Chapter 5

It's so surreal. The whole view  in front of Jessica. She's standing there, feet rooting on the sand, watching as Yuri runs with signal flares on both hands.

The orange smoke curls up in the sky, like a snake dancing to get the helicopter's attention. Yuri waves the flares from side to side, going against the wave as he keeps moving forward.

“Heyyyyyy! Over here!”

Being pulled out from her trance by Yuri's loud yell, Jessica yells too, waving her hands, afraid that the people in the helicopter might not see them at all. When the helicopter flies lower and lower, beaming a strong white light at Yuri then at her, Jessica breaks into tears. They are safe. The rescue team is here.

Yuri runs back to the Jessica as the helicopter starts to descend on a hard ground a few meters from the woods. She looks up at him, teary eyes and all. His eyes, on the other hand, shine brightly as he wraps an arm around Jessica's shoulders.

“Told you they will come.” His smile is a smug one as he hugs Jessica tight and gives a kiss on the top of her head. A sudden gesture that makes Jessica realizes that they were actually about to share a kiss a few minutes ago.

She wonders what would happen if the helicopter didn't come this soon.

She wonders if the canceled kiss would actually mean as deep to him as it would to her.

Sighing while feeling content in his arms, she's just happy that the rescue team has come. The kiss, now that they are saved, can always be resumed later she dares to hope.

Three men in orange uniforms come out once the helicopter touch the ground, ducking to avoid the wind from the propellers as they run to them.

“Captain Andrew. US coast guard. Are you the passengers of missing KE151 flight from Hawaii to Seoul?” One of them shakes Yuri's hands as he yells to overcome the noise.

“Yes.”

“Oh God, thank you.” The captain sighs, giving a signal to the helicopter pilot. The noise of the machine dies down as the propellers come into a stop. “The storm held most the rescue team up. Please tell me there are more of you on this island.”

“There are a few more of us.” Yuri points at Sooyoung who's running to them. “Her grandma, an elderly, is severely wounded in the raft over there and there are other survivors taking shelter uphill.”

“You need to transport my grandma first!” Sooyoung, almost out of breath, yells as she reaches them. “She needs immediate medical attention. Real medical attention."

Sooyoung starts to explain her grandmother's condition to the three men, two of them being paramedics who clearly understand the severity of the case. The captain doesn't wait long. He and his men immediately tend to Sooyoung's grandma so she can be transported safely. Jessica watches nervously, still holding Yuri's hand, as one of the men put a neck brace on the old woman. Another man administers an IV to the weak wrinkly hand and Jessica nearly falls into tears again.

“It's okay.” As if sensing her distress, Yuri squeezes Jessica's hand. “She's in safe hands now. We all are.”

They load Sooyoung's grandma onto a gurney and carry her to the Helicopter. Still hand in hand, Yuri and Jessica follow them.

“We can carry two more.” The captain shouts over the noise of the machine as his men load the gurney.

“What about the rest?” Yuri shouts too.

“We'll come back later. Our radio is broken on the way here, can't inform the exact location of this island to the team.”

Yuri throws a look over his shoulder, clearly hesitant.

“We're not leaving them. I promise. A carrier ship is anchored a few miles from this island as part of the rescue team. We go there, inform them of the location, then come back. Don't worry.”

“Okay. Okay.” Yuri holds Jessica's hand as she steps up  and sit beside Sooyoung in the helicopter.

“You will go with us right?” Jessica grips his hand even harder now.

He throws another look behind his shoulders. “I-”

“Help! Help Us!”

It's Luke. The man is running to them while carrying his pregnant wife in both hands.

“Sooyoung! Where's Sooyoung?” The man is sweating, clearly in both panic and total exhaustion after carrying his wife down the hill and through the woods. In his arms, Tina seems to be in pain, grimacing as she holds her huge belly.

Luke stops in front of Yuri, heaving. “Tina! She's having contraction! I bring her here to get Sooyoung's help but heard helicopter instead. Are you planning on leaving us? Don't play me dirty here.”

“No, sir.” Captain Andrews steps up. “We're just the first of many who will come and rescue you and your friends.”

“Good." Luke sighs, scanning the captain from head to toe."My wife needs a doctor. Are you a doctor? Where's Sooyoung?”

“I'm here. I'm here.” Sooyoung steps down from the helicopter. The doctor puts a hand on Tina's protruding belly, her brows knitted together. “How far apart are the contractions, Tina?”

“I don't know. I felt one before Luke carried me downhill and another one just a few seconds ago.”

Sooyoung looks up at the hill then look down at the pregnant woman. “We still have time. Load her into the helicopter. Sorry, Yuri. You'll have to wait for the next team.”

“It's okay. Another rescue team will be here anyway.” Yuri pats Tina on the shoulder as the woman up steps up with Luke's help. “Hang in there Tina, you're about to be transported to that VIP bed you and your baby deserve.”

"Okay! Everyone is loaded!" Captain Andrew shouts, giving a thumb up at the pilot.

“What about Luke?” Tina leans over Jessica to grab her husband's hand. “I'm not having this baby without him.”

“It's okay Tina. Jessica's head is wounded. Take care of her for me, doc, Jess.” Luke answers without even looking at his wife's eyes or Jessica's eyes for that matter.

“No.” Jessica steps down, knowing her place. “You go, Luke.”

“No, Jess. You need medical-”

“Hardly the right time to argue, Luke. Hurry! Your baby needs you.” Jessica stands beside Yuri, holding his hand as she gives Luke a hard  nudge.

"Go bro, name your baby after one of us." Yuri nudges the soon-to-be father too, grinning.

"Thank you, Jessica." Tina's eyes are teary as she looks at Jessica apologetically. Luke squeezes both Yuri and Jessica in a quick hug before boarding the helicopter.  Seeing Luke hugging his wife tight ensure Jessica that she has made the right decision.

“Another set of the storm is predicted to sweep this area in an hour or two.” The captain shouts to Yuri as he slides the door to the passenger hatch shut. “The rescue team will likely bring the ship closer and try to transport you all with rescue boats to the ship before the storm hit."

"Tell the people uphill to wait down here to save time, okay? Hang in here. We'll be back."

Yuri gives his thumb up, one hand moves to wrap around Jessica's shoulders. His hand stays there as the helicopter leaves them. Once the tail light of the chopper disappears in the dark, Yuri hurriedly takes Jessica back to the raft.

“Stay there.” He rummages through the emergency bag and finds a flashlight. “I'm going uphill to alert the other survivors.”

“Take me with you.”

“No!” He objects, grabbing the poncho that was once used to cover Sooyoung's grandma from the floor and puts it on. “Didn't you see Luke's bloodied feet? The climb will be hard. I don't want to risk you another injury.”

“I don't mind. I-”

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