MY lover from Daegu

Chapter 22

It has been almost a year since the night at the HB Party in Hollywood. After dropping the kids off at playschool, I went early in the morning to work. My phone rang, and it was an unknown number. I got scared, thinking it could be David calling. I ran towards Yoongi's studio to tell him of the unknown caller. The call went to my voicemail, and when I retrieved it, it turned out to be from a doctor at Jeju Regional Hospital. I called him back, and he told me that there was a patient who had a car accident and was admitted to their hospital. He said that he got my number from his cell phone contacts. I asked the patient's name, and he told me that it was YJ. I was wondering what YJ was doing on Jeju Island. I was silent when I heard the doctor say YJ's name. The doctor said that I needed to fly to Jeju Island because YJ is in critical condition. I was in shock when I heard that YJ is in critical condition and might not make it. I informed the doctor that I was his ex-wife and that he should contact his next of kin instead. The doctor said that no one is picking up his calls, and I'm the only one he was able to contact. I asked Yoongi what I should do.

"Sweetie, you need to go and see him for your kids".

"I don't want to; why can't they call his brother or his mother or even Aera"?

"Sweetie, if you're thinking of me, don't worry; I won't be mad, and I'll pick up the kids from playschool and bring them home".

I booked a ticket immediately and went to the airport. A few hours later, I reached Jeju International Airport. I took a taxi and went straight to the hospital. I met Dr. Sung, who I spoke to on the phone about YJ's condition. He immediately took me to the ICU, where YJ was, but before we could get there, the hospital was in a frenzy ("Code Blue"). Nurses and doctors were all running to attend to the patient. The patient was YJ. I saw them outside the glass window of the ICU trying to revive him.

Chest compressions and defibrillator shocks were all futile at this point. A few minutes later, Y.J. was pronounced dead. I heard a lady standing up from a wheelchair, wailing and sobbing uncontrollably; it was Aera. I was numb, and I didn't know what to feel. YJ was someone I once loved, and I felt his love at one point as well. I felt tears coming from my eyes. Why am I crying? Then I realized that these tears were for my children, who had lost their father. I felt my heart ripping into pieces. I turned my head to see Aera looking at me. I touched her shoulder and took her hand. 

I whispered to her, "It's ok, everything will be alright; you will be alright." The doctor then came out of the ICU and asked us if we wanted to see Y.J. I hesitated and told the doctor that I didn't need to see him anymore. 

Aera took my hand and said, "Let's go see him for the last time." I fought back tears as I saw YJ's lifeless body in the hospital bed. I don't know if I wanted to hug him. I took his lifeless hand and whispered to him. YJ, go rest now; don't worry about the kids; I will take care of them. And I forgive you. Be at peace. And for the last time, I cried for the father of my kids.

It was an awkward silence between Aera and me. I asked her why the hospital called me when she was here all along. Aera said that she was the one who told them to call me because YJ's last request was to see me. 

"Nessa, YJ wanted to ask for your forgiveness for what we did to you. He wanted to see you personally, but it was not meant to happen"

"Aera, I told YJ that I had forgiven him and to not worry about the kids; I would take care of them. Would you like to tell his brother or his mother what happened?"

"No, I can't. YJ's mom hates me, and his brother doesn't even talk to me." To YJ's mom, you're the only daughter-in-law she ever had."

I called YJ's brother, and he picked up the third ring.