Day 8, September 14, 2010 

     "Kim Seojin-sshi, you're oversleeping already. You said it'll be just a week right? But it's already a week and a day. Unfair." 

**

     It's her tenth day in the hospital. All along, Chanyeol was there for her. Taking care of her, spend time with her, everything he can do with her, he did it. Yet he was never tired. Seojin's mom was glad that she met a guy like Chanyeol; she knew he's a good catch, he is true, loyal, kind, handsome, talented. As what Seojin said, he's too good for her. Too perfect. But the point is, he loves Seojin. She was the lucky girl. Erase all those positive descriptions. He's madly in love and that is enough reason. 

     "Chanyeol." Seojin's Mom entered the room and eventually cut the conversation Chanyeol had with Seojin that time. 

     Chanyeol stood up and greeted her mom and the doctor with a bow. 

     "Can we have.. a private talk with her for a while?" 
 

     Chanyeol, without hesitation, nodded in reply. He sighed and planted a kiss on Seojin's forehead and gently squeezed her hand before he left. 
 

     "Miss Kim Seojin... I don't want to tell you this but.. your body is not yet ready for operation." Seojin frowned at the doctor's statement. But it was not the condition before. She should be having an open heart surgery when she reaches that age, before it's too late. If not now, then her life's at pure stake. 
 

     "But I have to have the surgery now." She complained, nervous of the current situation. The decision today will be where her life would depend on the next days. 
 

    "I know Miss Kim, but as we have observed, your immune system is still as its most unstable state, and therefore we couldn’t perform the operation." 
 

     "Then when will it be?" 
 

     "Looking at your results..." the doctor scanned the papers and glanced up with her sad eyes, "I think we couldn't do an open surgery on you." 
 

     Seojin's world became inaudible in an instant. 
 

     That's the only way to get rid of her sickness. She's already suffering for years and she doesn’t want to stay that way forever. If she won’t have a surgery now, then her life will be hopeless. There's no point. She'll live with more cons, less pros. She'll live like a person with a serious disorder, caged up and couldn’t do everything. She still has a lot of things to pursue rather than suffering in this damn disease she has. 
 

     "We are planning to have another operation for you, but it will have more risks and it's more dangerous for you." 
 

     "If that's what will get rid of my sickness, as soon as possible, then I would prefer that." 
 

     "It's heart transplantation." 
 

**

     "So... what did the doctor said?" Chanyeol asked while he was gently squeezing Seojin's hand, who is sitting in an upright position. 
 

     "The surgery will be in a week." She spoke softly, but there wasn’t a smile or any signs of happiness. Chanyeol's heart also thumped faster. It will be seven days before the operation. He thought, in those seven days, he'll do a lot more things for Seojin. 
 

     "Chanyeol-ah, can I have a favor?" 
 

     "What? About mangoes again?" Chanyeol joked, brightening the atmosphere up. But Seojin just shook her head. She still wasn’t glad or anything. 
 

     "Can you make paper cranes for me?" 
 

     "Yes of course." Chanyeol said and pulled his bag to look for a scratch paper. 
 

     "Not now, Chanyeol. I mean.." 
 

     How will she explain? What will she say first? "Can you make paper cranes for each day, after the operation?" 

 

     It was just a piece of cake for Chanyeol. 

 

     "And write there what happened on that day." 

 

     He thought. It was some kind of awesome idea; but when he thought of it deeper, he realized something. 

 

     "It's like counting the days of your suffering" 

 

     "No." Seojin objected, and a smile formed on her lips, assuring him that till be a good plan. "I think till be exciting." 

 

     "No." Chanyeol replied, his body heating up in the situation. Yes at first he thought it was. But not now, now that he knew what Seojin is trying to let him figure out. 

 

     "I was thinking I could read them when I wake up." 

 

     "I can verbally tell you what happened." 

 

     "Do it for me, Chanyeol." 
 

     "I won’t." He blunted, almost sobbing. 
 

     "Please?" 

 

     Chanyeol didn’t reply. 

 

     "It's just a small thing, right?" 

 

     "No. I was just thinking of it, it already hurt me a lot." Chanyeol snapped and it struck Seojin's heart. Is he still that in love with her? That even those small things would hurt him that way? 
 

     "But it's just a small request." Seojin insisted, "Please Chanyeol, I want it." She said with pleading eyes. 
 

     "I'll.. I'll think of it." Chanyeol blunted before excusing himself. 
 

     That was a little argument over there. 
 

     Why would she force him to do that? It was kind of unfair if he would say that Seojin doesn’t care about his feelings. Maybe that was the truth but his bright side insisted him it wasn’t. Plus coming to think it that doing it for Seojin's happiness, that thing won’t be a burden anymore. 

 

     Just like learning to appreciate the company of books. Like preferring to study than go to rehearsals. 

 

     He learned to do things otherwise in his interests because of Seojin. He kind of changed some of his ways. 

 

     The next day, he went early to the hospital despite the rainy day. He remembered. Today will be the day of the surgery. This 5pm, to be exact. He found her on her usual position, reading a book this time. 

 

     "Good morning." he greeted. 

 

     Seojin didn’t reply and just continued to read the book, now on its twenty-fourth chapter. Chanyeol still remembered they had an argument last night, and he wanted to end it already by agreeing to her request. 

 

     "Seojin-ah." Chanyeol nudged her. It was obvious that Seojin was still cold towards him. 
 

    
     Earlier that day, Chanyeol made a pink paper crane with the words 'I'm sorry' written inside it. He planned to give it to her when he arrives. 

     He placed the crane on her lap and got back to his seat at the end of the bed. Seojin noticed him put it there, but she acted otherwise. She read, but her attention wasn’t on the story anymore. 

 

     "Seojin-ah.. I was thinking about your request last night." He spoke, to get everything at peace. Meanwhile, Seojin just wanted his 'yes' and no other explanation. As for her, she wanted that to happen. Even if she'll be having her surgery later, her mind was still busy, thinking of those paper cranes. 

 

     Chanyeol sighed, "And maybe... it won’t hurt much." 

 

     But it would still hurt him. 
 

     Now aware of his concerns, Seojin felt guilty and she wanted to just quit it all; but right now, she's too ashamed to face Chanyeol and say it. She owed him a lot already. She puts down her book and set it aside, with the pink paper crane, and got down from the bed. Chanyeol was alarmed to what she might do. "Where are you going?" 

 

     Seojin cupped his face and he could feel her soft, cold hands touching them. He felt his heart being pinched in joy, and pain. She stared at him for the longest time, and spoke, "Thank you, Chanyeol." 

 

     Seojin couldn’t control her insights, and tears were coming out from her eyes. She was deeply touched at how kind Chanyeol was, it makes her feel she's the luckiest girl in the world. 

 

     Chanyeol frowned and pouted, "You could’ve just said that while you are on bed." 

 

     She snorted, "Aigoo. I want to hug you too." 

 

     Chanyeol's lips formed a big smile and he wrapped his arms round her waist and gave her the warmest hug he could give. Seojin hugged him back, and suddenly her mind was at ease. 

 

     It felt so heavenly. If only they could still stay like that forever. The warm body of Chanyeol, his breath, it makes Seojin feel secured and fine. 

 

     "Survive the surgery, arasseo?" 

 

     She nodded, but knowing that Chanyeol didn’t know what would really happen later, she felt anxious. 

 

     "I will. Gave me some energy." She laughed at her own words. 

 

     "You want more, here you go~" Chanyeol gently squeezed her more and acted like he was passing some energy to her, with matching sound effects. They looked like little kids but they could care less. 
 

 
     Chanyeol planted a kiss on her forehead, then on the tip of her nose, then a soft kiss on her lips, their first. 

 

     "I love you, Seojin." 

 

     "Stop being cheesy." Seojin interrupted the sweet moment. She doesn’t like it. Well, just kind of.