Disclaimer: We don't own Boys over Flowers and are making no money from this.
Woo Bin put his keys in his car, and was about to drive away when he spotted Yi Jeong and Ga Eul rushing out of the studio. Rolling down the window, he enquired, "Hey! You two, where are you heading off to?"
"Hospital," replied Yi Jeong. A look of understanding came across the other boy's face.
"Get in. I'll give you a ride." Then turning to his companion, he requested, "Jae, would you mind giving your seat to Yi Jeong?" Jae Kyung joined Ga Eul in the back while Yi Jeong sat next to Woo Bin. Hitting on the accelerator, Woo Bin drove the vehicle in jet speed.
"So, Yi Jeong, what happened? You said she was getting better," asked Woo Bin.
"I really don't know. I just got a call from the receptionist asking if I was omma's emergency contact. She asked me to come immediately and hung up."
The speeding car came to a halt after hearing the sound of sirens. A young lady in uniform walked up to the car which prompted Woo Bin to roll down his window.
"Do you know how fast you were going?"
"Yes, 110 km/hr to be exact," answered Woo Bin.
"Very good sir, now step out of the car and hand me your license."
"Officer you have to understand. I'm having a baby. "
The officer eyed all the passengers in the car, and then stood in front of Ga Eul and Jae Kyung's window and attentively examined them.
"Both these women are perfectly healthy and neither of them looks pregnant."
Quickly enough, Woo Bin realized his error and clasping his bro's hand, he said, "We are having a child. Please, officer, I don't want to miss the birth of my son."
"Get out of the car, and do it fast because if I have to repeat myself one more time then I'll directly take you to the police station."
Woo Bin did as he was told, and after receiving his ticket he got back in to find Jae Kyung in the driver's seat.
"I think I'll drive from here. I'll drop you off and then head off to my new apartment." Then in a voice loud enough for just Woo Bin to hear, she continued, "This seems like a private matter. I feel like I'm intruding."
_oOo_
Jun Pyo intently watched his girlfriend study. She was knocking the table with her pencil as she processed the information. Jun Pyo knew that he had to be supportive, but more than anything he knew that it was going to be difficult. However, every time Jan Di stretched her arms, yawned, and then gave him a warm smile, his determination grew. He had to do this for her. She had been through so much. It was about time he made it as easy for her as he could. Being your significant other's backbone at their time of need was at the crux of romance, after all. The sound of his vibrating cellphone brought him back to reality.
"Hello? What, hospital! Yeah l will be right there."
"Jan Di-ah, Yi Jeong's omma is in the hospital, we have to go." Shutting her book, Jan Di trotted after him.
"The nurse said that Yi Jeong's mother was in room 212 that should not be too far away," Jan Di commented. Then with a worried look in his direction, she continued, "you look pale. Did the sight of the man with amputated leg make you nauseous?"
"A little, but I'm more worried about Yi Jeong. This place probably awoke some bad memories for him."
The Gu-Guem couple found Yi Jeong sitting on a brown couch, between Woo Bin and Ga Eul, his hand clasped in hers, the tip of her thumb gently running circles on his palm.
"What happened?" asked Jun Pyo.
"The rod they had put in her leg the last time she was here, got infected. She is unconscious now, resting they say," replied Yi Jeong.
"Here, have some coffee," offered Ji Hoo while handing him a cup.
"No thank.." Yi Jeong's words died in his throat as he saw a well-dressed, clean shaved, middle aged man, approach.
"Yi Jeong, how is your omma?"
"What. Are. You. Doing. Here ?" he said while fuming. "Did you finally get enough time from your philandering to come check on your family?"
"Yi Jeong, this is no way to speak to your father. I have raised you better than that. I came to check on my wife, isn't that my right as a husband?"
"She isn't conscious right now and seeing you might set her off and it isn't doing much for me right now either. So please, just do what you do best and leave," having said his piece he stormed off.
Yi Jeong was livid and frankly quite exhausted. The last thing he needed at this point was another encounter with his father, a man who Yi Jeong had begun to associate with destruction. Nothing good would come from him being here.
"Yi Jeong, wait." Mr. So touched his son's shoulder. "I'm your father and despite how badly you may think of me, I do care about our family. Now please tell me what happened to my wife?"
"The rod they put in her leg the last time she was here got infected. Is there anything else that I can do for you?"
"Will she be alright?"
"The doctors say she should recover." His father took a pause as if contemplating something and then asked, "Who was the pretty girl whose hand you were holding?"
"Please, leave her alone. She is a dear friend and far too young for you. Please, spare her," his son retorted, disgust evident on his face.
Yi Jeong's father walked up to him and smacked him right across the face.
"Do you think so lowly of your own father?"
His cheeks red from the rebuke, Yi Jeong made no comment. He just made his way passed his father to the door, "My mother needs me, and I'm going back inside."
"Yi Jeong, as the future heir of So foundation you have some responsibilities, which include the kind of woman you are expected to marry. Never forget that." With that said, he left the hospital, leaving a bewildered Yi Jeong standing at the door. He should have expected this. His father never came to his 'family' without an ulterior motive.
The tension in the air could be cut with a knife. It was evident that Yi Jeong's sudden departure wasn't lost on his friends.
"What did that man want this time?" asked Woo Bin.
"To remind me of my responsibilities as his heir," he said while drinking the coffee that Ji Hoo provided.
He then proceeded to walk circles around the waiting area, mumbling things to himself.
"You would think that after all this 'advancement in technology' they would be able to give clear cut answers. But no. We can't be certain Mr. So. Tests take time, Mr. So. Be patient, Mr. So, Why?" he grumbled to himself, while swinging his hands back-and-forth.
"Uhh…Yi Jeong," began Ji Hoo, while making his way towards him, "Why don't you go home and get some rest. I can sleep anywhere; Woo Bin and I will stay here."
"No, you all go home. I'll stay here," replied the So heir, while standing in front of the observation window. His mother looked peaceful. Sadly, this was the one of the few times she did. A pair of hands gently tapping his shoulders brought him to reality. "Yi Jeong," said Ga Eul. He gave her gentle smile, his body relaxing slightly. She took his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. Her fingers were always so soft, well, most girls' fingers are, he thought to himself, but Ga Eul's touch, like her smile had the warmth of a hearth in a cold winter's night.
"Yi Jeong, take care. My parents have called me two times already. I have to get going." She gave him a warm smile and then turned to walk away.
"You are going alone?"
"Well, Jun Pyo sunbae went to drop off Jan Di and my parents aren't really fond of Woo Bin sunbae. Don't worry, I'll be alright."
"No, it's late. I'll drop you off. "
And just like that, Woo Bin and Ji Hoo watched as Ga Eul led Yi Jeong away, having successfully accomplished what they had all failed to do.
Five minutes after they had departed the Gu-Guem couple came walking towards the waiting area, carrying trays of food.
"Where is Yi Jeong?" asked Jun Pyo
"Ga Eul took him home to get some rest."
"But I brought dinner for six. You guys seriously need to inform me about your plans," he pouted.
_oOo_
A part of Yi Jeong was glad to leave that place. It held too many bad memories for him. The smell of disinfectant in the air, the cries of sobbing relatives sitting on the long brown sofa in the waiting area, the robotic voice of the lady calling some doctor to some ward, and most of all, the horrifying sight of the patients in the stretchers being rolled by, all of this transported him six years back. Six years, Yi Jeong had gone six years without visiting this hell hole, yet the smell of this place, the mere smell of it, could make that forgotten memory resurface with such vivid clarity. Nevertheless, there was another part of him that wanted to go back and watch-over his mother, reassuring him that she was still alive.
"Yi Jeong, you have had quite a day, please, let me drive." He sat himself beside her and proceeded to watch the hospital move past him. He tried to concentrate on the road, the sound of the traffic, the rustling of the leaves on the sidewalk, the whistles of the traffic police, on anything that could distract him from reliving the past pain.
"We are here."
Yi Jeong found himself staring at the gate to his home.
"Woo Bin send you the address?"
"No, it was Ji Hoo sunbae actually. Please, at least come in and have some rest," she pleaded.
Few minutes later Ga Eul found herself in Yi Jeong's living room. It was decorated in the same fashion as his room in the f4 lounge. There was a beautiful maroon couch with a circular glass center table in front of it and a large wooden flower vase to its left. Several paintings decorated the walls and several pottery pieces adorned the top shelves in the crockery table.
"Master should we serve dinner?" asked Yi Jeong's butler. He gestured no with his head. The butler then turned towards Ga Eul who nodded yes. She then proceeded to follow him. Ga Eul found the kitchen to her liking. It was spotlessly clean and well equipped.
She bowed to the cook and then asked, "Sir, please allow me to use the kitchen." For a fraction of a second, he hesitated but then gave in, although, he stayed there to supervise.
After about half an hour, Ga Eul came back to the living room carrying a tray of dumplings and soup. She placed it on the center table and then began to divide it into two plates. She gestured to Yi Jeong to help himself to dinner.
"Ga Eul, I'm not really in the mood."
"Yi Jeong, am I that bad a cook," said she, pretending to be offended.
Yi Jeong took one dumpling with his chopstick and began to eat. He had his head turned down, as if he was lost in his own world.
"The last time I visited the hospital was 6 years ago. I thought that it would be the last, that the endless waiting and worrying, the shrieks of the ill and various sights of the horrifying consequences of disease. I had become complacent."
"She'll be alright. The doctor said it wasn't anything too serious."
"I must sound so horrible right now. Like an irresponsible son complaining about his sick mother."
"No, you don't. You just sound exhausted." Yi Jeong gave her a weak smile.
They fell into silence after that which was only broken by the sound of chewing. To occupy herself, Ga Eul proceeded to look around the room. Yi Jeong was good at decorating but what caught her attention wasn't any of the beautiful artwork but a stick figure painting on the wall. It looked so incongruous among the aesthetic works surrounding it. She took a peak at Yi Jeong, who was concentrating on his food. To her relief, he had finished most of it. No, she couldn't ask him. So she just continued to watch it intently. Noticing where she was focused for the first time, Yi Jeong took her hand and led her to the crockery stand.
"This piece over here is called 'the redemption.' It is the last work of the famous artist Paolo. The one on the right is a pottery piece called 'Dark sister'; it is considered to be one of the the greatest works of the 20th century and right above all of this is a stick figure painting, by Song Woo Bin." Pointing to the stick figure wearing the superhero costume, he said, "This one is Woo Bin rescuing me, and those stick figures are Ji Hoo and Jun Pyo cheering him on. This same painting hangs in the f4 lounge as well."
"Why exactly have you chosen to display this fine piece of art?"
"Woo Bin comes and hangs this up here periodically. Plus it annoys my father so I just leave it up."
"It is in the f4 lounge as well, I never noticed it before."
"Master, should we clear the plates." He nodded, then making his way back to the couch, he said, "Thanks Ga Eul, for the food, I mean." He took a long pause and then said, "I'm sorry for dragging you into this mess."
"It is the least I could do as a friend." He pondered that for a moment. "Let's hope that's the most you have to do," he mumbled to himself. "Come, I'll drop you off, for real this time."
"No, Jun Pyo sunbae and Jan Di are coming to see me off. You stay and get some rest. By the way, it wouldn't matter even if I had to do more," she said while staring intently at him, and then picking up her purse she continued, "Goodbye, Yi Jeong, take care."
_oOo_
Yi Jeong made his way back to the hospital as early in the morning as he could, anxious to know how his mother was doing. On arriving in front of the room, he encountered Ji Hoo's sleeping form. He touched him lightly on the shoulder to awake him.
"Hey, Yi Jeong. Your mother is awake. The doctors said you can see her now," he said amidst a yawn.
Yi Jeong made his way towards the door, pausing at the entrance, he asked, "Where is Woo Bin?"
"Don't know, he was here a while ago. He probably just stepped outside."
_oOo_
The nurse came into room 13 to find a patient, whom she hadn't seen before, strapped to the bed, wearing an oxygen mask, with bandages on his legs, electrodes attached to his chest, and Iv fluid attached on one hand and a blood pressure pump on the other. He was rather young, and even in this state looked handsome. A pity his life had to take such a turn. On seeing her, he attempted to remove himself from the equipment.
"No, you can't leave sir, not in this state. Brenda, where is patient from room 13's file?" she asked the up the receptionist through the phone.
"What do you mean the room is empty?"
Taking advantage of the situation, the patient was able to send a picture from his i-phone. It read: 'Jae, help. I'm stuck.'
_oOo_
The art gallery was alive this morning, bustling with activity. Art enthusiasts shuffling from place to place, examining the masterpieces with a sense of awe. The museum was the home to many great works and it was one such work that the art consultant was showing to the lady in front of him.
"I love the way the light falls in this painting."
"Yes, that is fundamental to the artist's style."
"I would love to buy this."
The art consultant took one look at the woman. She was young and beautiful but dressed in jeans and a simple cropped top; she didn't look like she could afford this painting at all. He was still confused how she managed to convince his assistant that she could.
"Ma'am this painting is worth 1 million dollars. I don't )mean to be presumptuous but are you sure you want to make such a purchase."
On hearing this, she smiled. After a few seconds of silence, she stretched out her hand for him to shake and said, "Hi, I'm Chu, Ga Eul, Yi Jeong's friend."
_oOo_
Ga Eul put all the food she had made in a lunchbox. Egg-roll, rice, sweet and sour chicken, shrimp tempura, cookies and the seoul sauté. She hoped that she had packed enough for the entire gang at the hospital. Then glancing at the clock on the wall, she said, "Omma, I'm leaving." It was 2 pm. She was already quite late.
Ga Eul arrived at the hospital to find most of the tension from yesterday gone. Jun Pyo was sitting next to Jan Di on the couch, laughing, while Ji Hoo was texting someone on his phone. On noticing her presence, Jan Di got up to greet her.
"You brought food," said Jun Pyo excitedly.
"Where is Yi Jeong?" she asked while handing each of them a lunchbox.
"He is inside with his mom."
On hearing this Ga Eul decided to go meet him. She knocked on the door, to announce her presence. Yi Jeong gave her a slight nod.
"Yi Jeong, who is that, I haven't seen her before?" asked Mrs. So
"This is Ga Eul. She is a good friend."
"Come here child. Thank you for paying this old woman a visit."
"I brought you some lunch," she announced with a smile.
"Thank you, child. Hospital food is a special kind of torture." She took the lunchbox from her and began to eat. "Yi Jeong, would you please get us some water." Yi Jeong was about to protest but then thought better of it.
_oOo_
It had been a long time since the 27 year old art consultant, had been to the hospital, but he couldn't say that he missed it. There was always such urgency here, relatives asking receptionist for room numbers, wives pestering doctors on their husband's condition; he didn't miss any of it. Even today there were nurses running around with patients. One such nurse caught his attention. On first glance, all seemed normal. But on closer inspection he noticed that she wasn't wearing a nurse's uniform at all but just a white lab coat. He walked towards them to see what this was about. To his astonishment, the patient removed his oxygen mask and stared at him. On closer examination, he realized that he knew him. There was no mistake that the patient was Song Woo Bin.
"Il Hyun!" he exclaimed, while sitting upright to face him.
Il Hyun was so shocked that he didn't notice a young man, carrying two cups of water, walking towards him.
"Il Hyun, Hyung," said his little brother.
His brother's sudden appearance had shocked Yi Jeong so much that the cups fell from his hand and then there was silence. All three of them stood frozen, too shocked to speak. The silence was broken by the girl in the lab-coat, "Great, Woo Bin, the water entered the blood pressure pump. We are done for now," lamented Jae Kyung.
Author's Note: Hello readers! Sorry for the delay. Thank you to all those who are still following the story and a warm welcome to all those who are new. Did you like the chapter? What was your favorite part? Tell us your thoughts in the reviews.