I didn’t even realize my face was wet until the nurse pointed it out.

I jokingly told her that I was depressed being stuck in this room all the time; I doubt she believed me, but she didn’t pry.

When she finally left, I felt the loneliness creep in; I had forgotten what that felt like since Wheein came into my life.

Jung Wheein.

I thought she would be different.

I thought I had finally found someone I could open my heart to once again.

But I was wrong.

And yet, the only person I want to see right now is her.

If I close my eyes, I could almost hear her laugh; if I take a deep breath, I could almost smell her sweet scent; if I my lips, I could almost taste hers.

I laughed bitterly.

Even when you’re not here you make me want you, Jung Wheein.

“What did I do wrong, Wheein-ah?” I asked out loud to the empty room. “Why did you say those things?”

Did you even stop to think that when I gave you that necklace, I also gave you my heart?

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

I quickly wiped my eyes; if it was Wheein, I didn’t want to make her worry.

But when I turned to greet my visitor, I saw the person I least expected to see.

She walked into the room with a bouquet of flowers in her arms. Her usual bright smile was nowhere in sight.

“Hello, Byul-unnie,” she said as she set the bouquet on the empty chair next to the bed. “Sorry for dropping by unannounced…”

“Y-YooA…? H-How…? Wh-What…?”

She chuckled. “I have your nurse to thank,” she said. “I came by before, but you were still in a coma. She promised to let me know when you woke up.”

I frowned. “And why would she do that?”

“Because I was there that night, unnie. You saved me.”

She explained that she was on her way home, but she was a little tipsy and slow to react when I warned her about the incoming truck. She sobered up when I pushed her away and got hit instead. She did stay by my side until the ambulance came, but she passed out soon after and had to be taken away as well.

“Ah, I thought I was dreaming back then,” I mumbled.

YooA tilted her head to one side and looked at me curiously. “About being hit?”

I chuckled. “No, about seeing you. I thought I saw your face right before I passed out, but I convinced myself that it was just my mind playing tricks on me.”

YooA smiled. “It wasn’t a dream, unnie. I really was there.”

“Yeah, I know that now.”

Suddenly, she reached out a hand to caress my cheek.

I froze at her touch. “Y-YooA…”

“I know,” she said softly. “You have a girlfriend now, right?”

I turned my face away from her touch. “That’s why you shouldn’t do this…”

“I’m just happy that you’re still alive, unnie,” she said as her hand fall to her side. “Thank you for saving me.”

“Hey, anyone would have done it,” I said brightly, trying to lighten the mood. “It just happens to be me.”

She shook her head. “No, it’s because it’s you, unnie.” Then, she leaned in and planted a kiss on my cheek. “Thank you,” she murmured before pulling away.

“Byulie...?”

My head swivelled towards the door.

My girlfriend was standing at the door looking like she was in extreme pain. My insides clenched tightly when I saw a tear rolled down her cheek.

I opened my mouth, but my words were stuck in my throat. I watched helplessly as she staggered backwards and slowly walked away.

“Is that your girlfriend, unnie?” YooA asked. She looked guilty and worried at the same time. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize-”

“No, it’s fine,” I quickly said. “I’ll explain to her later.”

“What if she never comes back?”

I looked at YooA in alarm. “What?”

YooA’s smile was both bitter and sad. “You can wait all you want, unnie, but there’s no guarantee that she’ll come back.”

My heart thundered against my chest as I remembered what Hyejin once said to me.

“She’s a runner. She runs when she’s scared and she will do everything in her power to push you away. You’ll have to be patient with her because she will come back. She always comes back.”

But what if she doesn’t come back?

I knew I would slowly die from the inside out if she doesn’t.

“I-I need to go after her,” I mumbled as I jumped down from the bed. “She couldn’t have gotten far.”

YooA grabbed my left arm and supported me all the way to the door; I was a little wobbly, but my legs slowly gained strength as I think about not wanting to lose Wheein.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

We froze up when we saw a nurse rapidly approaching us.

“Go, unnie,” YooA said, pushing me in the opposite direction. “I’ll stall her.”

I nodded and took off.

I stumbled over my own feet and crashed into everything that stood in my way, but I didn’t care; my thoughts were on Wheein and only Wheein.

Wait for me, Wheein-ah. I’m coming for you.