A Losing Battle
Broken Promises
The doors to the church opened, Tiffany took a deep breath and gripped her flowers tight, even though she can’t feel her fingers since last night. All eyes were on hers and she did her best to smile at all the guess.
She recognise most of them from childhood, many of them were Bruce’s distance relatives and 2nd cousins. Tiffany’s friends from America were flown all the way to attend the wedding.
Tiffany smiled brightly at them, Yoona, smiled back at her and gave a small wave. Tiffany stretched her smile when she says Jiyong waiting for her with his friends. Tiffany remembers a couple of them from America. TOP was the best man, followed by Taeyang, Daesung and Seungri. Smiling at her.
Something was drawing her attention from the crowd, when she broke contact with Jiyong and looked at what was bothering her; she felt her heart dropped to her stomach. Kikwang was looking at her with a small smile on his lips. Tiffany wanted to break down right there and apologise to him for going through so much pain because of her. She felt her lips wobbled but she composed herself quickly.
The alter was what she imagined in the photos. Here, in these spot many years ago was where her mother stood with her father. That was the only reason she wanted to get married here, she wanted to marry here just like her parents. If only they could see her now, if only...
Tiffany gave the flowers to her 2nd cousin, the flower girl and took Jiyong’s hands in hers. Tiffany was faking her smile when the priest went on blessing them. Even though Jiyong’s hands are warm and comforting, tiffany couldn’t feel any of it. She can’t even feel how soft they are. Tears burned her eyes, this was it. She probably won’t make it till next week. For god sake, she can’t even feel her hands, who knows, tomorrow, she might not be able to feel her legs as well.
Tiffany missed out on her cue. Jiyong was alerting her with his eyes, tiffany went with her guts and said the word and crossed her fingers, hoping it was the right thing to say.
“I do”
People were clapping and cheering, tiffany faked a smile as she looked at Jiyong’s sincere eyes.
“Can I have the rings?” the priest said. TOP came out with the rings, handing one to Tiffany and the other to Jiyong. Tiffany tried her hardest holding onto the ring, because she can’t feel anything, she wasn’t sure if she could hold it steady.
Then things were starting to blur. Oh, god. Please, no. Tiffany thought when she felt like she wanted to throw up. Jiyong slipped the ring into her finger. It fitted perfectly. She felt her eyes welling up but tiffany could no longer see. The last image was the ring on her finger before it turned grey then black. Tiffany reached out blindly to take Jiyong’s hand and quickly slip the ring on when she lost her balance. Her legs no longer supported her and she felt herself falling. Tiffany braced herself for the pain but a pair of arms came around her, softening her landing. Tiffany felt her blood coming up, almost like she’s about to puke but it burned way more than normal vomit. She felt something wet near her ears and she couldn’t breathe properly because blood was blocking everything. She can’t swallow because there was blood in , she couldn’t breathe because blood was blocking her airway.
Faintly, she could feel someone tapping her face, their voice distant but she could tell who it was.
“Opp—” tiffany tried to say but the next word never came when she felt herself stop breathing.
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Kikwang felt his eyes blur when he tried to feel for her pulse.
“TIFFANY! NO! Someone calls the ambulance!” he looked up to see Jiyong already on his phone. Kikwang looked around to see the church being cleared out. Jiyong’s friends and s were helping getting people out, many turned their heads to get a glimpse of what happened to the bride but Kikwang was grateful the front row of seats blocked the view.
Kikwang turned tiffany into the recovery position and blood was coming out of like water, her nose was running and colour slowly drains away from Tiffany’s face. Bruce came and crouch down on the other side of Kikwang.
“It’s too soon. The medicine was supposed to keep her going for a few more months” he murmured in a rush as he smooths his hand over tiffany’s cheek. Wait, did I just heard right? Kikwang thought.
“Bruce, what the hell are you talking about?” Kikwang looked up angrily.
“I can’t talk about it” Bruce said but Kikwang wasn’t having it. He reached over tiffany and grabbed Bruce by the collar, screw respect.
“The girl I love is dying in front of me Bruce. Don’t ing lie and tell me what the is going on?” Kikwang felt a tear slipping from the corner of his eye. Bruce shook off Kikwang and sat next to tiffany, took a deep breath.
“she’s sick...for a while...the only reason I took her away from you 6 years ago was because America offer better treatment”
Kikwang felt sick. He felt like throwing up, passing out, he wanted to be beaten to sense or laugh off what Bruce said as a joke.
“What does she have?” he asked breathlessly. He was having trouble getting enough oxygen into his lungs. Bruce looked at him with pained eyes. Bruce opened his mouth to say something when Jiyong came to them.
“The ambulance is here. Give tiffany to me, I’ll ride with her to the hospital” he said, stretching out his arms. Kikwang ignored him and scooped tiffany swiftly into his arms and stood up. Jiyong’s arms were still stretched, this time, reaching closer towards tiffany, which was in Kikwang’s arms.
Kikwang paused in front of Jiyong and looked at his stretched arms for a slipt second before walking away with tiffany in his arms.
“I’ll ride with her” he called over his shoulder, not waiting for a response; Kikwang swung the door close and rushed towards the waiting ambulance.
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Jiyong looked at Kikwang like he lost his mind. Tiffany was his fiancée. She was his, she doesn’t belong to Kikwang.
When Jiyong started towards the door where Kikwang disappeared through, Bruce held him by the shoulder.
“Just drop it Jiyong” Jiyong turned around and looked at Bruce in astonishment.
“Excuse me? Shes my fiancée” Jiyong said outrage.
“Really? Just let it go...she doesn’t love you. Never will. Stop fooling yourself” Bruce said, his eyes were showing Jiyong a life time full of sympathy.
“But we’re getting married...” Jiyong tried to explain, but deep inside, he knew exactly what Bruce was talking about. Kikwang was where Tiffany belongs. Jiyong was just the guy that's there for her but would never be in her heart. Jiyong swallowed and nodded, coming to terms what Bruce said.
“I don’t think...I don’t think shes going to make it” Bruce took a deep breath before continue speaking.
“I think it’s best to leave her with the one she wants...if you know what I mean” Jiyong know full well of what Bruce is saying. Tiffany loves Kikwang all along. For 6 years, Jiyong tried to win over Tiffany’s heart, staying by her from all her trips to the hospital and making her laugh but it was never enough.
“Yeah” Jiyong cleared his throat. “Yeah, that might be the best way”
****************************
Kikwang held onto Tiffany’s hand all the way to the hospital while the paramedics in the car tried to resuscitate her. Kikwang wanted to die himself when her heartbeat didn’t pick up 2 of the 3 times they tried doing CPR to her.
“Tiffany, please. Come back to me. Baby, please” Kikwang muttered against her hand. It was cold and stiff.
As soon as the ambulance park, the paramedics worked fast but it all came to Kikwang in slow motion. Tiffany was being transferred into a rolling gurney before the paramedic zips her through the emergency section. Kikwang ran with the bed, holding onto one of tiffany’s hand while a paramedic holds an oxygen mask over her face.
Her beautiful wedding dress was red at the collar and down her chest. Dried blood was covering most of her face and her arms were stained with dried blood. Kikwang’s suit was red with blood, where tiffany’s head pressed up against it when he held her.
“Tiffany, hang on” Kikwang kept repeating over the noise of doctors yelling at each other about her condition. They wheeled her into the ICU, Kikwang started to follow when the nurse stopped him.
“Sir, no one is allowed right now. Please wait while we take care of her” she said in a rush before closing the door in his face. Kikwang was having trouble breathing. His eyes were blurry with tears and he couldn’t think straight. Kikwang rested his head on the cold ICU glass door and took a deep breath. She’s going to be ok. Shes strong. Shes tiffany.
A hand came to rest on his neck; Kikwang couldn’t be bothered looking up. He saw the reflection in the window. Yoseob looked like he’s been crying.
“Dude, how are you holding up?” Kikwang just shook his head and took a deep, shaky breath.
“I have a feeling...a stupid feeling...that shes not going to make it...” Kikwang felt like crying too, he wanted to forget all of this and wake up, laugh it off and go to tiffany’s hotel to hang out. She would be there and open the door for him. He would walk in and give her a kiss and she would wrap her arms around his neck.
“She will. You got to stay strong for her” Yoseob said. Kikwang nodded his head and turned around. The rest of the members were sitting on the chairs, pretending to be looking elsewhere but Kikwang knew perfectly that they were listening to him and check on him.
Bruce and Jiyong ran down the corridor, their footsteps bouncing off the walls. Jiyong lost his jacket and tie, leaving him with the vest and white shirt and the black pants. Bruce...still look like Bruce. Everything intact. Kikwang however, would look more like Jiyong. Messed up.
“How is she?” Bruce asked, coming up next to Kikwang. Kikwang just shook his head. Bruce let out a sigh before he wraps his arm around Kikwang shoulder.
“Let’s have a talk” Kikwang looked at Jiyong once before nodding. Bruce led him out to the end of the corridor and opened one of the spare rooms. Kikwang didn’t want to waste his time on asking if they were allowed in this room. Kikwang jumped to the point but before he could say anything, Bruce started talking.
“Tiffany had been sick. She got the diagnose 3 years after her parents died. I thought it was a small one so I didn’t take much notice and have the doctors gave her prescription medication. I thought it would go away after awhile but...” Bruce took a deep breath and took a seat on the edge of the bed.
“But she got a headache one night, I rushed her to the hospital and they found it grew bigger and has attached itself on many other things. By the time she’s 15, it has gone out of hand and the only hospital up to date with this kind of disease was in America. I didn’t think twice, that night I called for one of my guys to pack the house up and ship it to America. I booked the fastest flight and took her. She refused, kicking and screaming. Bringing down the hospital walls with her cries, it pains me to take you away from her but it was a tossup between her life and Korea. Shes all I have left so I chose her. For 3 more years, tiffany spends her time in the hospital. She has never been herself. She never smiled once in fact. The first time in 3 years that she smiled was when she saw your boy band music video. I had never been happier”
Kikwang rubbed his eyes, his eyes were getting watery and his throat was practically close shut.
“I introduce Jiyong in hope that Tiffany would get over you but it’s clear that she isn’t” Bruce stepped towards Kikwang and rested his hand on Kikwang’s shoulder.
“I’m sorry son. I should’ve told you but she begged me not to”
“Why?” Kikwang chocked out.
“She doesn’t want you to worry about her, you were a rising star. She was so happy for you, and it would kill her to know shes the one distracted you from getting to your goal”
Kikwang shook his head and took another deep breath. The lump in his throat was growing bigger. Kikwang grind his molars together to keep himself from tearing up, and then it struck him.
“You never told me exactly what she has” Kikwang brace himself for the worse, but as soon as Bruce answered him, nothing could prepare him for it.
“Tiffany has cancer in her bone marrow. Now it has spread all over her body, tiffany refuse treatment when she came to Korea. The disease has now clung onto every organ in her body, shutting it down one by one...shes not going to survive it Kikwang.”
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a very sad update :(
so the mystery of Tiffany has been revealed! not looking good for her though
guys, start the count down to the end
thanks again for those who subcribed, comment and you readers who was here from chapter 1 <3
silent readers, i love you too :D
tell me what you think about the story so farrr and subscribe <3
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