The Unparalyzed Half - Part 2
Best Ex Ever (Suho and OC)The movers did a good job. Not only were they fast, but the workers were also very thorough as well. Big or small, every item was delivered carefully and placed right back on the spot where it has been removed.
Jae-eun called the manager to express her gratitude. She was supposed to be a pleased customer but her voice sounded… odd. She must have sounded so cheerless that the ahjussi worried for her.
“Miss Park, are you okay?” the manager of Tongbang Movers said over the phone.
“Yes, uncle,” Jae-eun replied.
“My boys did not do anything to dissatisfy you, did they?”
“No, uncle! The delivery was excellent,” Jae-eun assured. “I am very satisfied.”
“I just want to be sure that we have proven worthy of the very generous service tip you gave us.”
Because it was a lighthearted statement from the kind old businessman that deserved a cheerful response, it was almost obligatory that Jae-eun laughed. So she did. “Hahaha… you have a loyal customer in me, ahjussi.”
She stared at her massage chair in the living room. It’s back at home. Everything was right where it should be.
Her life, right here in her safe bachelorette home, was back to how it should be.
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
Throughout the next seven days…
There were consistencies that carried Jae-eun through. She convinced herself that if she stuck with certain routines— if she walked the line and adhered to schedules and priorities— she would be fine. Not fine in the sense of painless but rather fine in terms of function. She SHOULD be functional and functioning. That’s important. Function meant that she could move. And if she moved and moved and kept on moving… then maybe someday, by chance or at will, she could finally move on.
Each day, she woke up early and allocate time for exercise, just to awaken her mind and give her energy.
After her shower, she would go to the office. Her family and the other workers were so pleased over the regularity of her visit to their corporate building. The entire workforce knew that Jae-eun, by rightful affiliation as an heiress, was a partial owner of the company but over the next few days… she worked like any regular wage-earner. She worked as if her job was at stake. She worked harder and longer than anyone. She worked like she was about to be fired.
If fitness routines benefit the body and working kept the mind in good shape—friends treat the heart. Jae-eun kept in touch with her friends. She had declined their offer to meet up because she wasn’t prepared for how they would surely pry. But she would call or send them messages constantly... to keep in touch and send her love. To chit-chat, to share a giggle.... and to gossip. Little girlfriendly things like that.
But to Jinri, it was a little different. Jae-eun was more transparent to Jinri. If Jae-eun was fine and optimistic that very day, she would gladly tell Jinri that things seemed to be looking up.
Jae-eun to ChangJinri Text MSG:
Sis! I had a mtg with a vendor and I sealed a good deal for our company. Then I had lunch with my father and he’s proud of my work. What a productive and happy day. Little by little, I’m making progress. You’re right, bestie. I'm stronger than I thought. I think I can do this.
ChangJinri to JaeEun Text MSG:
DATS MY GIRL! ** Kissing emoji. Starry-eyed emoji. Heart. Heart. Heart. Fist-bump. **
But during bad days (and those times outnumbered the good), she would convey her honest feelings to Jinri as well. Jae-eun would indulge in a no-holds-barred rant that only a friend would be comfortable enough to express to a friend…
Jae-eun to ChangJinri Text MSG:
I’m wretched. I'm a weakling. Why did I even think I can survive this? I went to sleep crying and I woke up crying. I don’t want to get up from bed. I don’t feel like jogging today. I have no appetite or energy. I don’t want to go to work – WORK IS STUPID. I’m stupid. I’m an addict. I can’t beat this feeling and I’m such a loser. PARK JAE-EUN IS OFFICIALLY A HOPELESS INCURABLE LOSER! Like why are u even friends with a loser like me, Chang Jinri?????? WHY? Omg I can’t anymore. I’m in so much pain. I don’t want to DO anything or BE anything. I don’t see the point of existing only to live in pain day after day after f_cking painful day! F_ck this life and this pain. I don’t want to f_cking EXIST! LIKE WHY THE F_CK DO I EVEN EXIST?
ChangJinri to JaeEun Text MSG:
Park Jae-eun imma slap u if u don’t get up and shower. Don’t make me go there . Snap out of it and get the f_ck up! NOW!
Jae-eun to ChangJinri Text MSG:
ok
ChangJinri to JaeEun Text MSG:
I love you. ALWAYS.
Thank God for friends.
Thank God for friends who don’t give up on their friends.
Thank God for friends that are strong when their friends are weak.
And then each day without fail... unknown to anyone, she would contact his doctor.
Jae-eun : “How is he?”
Doctor : “His vitals are strong and he’s off the monitors. His flaccid muscles are recovering quicker each day. We have allowed him more outpatient liberties…”
His physical therapist.
Jae-eun : “How is he?”
Therapist : “We have excellent news. His paralyzed limbs are still slow in movement but they have attained their full range of motions…”
His dietician.
Jae-eun : “How is he?”
Dietician : “He is not so receptive to the changes in his nutritional treatment plan. Kim Jun-myeon argues—”
Jae-eun : “It does not matter if he argues! He can argue all he wants but you’re the expert in his well-being and you must not let him get his way! I thought I’d emphasized that enough…”
Dietician : “Miss Park, please do not get upset.”
Jae-eun : “That man thinks he could intimidate anyone! You must tell him that he needs to consume only the things you approve of—even if you have to shove food into his mouth!”
Dietician : “I doubt if we could force-feed him, ma’am. We do not want a lawsuit.”
Jae-eun : “You do not want to be known as ineffective and incompetent either, do you?”
Dietician : “No, ma’am.”
Jae-eun : “Then make sure he eats what he needs to eat. Please…?”
Dietician : “We will.”
Jae-eun : “And sometimes, it’s not the food. It’s how the food is presented. He’s a very picky and fussy eater. He wants his plate presented in a certain way. His vegetables and protein also have to be cut according to his preference. Before you serve him food, you have to ask him how he wants it done. Can you do that?”
Dietician : “Yes, Miss Park.”
His assistant.
Jae-eun : “How is he?”
Executive Assistant : “He has started working, Miss Park.”
Jae-eun : “Ohmygod… Cara…”
Executive Assistant : “But he’s fine! He’s so happy to be back to work. Besides, he needed to be here. He’s prepping up the team for the big pitch to YK Zoom. He practically LIVES for the forthcoming meeting!”
Jae-eun : “I know… I know he does. How long has he been working these days?”
Executive Assistant : “Uhm… the doctor allowed for a maximum of two and a half hours each day.”
Jae-eun : “And?”
Executive Assistant : “He… uh…”
Jae-eun : “Cara.”
Executive Assistant : “Sometimes he exceeds the permitted time.”
Jae-eun : “Damn it!”
Executive Assistant : “No… no, don’t worry. He’s not overeworked. He’s not stressed.”
Jae-eun : “Cara, do NOT make him work longer than the doctor allowed.”
Executive Assistant : “Ooohhh, Miss Park… I don’t know if anyone can stop him.”
Jae-eun : “Just SHOO him away!”
Executive Assistant : (Nervous laugh.) “I cannot do that, Miss Park.”
Jae-eun : “Okay... I understand. Here’s what you do. If you find that he’s working for longer than two and a half hours, you call Doctor Wong. Call his doctor! The doctor will order him to stop and if he resists, Doctor Wong will take charge of bodily removing his stubborn workaholic out from the office. Arasso? Can you do that for me, Cara? I will text you the cell phone of his doctor… YOU CALL HIM! Okay, Cara?”
And within those days of constantly worrying for him in secret, she half-expected… with a mixture of hope and fear… that he would attempt to contact her. If only to know how she’s been doing. To know of she’s all right. To know where they stood after she abandoned him. Or simply just to hear her voice with the same agonizing urge she had to hear his.
But not once did he call her. Not even once.
Maybe, he’s full of pride. Maybe he’s angry that she upped and left the way she did.
Or maybe he did not care anymore because he was already on the road to full recovery and her motivational presence was no longer needed.
He no longer needed her.
Once again, he was glad to be rid of her.
Maybe he’s having a fling with a nurse.
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
On the eighth day...
She picked up the phone. “Yeoboseyo?”
“You have a great voice. It’s so husky but sweet. Girl, anyone who does not know you and hears your voice over the phone will think you’re hot. But then when they see you in person, they’d realize they were mistaken… ‘cause you’re HOTTER that anyone could ever imagine.”
Now, THAT is what you call a classic greeting... playboy style. Jae-eun gave in to a smile. “Do Kyungsoo.”
“Hi!”
“Hi,” she greeted warily. “Is everything okay?”
“By 'everything', are you inquiring about me or…”
Kyungsoo sounded like he’s in a joking mood. That meant nothing was wrong with his friend. Without any worry, she answered, “You.”
“Why, Park Jae-eun agassi! I didn’t know I was your EVERYTHING!”
“Hahahaha…”
“It’s nice to hear you laugh. I’ve missed you.”
“Thank you,” Jae-eun said. “I have missed you as well.”
“So you left the hospital— you had all your hauled and you did not return. Like what the hell...”
“Yeah. Sorry.”
“I didn’t call you ‘cause I wasn't sure how ed-up things are. I thought you wanna be left alone for a while.”
“I did. Thanks for giving me space.”
“Are you ready to talk about it… or not?”
“No,” Jae-eun declined. “Sorry. Not yet. Is that okay if we don’t?”
Kyungsoo was quick to agree. “For sure! We don’t need to talk about it now. But are yo
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