Chapter One; February 4th.
'Til the Broken Vows End.Jung Hyun Ji.
" Hey! Cheer up! It's So Eun's Birthday and slumber party! " Soo Jin said as she throwed a pillow at me.
"Ya!" I exclaimed as I chased Soo Jin around the house.
So, today is February 4, 2011. My dreaded day. But So Eun's birthday is an exception. The unexpected thing happened on the same date, just a different year. February 4, 2010.
*Flashback*
So I'm here at a restaurant, a fancy one. The childish So Eun, according to JI Eun is celebrating her 18th birthday, or should I say her debut.
I was in the midt of the celebration when Jae, my boyfriend called me.
"Yeobosaeyo?"
"Hyunji-ah, I'll pick you up there later, okay? By what time will the party end?"
" I don't know. Maybe at 9 p.m. somethin' like that."
"Arasseo. Take care of yourself."
"Ya! I'm always taking care of myself! Why'd you say so?' I wondered. This is the very first time he said "take care" since the beginning of our relationship. We are not really that sweet to each other. We are kind-of a dorky couple.
" Nothing. I just feel ike sayiing that to you. But at least I'm concerned! " I heard him chuckle.
" You're weird. I'll call you once this event ends. "
" Arasseo. Bye for now. I love you."
" Bye. I love you too. " I hung up.
-10 p.m.-
The party ended at exactly 9 p.m. I called him for like gazillion times and all I can hear is : 'blah-blah-blah-cannot-be-reached.'
I'm sitting on a bench outside the now closed resto. Cabs are not around at this point of time. I sighed. I thought of people who will I call and tell them to pick me up. But none of them would. My parents-- neither my mother nor my father knows how to drive, my cousin Yunho-- out of town, Changmin-- no license YET, Yoochun-- went to ia for a family gathering, Junsu-- gone for a soccer training camp.
WHO.IS.AVAILABLE.AT.THIS.POINT.OF.TIME?!!!!
I still have a handful of contacts here and I remember Yoohwan telling me that he won't go to the US with his brother---
Wait. Park Yoohwan.
"PARK YOOHWAN! RIGHT! IT'S PARK YOOHWAN!" I then suddenly realized that I'm like an idiot here. Fist in the air, mouth wide open.
Without any further ados, I fidgeted my phone and called Yoohwan.
"Please...answer.." I pleaded through the phone for like three time. I gritted my teehth like crazy, hoping for the sweet 'Yeobosaeyo' to be heard from the other line.
The phone began ringing and...
"Yeobosaeyo?"
"YES!" I shouted then immediately covered my mouth when I actually said that.
"Ya! Hyun JI! What made you call at this hour?"
" Ummm... Yoohwan. May I ask you a favor?"
"What now?"
" Can you please pick me up here in this fancy restaurant in Tae Sang district because I'm stuk and Jaejoong is a liar " I whispered the last part.
"What? Jaejoong- hyung is a...?"
"Ya! Just pick me up in this creepy place!"
" Call me Yoohwan oppa first."
" Or I'll call you Ricky."
" Disgusting."
" Ricky!" I teased.
" Okay then. Sorry but I won't be able to pick you up--"
I interrupted. " Yoohwan oppa! Please!" I hate the word 'oppa' . What's special with that word that almost all guys older than a girl have their hearts melt when they hear that followed by their name?
" Good girl. Wait for few minutes. Bye." Then he hung-up.
-30 minutes after-
I heard the screeching of the car's wheels.
The car then stopped and I went to the passenger's seat.Of course, after that, we made our way back.
" So few minutes is equal to 30 minutes, huh? " I broke the silence.
" I'm sorry, okay?There was this ultimate traffic and there everything was stuck." Yoohwan exlained.
" Okay I accept tonight's apology. Why aren't you in ia with Yoochun?"
" How many times do I have to tell you that work didn't allow me to be absent?"
" So it means thar Yoochun's employer is--"
" Yeah. His employer has a huge crush on him."
" I wasn't going to say that! Wait. What?!"
" Do i have to repeat what I said?"
"Ya! You're so cruel! No wonder why Yoochun's employer allowed him besides having a crush on him and you weren't."
" I'm not cruel. I'm just being frank."
" And it's not good."
" Oh yeah nothing's good 'coz here's what I'm talking about awhile ago." Then the car came to a halt.
" This is....COOL." I said sarcastically.
" I think there's an accident that happened awhile ago."
" And they're now having a clean-up?"
"Maybe?" Yoohwan shrugged.
If an accident really happened, I can't see it well. The place is really crowded with many people that you can't see any signs of blood or anyone grieving or whatever. WEIRD.
-----
It was already 12 am when I arrived home. If not because of the car accident then I could've arrived here a bit earlier and I should've not been scolded by my parents.
--
The next morning I already woke up at exactly 11 am. Thank God it's Saturday today. My parents are gone for a gathering and I don't have anything to worry except the law course. Naaaaah, set aside that thing for today. JUST FOR TODAY.
--
After I made my coffee I went to the living room and switched on the T.V. I was taking a sip when the breaking news made the hot coffee spill on my pj's.
" At exactly 9 pm a car accident happened in Hankang road, leaving a victim who owns an Audi R8 struggling for his life. The authorities looked for any information about the person and it turned out that his name is Kim Jaejoong, 26 years old. As ofnow, the said person is at Tae Sang Hospital, under the Intensive Care Unit."
I switched off the T.V. and went quickly to the bathroom and sprinkled water to my clothes.
Then I suddenly cried.
So Jaejoong is not a liar AT ALL.
---
I continued sobbing while I called Yoohwan to pick me up and bring me to Tae Sang hospital.
When he arrived I quickly went inside the car then he drove to the hospital.
" Why are you crying?" He asked.
" You didn't w-watch t-the news?" I sniffed.
" Hyung forgot to pay the cable provider. Tell me what happened."
I sniffed. "Jaejoong got in a car accident." I bursted again into tears. "And-and... the last night's traffic was because of that." I sobbed.
"What?! Aisshht! If we could've known it... oh ." He slammed his hand on the steering wheel.
--
When we arrived at the hospital, I immediately looked for a nurse or a doctor. When I was able to search for one, I asked.
"Umm.. where's the Intensive Care Unit?"
" It's on the 3rd floor then just turn to the right. Do you have any relationship with the patient there? Kim-- I forgot his name."
"Ne. "
" I'm sorry but visitors or guests are not yet allowed to enter the unit until the doctors say so but you can look through the window." The nurse said.
" Arasseo. Kamsahamnida." I bowed then I pulled Yoohwan's arm and made our way to the ICU.
--
When we reached the 3rd floor, we quickly went to the ICU and I peaked through the window. There I saw a pale, almost-lifeless Kim Jaejoong. He had an oxygen mask on and I can see that he is calmly breathing. He also had gauzes on and a lot of bandages. He is seriously injured in the accident.
I cried again. But at this time, I felt guilty and sad.
I never expected that this thing will happen to him.
I was never ready to see him like this.
Worse is, the accident was already in front of me but I ignored it.
If it was a snake then I should've been bitten.
I asked Yoohwan who is now comforting me. "How can I tell this to his friends?"
" Just tell them when they're all back."
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