The Piano and The Past. /Johnny/

Chapter 23

Nara walked with slow pace toward the hospital room. She had fruits in her hand. 'Will she be there? I don't want to meet her.'

She opened the door and Houngjin was alone, reading a book. He smiled at her existence. "You're here?"

"Ah, well, I just..." She put down the fruits on the table. "How did the result go?"

"Nothing big, I promise. Just need some rest. I had this small non-dangerous tumour in my intestines. Should be fine." His face was a bit pale. "Maybe it's my punishment. For trying so hard with work."

Nara felt sad for him. She sat on his bed and reached for his hair. "May I?" He knew what she was going to do so he let her and nodded. She caressed his soft hair slowly. He reached for her other hand.

She almost wanted to draw back her hand but she let him. He had her hand in bith of his hands and pecked it slowly. "Thanks for coming."

"Oppa." At times like this she would reminisce the old days when they were still together. The good memories were still there, she knew herself that it was a nice memories to keep after all.

"Hm?"

"Can you let me go? I finally learn to let you go. You should try it too." She said to him. Youngjin was in disbelief but he kept her hand in his. "I can't say that I don't have good memories with you. But during the 8 years, I have learnt many new things with you."

He just stared in emptiness. "It's my fault, isn't it?"

"You will always be my first love. You know that."

"And you will be the most amazing woman I know that I've let it slip through my own hands." He smiled ironically.

"You know first love doesn't always work, oppa."

"Just when I thought it's weird that you're being nice to me, you actually say that." He laughed a little. He stared at her. "Can I get a goodbye kiss then?"

"Yes." She leaned in and kissed him. And he kissed her back.

"Can't you stay for a little while? Just until I'm asleep." He said between his breaths.

Nara put her hands on his cheeks. "Okay. Just this once."

"Good luck with everything." He smiled.

--

A vibrated phone woke Nara up. She was napping next to Youngjin. Moving carefully not to wake him up, she took her phone. It was a text from Youngho.

Youngho: Just got my motorbike back. Want me to drive you home?

She checked the time. It was almost 9 pm.

Nara: Sure. I'll meet you at the intersection near the subway station.

Youngho: Don't forget to put on your jacket, it's cold.

Nara smiled at Youngjin for the last time. "Good luck. I know you will do well." She then left the room.

After she left, Youngjin opened his eyes slowly. He moved his hands and stared at them. "I wish I could hug her longer."

--

Youngho threw the helmet at Nara. She chuckled but tried to protest his ways of doing things. "Stop throwing me this helmet. I might broke a finger."

She meant it as a joke but he took it seriously when she mentioned about her fingers. "Ah, okay. I'm sorry. Will never do that again."

"What's wrong with you? You usually will make another joke to attack me." She put on her helmet and got on the bike. "Okay, I'm all set."

He ignited the engine and drove away.

"A good day today?" He asked.

"What?" She couldn't hear him well so she leaned closer.

"A good day today?"

"Never been better. I met Youngjin oppa today. He has tumour."

He pressed the brake to stop at the red light. But it was a bit slippery. "You what? How-so he's sick?"

"He is. And I just said my farewell to him today. I'm no longer seeing him." She said. "I'm taking a step away from my comfort zone."

Youngho smiled and all proud with her. "Great then."

The light was green and he drove again. The traffic wasn't crowded.

Nara felt something cold on her hands. She took a look.

It was snow.

"Waa~ it's first snow." She lifted her hands to feel the snow. "Ack it's cold."

But the road was getting slippery as the snow kept flurrying. Youngho worried about the brake as Jinsang couldn't find what was wrong with his bike.

And his anxiety came true. At another stop light, he couldn't pressed the brake tightly, and the falling snow made it worse. His bike slipped. Luckily, he drove in the sideways, so nothing dangerous happened.

"What was that?" Nara asked. "It's dangerous."

"I know. Let's just drive slowly. You're not in a hurry, right?"

"I'm fine. Let's drive carefully, okay?"

But something happened. It was so fast that Nara couldn't even grasped what was going on. She saw a truck and what she remembered was the blinding front light.

Her body was on the ground and she couldn't move her left arm. Few feet from her, Youngho was lying unconsciously with blood streaming from his head.

"H-hel-" She tried to yell but it was too cold for her to speak. "Help." She finally whispered.

She stared at the sky with fallen snow on her face, as her vision was getting blurry.