but what he found just an abandoned house which looked empty inside. He was devastated that day.

Few months later after Ji Hong’s encounter with the detective.....

In US..

Ji Hong was still on operating room, doing a heavy surgery. His phone was ringing, but he didn’t notice that and just ignored it because he needed to focus on his surgery.

Meanwhile on the other side of the world, the phone call was from the detective. He had found Hye Jeong in DaeJeon. He flustered because Ji Hong didn’t pick up his phone. The detective thought he would call Ji Hong later. But what we called Ji Hong and Hye Jeong’s fate was not an easy one. The detective had an accident on the way he came home. He was busy on the phone so he didn’t aware of his surrounding. A truck suddenly appeared in front of him. Before he realized, the truck hit him hard and he fell to the road. Blood from his head flowed.

Back to US..

Ji Hong took a rest and sat in the the changing room when he noticed there was a misscall on his phone. He tried to call back but the number was not in the reach. Ji Hong took a deep breath, thinking it was not an important call. And he/she would call him again later.

Day by day passed. Season by season changed. Ji Hong thought there was no news from the hired detective, so he came in conclusion that the detective had not found Hye Jeong yet.

On the bed, Ji Hong tried to text Hye Jeong.

“What are you doing?”

“Studying”

 “-himneyo dog sticker-”

“ What is Teacher doing?”

“Thinking about you”

“So cheesy”

“-saranghae dog sticker-“

Hye Jeong just smiled, put her phone aside and continued what she did. But she couldn’t focus and the earlier conversation with Ji Hong was distracted her mind. Meanwhile, Ji Hong that night tried to make himself fall asleep. But he couldn’t. He walked to kitchen and opened a can of beer. Then he played clawing machine with a heavy heart.