He then started to unbutton his shirt. I quickly turned back, facing the wall as I didn't want to see him shirtless.
"I-I'll be outside. Call me when you're done." I quickly walked out of the room.
He should have warned me before.
I leaned back on the wall and waited for him. I played with my fingers while waiting.
"You can come in now." I heard him say so I went in. "It seems like it will rain the whole night." He was drying his hair with the towel.
I looked out of the window and sighed. "I was really surprised when you showed up."
"I do wanted to surprise you but not in this way." He rubbed the back of his neck, smiling sheepishly.
I chuckled softly. "Give it to me." I took the towel from him. I made him sit on the edge of the bed and started drying his hair.
"Can I ask you something?" he asked.
"Go ahead."
"Did something happen to you in the past which you're still not over it?"
My hands stopped on hearing that. I still can't get over that incident. The memories are still painfully vivid.
"If you don't want to talk about it, I won't ask. You can tell me when you're ready."
I looked at him in the eyes. I was becoming teary on recalling that incident. I sat on the bed beside him, control my tears.
"Yes...Something did happen to me in the past..."
***
—Flashback—
[Eight years ago...]
"Jiyeon-ah, we'll be back soon. Just wait a little longer," Mom said.
"Nae. Come back soon." I ended the call.
My both the parents were office- workers in a big company. They had a meeting today and now they were coming back from their office.
"When will they arrive. It's already 9 pm." I sighed, looking out of the window. Then it started raining heavily.
"Uh...it's raining..."
***
I was just bored while waiting for them. I tried to divert my mind by playing games or watching TV but got bored eventually.
Then I got a call so I picked it up quickly without looking at the ID.
"Yeoboseyo?"
"Are you the daughter of Kim Dawon and Kim Soyoung?"
"Yes, you're right. But who..."
"Actually..."
I dropped the phone on hearing the next thing. My mind didn't want to believe what I just heard.
I ran to the hospital, not minding the rain which was pouring heavily on me. I went to the receptionist and got the room number where Mom and Dad were admitted. I searched for the room and finally got it.
I saw some doctors moving here and there. I saw Mom and Dad on two separate beds and the shocking part was they were bleeding severely.
"Eomma...Appa..." I cried and tried to go near them but a nurse stopped me.
"You can't go there, dear," she said.
"I want to see them...Let me go..." I tried to let go of her but failed. I fell on the floor, tears streaming down from my eyes.
"Eomma...Appa..."
The person that called me was a man who was passing by that area where the accident occurred. And in that accident, my Mom and Dad got severely injured.
Then a doctor came out of that room. I quickly got up and asked about the condition of my parents.
"Please save them...Please..."
"We're trying our best but their condition is getting worse," the doctor simply said and went away.
***
I was still sobbing when another doctor came to me.
"They're your parents?" he asked.
"Yes...Are they alright now? Can I see them?"
"I'm sorry to say..." I was eagerly waiting for his reply. "...they are no more..."
"What?..."
It felt like my whole world collapsed. My legs gave away and I fell on the floor. I just couldn't believe what I just heard.
My Mom...my Dad...are no more?...
They let me see them for the last time and sent me home. It was still raining heavily then. The cab dropped me in front of my lane.
I walked towards my house slowly, not able to take what all just happened. I wasn't able to know what would I do without them. They were everything to me. They were my world.
And now...I lost everything I had...
***
I sat in a corner of my room, hugging my knees and burying my face in my arms. I cried hard. The rain pouring heavily outside accompanied with thunder and lightning made it even worse.
I was scared, I was broken, I was depressed. I was shivering from cold and no one was with me at that time. That was the worst day of my life.
—End of flashback—
"The next day halmeoni (grandmother) came and took me with her. We both moved here when I was in high school...I transferred to a new school and that's when I met Wookyung. We became fast friends and then best friends."
Seonghwa was still listening to me quietly. So I continued.
"After halmeoni passed away, I only had Wookyung with me. He was the only one who stayed with me at that time. That's why I cherish him the most."
I looked down, not able to continue further. Warm tears started to roll down my cheeks as I recalled all those memories.
"It must have been so hard for you," Seonghwa said and hugged me.
I started to cry harder in his embrace and he rubbed my back to comfort me.
I don't want to lose anyone else again.
To be continued...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
