STAR BLOSSOM | JUNGKOOK [HIATUS]

P R O L O G U E

Have you ever wished that your reality was all a dream? Well I have.

I, Seo Yoonbyul, lived a happy life. A life that included a caring family, a promising future. I had an appa, an eomma, and an unni called Hanbyul. Eomma was very caring, she would always take care of unni and I. Appa on the other hand, not so much. He was always creating debts for our family. Eomma despised him, she wanted him to die, she wanted him to disappear. Every time eomma and appa had an argument, Hanbyul would take us to our room to hide.

"Unni... I'm scared."

"Don't worry Yoonbyul. Here, hold my hand, I'll take care of you."

Hanbyul would hug me every time to relieve my fear. When the heat had died down between our parents, Hanbyul and I would go check on eomma. Eomma was always crying. We would comfort her by giving her hugs and she would hold onto us for at least five minutes. It was that one fateful day when I felt like there was something wrong. My heart started hurting. A sharp pain had pierced into it. I held onto my chest in fear. I could hear eomma and Hanbyul's worried voices.

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I wake up in a brightly lit room. My eyes start hurting.

"Yoonbyul-ah! I'm so glad you're okay!"

Eomma held onto me as I stared at the doctor who had worried eyes.

Doctor: "I'm afraid that Yoonbyul has a very poor heart condition. If she were to have another attack, it could be potentially fatal."

I hear the doctors words with disbelief. I could've died?

Doctor: "She may be young, but in order to make sure she'll continue to live, Yoonbyul must receive heart surgery. Which means we have to find a heart donor for her as soon as possible."

The doctor leaves after passing down the message. Eomma was even more worried now, she was trembling in fear just like how every parent would when they're worried about their child. She didn't know what to do- neither did I. I just wanted to deny reality. Hanbyul holds my hand to reassure me.

"Don't worry Yoonbyul. I am sure they will find a heart donor for you!"

I smile. Knowing that I had an eomma and unni who had cared so much for me. I had a perfect life, despite always being in debt and having a stupid appa. When I felt like my life couldn't get any worse, it indeed did.

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We were driving down the road one day with appa at the wheel, eomma in the passenger seat and Hanbyul and I in the backseat. While going to buy groceries as a family, a truck wasn't following the speed limit and had crashed into our car. Our car was damaged, it was in pieces, but somehow I was perfectly fine. I looked at the front of the car, eomma and appa were motionless. They were dead. My heart sank- my parents. I look at Hanbyul, she's severely hurt. I start crying as I scream for help.

My tears become a waterfall. Appa is dead, eomma is dead, and Hanbyul is severely hurt. My life just got worse. This is a scar that will never heal. The sirens of the paramedics grow closer. I close my eyes to try to forget what had just happened.

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I arrive at the hospital. The doctor tends my light wounds. I was free to leave and roam around the hospital as long as I didn't cause any trouble. How strange for them to allow me to do that. I decided to go to the emergency ward. Hanbyul just had surgery. I walk up to her and see her laying on the bed, motionless.

A few days later, Hanbyul finally woke up. I felt jublication.

"Yoonbyul-ah..."

"Ne unni?"

"I'm in a lot of pain and I think I can't endure it any longer..."

"Unni stop! Don't say things like that!"

"I'm sorry Yoonbyul... but I really can't..."

I hold onto Hanbyul's hand. They were cold as ice, lifeless. She raises her hand and touches my face.

"Yoonbyul. I've spoken to the doctors. They said that my heart is suitable for you. It will help you live. And since I'm going to pass soon, I already signed a waiver allowing me to become a heart donor after my death."

"Unni andwae! You can't die!"

"Yoonbyul. Listen to me. I want you to live a long life. I want you to create the most beautiful moment in life. I want you to live!"

Tears start falling down my face.

"I... I... I can't live without you unni. Who's going to be there to reassure me when I'm in fear? Who's going to take care of me?"

"Babo~ I will be there with you. I'll be right there."

Hanbyul points towards my chest where my heart is.

"I will be there Yoonbyul. I'm giving you my heart remember?"

"But..."

"No buts. I didn't get another chance to change my fate in life, but this is your chance to make a change in yours. Remember, I will always be there with you Yoonbyul. Go find the most beautiful moment in life. Be free and fly... like a butterfly..."

Hanbyul's hand slips out of mine. I hear a long beep, I check the heart rate monitor, it's a straight line.

"UNNI!"

The doctors come rushing in. They check Hanbyul's status. They shake their heads with condolences. I wipe away my tears. Hanbyul's gone. I'm all alone. I feel no emotion, as if my life has been taken away from me. My body stays still as I watch the doctors place a white sheet over Hanbyul.

The doctors asked me if I had another guardian. I did, it was halmeoni. They helped me contact social services and then I became legally allowed to live with halmeoni. The doctors also told me to come back to the hospital in a few weeks since that's when they will be able to operate heart surgery on me.

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I'm at halmeoni's house. It's very big and spacious. Halmeoni gives me a hug. She was ecstatic to see me. She already received news on what happened to appa, eomma, and Hanbyul. She said she cried for some time because she was devastated, but she told me not to cry because our family members wouldn't like to see us crying.

I returned back to the hospital after a few weeks to receive the surgery. I lay on the operating table.

Doctor: "Are you ready?"

"Ne."

I close my eyes and wake up on another bed. The surgery was a success. It's been a day since I've laid on this hospital bed. I put my hand to my heart and felt the heartbeat. Thank you unni. I will try to live a better life. I stare out the window and see a butterfly flutter towards the sun.