“How could you do this without our permission? At least you could have let us know before you did the surgery on our daughter?” fumed Tisha’s mom. 

“Weren’t we all wanting her to go through this surgery? Besides, Tisha is a major. She could make her own decision, and as her doctor, I only had to listen to her opinion. If I have offended you in any way or you want to sue me, go ahead,” replied Dr Wonho as he turned around and left that place.

“Yeobo (Honey), the doctor is right. We should be happy that Tisha has agreed to the surgery and has already undergone that. Now, all we have to do is wait for her to wake up. Did you hear what the doctor said? He said that the surgery was a success, and she won’t have any memory loss issues due to the surgery. She will be back to us as our old Tisha again. 

We only have to wait for her to wake up and pray that she wouldn’t be comatose,” explained Mr Lee as calmly as he could.

“I was never beside her when she was hurt and in pain. I wanted to be on her side when she fought this battle. Now, I let her fight it alone again. I’m a bad mother,” cried Mrs Lee.

‘Guardians of Lee Tisha….,’ called the nurse in charge of the ICU ward.

“We are,” said Sowon. She has been here since the surgery started. 

She got back to the hospital to visit her best friend after school and wanted to gossip about simply everything with her. But the room was empty when she reached there, and the first thought that hit her was that her best friend might have passed away by the time she was away. 

Luckily the nurses told her about the sudden arrangement of surgery and Tisha’s consent to the surgery. The surgery takes place for 6 hours, and Sowon stands by the door, waiting for the return of her best friend.

“The patient asked us to deliver these letters after her surgery ended,” said the nurse as she handed them a few letters with their names. Sowon took it from the nurse in charge and distributed the letters.

“It's okay if you want to read it alone. I will wait here with the others,” said Hongbin as he patted Sowon’s head dearly.

“Hmmm,” she replied as she walked towards the garden to read alone. 

There were five letters. It was for the parents, Sasha, Ken Oppa, Sowon, and Mark. 

In a few minutes, the corridor gets filled with other VIXX members along with Ken. Mark joined the group as soon as he got the news. He runs out of the practice room to reach the hospital in record time.

“Tisha wrote letters for us before the surgery. There is one with your name on it,” explained Ken as he gave the letter to Mark.

He gets the letters with shaking hands. He was nervous to read the contents. 

The past few days felt like a dream come true for him. Even though it was not like couples spending time with each other, it was still good enough for him. 

He always had ideas of dates to bring Tisha to, the ways he wanted to treat her, but the truth was he couldn't do even 80% of it for her in her weak condition.

He was not emotionally confident in their so-called relationship, which they didn’t even name. Now to think that this letter could be the last communication they might have, that thought itself scares the hell out of him. After taking a few deep breaths, he finally opens the letter.

‘Hi, Mark Oppa,

I always wanted to call you Oppa. You were my first love, Mark. I think of it as love at first sight. I first saw you at our school hall when you had a rap battle with Ravi Oppa. That moment felt so magical. I fall in love with you, but you never see me as a friend or a girl. 

I portrayed a happy image of myself to you, not only you but everybody. I wanted to make others happy. I want to make them feel wanted and special. Maybe it was because I knew the feeling of being unwanted. 

The feeling of being invisible in your own damn family is hurtful. Following you around the school and having a small chat here and there were more than enough to make me feel happy. 

But, nothing stays the same forever, Mark. 

Every feeling has to be two ways to be strong and keep going, which was impossible for us. And at one point, I felt it was all useless and too painful to handle. I wanted to give up on my feelings. Now that you have said you loved me too, I’m glad all my efforts are worth it.

But if I survive this surgery, I don’t want to live my life in a lie or a mere hope. 

We were never really in a relationship. You were only taking care of me in my worst time, and I appreciate that because I know the luxury of time. 

So if I survive this, I want you to think back and decide what is best for us. I’ll do the same. 

To think back, I feel like I wanted a fairy tale in my life, but the reality is nothing like that. Your love was what I once desired. But now that I have it, I don’t feel like I need it. 

I’m sorry if my last words hurt you. I’m doing this for your happiness too. You are not responsible for anything that happened to me. 

I will always love you, Mark.

Stay healthy and happy always.

From, 

Tisha.

The tears were rolling down his face freely. He loved Tisha in his way, which made her go through a hard one-sided love. Now that he knows how she felt all this time, he feels like a terrible person. He feels like he didn’t deserve her. 

He will not give up on her. But, he is not going to force her into anything. If she wants them to be friends again, he will obey. 

She deserves all the happiness in the world. 

“I will always love you too, Tisha.”

~

“I guess we should read it together,” said Ken as he saw Sasha staring at the letter in her hands for a while now. 

“I-I’m..,” Sasha shuttered in nervousness.

“I know, but we still have to read it," he encouraged her even though he was scared like her. 

“Alright,” said Sasha as she opened the letter. 

‘Hi, Lee siblings,

People say having an elder brother is a blessing. He would be there for you at all costs, and having a twin is magical because they will understand you more than anybody. 

In our case, we were the exceptional ones. 

Both of you were never there for me. Both of you didn’t understand my feelings even for a bit. The world is selfish, and we all want to be the best, to get better than the others. 

We lost our true bond in this continuous battle of being a perfect child. I don’t even remember my childhood memories anymore. All I could remember was trying to please people and being good, doing chores. Maybe my mind is playing tricks with me by hiding away all the good memories, or I don’t have any.

I pen this letter to tell you to live your life the way you want. Not as mom wished or not as what could make dad proud. Be you, do what you like. If I survive this surgery, I will do everything I want. Everything that I didn’t do just because our parents didn’t like it.

I don’t blame this on you guys. If only one of you had attempted to understand me better, things could have been different. 

We had to look after our priority first. 

I would have done the same in your shoes too. 

But it is all good now. 

I forgive you both. I don’t hold any grudges against you two. I’m the good sister remember?

I hope this letter could make you both realize the things you ignored to please others.

You come first. Your priorities come first than others, and you have to feel good and confident in yourself. 

Always remember that you guys are allowed to leave and make your changes if it is necessary. I hope you guys are good, and I hope maybe I could live and spend life together with you both as one of the Lee siblings.

Your sister,

Tisha.’

“Why didn’t she blame it all on us or play the guilt card? Why does she have to be the angel among us until the end? Why did I not see this sooner, Oppa?” Sasha cried in the arms of her elder brother.

“I should have been the reliable elder brother, but I just took advantage of her,” said Ken as he cried.

Please Subscribe to read the full chapter