Beautiful Goodbye
CHAPTER 21: Red Thread

     The mask, which had been wrapped for hours in his mouth, slammed into a dirty shelf after dealing with a patient who had almost died in the cold bed of the intensive care room. Jaehyun gnawed his temple vigorously, wrathful while the dried fresh blood had splattered, staining the blue blouse Sohyun wore. Blood coming out of the mouth that is almost out of breath if not immediately assisted by oxygen. The girl is now lying peacefully after anesthesia. Seemed calm. If this is the case, without a medical diagnosis, Jaehyun can say the cirrhosis symptoms experienced by Sohyun are getting worse due to not getting treatment from the beginning. No matter how many breaths came out, Jaehyun seemed to run out of ways to deal with the nature of a patient that was difficult to conquer. And only Sohyun, the only person who made him groan face to face. The sequence stopped, looked at some of the nurses who were helping him then said, "Move him into an ordinary room."

     Eunjung and the other two nurses nodded in unison. Submissive. Moreover, Eunjung who was sad to see the condition of her former employer. Getting thinner with so many bruises. There was so much he missed after his departure.

     "Is this what Miss calls okay?"  the woman hissed, wiping her tears quickly.

     Jaehyun quickly walked out, letting them change Sohyun's more sterile clothes. Giving time for Hong Eunjung to make fun of Sohyun who was already like family to her.

     His long legs stepped back, holding the doorknob that would surely be full of questions, what else Taehyung was seen pecking in front of the ICU room with his long-awaited lament.

      "What about Sohyun? Did something bad happen? Why are you handling it? Is Sohyun Sick? I saw a lot of blood coming out of his mouth, he was in pain all the way ... Brother, answer my question!"

       "Acity ..." Jaehyun took a long breath. Again and again. He was not ready to answer the various questions asked Taehyung, the younger brother. All too sudden, due to events he never once imagined.

      "Why is it just my name? I know there's something you're hiding from me, about Sohyun. Is correct. That's right, right?" Taehyung was getting more urgent, impatiently waiting for the explanatory sentence to come out of Jaehyun's mouth.

      Jungkook who was usually indifferent, began to be haunted by curiosity. However, Yoon-gi who was next to him blocked his wrist, so as not to interfere in their affairs. Simply listening, Yoon-gi doesn't want to add any more trouble with that part of the Kim family. Even if Sohyun is their university friend, who never got a place other than caci maki.

      "Doctor Kim!"

       All looked. Directed to Yoon eun who just arrived with Woojin. The woman hastened, stepping quickly towards Jaehyun. His mind was not calm, when news from the hospital contacted him at midnight last night.

      "What happened to her? Sohyunku ...he's fine, right?" said worried.

      Jaehyun took another heavy breath, stared at Taehyung who could not wait just to make his anger level big, plus Yoon eun who asked. It is really heavy, his mind is worried, but something he needs to convey. A news that is not always good.

     "We're talking in my room, Mrs Hwang, there's something serious I want to say about your daughter's condition," the breakup leads Yoon eun and Taehyung to force their way in.

      "Did you hear what the doctor said? Sohyun the daughter of Madame Hwang?" Yoongi turned so distrustful of what had just dropped by his hearing senses. Sohyun who has always looked sad, the son of one of the richest people in Korea. Jungkook was certainly more shocked, even though his expression was made as flat as possible. To him, Kim Sohyun was truly an unusual girl.

🔔

      "It's likely that Sohyun will be paralyzed."

      Yoon eun and Taehyung were surprised by it. Jaehyun again showed the results of the last X-ray he had done some time ago, which he took when Sohyun could not move his legs. "The injury is getting worse, while the ability of the lower muscles decreases. In medicine we refer to this as paraparesis. This paralysis is not permanent, there is still a possibility that the patient can walk as usual, but I can not guarantee if this incident is repeated, bad, both legs could not function completely."

       The two people who were originally focused noticed a frozen silence. Yoon eun and Taehyung both felt regret. Taehyung did not think, because he invited Sohyun to run, making Sohyun threatened with paralysis. While Yoon Eun, the middle-aged woman was more hit, because her actions first, increasingly made her daughter suffer more. He never knew, did not expect his actions to have any effect so far. The shadow of Sohyun's pain as he repeatedly smacked hard objects into Sohyun's body gnawed in his head. Now what will he explain to Woojin, if the man gets to know Sohyun's true condition.

     He got up, speechlessly waltzing away from the room Jaehyun was staring at him sadly. It was not that Yoon Eun did not care, that woman needed time to accept reality with a deep pile of regrets. The other side of Mrs Hwang.

     "Now please answer my question ... What really happened to Sohyun? All this time you lied, I felt like a fool and a dud, how I claimed to be his best friend, whereas I knew absolutely nothing about his circumstances. Brother, I know you know something about him."

      "alright. I'll just tell you what I know, after this, you can reflect on it well." Jaehyun's gaze dimmed, completely dimmed, making Taehyung feel an endless feeling of fear.

🔔

     Rows of light burst through the window slit that was left open, the gusts of wind in the transition season to the thick winter felt more and more, the wind felt, not only won against the warm solar radiance that touched his skin that was hit by the warm morning sun. On the sickly bed, the girl lay soundly in her sleep. From the side of the bed, Yoon Eun tirelessly watched, focusing her attention on the scars she had once done.

     "Until when do you look at me like that?"

     Yoon Eun was aghast, suddenly that familiar voice sounded. Sohyunnya still closed on the bed, in peace, he made sure his ears did not mishear.

     "You awake?" his tan grasped the jeriji lying languidly in front of him. Docked expectantly.

     Slowly but surely Sohyun opened the attachment of his two heavy eyelids. Staring at the reflection of anxiety from Yoon eun who was sitting huffed next to him, idled in a chair. Mendeham for a moment then continued to talk to answer questions. "Since then, since I was still sleepy, I continued to sleep."

     Yoon Eun clucked at that, her daughter unchanged. Still acting sucks. But not long since the two Sohyun petals bloomed, there was no chatter interval a minute, Yoon eun was instead busy crying, crying over Sohyun who was secretly smiling miris. This is the reason, the reason Sohyun who can not hate the figure of Yoon eun, although he received many treatments that hurt his physical and psychic. The woman loves her very much, like a mother who protects her child, but bipolar disorder sometimes makes her emotions uncontrollable. Making Sohyun traumatized and afraid.a feeling he had long since been quieting.

     "Is Mom sorry now? Just tell me, just so I can feel a little happy."

      "Very. I'm so sorry."

      "One hope I have, lest Mother's remorse lead us further. Our relationship is too much. I want to fix it."

      Yoon eun nodded in agreement as she occasionally wiped the clear water that poured across the cheeks.

      "I don't feel anything at my feet." Sohyun smiled wryly, noticing the paralysis that was already in sight. "I knew this was going to happen, so stop crying, Mom. I don't like you being this weak."

     Instead of stopping according to the chant Sohyun hoped, Yoon eun increasingly sobbed sedan. He has a million reasons, a tear spill, as much as anything from him will not pay enough for the wounds and injuries he made in the past even now. He is still not finished with Sohyun's actions, he already knows about the cause of the princess stranded in the hospital. Idiotically. One hard word came from his trembling lips in response to the carelessness Sohyun had made last night.

     "Why can you still smile at a time like this? Your life is on the edge and now you can't walk normally anymore!" yoon eun exclaimed who got a different response.

     "Wouldn't you think I'd rather see you angry. I'm more used to it than your frustrated cry this morning.  But it's okay, you better cry for me now, not later, on the day when I'm tired and want to stop."

     Yoon eun disagreed. His head shook strongly, sobbing tightly at the look of Sohyun. The girl had no sin on her, it was precisely the one who was often satisfied with arbitrary temperament. It was inappropriate for Sohyun to treat him like this.

     The man was sitting in the doorway. If it is indeed disrespectful, peek and eavesdrop on the slashing chatter of the two women inside. Moisturizing form blackened eye bags adorning her quacky eyes. The man spent the morning roaring on the roof of the hospital all by himself. He returned after neutralizing the feelings that were still stricken by the disaster. Everything was recorded clearly, neatly tucked away in his brain box. Spinning all the explanations Jaehyun to make his head dizzy imagining everything that Sohyun experienced. Although Taehyung realized, it was only a little bit of what he knew. Sohyun still survives with all his secrets, this time he is determined not to let Sohyun lock himself together with the quiet and secrets borne.

     Sohyun who sensed Taehyung's presence, turned towards the door, the man was still standing there, with his head lowered.

     "Kim Taehyung!" He called out.

     Taehyung widened his pupils, leading his gaze to Sohyun who was smiling like those of the past days. No burden, not at all.

     "When do you want to stand here?" said it.

    Taehyung scratched his nape, his broken smile loosely asked Yoon eun question. Lekas glanced at Sohyun who did not look away staring pay attention.

     "No need to answer. Come in, I know you'll be impatient to see that bad boy." Yoon Eun invites the clumsy nervous Taehyung.

      Enough for Yoon eun, take turns at Taehyung. Because there are things she needs to tell her husband, Woojin who is waiting for an explanation from him.

     🔔

     Since his arrival entering the treatment room, Taehyung has not yet opened his voice. The man was actually confused, even embarrassed to face Sohyun who was late in looking at him. Absolutely unable to guess what was now wandering in Sohyun's mind. However, the man did not hesitate to close their yad grip. Give something that can warm the mind. It's normal for them to do, every time they meet to let go of longing.

     Feeling long they were stuck in an ambiguous atmosphere, Sohyun cut off eye contact. Playing Taehyung's long fingers tightly snuck on his tiny fingertips.

     "Why?" Taehyung asked.

     "Is there anything you want to ask?" Sohyun asked back. It was not difficult to read the different expressions or gestures Taehyung displayed since coming here. The man already knew something about him, he wouldn't have much of a show this time.

      Taehyung raised his head, turning his gaze to the ceiling of the all-white room. "There was and it was so much," he replied in a special heavy voice. "I'm afraid it'll burden you, get plenty of rest .. so you can heal quickly, and we can play together."

      He looked back at her, seeing how amazing the woman who never tired of smiling at him.

      "True your mother said. Why can you still smile while we're almost crazy crying you, Miss Kim."

      Sohyun chuckled small. Gradually the more lost his smile changed a serious look. "If it wasn't like that, people would be much easier to pity me. You certainly know what it's like .. and I don't like it."

     Taehyung understands. Really since he established his heart to look at Sohyun's nursery, he was determined not to cry in front of his best friend. But he never thought, that this was very difficult when the liquid again came out of the corner of his eye.

      "Cry if not strong," said Sohyun, "holding the cry will only make your chest hurt. At least let your tears fall so as not to affect your heart's work."

      Taehyung hastened to wipe away the rolling tears, replacing them with a shy hue as well as the pain of seeing Sohyun's face. "Is this always how you deal with life?"

     "Not really. But I have to be like this so that the people around me know I'm okay."

      "Ck .. Anyway no matter what happens, from now on you should be willing to share with me."

      "Should it?"

      "You've lied to me too much. Think of it as your way of making it up to you. I want you not to hold everything on your own. I feel like a stranger, I'd love to scold you right now, but ..."

      "You're always so chatty."

      Sohyun's chant ended with Taehyung and Sohyun's laughter, the girl for the first time re-enacting the sound of laughter that had long been confined. Out freely, and Taehyung, the man became the first, and the only one.

🔔

      "I've waited a long time to hear clarity from you."

      Yoon Eun looked up at Woojin's jet black eye seeds. Staring at the face that began to be overgrown by lines of wrinkles, a sign of the more mature men who had combined love together, before the bad incident occurred. Stretching, distancing the distance between the two.

      Woojin is reluctant to look at Yoon eun for a long time, for her it will only remind her of past disappointments, but what can be done, now they are just two, to straighten out misunderstandings in the past. He was angry—at a difficult situation that had made him act recklessly. Even more furious, because Yoon Eun never once visited him while in the detention cell. Being cooped up by a dozen years has made his heart harden, if he does not remember his love for the woman who sits opposite him now, already a long time ago, he opened the dark secret of the wife.

      "Why not answered? Is it really that hard for you?"

      Yoon eun shook her head.

      "Is there something you're hiding from me about that kid?" What Woojin means is Sohyun. The old boy was so cheerful and active.

      It took courage for Yoon eun to answer the question, her lips quivering, "Sohyun is paralyzed, it's because of me."

      Woojin forehead until long wrinkled. "Your partner?"

      He clenched his hands tightly, before landing a confident look at Woojin. "I pushed him off the hospital roof .. three years ago, when I was drinking too much alcohol" he admitted.

     Obviously Yoon eun's confession got a surprised reception from Woojin. Even the man heard it.

      Yoon Eun continued, "I can't control myself. I was afraid, when I received a lot of pressure, so I made Sohyun vent my anger at that time. Sohyun was seriously injured, he was traumatized after getting out of his coma. His spine was troubled and both his legs were affected. Trust me, I didn't mean to hurt at all, anything else until the heart killed him."

       Yoon Eun attempts to convince, grabbing Woojin's sturdy hand to believe her words. He is honest, very honest with Woojin, although there are things that he still keeps secret.

       "You never had any intention of hurting him, unfortunately it's not enough, I can't justify what you've done to him. Remember Yoon eun, Sohyun is just like our daughter, Yeo Jin. Learn to accept our son's departure, and don't make Sohyun feel the same way as Yeojin."

      Yoon Eun flinched, her lips clenched when the name of the late princess was mentioned.

       Jungkook who was secretly listening to their chatter accidentally, went silent for a long time behind the big tree of the hospital garden. The man had woken up ever since the noise of the middle-aged couple was heard. He hasn't been home since last night and slept there.

      "Something's wrong," he murmured still paying attention. There were thousands of question marks sticking out in his head that started to think wildly. And now to Sohyunlah, his direction, something he needed to find out to quench his thirst for curiosity.