Summary: Kim Minjoo was born with a fragile heart, and her time was slowly running out. Fortunately, she wakes up after a successful heart transplant, and finds a letter on the table beside her.

Word Count: 5826

Hashtag: #JinjooFiesta_ForYou

 

“For You”

 

Minjoo had lost track of how many days or even years since she was stuck in the hospital. All she knew that it was far too long, and that she had spent more than half of her life suffering.

 

Figured that if she had died from the start, then she wouldn’t be suffering, along with Yujin. She was more worried of the younger girl than herself.

 

The silence was deafening, as she was all alone in her hospital room staring at the white ceiling when she’s laying down, or gazing at the city scape when she’s sitting upright. Maybe the latter was the best part about getting hospitalized. Minjoo considered herself quite lucky, not for being alive but for being designated on the seventh floor of the building, along with her room having a massive glass pane that unveiled the majestic view of Seoul.

 

All day Minjoo would feel lonely, all by herself as she aimlessly gazed out over the horizon as far as the eye can see. The sound of silence often yelled in her ears, as if they were telling her to give up her life, but the constant beeping of her heart rate monitor beside her bed masked the deafening silence.

 

She’s always waiting for her to come, that person being Yujin. The very presence of that girl seemingly gets rid of the pain and her suffering. Minjoo thought that Yujin’s presence was therapeutic, that she’d feel carefree once the younger girl is around. It always felt like a dream; a dream where Minjoo wasn’t suffering; a dream where she lived a happy life; a dream where she spent the rest of her life not rotting in that damned hospital.

 

Once again, she’s thinking deeply about how fate had chosen how her life would go. All she could do was to accept it, for she was not a god, or anything powerful to change the world with a snap of a finger. Reality tells the story of life, and shows how cruel it can be.

 

Her train of thoughts were disrupted by the sound of the door creaking. Someone entered the room, and Minjoo had two guesses as to who that “someone” is. She’d always pray for that person to be Yujin.

 

Turning her head to look at the door, her unfazed expression never left her face as the doctor entered her room instead of Yujin.

 

“Good morning, Kim Minjoo-ssi. Are you feeling well?” the doctor politely asked.

 

“How many times have I said that I am absolutely not,” Minjoo retorted. Thankfully at that time, the doctors and nurses were used to Minjoo’s rough behavior. It’d be the total opposite when Yujin was the one who visited instead of them.

 

“I can see that you’re looking perfectly fine,” the doctor remarked. He whipped out the clipboard he was holding behind him and fished for a pen in his white coat. Minjoo averted her gaze back to the view before her.

 

“The day of your operation is near. I would like to confirm for the third time if you are not backing—” 

 

“I guess it’s also my third time telling you that I don’t want an operation,” Minjoo snapped back, but somehow keeping her voice low.

 

“Kim Minjoo-ssi, please calm down. Like I said before, you should not be having strong emotional outbursts or overexertion. It’s literally bad for your heart,” the doctor advised. Minjoo kept mum, refusing to argue any further, knowing that arguing any further would just be futile.

 

“Oh, and by the way, I met Ahn Yujin-ssi at the reception desk,” Minjoo slowly shifted her gaze back to the doctor upon hearing that name, “… and she’s on her way here. I told her that I’ll be talking to you first privately before she could come. She told me she’ll just buy some things.”

 

Minjoo turned her head to the door, hoping that Yujin would come already so she would stop hearing all the bull the doctor says.

 

“I’ll be taking my leave now. Let us talk again sometime.”

 

The doctor waved his hand before exiting the room. After the click of the doorknob, the room fell into silence, and Minjoo once again was left all alone. Now that the doctor was out of the way, Yujin should be arriving any moment now.

 

Minjoo kept her eyes trained on that door, anticipating the entrance of the younger girl, her presence that she was always dreading to see. Minjoo supposed her prolonged suffering had its own breaks, thanks to Yujin, and that’s why she was eager and looking forward to every single one of Yujin’s visits.

 

Not too long, the girl that had been running in Minjoo’s mind finally made her appearance. The door opened slowly, emitting a soft creak as Yujin made her way inside. She was holding a plastic bag, and Minjoo assumed that the younger girl had brought some snacks for them while they chat.

Minjoo had been craving for something sweet, ever since she got that a long time ago. Seven years does seem a pretty long period of time, but that memory felt like it only happened yesterday.

 

Flashing a smile, Yujin made her way to Minjoo. “Sorry I took a while. You must be hungry.”

 

Minjoo snorted. “It’s fine. The doctor entertained me before you arrived.”

 

“What did he say to you?” Yujin asked, settling the plastic bag on the table beside Minjoo’s bed. She took the comfort of the chair also placed beside the bed.

 

All the while Yujin was busy preparing their food, Minjoo kept mum, not wanting to tell about the operation for she didn’t want to worry the younger girl. A sigh broke through her lips, breaking the silence.

 

“Nothing in particular. It’s about my medicine,” Minjoo answered casually to prevent Yujin from having her suspiscions.

 

Yujin thankfully didn’t notice that Minjoo was lying. “I see. Well then, let’s eat.”

 

Unpacking the instant noodles that she brought, Yujin peeled off the lid and went to the water dispenser situated at the corner of the room. She filled both cups with hot water, all the while checking up on Minjoo ever so often.

 

“Where’s your smile?” Yujin asked out of the blue, earning a scoff from Minjoo.

 

“What are you talking about?” Minjoo deadpanned like she had absolutely no idea.

 

“Well…” Yujin then made her way back to Minjoo, settling the two cups on the bedside table and taking a seat. “I knew that you’re always excited when I’m visiting—”

 

Yujin noticed Minjoo’s jolt as she said that, a smirk tugging on her lips because she was right about that.

 

“N-no, I’m not,” Minjoo replied sheepishly, trying to shake it off but Yujin was persistent and was in the mood to fool around.

 

“I don’t think so? I swear I saw you smile when I entered the room,” Yujin teased, and Minjoo was visibly shrinking from embarrassment.

 

A rumble came from Minjoo, eventually turning to Yujin with her cheeks swollen and a pout. “I hate you.”

 

“I love you too,” A bout of laughter followed after. Her jokes and antics never get old. Yujin completely forgot about their food sitting on the table, figured they had gone cold by now.

“Minjoo-yah, here,” Yujin gave the other cup to Minjoo, but the latter seemingly refused to accept it with her back toward Yujin.

 

“Hey, are you alright?”

 

Minjoo snapped out of her thoughts and turned to Yujin. “Yeah. I’m… fine.”

 

Yujin kept her eyes trained on the older girl to make sure that she’s telling the truth. Yujin doesn’t know because she sometimes doesn’t understand Minjoo at all. Maybe Minjoo was too good at hiding things.

 

Yujin shook that off for now.

 

Minjoo got her cup of noodles from the table and ate silently, turning her back to Yujin again all the while admiring the city once more. She always enjoyed watching the outside world.

 

“You miss it, do you?” Yujin asked, her tone was soft.

 

After Minjoo finished her cup, she heaved a long sigh. “Yeah, I do.”

 

“Don’t worry. When it’s over, we’ll go out there, like we used to,” Yujin assured. Minjoo turned back to the younger girl, placing her finished cup on the plastic bag. Yujin did the same, eventually throwing out their trash outside. She came back momentarily, sitting on Minjoo’s bed this time.

 

“Hey Yujin…”

 

“Hmm?”

 

“Do you think I’ll be alright?”

 

Yujin held Minjoo’s hand in reassurance. “Of course, you will.”

 

Minjoo stared at Yujin’s eyes all the while Yujin flashed a smile at her. She eventually leaned on Yujin’s shoulder, tightening her hold of Yujin’s hand.

 

The silence brought them comfort as they both admire the distant city. Yujin pondered about the things they do back when Minjoo wasn’t hospitalized. Now that it crossed her mind, she figured that Minjoo wouldn’t be able to do those things with her again if Minjoo stayed like that.

 

Yujin needed to do something. Of course, she’s worried every second about what may happen to Minjoo. She even knew that Minjoo may only have a short time left, and Yujin didn’t want that.

 

The smile resting on her lips eventually turned upside down as Yujin imagined what the world would be if Minjoo was gone.

 

If… Minjoo was gone.

 

Eyes staring aimlessly, a tear unknowingly streamed down her cheeks. Yujin snapped out of her thoughts and blinked multiple times. She immediately tried to wipe it off in hopes of the other girl not noticing it, but Minjoo did nonetheless.

 

Minjoo looked at the younger girl all worried. “Something wrong?”

 

Yujin denied it immediately, turning away from Minjoo to hide it. “I-it’s nothing!” She sniffled a few times while trying to compose herself, feigning a laugh to reassure the older girl.

 

Yujin turned to Minjoo again, hoping she would look confident. Thankfully, the older girl seemed convinced, a sigh breaking through her lips.

 

“Just a speck of dust that got in my eye,” Yujin explained further. Minjoo ignored it for the time being and leaned once more on the younger’s shoulder. Yujin hoped that she had calmed down by now for she didn’t want Minjoo hearing her shaky breathing caused by her overthinking.

 

“Yujin-ah… what if…”

 

Taking a deep breath, Yujin gulped the lump in . “Yes?”

 

“What if… I disappear one day?”

 

Minjoo words left Yujin speechless. The younger girl wasn’t shocked or anything, she just doesn’t particularly know the answer to that question. Yujin let out a chuckle to lift up the mood.

 

“Why are you asking that? You won’t.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Yeah. I’ll do everything to prevent that from happening.”

 

I’ll do everything… for you.

 

The time went by pretty quickly and Yujin needed to leave after receiving a phone call from her friend. The sun was already setting, bathing everything in sight in a multitude of bronze and gold hues.

 

Yujin planted a kiss on Minjoo’s cheek before preparing herself to leave. “I’ll see you again some other time.”

 

“Yeah. See you.”

 

The younger girl waved her hand before exiting the room. With their time together over, Minjoo was once again left all alone, left to ponder about the remaining days of her life. Laying down on her bed, she stared at the ceiling of her room for who knows how long but it definitely helped her pass time even faster.

 

Until she fell asleep.

 

    ****

“Minjoo-ssi!”

 

A voice that softens her heart rang in her ears from far away. Minjoo looked around only to find herself in an empty white space.

 

“Kim Minjoo-ssi!”

 

That same voice called to her again. Echoing all over, Minjoo tried to look for that voice, eyes darting everywhere.

 

She felt a light tap on her shoulder, along with that same soft voice that whispered in her ears. “Found you.”

 

Blinking her eyes, that empty place changed into something so familiar to Minjoo, that being her school. She turned around only to find a certain girl standing behind her, beaming at her.

 

“Y-Yujin-ssi?” Minjoo asked sheepishly.

 

“Yes, That’s me! I’ve been looking for you,” Yujin replied. “Aren’t you forgetting something?”

 

Minjoo glared at the younger girl’s eyes, utterly confused as to what Yujin was telling her. “Am I?”

 

Feeling defeated from Minjoo’s answer, Yujin heaved a heavy sigh. “I can’t believe you Minj00-ssi. If you don’t remember then forget about it for now. Shall we go?”

 

Yujin suddenly grabbed Minjoo by her wrist, causing the latter to jolt. “W-where are we going?”

 

“I don’t know either. But I’m sure it’s going to be fun!” Yujin yelled, b with energy. The younger girl began to run, dragging Minjoo along.

 

“Yujin-ssi, can we slow down please?” Minjoo begged in between pants. With her heart condition, she wasn’t allowed to partake in strenuous activities such as running, but Yujin seemed like she had no idea of Minjoo’s condition.

 

Deep in thought, Minjoo asked herself what was the reason behind her racing heart. Was it actually her heart condition or was it Yujin’s hold on her wrist? She was unsure, but she’s definitely enjoying the feeling.

 

They eventually arrived back to their classroom with nobody around except them. Minjoo was all drenched in sweat after their running session, panting heavily with her hands on her knees as she tried to stabilize her heart beat. Yujin, on the other hand, seemingly unfazed and still b with energy.

 

So likely of her.

 

“Where… are the… others?” Minjoo asked in between heavy breaths. 

 

“They probably went on ahead. We don’t need them anyways,” Yujin replied.

 

“What? Then… why did you bring me here all of a sudden?”

 

“To celebrate!”

 

“Celebrate what?”

 

Yujin sighed in disbelief. “Minjoo-ssi, what date is it today?”

 

“It’s the… fifth of February,” Minjoo replied, utterly confused from that totally unexpected question.

 

“Right!” Yujin arched both of her brows, anticipating Minjoo’s continuation. “That means…”

 

It took a good ten seconds or so before it dawned on Minjoo that it was her birthday, sending her all shocked and flustered. “I-it’s my… birthday.”

 

Yujin flashed a beam at her after finally getting the answer she wanted. “Bingo!”

 

Seeing those dimples on Yujin’s face made Minjoo’s heart flutter the sli