Grandpa Lee held back tears as the doctor’s words ran through his mind.

“Mr Lee, I’m sorry to say this but I think his condition is getting worse. It seems like some of the symptoms from the traumatic brain injury that he suffered from 7 years ago are recurring. I’m not sure why; he is probably under a lot of stress at the moment. We have to monitor him closely because any form of stress or psychological disturbance affects his recovery process. This blackout was also a sign that he might still be suffering from PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). If these symptoms persist, it’s better to consult a psychologist or psychiatrist.”

The steps towards Soo Hyuk’s private ward felt seemingly endless – his knees growing weak. Alex noticed Grandpa Lee’s limp frame at the doorway and rushed over to bring him to a chair. The patient had already regained consciousness and cheerfully waved to his grandfather. A rose colour began to fill his cheeks, making his pale face appear more human. It was probably the first time he was seeing his grandfather in three months and he could not hide his happiness. However, Grandpa’s knitted brows and wrinkled forehead seemed to tell him that something was amiss.

Seeing the change in Soo Hyuk’s expression, Grandpa tried to force a smile.

“How are you doing Hyuk-ie? I’m so glad you’re okay now. Sorry I didn’t really check on you for the past couple of months as I had a lot of things to take care of at the company.” His voice sounded despondent and a little regretful.

“I’m fine, Grandpa! Look, I’m awake now aren’t I?” Soo Hyuk chirped and tried to prop himself up to a sitting position. But a sharp pain emerged from the back of his head, causing him to lose his grip and his head to fall back flat on the pillow. He let out a whimper.

Grandpa Lee’s face stiffened looking at Soo Hyuk. He leaned forward to adjust the pillow for him.

“Don’t exert yourself. You need to get lots of rest if you want to be up and running again. I know you’re tough but you’re not superman. I’m sure Alex will help you take care of the restaurant for now.”

“Of course I will! Don’t you worry, Hyuk. I’ve got your back!” Alex assured him.

Soo Hyuk nodded as he massaged his forehead.

*******

-7 years ago-

En route to Busan in their land rover, Soo Hyuk and his family – his parents and his brother Soo Ho – were singing along to their favourite songs on the radio. They had rented a vacation home to accommodate them for the weekend and were thrilled that they were only half an hour away from their destination. It had been a long drive since noon and now the sun was beginning to dip behind the clouds. Magnificent streaks of orange and purple hues filled the skies, as if bidding the sun a grand farewell. The brilliant display soon dispersed into greys and blacks that accompanied the night sky. Thick ominous clouds began to gather, like they knew of an impending doom.

Just as their land rover was about to make a left-turn at the junction, a truck carrying barrels of oil behind them beat the red light. While it was avoiding a vehicle in its way, the reckless driver swerved his truck suddenly, only to collide into the land rover. The entire rover skidded and flipped over, stopping in its tracks as it crashed into the metal road barriers. Two barrels rolled off the truck upon the impact, bursting as they landed on the ground. The leaking oil looked like pools of black ink on the road.

After the disastrous impact, Soo Hyuk was the only one still conscious and he managed to slowly crawl out of the broken car window. With his last ounce of energy, he tried his best to pull the lifeless body of his mother through the opening, assisted by a passer-by who happened to be a paramedic. His father and brother were still stuck in the driver and passenger seats, but it was too dangerous to try to move them without proper equipment. The passer-by began to perform necessary first aid on Soo Hyuk and his mother while waiting for help to arrive. Soon enough, the booming wail of sirens penetrated the still air and blue flashing lights began to illuminate the dimly-lit road. The thick fog seemed to add an unintended grim atmosphere to the already horrific scene. As the vehicles came to a stop, uniformed officers scampered out of the ambulances and fire engine. The paramedics shifted Soo Hyuk, his unconscious mother and the truck driver onto stretchers and into the ambulances while the team of firefighters tried to rescue the two trapped victims.

Soo Hyuk kept his bloodshot eyes on their family car and caught a final glimpse of Soo Ho and his father, both dressed in a pool of blood. Tears gleamed from the corner of his eyes and he out soon after due to shock. He regained consciousness to a murmur of voices in the background. White-washed walls and curtains gradually came into view. A mix of sulphur and a strong antiseptic odour filled his nostrils.

A familiar voice could be heard in the midst of the chaos. Her piercing wails and sobs made his heart hurt and he squinted his eyes to locate her frame. Soo Hyuk found his mother throwing a fit in the bed beside him while Grandpa Lee held her in a tight embrace.

“NO!! Nooooo! They can’t be gone. My beloved husband and son……….Dear God, why didn’t you take me with them?” she screamed in exasperation. Her heavy breathing could be heard in between sobs.

“Soo Ho-ah, Ji Yong-oppa, come back! Don’t go.......I love you so much…..please don’t go…” Her voice quivered.

It was like an arrow had been shot straight through Soo Hyuk’s heart when he heard her words. Appa and Hyung are gone?…. Dead?  The wells under his eyes overflowed and he began to weep uncontrollably.

*******

-back to present day-

Over the next few days, Grandpa Lee nursed his only grandson back to health to make up for neglecting him over work. Grandpa Lee was the founder and president of a soy sauce production company and had been taking care of Soo Hyuk since the accident. He didn’t want history to repeat itself. After the tragedy 7 years ago, Soo Hyuk’s mother fell deep into depression. Her mental state weakened severely and she refused to meet or talk to anyone. Any form of disturbance would easily irritate her and she had sporadic bouts of manic episodes that could vary from three days to three months. During that period, she even refused any visits from Soo Hyuk as his striking resemblance to Soo Ho would trigger her painful memories. A year and a half later, she died of poisoning from an overdose of sleeping pills.

Following such misfortune, Soo Hyuk also began to develop depressive symptoms. That was when Grandpa Lee persuaded his grandson to pursue his studies in Canada, to get a fresh start and break away from the overwhelming devastation. This led him to find his passion for food and cooking, and he went on to become a promising chef. After he completed his studies, he opened his first restaurant in Korea and his success helped him to open two more restaurants, assisted by his grandfather.

These two enjoyed a close relationship, and Grandpa Lee was a father-like figure to Soo Hyuk; the one who always encouraged and supported him. Once Soo Hyuk was well again, the two of them spent time together watching hockey games, cooking dinner, playing chess and just taking a stroll in the park. It was fulfilling to be in each other’s company after being too caught up in their own endeavours. While eating dinner on Saturday, Grandpa Lee noticed a strange bracelet that Soo Hyuk sported. He was not the kind to put on any accessories other than his leather watch, so it piqued his interest.

“Hyuk-ie, did you buy that? It’s so unlike you to be wearing such a thing, more so with a star charm hanging from it,” Grandpa probed, pointing to the bracelet on his grandson’s wrist.

He caught Soo Hyuk’s shoulder jerk when he finished his question, and the boy let out a cough.

“Um…..it’s a….it’s a free gift. I got it when I went shopping the other day,” Soo Hyuk lied, scratching his head.

Grandpa Lee rolled his eyes.

“Do you think I can’t tell when you’re lying? You’re too obvious, Hyuk-ie. Come on, spill it,” Grandpa Lee laughed.

Soo Hyuk sighed and laughed shyly. He recounted the whole story of how he met So Eun, and how he had come up with a pathetic excuse to ask her out, to which she surprisingly agreed. He mentioned how cool she had been when she skated on ice, and how she turned out to be a professional skier. He liked how she was so spirited yet exuded a graceful persona. A nice warm feeling always enveloped him whenever she was around. It took away his cold exterior and made him all fuzzy inside. And he always wanted to make jokes to see her smile because her eyes beamed like crescent moons whenever the corner of her lips touched her cheekbones. That was why he had asked her to take the other bracelet with the crescent moon charm.

Grandpa Lee smiled.

“I think our little boy here has just fallen in love,” he teased.

Soo Hyuk blushed. “I don’t know, Grandpa. And for the record, I'm not little okay. I've grown up now. All I know is that I like her. A lot. But I don’t know what to do about it.”

“Go for it! Ask her out, and tell her,” encouraged Grandpa.

“But we’ve only met a few times and I think she’s going back to Korea soon. And what if she decides to stay away from me when she finds out about my frequent blackouts?” Soo Hyuk rubbed his forehead.

“Sometimes, it takes just one meeting to know if someone’s meant for us. And if she’s really meant for you, even if you’re separated by a million miles or trapped in a sea of millions, you’ll still find each other in the end,” Grandpa advised. “Just follow your heart. What’s meant for you will never miss you.”

Soo Hyuk nodded. Grandpa Lee came close and pulled him into a man-hug. “You deserve to be happy,” he whispered.

*******
 

So Eun had finished packing all her luggage early on Sunday, even though her flight back to Korea was not until late that night. She had learnt her lesson from the other time, and Ha Neul had even called just to nag her about doing last-minute packing. Aunty Se Ra was out for a book-reading session with some of the neighbours. She was a part of their Book Reading Club which conducted a gathering every other Sunday. Feeling a little bored, So Eun decided to take a walk outside with her camera just to take in the sights of Vancouver and snap some shots on her final day there. The outstanding exterior of the Holy Rosary Cathedral came into view and So Eun recalled her meeting with Soo Hyuk there. Maybe I could join in the Sunday Mass today, she thought as she looked at her watch.

Her pace quickened and soon she found herself in the grand hall, greeted by smiling patrons. One of the ladies in a fancy white hat invited her to take a seat beside her. So Eun obliged and sat down as she listened to the pastor speak and enjoyed the occasional hymns sung by the church choir. Whenever the choir sang, the whole hall chorused after them and even So Eun joined in as well. After the session ended, everyone but So Eun left the hall. She was still admiring the beauty of the hall and the hymns were resonating in her head. Her eyes closed and she chanted a little prayer. A pair of footsteps gently approached her.

“Good morning, you’re Soo Hyuk’s special friend right?” came a tender voice she had heard before.

So Eun looked up from her clasped hands and saw the pastor that she had met when Soo Hyuk brought her here.

She smiled. “Good morning, Sir. I suppose I’m his friend but what makes you think I’m his special friend?”

He smiled back. “Because he has never brought a lady alone with him other than you and the rest are just his fellow chefs from the restaurant.”

A pink blush crept up her cheeks. The pastor and her had a small conversation and he talked about all kinds of things – even giving advice and some words of wisdom from the holy book.

So Eun listened attentively but she got curious about something. “Sir, I remember Soo Hyuk mentioned that you helped with his healing, but he never said anything else about it. Is he suffering from some kind of illness?”

The pastor’s soft expression stiffened. “Soo Hyuk’s a fine boy, but he has suffered so much hardship at such a young age, that he got into some trouble coping with them. I don’t think I should elaborate, because it’s better if you found out about it directly from him. He may look icy on the outside, but he’s one of the nicest boys I’ve known here. I’m sure you know that already.”

She nodded. Yes, he’s really nice.

The pastor excused himself and exited the hall, leaving So Eun to drown in her thoughts.

But if I’m his special friend, why is he not contacting me anymore?

She swallowed her disappointment but decided to send Soo Hyuk a text message that she would be leaving today on the 9 p.m. flight to Seoul. She secretly hoped she could see him just one more time.

*******
 

The airport was like an organized mess. People were coming in and out of the terminal from all directions, but everyone seemed to know where to go. The air was filled with the aroma of coffee from the nearby café and the sound of trolleys screeching against the cold floor.

 “Eun-ie, I think it’s time for you to go in. The gate’s open.” Aunty Se Ra reminded her niece who seemed to be in a daze.

So Eun looked at her watch. “It’s okay, Aunty. There’s still some time. Besides, if I go in early, I’ll have to wait by myself,” she reassured her aunt.

Unconsciously, So Eun kept looking around the departure hall, scanning faces and their dressing, harbouring the slightest hope that Soo Hyuk might magically appear.

Observing this, Aunty Se Ra became concerned. “Are you waiting for someone, darling? You look a little tense.”

“No, I’m just…..I guess I’m just feeling a little uneasy because I’m taking a long flight again.” And this time, I’ll really be alone.

She glanced at her watch for the final time. Her face deflated further like a balloon losing its last bit of air as she announced, “Okay Aunty. I think I’m ready to go in. Thank you for --” She paused her speech when she spotted a tall, handsome man in a black coat approaching her in the distance. He had his hair down and his grey orbs looked straight into hers.

Aunty Se Ra followed the direction of her niece’s gaze and her eyes fell upon the fine-looking gentleman. She saw So Eun’s face light up and immediately understood as she stepped back to give them some space.

Soo Hyuk stood before the girl who had her auburn hair in a bun.

“You…you came,” So Eun started. She had wanted to see him but had not thought of what to say if he came.

Soo Hyuk smiled. There were so many things in his mind and he had even rehearsed what to say to her in the car, but the moment she was in front of him, his mind went blank. There she goes again, leaving me flustered like this. He tried his best to keep his calm.

“So Eun, I….I have a lot of things I want to say to you but at this point it will all sound like excuses. Firstly, I’m sorry for leaving you hanging the other day. Some things happened and this whole week has been really tough. And I don’t know what’s gotten into me but if there’s one thing I know for sure….it’s that I really, NEED to see you again,” he poured out.

So Eun stayed silent, but the tenderness of his voice was breaking her. She hadn’t heard him sound this vulnerable before. Their eyes locked for a while, as if searching for answers in each other’s eyes.

Soo Hyuk reached out to lock her fingers in his. “Will you give me the chance to see you again?” His voice reverberated in her head.

So Eun wasn’t sure if this was just a fragment of her imagination. She looked down at their interlaced hands to check and he gave it a squeeze, as if asking for a response. His gesture sent a jolt through her body and she was finally brought out of her daze. A small smile danced on her lips and her eyes curled into the shape of a crescent moon. She nodded.

He pulled her into a hug, slowly inhaling the scent of cherry blossoms from her hair and whispered, “Thank you, So Eun.”

She shyly returned the hug and whispered back, “Till we meet again, Soo Hyuk.”

Looking at them from a distance, Aunty Se Ra squealed in delight.

A/N: This chapter's a bit lengthy (and sad sigh) because I had to address some of the background characters and incidents to keep the story going. Hopefully happier days to come for this pair. Enjoy! :)