The severe illness of Eunsuh caused Taesuk a great deal of distress. He comes to see Junsuh. “It’s been a long time.” Junsuh says. “Yes, it’s been a while. How is Yumi?” “She’s fine. She went to Seoul.” “Isn’t it strange? I thought I wouldn’t but…you’re the first person I wanted to see when I had a hard time.” “A hard time? Is there something wrong?” “Actually, I came here not knowing whether I should tell you or not.” Taesuk hesitates to tell Junsuh about Eunsuh but thinks that Junsuh should know too. “What is it? Is it about Eunsuh?” what Junsuh thinks is right but Taesuk decides to keep back the truth so he declines. “Nothing. You’re going to America?” “Yes.” “Once you leave, don’t ever come back again.” “You shouldn’t.” “Taesuk…Eunsuh…Please take care of her…” Junsuh slurs his words, his heart languid. He is obliged to do what he has chosen.
Eunsuh lies still. The tablets scatter all over the ground. She murmurs. “Obba…” tears spring to her eyes and slide down her cheeks. Slowly, she sits up. Junsuh reaches home and sees Eunsuh. He balks and looks at her. Eunsuh smiles, but it carries with it a trace of melancholy.
The bleary picture of her obba making tea that looks through her watery eyes just like a distant dream. “Drink some tea first.” Junsuh puts a cup of tea before her. She suddenly clutches his hand. Her head bends lower. The voice quivers when she says. “Obba…really has to go to America…?” she holds up and implores him as the blur of tears spill slowly down.
“Can you…be with me for 6 months…6 months would be enough…Please agree with me…can you?” “Eunsuh, what’s the matter?” a look of worry crosses his face. “You can’t…? Can’t you…?” Junsuh looks away and droops his eyes. “It’s…too late…” “What…? What do you mean by too late? Yumi can spend the rest of her life with you but I can’t even have six months?” “Eunsuh, why are you doing this?” Junsuh knits his eyebrows. Tears drift down his face. “I can’t do this? I can’t? I love you. I love you so much. Why should I give up? Why it has to be me?” her voice becomes louder with an overwhelming sense of loss. Junsuh drops a sigh and tightly bites his lips. Despites his attempt to restrain his emotion, the ache in his voice still leaks out. “Shall we let Yumi die and live together…you and me? Can you do that? Can you?” the words not only cut her seriously but equally pain the very core of his being. “I can’t…I can’t…” Eunsuh murmurs, just accepts that bitter truth. “Eunsuh…I…this is the only thing I can do now…” his voice becomes weaken. It is not only her that unable to follow her heart. Eunsuh’s fervent hope to spend the rest of her very little time with him already dissolves.
After leaving Junsuh, his words keep replaying in Eunsuh’s head. Due to the illness and desperate love cause her a sudden weakness in body and mind, she collapses while walking by the roadside and is admitted into the hospital.
Junsuh comes to see his friend again. Taesuk asks. “I met you twice today. Want to drink something?” “Let’s drink something stronger.” Taesuk takes a look at his friend. Junsuh is still curious about Eunsuh’s manners. “Is something going on with Eunsuh? Did something happen to her?” “There’s nothing going on? Did you meet her?” Taesuk keeps his voice normal. “She came to see me. Is she really all right? Are you sure?” Junsuh fires questions at Taesuk and stares at him. “Are you in a position to ask me these questions? Do you have the right to? Eunsuh is my responsible now. Don’t worry about her.” Taesuk’s cell phone rings. He picks it up and walks the other way. He is informed that Eunsuh is hospitalized. Junsuh looks at the books about cancer curing on the table but they do not arouse his suspicion. Then, he hears Taesuk says in frighten that somebody collapsed. Taesuk hangs up the phone and hurriedly leaves. “Sorry, I have to go now.” “What is it? Who collapsed?” Taesuk balks for a moment and says. “Someone you don’t know.”
As soon as Taesuk reaches the hospital he hears Eunsuh crying in pain and fear. “Doctor, please help me. Don’t let me die. I’m scared. I’m really scared.” Eunsuh’s voice brings Taesuk a sharp pain. It severely tortures him to be unable to help her. Taesuk takes Eunsuh to his room. He puts her down the bed and tucks her in, then watches at her bedside through the night. It is late in the following morning when he wakes up. The sun throws its chilly light upon her. Taesuk moves to close the curtain. After that he sits down and takes a quiet look at her pretty face. His eyes fill with deep contemplation.
Junsuh sits tight, looking at the picture of the sea he painted. At the below part of inky water lies a light tone of the beach. The color of the water is exactly like his feelings, so dark and deep that he does not know how to find the way out. Eunsuh’s words keep ringing in his ears. Yumi gets in the room and greets him. Junsuh stays silent then slowly rises up from his seat. He turns to Yumi with extremely worried look on his face. What he says is completely unacceptable to Yumi. “Yumi, can you give me a little more time? Just a few months is enough…A few months is all I need…after that I promise I’ll come back to you…can’t you…?” “Go! Leave! Leave for good! Don’t come back. Why do I try so hard to please you?” she pulls out the jacket she bought for him from the bag and throws it down the floor. “Yumi…” “You think I’m a moron? Why do you make me so pathetic? Go, if you’re doing this to me! Go!” Yumi chases him away. Junsuh just holds her and says nothing more. “Don’t leave…”
Taesuk fixes a meal for Eunsuh. When tasting, he mumbles. “This is harder than it looks.” Taesuk sees Eunsuh stepping downstairs. He walks up to her and quickly asks. “You’re awake. How do you feel? It doesn’t hurt?” “I’m sorry. I frightened you. I’m going now.” Eunsuh steps forward. Taesuk blocks her up and helps her sit on the coach. He gently says.” I found a hospital that is willing to admit you. I asked the hospital here to send your record to that hospital already.” “Brother Taesuk.” “Listen to me. Do as I say. Leukemia is hard to cure but you don’t have to die. This new hospital has a beautiful view and a lake nearby, like a 5 stars hotel. Furthermore, it’s the best cancer hospital in the country. If you’re not better, I’ll take you abroad and have you treated there. I’m going to protect you the best I can. You have my word.” Eunsuh does not say anything. She rises up from her seat without looking at him. Taesuk continues. “You…how can you give up so easily? Why don’t you give a good fight? Eunsuh.” Taesuk stands up. Eunsuh moves forward. He threatens. “Do you want me to tell Junsuh?” his remarks bring her up.
“Do you want me..Shall I tell him you’re sick?” Eunsuh turns around immediately. “Don’t! Please don’t. He’ll be leaving soon. You can’t tell him. Don’t let him know.” something in his eyes makes her feel sorry of what she said. “I’m sorry. I’m really sorry. I’ve done you many wrongs.” gentle light kindles in Taesuk’s eyes. He pleads. “It’s okay. You don’t need to apologize. Just come with me. You’ve done me many wrongs so you have to pay back this time. If I don’t have a chance to help you, if I let you die, how will I live on in the future? I’m not doing this for you but for myself. So do it for me. It’s pay back time. You know it, right? Think about all bad things you did to me. How can you live with that?” tears drift down Taesuk’s face. Eunsuh looks away from him. His tempers flare up at once. He grabs her and roars. “Do you really want to die! Don’t you want to live! Answer me!” “I want to live…I still want to live…” Eunsuh bursts in tears. Deep down in her heart she knows that her hope is all in vain.
Eunsuh returns home to pack her things. She opens the drawers where she kept Junsuh’s ring. The ring reminds her the day he put it on her finger. She tightly grabs it in her hand, Junsuh is besieged with deep anguish. All he can do is drinking to get away from the suffering.
Soonim gets in the room and sees Eunsuh wiping the bowls. She asks. “What’re you doing?” “Just cleaning up a little cos’ you have no time to do it.” “But you did it all the time anyway. That makes me feel guilty.” “I want to make them all clean when I still have time…Mom, I already have a new job.” “Really?” “Yes, I got a job at the big hotel in Seoul. Isn’t that wonderful?” Eunsuh opens up many boxes and says. “Here’re your new socks, underwear and look at this. Pretty, right?” Eunsuh picks up a pretty coat. “Are you out of your mind? Why did you buy all these things? They’re enough to last me a lifetime.” “If so, it’d be great. Good daughter has to buy mother underwear, right?” “It’s just Seoul you’re moving to.” Eunsuh falters for only a few seconds and says with a smile. “Mom, is it a pretty coat? Try it on.” “I don’t want to try it now.” Soomim playfully grumbles and does what her daughter says. “Wow! Look really great. My mom is so pretty. I must take after you. I have had this desire for a long time to buy you a nice coat. “You pity me?” “No, I’m just grateful to you. Mom, thank you. I want you to feel happy having me as a daughter like I’ve been with you from the start.” mother caresses Eunsuh’s hair and gently smiles.
Eunsuh asks Shinae to take care their both mothers but shinae is indifferent. “You want to go home with me? After what you’ve done to my family? Can’t believe it. Sorry, but I am on duty tonight” “Shinae, I came to ask you a favor.” “A favor? What?” “I’m leaving here to work in Seoul. I may not be back for a long time. Mother…our mothers. Please take care of them. You’re the only one I can ask. You know how Jongchol is like. Please look in on her once in a while. If I’m not around she’ll have only you.” Shinae lifts her hand to look at the watch then asks her friend apathetically. “Anything else?” “And your mom, from now on I probably don’t see her anymore…so I want to sleep over at your house tonight, just one night.” “Eunsuh, are you dying or something?” Eunsuh stammers and quietly says. “Well…Shinae, please…” “Why should I have to take care of your mother? I have to go. Hope I won’t see you again.”
Eunsuh stays over with Kungha. They are on the bed. Mother holds Eunsuh’s hands. “Mom, you hate me, don’t you?” “What’re you talking about? Why would mom hate you? Don’t you know I am always happy just to think about you?” “Really?” “Really, it’s true.” “Mom, I’m sorry. It might have been better if I hadn’t been your daughter from the beginning.” Kungha looks at Eunsuh. “That’s not true. It’s not like that. I feel happy that you became my daughter. Even though we had to be apart and what happened between you and Junsuh, I still can’t explain how happy I was to have you as a daughter. When you were little you picked a flower for me. You held it in your little hands and toppled your way to give it to me. My heart skipped a beat. You’re the loveliest thing…my daughter.” “Mom…” Kungha sees Eunsuh’s eyes brimming with tears. “Are you crying? Don’t cry, my lovely daughter…Eunsuh…”
Next early morning, Eunsuh opens up the cupboard and sees the mugs of mom and dad which Junsuh did. She puts hers and obba’s abreast. Fast falling tears roll down her face. “From now on I’ll stay with you…forever…Dad…Mom…So long…Obba…So long…”
Taesuk picks Eunsuh up to the hospital. Jongchol rushes to greet him. “Sir, how are you? Thank you so much for getting Eunsuh a job in Seoul. It was really good of you.” “It’s nothing. Can you do me a favor?” Taesuk hands him the card. “Go to the hospital and have your blood test.” “What? Have my blood test? But I’m not sick.” “No, it’s not that. Just do it for me.” “Oh, okay… as you wish. I’ll go to the hospital immediately.” Eunsuh and Soonim walk out of the house. Soonim greets Taesuk He says. “I’m going to Seoul with her. I’ll take good care of her.” mother looks at her daughter. “Mom…” “Call me as soon as you get there. Take care of yourself.” “Mom…” “All right now.” “Mom…See you later.” “I know.”
In the car, despite knowing what he is going to say surely hurts Eunsuh but he does anyway. “They’ll be leaving for the States very soon. Shouldn’t you at least say goodbye to them? I really don’t want to ask but have you met Junsuh lately?” “No.” “That’s good.” Taesuk does not want Junsuh and Eunsuh to be separated without saying goodbye just once. He suddenly swerves and takes her to his friend.
Giwhan, Kim and Yumi gather around the bonfire in front of the house. Kim cracks some chestnuts and hands to Giwhan. He takes them and thanks her. Yumi looks at the chestnuts in the bonfire and says. “The chestnuts look delicious.” “No need to thank you. I just run to buy them in front of the hotel. “Where’s Junsuh?” Yumi’s countenance changes. Giwhan quickly says he will get him. Yumi tells Khim. “He must have something in mind. He drank heavily this afternoon.” “Junsuh drank in the broad daylight?” Kim can not believe that. “Not like himself, right?”
Giwhan wakes Junsuh up. “You drink again? What’s wrong with you lately? I thought you got over it already. Why are you drinking everyday? Compose yourself. Snap out of it.” “I’m sober now. Let’s go.” Junsuh’s voice is still in a state of intoxication. He rises up and walks outside. Kim tells everyone that Eunsuh is leaving for Seoul. “What! You mean Eunsuh?” Yumi is surprised. “You didn’t know? Actually, I don’t know the details either. But I heard Director Han helped her got a job in Seoul. She came to say goodbye to me yesterday.” “Eunsuh? She got a job in Seoul?” Junsuh is carried away by that. He suddenly rises up from his seat. Yumi does too. “Yes, I thought everyone knew it already since you guys are leaving for America soon. I thought Eunsuh told you about it.”
Junsuh lets out a deep sigh and is about to walk back in the house. Right that moment, Taesuk and Eunsuh reach there. He turns around. Taesuk opens the door for her. Eunsuh gets off the car. Junsuh never lets his gaze stray from her. There is a keen inquiry portraying in his eyes. Eunsuh seems to read his glance. She slowly approaches him. Taesuk follows her close. “Obba…Yumi…everyone is here. I came to say goodbye. I’m moving to Seoul today.” “Let’s have a talk.” after saying that, Junsuh heads inside the house. “Obba…” Junsuh ceases his steps and lays stress on his words. “Alone!” Yumi calls Junsuh and is about to follow him but Taesuk thwarts her and tells Eunsuh. “Follow him.” Eunsuh trails behind her obba.
Yumi becomes madly jealous. She asks Taesuk. “Why did you bring her here? You think it’s a good idea?” “I’m regretting it now. Say no more. There’s no way Junsuh can betray you.” “You’re blaming me?” “What? Am I blaming anyone? Who?” Taesuk laughs. His face shows indifference and sarcastically says. “Han Taesuk is a coward…can’t even tell the truth. So afraid his lover will be taken away.” “Taesuk.” “Don’t worry. Don’t blame yourself. I’m much worse than you. Junsuh might kill me if he finds out the truth.” “What’re you taking about?” Taesuk says nothing more. His face reveals a trace of oppression.
Junsuh and Eunsuh seated themselves on the bench in the back of the house. Junsuh starts talking. “Why do you have to leave? I’m the one who should leave.” “I know you will but I don’t want to wait. I got tired of waiting. It grew tiresome” “Where will you stay? Seoul is a big city.” “Actually, I’m not moving to Seoul. I’ll tell you the truth. I’m going to live with brother Taesuk.” Junsuh’s heart sinks. A heavy sigh escapes from him. “He asked me to run away with him. Sound familiar?” most bitterly, she smiles. “Eunsuh…” “I gave brother Taesuk my word that I’ll live only for him from now on. We’re leaving this town because we’re going to get a fresh start some place else.” “You…you’re going to…live with Taesuk…?” the light in Junsuh’s eyes become noticeably dim. He believes all what she said. “Yes, we want it that way, both brother Taesuk and I.” Junsuh suppresses his feelings and looks away from that graceful face, his head droops. “I…I don’t know what I was thinking the other day. I shouldn’t have come and asked you to stay with me. I’ve made a mistake. It was embarrassing. You don’t have to feel bad for refusing me. I totally understand. I’m glad that you didn’t say yes to me.” Junsuh seems his breath is taken away. He turns to her and says with sorrow lingering in his voice. “I thought…you’d understand how I feel…” “I do. I really do. But we both know that we can’t stay together whatsoever. Don’t forget I understand how you feel. I really do. Your love…will stay in my heart forever. And that makes me feel no regret. Obba, don’t forget that I understand you.” they look into the eyes of each other with the same feelings. “No matter what, don’t forget me…I don’t want you to ever forget me. Can you promise me that?” Eunsuh keeps repeating. His chin nods down gently on his chest. His eyes closed, wanting everything were just a terrible nightmare. Eunsuh looks at him and forces her words out. “Look, you look like you’re already regretting it. I just told you not to be regret. I’m leaving now.” when she gets up Junsuh immediately grasps her hand. “I’m sorry. I’m really sorry.” his last words turn out to be what he used to say he did not want her to hear it. Eunsuh moves her steps. Junsuh releases his hand and lets her walk away. He sighs heavily as tears stroll down his face, does not look at the picture of Eunsuh slowly inching away from him. Eunsuh and Taesuk have left. Still, Junsuh sits with his head down for a long time.
Eunsuh and Taesuk reach the hospital. They put down the stuff. Taesuk asks. “Scared?” Eunsuh shakes her head. “Tomorrow’s examination, you’re scared?” Taesuk looks at Eunsuh and holds her hands. “Thank you. I don’t know how to say thank you for coming with me. Thank you.” “Don’t say that. I’m the one who has to say thank you. You’re like my guardian angel.” “Guardian angel?” he cheerfully beams. “How can I let you die then?” “What?” “Ah! I did it again. Sorry, I ruined the mood. I’ve never had a real girlfriend before. So I don’t know how to talk to girls well.” there is a coyness in his air. Taesuk approaches her and pulls her into his arms. “Do you feel better now?...I’m holding you. I’m not scared at all.” “Thank you.” Taesuk pulls himself away and asks. “Ah…do you have a charm with you?” Eunsuh is perplexed by his words. “When I was little, my mother gave me a little bracelet to protect me. Don’t you have any?” Eunsuh shakes her head again. “Will it hurt much during the examination?” she asks lamely. “No, it shouldn’t. Well…a little bit, just this much.” Taesuk raises his hand and attaches his thumb to the tip of his forefinger. Eunsuh smiles at him.
When the time comes, Eunsuh uncontrollably cries in sharp pain. Taesuk waits outside the ward, deeply perturbed and worries about her. After the examination, she scans the room looking for Taesuk. The nurse says. “He’s still around, I think. He looked like he was in more pain than you were.”
Eunsuh searches for Taesuk outside the hospital. She finds him sitting on the bench in the yard. He looks extremely uneasy. She walks up to him. “When did you come?” “I just got here. You had an examination today. Did it hurt?” “A little…only this much…” Eunsuh mimics his action earlier. “Uh…right, yeah…” Taesuk picks up a cigarette but can not light it up because his hands badly tremble. “Sorry…I don’t know what’s wrong.” “Look at you. You said you’re going to protect me. Like this?” Taesuk apologizes and gives her a smile.
Eunsuh looks at the ring Junsuh gave her. She takes it off and puts it in the drawers as if stowing away her love in the innermost depth of her heart. Right now, she should pay back the love and care Taesuk has given her, notwithstanding only by doing.
The doctor congratulates Yumi on her fully recovery. “The final result will come out this afternoon. So far it’s fully recovered. You have to come to the hospital again just one more time. Have you told your fiancé about it? He must be glad.” Yumi falters. “Yeah… he’ll hold me a party.”
Junsuh comes back home exhausted. He turns on the answering machine. The first message is from Yumi, saying that. “Junsuh, it’s me. You don’t forget about a dinner with everyone at your parents’, right? Now I’m still in Seoul and will go straight there. See you later then.” her words brew a weary look on his face. Junsuh rises up from his seat and grabs a can of beer. The moment he opens it Yumi warns him. “I hope you’re not drinking now. Don’t drink again, okay?” Junsuh ignores that and drinks up at once. The next message is from Yumi’s doctor. “Can I leave a message to Yumi? Yumi, this is Doctor Kim. You don’t have to come to see me anymore. I’ve seen the last examination report lately. Your hand has fully recovered. Congratulations! Will you fiancé hold you another party?” Junsuh is stupefied. The remarks hit him like a club. He comes to realize that what Yumi told him is just a pack of lie.
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