So Min

It had been a day in the hospital and I was ready to be discharged. Mom was helping me with the administration matters outside while I checked through the things that I needed to take with me.

There was nothing much that came along with me when I was admitted. There was only my handbag, the clothes that I was wearing when the accident happened, and my shoes.

And there was something else.

It was a bracelet.

…a man’s bracelet.

I recognized it. It was Hyun Joong’s.

I was not sure how it had ended up among my belongings. Probably, I could have torn it from his wrist when he pushed me over to the side of the road.

Looking intently at the bracelet, I sat back on the bed and tried to decide what I should do with it.

Over the two days, after learning that he was safe, there was not a second that I did not stop wondering how he was. I received wind from a nurse that he suffered slight head injuries, and was well on his way to recovery. However, he was advised to remain in bed and hospitalised for at least another three weeks to monitor for anomalies.

Should I return it to him personally?

I shook my head vigorously. That thought should not even cross my mind in the first place. The thought that I could face him again was not something that should pry into my mind

I had caused enough trouble and suffering for everyone.  

From today onwards, I would start a new life as Jung So Min…

…a  stronger Jung So Min I would be.

Jung Gi Hye

“Come in.”

I turned the knob as the occupant from within the room gave his permission for my intrusion.

“Auntie…”

He tried to get down from his bed to bow at me but I halted his intent immediately.

“It’s alright, Hyun Joong. If anyone is to bow here, it should be me. It is I who should kneel down before you for saving my little girl’s life.”

I was about to go down on my knees to express my gratitude to him when I heard his anguished cry. My eyes quickly darted towards a Hyun Joong who had half his body on the floor. It appeared that he had tried to get down but fell off the bed instead.

As fast as I could, I ran towards him to help him up his bed carefully. He must have been in pain as he was out of breath and in tears. After resting for a while, he seemed to have recovered as the colour in his face returned.

Thank goodness the fall did cause further harm to him.

Hyun Joong inhaled a long, deep breath before he spoke, “Auntie, I do not deserve anymore than a simple thank you. Had I not failed in saving So Min, I would rather die with regrets. I saved her because I needed to.”

“Is So Min ok?”

I knew from the very start that this man would have been the ideal soulmate for my girl. Unfortunately, there seemed to be an invisible barrier that kept them apart. I fished out the bracelet So Min had asked me to return to Hyun Joong. With hesitation, I put it in his hands as he looked at me questioningly.

  “So Min…she will leave the hospital in a little while…and she asked me to send this back to you.”

Hyun Joong tightened his grip on the bracelet and stared at it knowingly.

“I understand,” he whispered in a trembling voice. “Thank you, Auntie. Please ask So Min to take good care of herself.”

Clasping his hand in between mine,  I bit my lips. “I’m sorry, son. Please take good care too.”

Walking slowly towards the door, I paused to look at Hyun Joong before I exited. The sight of the dazed Hyun Joong with tears rolling down his eyes pained me.

But there was nothing I could do as an outsider in their affair. I only wished that So Min knew what she had decided on and be happy with it into the future.

Hyun Joong

The nurse assisted me to lie down after giving my dosage of medicine. After ensuring that I was comfortable, she reminded me to not move unnecessarily till my wound healed. I nodded and thanked her before she took her leave.

Dad had been looking out of the window while I was being attended to just now. He seemed to be deep in thought, and he looked genuinely troubled.

My thoughts were however preoccupied with So Min. My mind wandered off to when I saw the car racing towards the stationary So Min. Without thinking, every gland and every strand within pushed my body in her direction.

There were no second thoughts of what would happen to me. I knew I had to save her, I could not let her die.

For she was all that mattered to me…

I had let go of her hand once. And the price of permitting that to happen felt like eternal torment.  I could not let her leave me again.

And if I could not save her in time, I would hold her close and fall into death together.

My gaze fell to the bracelet that I had not let go ever since it was returned. I brought it closer to my nose, hoping to feel the scent of the hand that it just left.

So Min…are you really giving up on me?

I threw back my head in an attempt to keep the emotions surging upwards from my heart in check.

“We need to be cautious, Hyun Joong. There could be no mistakes,” Dad finally spoke, as it broke into my trance.

His voice trailed off into a sad sigh. I did not respond although I could not agree more with his words.

Yes.

There were more important things that I needed to attend to. Affairs of the heart were secondary matters now.

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Bowwow,

Dear all. Really sorry for the late update. I just embarked on a new journey and is still finding my way around things. I would like to seek your understanding in my slow updates. Though I still love writing, time is really limited daily, weekly. 

Hope to be able to finish this story soon and still have your support till the end.

Just a note. Personally, I think Hyun Joong should be wrecked by now with his tendency to be involved in accidents. But yet, he still remained intact in this story. So, I jst want to say that this is truly fictional cos not many ppl would be that lucky to survive two accidents in a short time. Haha!

Take care, everyone!