Min eventually fell asleep at the side of the hospital bed, still holding onto Kikwang's hand. She woke up to the sound of rustling paper, and sat up to see Kikwang's mom, taking out food from a large brown paper bag, and setting it down on a tray.

The middle aged woman smiled kindly at her. Min couldn't help but admire her for her strength. She realized that she was still holding Kikwang's hand, and casually let go. But nothing in Mrs. Lee's eyes, showed her that she didn't approve. 

Min wasn't sure what to think. But she knew that Min holding Kikwang's hands, was the least of her worries considering the recent circumstance. Mrs. Lee handed Min a wrapped burrito.

"Minyoung ah, you have to eat. Kikwang will be okay." She told her gently, though Min saw her eyes watering. It made Min's throat start to tighten and she nodded slowly, and started to sniff. 

Placing the burrito down on the tray, she embraced Mrs. Lee, as they both cried together. "I'm so sorry auntie. It's all my fault. But he has to be okay. He just has to be." Min blubbered, as she wiped at her eyes, her chin resting on Kikwang's mom's shoulder.

Mrs. Lee patted her on the back, trying to soothe her. "Shh. It's alright Minyoung. It's not your fault. Kikwang's a strong person. He'll make it." Mrs. Lee said with as much confidence as she could muster.

Min nodded back, wiping the tears away from her eyes as she let go of Mrs. Lee, and sat back in her chair. She looked down at Min with worried eyes. "Eat well. Kikwang will be awake before we even know it." She said with a small smile.

Min nodded again, and slowly unwrapped the burrito. Just by the smell alone, she knew where it was from. And it surprised her. "Auntie, you went to Green Chile?" She asked, and took a small bite of the chicken burrito, with cilantro, rice, tomatoes, green and red peppers, and onions and extra guacamole. 

Mrs. Lee smiled back with a nod. "I remember you and Kikwang used to go there alot. I thought maybe the smell of the food might just trigger something and he would wake up." She explained.

Min smiled back, looking down at the burrito with a slight fondness. It was a bit amusing, to have warm feelings towards food. But that was because it was a good memory of Min and Kikwang's. She continued eating the burrito, remembering her and Kikwang's high school days.

~

    "There's fries in the burrito?" Sixteen year old Kikwang asked in disbelief, his eyes widening at the monstrous burrito placed in front of him. Min nodded back, grabbing a few fries from the basket loaded with fries, cheese, sour cream, chile, guacamole, and tomatoes.

"Yeah. This food is really common back in America, from what I remember." She told him, and munched on the fries. Kikwang hesitantly picked up the burrito, and took a bite, bracing himself. Min almost laughed at his skeptical expression.

After chewing for a moment, his eyes widened, again, and she could tell that he was enjoying the new flavor experience. "Good huh?" She said with a small smirk, as Kikwang nodded and kept eating.

Min took a sip of her soda. "It's so good." Kikwang said, with his mouth a bit full as Min laughed lightly. She picked up her straw wrapper from the table, and rolled it into a tiny ball.

"Three years from now, what do you think you'll be doing?" She asked, curious. Kikwang chewed a bit more, and then swallowed, pausing.

"Eating more of these burritos." He joked, and Min rolled her eyes at this. "Seriously, I hope to be a dancer. Maybe have shoes, penned with my name. I'll call them, "Dancing Shoes". He explained, as Min guffawed a bit.

She waved her hand in front of her, apologizing. "Sorry sorry. But shoes called dancing shoes? On a different note, yeah I could see you being a dancer." She said, nodding as she thought about it more.

Kikwang folded his arms in front of him, leaning his elbows against the table. "What about you?" He asked, curious as well.

Min thought for a moment, and glanced around the restaurant for a moment, before speaking. "A dancer too. But a dancer/singer. No wait. A kpop singer." She said, forming the words easily.

"I think I could see you as one too." He said with a nod, and they went back to eating their food, wondering about the future.

~

    Min was still staring down at the burrito at her hands, already halfway gone. She sniffed a little bit, and ate the last bit of it. Mrs. Lee just smiled down at her. "Maybe it wasn't the best idea Minyoung. I didn't mean for it to make you cry." She said, apologetically.

Min shook her head. "It's not that Auntie. It helped me remember good memories. And I know that Kikwang will come back to us. At least if I have anything to say about it." She said with a half smile, and Mrs. Lee nodded, pleased with her attitude.

"Well, it's been quite a night for you. Why don't you go home and freshen up a bit, and come back at lunch time?" She suggested. Min shook her head, then thought better of it. 

"I guess you're right auntie. I'll grab some things as well. I'd like to stay here though again, if that's okay with you and Uncle." She told her, and Mrs. Lee nodded.

Min got up from her seat, throwing the foil wrapper away, and slowly made her way to the first floor, and out to the parking lot, getting into her car, wearily.

Everything was a blur. 

Just a day ago, Kikwang had been perfectly fine, sitting in front of her, and talking about how he was concerned for her well-being. But now it was her turn to be concerned. What would she do if she lost him?

Min shook her head, trying to brush that thought away, and drove home to pick up her things.

~

     Every night, Min stayed over at the hospital. She alternated with Kikwang's parents, his older brother Junho, and his younger sister Hayi, at taking turns staying beside his hospital bed.

When she wasn't staying in his hospital room, she would sleep right outside in the waiting room, with blankets, and a pillow, combining the chairs together for a make-shift bed. It was starting to make her back sore, but she didn't give up.

If Kikwang woke up, she wanted to be as close as possible to where he was.

    After a week of the doctor's keeping track of his vital signs, and his brain wave signals, things were not looking very good. By the start of the second week, Min began writing letters, telling him about the weather, the happenings around the hospital and his friends. 

It hurt her that there was a chance he might not ever get to read them, yet she never missed a single day of writing to him. She stuck the letters under his pillow each night, when she was finished writing, then held his hand, praying that he would wake up.

-

                                                                                                                                                     November 2, 2012

Kikwang,

The leaves on the tree outside your hospital room window, are changing colors. From a bright green, to a deep crimson, to a shimmering gold. Fall is quickly approaching, and the weather is becoming colder. Hayi continues to work on her rapping skills. She shows alot of potential, but things are still hard for her. She's fifteen, and is old enough to understand your condition. We take turns, staying up, and praying for you, talking to you, hoping you'll get better. Junho oppa comes by as well. Though he never cries, I can tell that his care free personality has changed dramatically because of your condition. He cares for you so much. We all do. Especially your omma and appa, who bring fresh flowers every day, and read to you. Please tell me you can somehow hear us. I'm not exactly sure how far in you are with this coma, but I'd like to think that you can overcome it. Push past the barrier that's keeping you away from us. Come back Kiki. I miss hearing your laugh. I miss your teasing. I miss your wannabe "Take You Down" dance, that sends me into fits of laughter. But most of all I miss knowing, that you can hear me, and see me, that you can acknowledge all the people that care so much about you. Please find the strength to wake up.

-Min

~

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Isabel Santos Copyright 2012.

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