CHAPTER VI

THE OTHER GUY

When I find myself in times of trouble

Mother Mary comes to me

Speaking words of wisdom, 

Let it be,

Let it be, 

Let it be,

Let it be…

-The Beatles: Let It Be-

The Hospital 

I thought it will last forever Stupid…

Why? 

Why faith always plays with us…

Why we couldn't have our happy ending, Amber…

Krystal and Kai had arrived at the hospital. He was standing in front of front desk which Sam sat down behind, on her chair. Kai asked about Amber that she had mentioned before.  While Krystal was standing distance 2 meters from him. She still couldn't believe what she had heard. It was like sudden storm that twisted her mind, shocked her to death. Like the phrasal that popped out from nowhere, the happy ending didn't eternal, just the door that brought to another sadness part of life. Krystal felt it too. 

When her love of her life just came back, again. Why did the faith kind of play with them?Never let them be together! Wasn't it really blasphemous just to let them be together at the end? 

No one knows the secret behind the God’s plan. 

Kai, who didn't really sure why Krystal had indirectly insisted —wanted to come with him, was approaching her. He scarcely guessed, but didn't really sure to throw up the question that still became a riddle on his mind. At the end he just kept silent, and nodded sympathetic. Asking Krystal to come with him in silent. Krystal understood his gesture, probably was feeling heavily —hopelessly too, she walked with him. 

While walking to the patient’s room, she prepared herself for the worst consequence of  faith that seemed helix her life. Held hard the tears that she was trying to keep for herself. Honestly in vague, she didn't know either why she was holding it, but her brain conducted her to hold it when the truth she wanted to cry out loud, didn't care if Kai would know the fact behind her bizarre act. Amber just the only person that now, enclosed her mind. 

Kai still stared at her in kind of mix feeling. Was it curious, perplex, dread, or just he didn't want to see her like this? It was his first time saw Krystal had such a lot of emotion. What he could remain for those past years just the ice princess that had never showed emotion or feeling, always cold toward him. He didn't mind, as long as he knew Krystal was by his side. 

Is it funny how to see people change over something, isn’t it?

Though, I don’t know the reason. 

Sorry my only ice princess, 

But honestly, I feel soothe over your dreadful

At least, I know that you heed for something, 

Something that I still don't know…

Hang on the faith, I want to know what it is…

I will divulge it, sooner…

Kai began to open the door of the room where Amber was, he set his face, looked chipper. He didn't want to make Amber and the parent felt anxiety. Professionally, covered the worst thing that might discover soon after examining the patient. Then he slight opened the door, once again stared at her, he tried to catch up her facial expression. He only found the sorrow that depicted vaguely on her face. He did know the she was hurt, just didn't know the reason behind. Krystal was standing beside him, her heart pounded fast —rapidly insane. Still hoped, it wasn't true, just another nightmare that she had had like the past 2 years. 

The patient excited said but slight mashed up with the weakest voice that came commonly from the heart disease patient, “Kai!”

The voice made Krystal shrank her forehead before she could see clearly who it was. Kai opened the door widely as he greeted the patient, “Amber! My little angel, I really worried after have heard from Miss Sam. It’s okay now or you still feel pain?”

Krystal widened her eyes (okay) she felt relieve but also slight sad, knowing that was the little cute girl ailing laid on the bed. Looked really fragile. 

Amber, the little girl, the patient said and slight smiled, looked tough from the all heart disease patients that probably Krystal had seen before, “I’m fine Kai. Miss Sam took care of me, right Mom?”

Her mother nodded then slight scorned her little girl, “He is the doctor. Don't mention his name like that Amber!” 

“It’s okay. We are friend, aren't we, Amber?” Kai said, put his friendly manner to his patient like his ‘new habit.’ 

Krystal slight smiled in the depth of her heart. Knowing how Kai did his job, put his full attention toward the patient, didn't look like the old days. She hushed remained. 

Afterward, Kai already finished examining Amber, the cute girl that always looked cheerful. However it was also so painful to see a little girl who had been holding such a heart disease in young age, too young maybe. She was only 9 years old. 

And, after all, Kai knew that Krystal wasn't cold at all. When he talked with Amber’s parents outside the room, he could peek through the door that openly behind the parent’s shoulder. He could see that Krystal talked —smiled sincerely to Amber inside the room. Probably it might sound ridiculous how he sudden felt jealous toward Amber who could easily chitchat with her, but that was what he felt beneath his skin, right on his chest. His heart had never lie, mean to say that like enough he would fine if he had to lay down on that bed, replaced Amber, as long as he could undergo what Amber was doing right now with Krystal. He was fine with that envisioned, sincerely. 

“Soon, we could do the heart transplant surgery since there is heart donor.” Kai said in lucid, knowing there was a hope for the little Amber. 

“Thank you Dr Kai. It’s really mean to us. We already have been waiting for so long.” Amber’s parent said after Kai had explained about the surgery that could do sooner. 

“It’s my job. Never mind.” He said, put widely his smile, wrapped an excuse as Krystal said goodbye to Amber, drew smile on her face, “I will visit you again next time Amber, we can play together again.”

Kai was watching the interaction between them, waited for Krystal. He could hear how Krystal’s amiable voice. 

So that how your voice is, Kai thought on his mind. 

He was little feeling pain when he heard Amber spoke as goodbye to Krystal, “Okay Miss Jung, I’ll wait for it. Promise?”

Krystal said as she linked her finger to hers, made promise, “Sure little girl.”

Krystal waved at Amber who waved back to her, she smiled. 

The Jung still bothered him, but, he understood that it was only his matter not hers. He accepted though it was hurt. She still didn't want to use his last name. He tried to be fine, pretended that he hadn’t heard it. Shaming, it was just other common thing that could happen to marriage couple. 

They still walked along together till the front desk. Then he said to Krystal, “Wait a minute, I talk first with Sam, Okay?”

Krystal didn't say anything, like usual, she already became his only ice princess. He had smiled before walked toward Sam.

Kai asked, “Sam, is there other patient?”

Sam smiled, “None Dr Kai. Just tomorrow, Jos has appointment with you.”

“Dr. Anna’s patient, right?” he sighed as he remained that the patient was in crucial state since he was type of patient that didn't care with his own condition. “Okay, thanks Sam.”

Sam said and smiled, “You’re welcome Dr Kai.”

Kai turned around as he wanted to approach Krystal who was waiting for him. Actually that was he thought before he found Krystal had gone. Left him without a word. Kai smiled faintly, knowing that his delusional love wouldn't be come this easy just because the abrupt emotion that she had shown. He felt like was fooled by his own mind. That was true. He thought to himself, and meek smiled.

So Krystal, my only ice princess.

Amber’s Apartment

Krystal knocked the front door of Amber’s apartment as she knew where Amber was, after had called him. Amber opened the door, shock as Krystal hugged him tightly. He looked so worried. She looked  so afraid. 

“What’s happened Princess?” He whispered softly to her. 

Krystal only shook her head slowly, then Amber meek loosed her hug, softly grasped her wrist and took her to the living room. 

Krystal sat down on the couch still with glisten eyes while Amber was taking a glass of water,.Thought she needed it. He handed the glass of water to Krystal, she didn't teary, but Amber knew that she had cried before. Her tears never failed to make him in painful. It was hurt so much for the umpteenth. 

He asked again, “What’s happened Krys?”

Krystal just shook head again, but this time, she added with her slight smile. It was stark. She smiled while her face was showing the opposite. He had known Krystal for years, she might hide something behind. He juxtaposed with the matter. Didn't want her to carry the matter by herself like the old times that he had undergone 2 years ago. He had to make sure that everything was alright. 

“Don’t try to hide anything from me again Princess.” Amber warned. 

Krystal sipped the water, thought, she was trying to settle on with her own mind, blurted out openly or just kept in for herself. But at the end, she did. She told Amber what had happened before. 

Hearing all the whole story, Amber didn't say anything. He just hugged her, trying to comfort her as much as he could. Krystal grasped his waist tightly. She couldn't imagine how she was if what she had undergone became real. It was horrendous feeling that she had had for today. 

She asked, “Can I stay here Stupid?”

He definitely whispered in custody, “Yes Princess. It’s never change. It is your home, our.”

Krystal meek loosed her hug. Staring through his eyes, so did Amber. He kissed softly with much of love, landed the kiss on Krystal’s forehead. Krystal was smiling. 

The Next Morning, The Castled House

Kai woke up in early morning, he walked through Krystal’s room that was separate from his. Likelihood, it wasn't shock him, finding out Krystal didn't come back home. At this moment,  it didn't bother him. There was a matter that more important for him right now. He tried to think what was happened yesterday. 

Then he walked to his private office, sat down on the single sofa that he used to work. Still thinking what had happened to her, he figured out. Leisurely, he stacked up his mind, remained all the yesterday’s scenes. What actually that made her became like that. After long time he had figured out, the only thing that was make sense just the name of Amber. He had never heard that name before, he puzzled look like found the end road of the riddle behind Krystal’s bizarre act. He let out the deep breath, grabbed the paper on the desk. Like usual he wrote something on it —kind of did his origami’s habit. Thought it might help his mind, refreshing from the perplexed riddle.

Amber?

Who is it Princess?

Could you tell me? 

Is it someone who really important for you?

Till could grant your tears… 

He wanted to continue his so called journal origami but his phone distracted him. That was a call, no other than Victoria. He sighed but then he remembered probably she could tell him who Amber was, since Victoria was Krystal’s best friend. Without any hesitated, he answered it quickly. 

“Yes Vic!” He greeted her. 

“Hi. What are you doing right now?” Victoria asked in the other tip of phone network.

“Nothing!” He told a fib, still hid his own problem.

“So, could we have a brunch or lunch together?” She asked sound hopefully.

“Okay. After I finish Amber’s surgery.” He said, didn't realise that he had mentioned his patient’s name. Usually he never mentioned what he would do or the name of his patient. Presumably because his mind now filled with the mysterious Amber. 

“Amber?!” Victoria pitched her voice as exclamation. Since she was familiar with that name. 

“Yes, the little girl that…” Kai cut off his own word as he realised, fathomed the strange pitch from her. Then he asked her, filled of curiosity, “Why? You know Amber?”

“No, Nothing!” She said, dimmed her nervous as she had realised scarcely flipped Krystal’s card. 

“Vic, I want to ask about someone…” 

She cut off his word, “Sorry Kai, My client is already here. Talk later.”

She hung up the call immediately, di