2 Years Later...
Rein's (POV)
"Ahia..." Migs called his brother.
He was at the Hospital Parking Area and about to get inside his car when Migs approached him.
"Why?" He coldly replied.
"Are you going home tonight? Achi and Henry will be visiting us over dinner." Migs is wearing his usual bubbly face, trying to ease the awkwardness between them.
"No, I have plans for tonight."
"Ohh I see. You'll be out with someone?" Migs chuckled, trying to tease his brother.
"No. I'll be eating alone in my unit. Then after that, I might go to bed. Again ALONE. You know that I don't have an interest in going out with somebody else." Rein messed up Mig's hair before he finally entered his car.
He became closer to him since Michaelle left him. He can't express his pain, loneliness, and longing for her to anyone even to his own family, but at least, he could make a joke out of it to Migs, who became very supportive since then.
"Alright. I'll just tell them that you were busy making plans for your future ALONE." he followed it with a hard laugh.
"Don't point it out. You know, it kinda hurt me." He smiled weakly to him. "I'll go ahead. Anyways, how is Dylan? I'll drop to our house to get him tomorrow."
"Ok. He's fine. Still playful. Just send me a message. So I could get him ready. Bye Ahia."
Rein just quickly nod as his response.
It's been two years since he moved out of their house. He doesn't want them to see how miserable he was during the time that he can't do anything to see, or even talk to his girlfriend. Until now, he got no news about her whereabouts and how is she doing. The last time that he saw her was during the engagement party of his brother Henry and Clara. Even though was ruined, they decided to continue their relationship after months of courting. Then eventually get married last year.
While he was in deep thinking, his cellphone rings which brought him into the real world. He looked at the screen and saw that the caller was his dad.
"Yes, Dad." He paused and listened to the other line.
"Rein, I am planning to visit my old friend living in our province. Could you give me a ride this weekend."
"I don't have plans for this coming weekend. So I guess I could drive you there."
"Ok son. Thanks."
"No worries. Bye, Dad." He was about to end the call when he heard his mother's high-pitch voice from the other line.
"Rein! Your Ahia and Clara would be here tonight. Please come home so we could eat dinner together."
"Mom. I'm sorry. But no. I'm busy with-"
"You're always busy. When can we eat like a family again huh?"
He released a deep sigh. "It's final. I can't go to our house and have dinner with them. I'm sorry mom, but I need to go. I'm driving. Bye, mom." He ends the call without waiting for her response.
Rein is still not comfortable staying in one room with his eldest brother since the incident that happened 2 years ago. He didn't even bother to attend their wedding because of it.
These last two years of his life were like a dreading nightmare to him. He lost the will to smile. He forgets how to be happy and think of something that would lift up his mood. Luckily, last year, his father became healthier and somehow recovered from the stroke. Though he is still in some medications, merely for his maintenance.
Rein throws the key of his car to the side table of his bed. He did not bother himself to switch on the main light of his place. His flat was kinda dark when he slams his body on top of his bed. The only source of light is from the small lamp on top of his bedside table.
He is really tired. Tired of thinking of things about her. Tired of living without those smiles. Tired of his everyday life without Chaelle. But he can't just drop the ball and end his life. Because a little hope that flickers inside his heart reminding him to live and wait for another day.
"Chaelle..." he softly whispered.
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It was 10:00 in the evening when he woke up from a dreamless nap. That's what he hates the most during this time, dreamless sleep. This is how he desperately wanted to be with her. Even in his dream, it would make a difference.
He opens the door of his refrigerator and scans the content. Water, juice, apple. 'Seems familiar huh?' he muttered inside his head. He grabs the apple, washes it and didn't bother to slice it. He crashed one side of it between his teeth.
"It would be better paired with a bottle of sparkling wine," he said to himself.
He was about to get one bottle of champagne in his refrigerator when he heard a beep from his cellphone. He gave a peek to the screen to see who is the intruder of his 'me time'.
"Dr. Kim," he muttered. He didn't even bother to read his message because he got the idea that it is just a reminder of his meeting on Wednesday. The head doctor decided to assign him to a big research project that will be sponsored by a big hospital in America. Well, he got no choice to decline. Since he needs to make himself busy, he accepted the offer.
The bottle was about 3/4 consumed when anxiety kicks again. Pain from his heart was radiating into his whole body. He was sitting weakly on the floor, head against the wall, holding the half-eaten apple. When he closed his eyes, he imagined Chaelle in an ivory white cocktail dress, slowly walking towards him. There's a piano beside him. They were playing together.
His eyes were now soaking wet from his tears. He wanted to scream and shout but he is tired of it. He cannot find his voice either. The pain eventually blocked the vocal cords that what he can only utter is her name. "Michaelle..."
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"Who do you want to visit in our province Dad?" He asked his father while they were waiting for the traffic light to turn green.
"My old friend. The donor of my kidney." His father smilingly said. He was almost fully recovered. "We will be doing fishing and talk like the old times."
"You didn't mention to us that you know your kidney donor."
"Actually, he didn't want you to know that it was him. He didn't want to be recognized either."
"Why?" he curiously asked him.
"Well, that is him. He just wanted to help me without anything in return and he didn't want to deal with complicated things like his daughter." His father's long explanation.
"So his daughter doesn't know that he donated his one kidney to you?"
His father nodded. "Yeah. I can't remember her at all. The last time I last saw her was I think 12 years ago, during our last vacation in that province. Anyway, she looks strong and brave, though I could sense through her eyes that she was very lonely."
"I see-" He wasn't able to continue what he is about to say because his eyes were caught by the sight of the ocean. The beach where he cried and almost took his life. The same beach where he saw the brave young woman in her high school uniform. He wonders if the young woman is the daughter of his father's friend and kidney donor. It could be possible since the ocean was just a walking distance from his house.
"Auntie Claire's Diner." He muttered.
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"Chen! Hey dude! What's up? It's been two years since I last saw you."
"Don't worry. We're planning to go back and visit you."
"I see. It's too bad that you did not make it to our wedding. By the way, when will be your flight going here? Is it this year?"
"We're sorry about that dude. We became very busy planning our wedding. And we are happy to tell you that it would be held in our country."
"Wow! That's nice to know."
"Well, everything is settled so we could come back there the day after tomorrow. I'll be coming back with KC and my younger sister."
"Your little sister? I didn't know you have a sister."
"I'll tell you the details when we get there."
"Ok ok. Let's talk about it when you get here."
"Alright. I'll contact you once we get there."
"K dude. Bye!"
"Is that Jeffrey?" Clara asked her husband.
"Yeah. The wedding will be held here!" He excitedly said.
"That's nice. I heard you said that Henry has a sister? I thought he is an only child."
"That's what I also knew. Anyway, they will be back here with KC and his sister the day after tomorrow. Maybe we could invite them to dinner. What do you think honey?"
"That's a good idea. I wanted to know KC more and his little sister. By the way, did you hear from your brother Rein?"
"He didn't want to talk to me. So I guess, that would be a miracle if he'll approach me first."
"This is all Chaelle's fault. Because of her, your relationship with Rein was completely ruined."
"Clara, please..."
"What? I'm just stating the truth."
"Not entirely the fact. I hope you could see that you have also at fault about this. I already know that partly it was my fault. But it is sad to see that you were blaming other people of mistakes that in the first place were started by you."
Clara was shocked. It was the first time that Henry talked to her in that manner. Did she cross over the line? Or he was just hurt by what she said about that woman.
"Do you still have eyes for that woman?" She accusingly asked her husband.
Henry tightly closed his eyes before he faced his wife. "I'll talk to you when you realize what's wrong with everything that you'd said."
Then without looking back, he left his wife with tears in her eyes.
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"How's your catch Simon?" his father asked his friend. The kidney donor. They were at the riverbanks where the two old buddies were seating comfortably, holding their fishing rods while catching their own personal stories.
"No luck yet Frederick." Simon smilingly replied.
Rein was sitting in a reclining folding chair, quietly observing the two. His eyes always land on the simple gestures and facial features of his father's friend. He looks familiar to him. He was thinking where and when did he meet him. 'That smile, it reminds me of someone.' he uttered inside his mind.
__________________
"Rein... Come back!"
He is standing on a cliff while looking at a little man, crawling to his direction. The baby is smiling and directly staring at his eyes. The baby looks like him except for his dark black hair. But the pair of his eyes, it's color and shape; his lips, his smiles...it all look the same as his.
"Rein... Baby... Come back to me." the voice is familiar. It was the same voice as the woman that causes him so much pain.
Then a figure of a woman appeared. He can't see her face. She heaved the baby and slowly vanish from his sight. He was about to step and run after them when lots of hands from beneath the cliff appeared. They were holding his legs..pulling him to the cliff...
"Rein! Son! Wake up." Frederick in his worried voice
"Ahhh!" He gasped.
"You were having a bad dream," Simon muttered.
He was still under the effect of that dreading nightmare and can't absorb the reality that surrounds him. What was the meaning of that dream? A baby that looks like him. Chaelle getting the baby...vanish from his sight. Hands preventing him to walk.
"Are you alright son?" his father worriedly ask him.
"Yes dad," he said preventing direct eye contact with him. He was staring blankly on the ground.
"We will pack up things while you were recovering from that nightmare. We'll be heading back to my place so we could eat these big fishes." Simon softly uttered.
"Maybe Claire could make some fish soup out of these. And these two will be fit for grilling." Frederick, his father suggested.
Rein washed his face with his hand. He was still under the effect of his dream. He wanted to go somewhere. Somewhere where he could pull himself into reality.
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He found himself at the beach where he saw the brave young woman. The 12-year-old memory was still fresh to him.
The 15-year-old boy, walking through the water ready to take his own life. A brave young woman in her high school uniform was standing from where he is standing right now. Screaming...crying because of too much pain.
"Screaming...crying..." he repeated. "Screaming...crying..." at last, a stream of tears were freely flowing from his eyes. His eyes. His eyes are full of pain. Pain. Pain that he is enduring for 2 years now. "Why!? Why! Why did you leave me!? Tell me! Did I do something wrong!? What did I do wrong!? To leave me like this! To leave me without telling what's wrong! To leave me alone without anything left. To leave me alone without anything..." He was sobbing. "Chaelle...come back...please...please come back to me...please..." it was the first time that the pain materialized into words.
For 2 years, what he did to deal with the pain was drinking alcohol, lying on the floor while tears were escaping from his eyes. But no words. This time. It felt really good. Right. He will not end his life here. This beach is a very important place in his life. This is where the brave young lady swears to become the best. To show them that she was worth saving for. Today. This ocean will be the witness of all the pain that was enclosing his heart. The ocean will also be the witness of a new Rein. "I swear. The waves will be the witnesses. I'll be better. Better than before. Better heart and mind to endure all this pain. I am not giving up. I will wait for you. Whatever it takes me."
When he returned to Claire's place, the three were sitting on the porch, enjoying the catch of their fishing.
"Rein, please come over here. Your Aunt Claire's cooking was way beyond perfection." His father invited him.
"Yes, Dad." He removed his shoes and take a seat beside Aunt Claire.
"Please try this one." Aunt Claire said while serving the fish soup. "Simon's daughter love this."
Rein looked at Mr. Simon. They smiled at each other. "Actually she likes everything on this table. Especially if the cook is Claire." Simon smilingly uttered.
"Chaelle will be here the day after tomorrow, right Simon?" Claire excitedly said.
Rein gasped upon hearing the name of Simon's daughter. "Chaelle?"
"Yes. Michaelle. My daughter. Do you know her?" Simon asked the young man.
"I...I-" Rein is stuttering. He did not know what to say.
"Simon, Rein's girlfriend's name is Michaelle Yoon. His fellow doctor in FEGHMC. As much as I could remember. Right son?" Frederick said.
"That's Chaelle's full name." Auntie Claire said. Because of great shock, she automatically put his right hand over her mouth.
Rein is quiet, eyes on his lap. Everybody also chose to seal their lips.
"Fred, maybe you could help me with the dishes." Aunt Claire finally broke the silence.
"Oh, that's right." then the two brought the dishes to Claire's place, left Simon and Rein.
"The last time I saw her, she was not in the right condition. She had reasons why she left us." Simon sighed. "When Chaelle came here that day unexpectedly, she was already sad. I don't know the exact reasons behind those tears, but one thing I know, it was about her mother. She got also mad at me. Because I lied to her. I am the reason why she grew up without her mom. She left me. She left with her mother and brother...and now...I'm alone."
"She's with her mother and brother?" Rein repeated.
Simon nodded. "But I don't know where did they go. Even though I knew it, probably, I'll be staying here. I don't deserve a daughter like her...or better say, I don't deserve to have a daughter at all."
"Don't say that. Like what you have said, she has reasons. And Aunt Claire mentioned earlier that she will be coming here on Wednesday."
"Maybe. I don't know. I didn't get a chance to talk to her since then. When Claire said she will be here, here means this country and not this house."
Rein was shocked. He didn't know what to say anymore. Michaelle left the country. She will be back on the day after tomorrow. But still, he is not certain if he could get a chance to see her. Their country is vast. It was impossible to find those people who are hiding from you.
Simon put a small stainless metal key on top of the table before he stood up. "You could use her bedroom for tonight. I locked every memory of my daughter in there. I guess you wanted to see her. I know you also missed her so much." then he stood up and left.
Rein was staring at the key. Eyes not blinking, he reached for it and hold it tightly as if it is like Chaelle's heart.
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Rein inserted the metal key to the key-hole. A small click was heard. Slowly, he pushed the door. He took a deep breath before he enters the room. He didn't know why he was getting nervous. The room was empty of course. When he said empty, Chaelle is not in there. Only her memories.
The room is smaller than her room in their apartment in the city. But it is more like Chaelle. The scent was familiar. It was her own scent. The smell of the waves, the scent of the ocean. The wall is covered by a pastel-colored wallpaper, like the color of the crystal blue water and the fine white sand. The bedsheet and pillow covers were all pure white. He takes a seat to feel the softness of the cloth. The room was obviously maintained by someone. Probably by Auntie Claire. Then his eyes were caught by a set of picture frames hanging on the wall, in front of the bed. He stood up to see it clearly.
The first picture was a little Chaelle in her pink dress, seating on top of Simon's shoulder.
The next picture was a preschooler Chaelle, playing on the white sand. A golden retriever was sitting beside her. "That's why she really likes Dylan." He softly whispered to himself.
Then the next one is like a graduation day. She was wearing a high school uniform. The same uniform of the brave young woman on the beach. She looks sad in here.
The last one is Simon and Chaelle. She was in her white coat, smiling while embracing his father's left arm. The same picture on top of her study table in their apartment.
"We never had a picture together." He whispered. The same words he uttered when he saw the last photograph in their apartment.
Everything in this room is reminding him of Chaelle. He felt sad because it is just her things. But somehow, the loneliness was slowly fading away. When he felt that his eyes were getting heavy, he slams his body over her bed. The last thing that he saw before he closed his eyes is a small chandelier made of shell.
"You really like the ocean... Good night Chaelle."
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Wednesday...
"Where is Dr. Lee? The meeting will start in 1 hour. Sponsors were already in the hospital." Dr. Kim asked Dr. Sue, the chief resident doctor.
"He is maybe at the hospital garden doctor. He said, he will just breathe some fresh air." the chief resident doctor replied.
"Please contact Dr. Lee immediately and tell him to see me as soon as possible. If you could send someone to find him. It will be much appreciated." Dr. Kim said to his staff and then left.
"Arrggh!" Dr. Sue yelled. "Kang Soo, Migs!"
"Yes Chief!" the two said in chorus. Their hands-on their forehead as if saluting to their chief resident doctor.
"I will find Dr. Lee. Please take in charge!" the chief uttered. He almost yelled at them. He left the two with the shock in their faces.
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It was a sunny day. Clouds were floating freely up in the sky. He is wearing sunglasses, head tilted up, arms behind his neck. That's how Dr. Sue found the young fellow doctor, sitting on the bench located in the hospital garden.
"Excuse me Dr. Lee?" but there was no response from the other doctor. "Dr. Kim wanted to see you ASAP. It is about the big research project." Still, the fellow doctor didn't respond or even move. "Dr. Lee?" Dr. Sue slowly stretches his arms, aiming for the other doctor's arm.
"Dr. Sue." Dr. Lee calmly uttered to prevent direct contact with the other doctor.
"Aahhyyy!" Dr. Sue shockingly yelled. "I'm sorry Dr. Lee. I thought you were sleeping."
"Where is Dr. Kim?"
"At his office, doctor."
Rein removes his sunglasses and stood up. "Did you hear the baby's laugh?"
Dr. Sue did not respond, instead, he turns his head to his left and makes a gesture as if he is telling the other to look in this direction.
Dr. Rein got the message. He immediately turns to his right and saw a baby boy walking awkwardly in their direction. The baby is wearing a gray jacket and a red bonnet hat. He slowly walks to the baby's direction. When he reached his location, he automatically sits in front of him. His little fingers held Dr. Lee's hand and murmured something. Since it was new to the doctor's ear, he can't figure it out.
"He said Papa." the old lady behind the baby said. That's the only time that Dr. Rein is aware of the baby's companion.
"Your own?" he asked the old lady which makes her chuckle.
"I wanted one. But I can't. I am his nanny." she smiled. "He likes you. He has never been so happy being around with someone he saw for the first time."
"Ohh..." Dr. Rein smiled. "Can I hold him?" The nanny smiled and nodded.
He lifts up the baby and holds him near his chest. He felt his cheeks at the base of his neck.
"You have the same eyes and lips Dr. Lee." it was Dr. Sue, he had been quiet for a while. Merely observing them.
"I can agree on that." the nanny muttered.
Dr. Lee was about to say something when a call interrupted him. He picks up his phone from his coat and presses the answer button. "Yes, Dr. Kim."
"Where are you, Dr. Lee? The meeting will start soon." the other doctor on the other line said.
"Ok. I'll be right there." then he turns his eyes to the baby. "I'm sorry baby but I have to go now." then he held him back to his nanny.
The moment his nanny hold him, the baby started to cry. "Papa! Papa!! Papa!!" he screamed. Dr. Lee and Dr. Sue make a quick bow and bid goodbye to the old lady. Before he eventually left, he held the baby's top head and say goodbye to him. "Bye baby. I hope we could see each other again." Still, the baby is screaming and aiming to hold Dr. Lee. But he already left.
"Don't cry baby Rein...it's ok..." but it made him cry even more.