Way And Direction

Chapter 4

Kiaan held Ara's hand and they were dancing happily in his lounge area. He didn't really worry a lot about Richard's whereabouts as he knew his buddy needed the personal space.

Ara Yun, Kiaan's girlfriend. A young lady, with beautiful eyes, medium length red hair, and thin cherry lips. She came from Korea six years ago when her parents passed away due to a fire that broke out in their residence. Since then, just to escape her sorrows and find herself again, she came to Adanneth.

In the fifth year of her stay, she met Kiaan. The cliché of guy who was too loud for his own good and girl who was too quiet for her own good falling in love was exactly what happened between them. She couldn't even stand his sight at first. Eventually, due to constant meetings at their shared photography course, they spoke more often and ignited a feeling of love.

What really made Ara fall in love with Kiaan though, was the time she remembered so very clearly.

They were in the middle of class and suddenly Kiaan's phone rang. There was a strict phone-off policy but he wouldn't listen anyway. He answered the call despite the lecturer reprimanding him. Ara was sitting next to him and she wondered why he answered the call as he never did before. Kiaan became tense, frantically he packed his stuff and communicated with the person on the phone. He ran out of class, and everyone was startled at this sudden action.

Ara knew Kiaan a little better than the first time they met so she decided to pay him a visit after the classes. He was sitting with his head in his hands and tears were strolling down his cheeks. He was crying silently and she crept up to him, taking a seat.

Shocked at her appearance, he wiped his face and asked why she came. She remembered so clearly telling him she was worried and how he broke down. His exact words: "My best friend Russ, he slit his wrist earlier and I rushed to hospital. He's okay now but I am still so worried about him." She didn't say a word, rather wrapped him in her arms and let him cry.

That was not only the day she truly fell in love with him, but also the day she realized how much of importance and value Richard held in his life.

They were dancing to a Korean folk song. Having the time of their lives and just being together. Kiaan had told Ara about what occured earlier and she felt sad for Richard.

"Then you do this," she gestured a dance move. He followed her action and they laughed. In a few moments, a slow song played on the speaker, and they started to ballroom dance.

They swayed and he twirled her. They really liked dancing and it definitely resonated in their private performances. Kiaan looked at Ara and was ever so grateful that his parents accepted her. He always thanked them for being so open minded and aware of his feelings.

He pushed her hair behind her ears and smiled. She placed her head on his shoulder and they continued dancing. All of a sudden, the door banged open.

Dahlia, panting and holding her knees, barged in. Her eyes streamed with tears. They rushed to her and Ara took hold of her hand to rub it. "What's wrong Aunty? What's the matter?" asked Kiaan.

"Ri- Rich- Rich-" she tried to talk but failed due to running out of breath. Kiaan grabbed some water from the table and helped her drink it. "Tell me Aunty. What's wrong?" She wiped her tears that weren't seeming to stop and in a wobbly voice says, "Rich, he drowned himself. I got a call. He's been taken to hospital. Adanneth Local. Please take me there."

Kiaan's eyes widened and Ara was flabbergasted. He frantically searched for and grabbed his keys. Sarita came from upstairs and saw Dahlia. Ara told her what happened quickly and she insisted on coming along as well.

On their way to the hospital, Kiaan was haunted with thoughts of his best friend's dead body. Ara urged him to drive faster, Dahlia was comforted by Sarita who was also crying.

Upon reaching the hospital, Kiaan rushed inside and asked for the details from the receptionist. The receptionist was taken aback as well, for it felt more like he was demanding rather than asking. She told him quickly and he ran to the elevator to get to the ICU.

At the ICU, he was greeted by a lifeguard, as the man's attire suggested. He thanked him for saving Richard and was truly grateful. "No problem. It's my job anyway, besides this was just something else. I looked around like any regular day, it's not full of people anytime as it's the far end of the beach. I saw him, as the waves gushed on his leg. He turned around suddenly and I don't know why, there was no one there. I think he probably expected someone but then he got disappointed. He screamed out real loud but that was sort of often for people to do there so I turned around for a while. When I looked again, he wasn't anywhere to be seen. I ran and got him out the water. One disturbing incident. Glad you're here now. Hope nothing goes wrong with him."

Kiaan paced back and forth, praying and hoping nothing happens to him. Ara brought coffee for all of them and Dahlia's weeping didn't  stop. Sarita controlled herself to display strength. Kiaan refused to have the coffee but Ara didn't urge him because she knows how he felt.

Melancholy and sadness fill the air, as well as hope and desperation for his survival. Kiaan eventually sat down next to them on the bench, but he continuously tapped his foot.

After a long wait, from three o' clock to now five o' clock, the door to the ICU opened. They bolted toward the doctor and ask for the results.

He took off his surgical mask and gloves and looked at them. "Thank goodness he was brought in time by the lifeguard on duty at the beach. One moment late and he could've died. We managed to save him bu-" before he could continue, Kiaan embraced Ara in the tightest hug ever. He was overjoyed.

"But he has entered a vegetative state, which means that when he does regain consciousness, he will not react with any feelings or emotions. Only maybe eye movement and waking up, depends on the severity which we will find out when he comes out of unconsciousness," he finished in a sympathetic voice.

Kiaan froze, as well as Dahlia. A feeling of the world coming to a standstill filled them. He looks at the doctor and asks, "What?"

"I'm sorry about that. It's really something we cannot do anything about besides wait for him to awake," the doctor said while walking away to his office. They remained frozen to the spot. Nothing like this was expected. Richard was fine, all this time, that wasn't right.

Dahlia went inside and saw Richard. His face looked flushed and pale. She held his hand with her frail one. Still crying in silence, she couldn't bear to see him like this. Leaving his hand back down, she ran out of the room.

Kiaan didn't want to go in.

After finishing a whole lot of paperwork for Dahlia, Ara let them know and they head home.

They sat at the Sethi's house and after hearing what happened, Susheel insisted that Dahlia slept at their house for the night. Ara also decided to stay over, there was a lot of tension and Kiaan needed support.

They sat by the fireplace and there was a dejected silence. To lighten the mood, Ara raised a question she had lingering on her mind ever since she met Kiaan. She never asked because she never got the chance, but after this she felt it right to.

"What really happened to Richard that made him like this?"