The moments before Dalmi fell unconscious at the funeral home...
Dalmi, Zhuyang, Yinjun, and Changyi brought Juyeon, Seoyul, Kim Seok, Jiyoung, and Bitna to the dining room after the meeting and paying tribute to the late Jingmi and Yoora was done by them. At the funeral home, the bereaved family will provide a dining area where guests can eat and drink together.
Beer and Soju drinks are a treat so that the mood does not continue to grieve. Dalmi, her siblings, her closest people and the mourners sat at a traditional table and shared the drinks and food that had been served. At that moment, they will share stories to honor their memories with Jingmi and Yoora who have died.
It has become a Korean tradition. They remember those who have died by celebrating their lives not as a very sad event. In the dining room at the funeral home, there is no special traditional food for the funeral service. So Dalmi and her siblings offer a variety of foods such as spicy beef soup, rice cakes, and favorite dishes of the late Jingmi and Yoora.
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"Huh..." Bitna sighed after gulping down a small glass of soju in front of her. "My heart is calling.. I'm sad that we lost our parents who were very close to us. They are very inspiring people," said Bitna clearly.
After Bitna finished speaking, Jiyoung who was sitting beside her nodded her head a sign that she was of the same mind as Bitna. "Today we honor the lives of Mrs. Yoora and Mr. Jingmi. They are truly extraordinary role models. They are both the most kind and loving people in the world." Bitna chimed in as her finger circled the rim of the soju glass. "I can also honestly say that they always dedicate their lives to their families. They make sure their children are always supported in anything other than being loved," she said as she took a sip of the soju in her glass.
Dalmi and her siblings' lips curved upwards and revealed a small friendly smile after Jiyoung and Bitna gave a short and true justice speech about the late Jingmi and Yoora during their lifetime.
"Besides being great parents, Mom and Dad are the best friends for us as their children," Dalmi said in a trembling voice. "Mom and Dad always sacrificed more than we ever knew. Even when they put others above themselves, they still took their time to listen to all of our happy laughs, sad tears, and troubles." This woman testified with her calm emotions.
"Everyone lucky enough to know Mrs. Yoora and Mr. Jingmi will be amazed by all that they have done and accomplished so far." Kim Seok interrupted quickly while looking at Dalmi and her siblings.
Kim Seok's confession made Zhuyang's tears fall down his face. He remembered the warmth and happiness that Jingmi and Yoora had bought for him and his siblings over the years.
"You're absolutely right Min Seok," Juyeon replied. "I also love Mrs. Yoora and Mr. Jingmi more than words can say. They will always live in my heart and our hearts forever," said Dalmi's fiancee clearly.
"But you don't love my Mom and Dad, Juyeon," Dalmi replied from the bottom of her heart. "My Mom and Dad are only good for your ego. All this time, they've only made you feel better about your life and your parents. You really are pathetic!" Dalmi sneered. "If you really loved my Mom and Dad, then you shouldn't have created a wound in my heart. If you loved my parents that much, then you shouldn't have destroyed the person you said you loved. Now, you love my parents so much when you can't respect them and me enough to be loyal and honest?!" Dalmi cursed Juyeon from inside her heart. He was disappointed with the way Juyeon had humanized herself while being his fiancé all this time.
Even though Juyeon is now saying that he loves Jingmi and Yoora very much, Juyeon's words can't heal the wound in Dalmi's heart. Although not a few of Juyeon's words said that there was a reason and time that would heal the wound in Dalmi's heart, neither time nor reason could ever change Dalmi's true feelings.
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"Ehem..." Seoyul cleared his throat when Juyeon finished speaking. Seoyul's sigh made Dalmi wink. She woke up from her daydream and turned to Seoyul who was about to speak. "Today, no one knows the heartache that lies behind our smiles. No one knows how many times we have broken down, cried, and held back from screaming. Nevertheless, we must still tell Zhuyang parents, that there will be no doubt for us to always think of and miss them." Seoyul's words again made Dalmi, Yinjun, and Changyi's ears and hearts melt.
"Shit! I'm falling more and more in Seoyul Hyung's charm. How is this God? Can I choose him as my brother-in-law? I want him to be Dalmi Noona's husband," Changyi said innocently.
"There is no night without dawn. There is no winter without spring. And inbeyond the dark horizon of death, our hearts must believe that this is only our temporary separation from Zhuyang's parents. They just left us for a while. They just went out of the restless world and into a brighter place and day." Seoyul silenced the mouths of everyone sitting in between with his beautiful words.
"Seoyul Hyung is really an angel that Mom and Dad sent to be in our midst and be a comfort to our sorrows. His words made my heart feel very calm," said Yinjun's heart.
Zhuyang nodded his head when he heard Seoyul speak. "Seoyul is absolutely right!" he said. Then Zhuyang and Seoyul stared at each other for a moment, before Zhuyang continued speaking. "Our Mom and Dad never die. We will never lose them, even if they may say their last goodbyes to us. Even though there is heartbreak in this separation, no parent really dies." Zhuyang looked at his siblings one by one.
"They are still alive because through our thoughts and actions," said Seoyul while staring intently at the empty Soju glass in front of him. While everyone sitting on the right and left of Seoyul looked stunned for a moment.
"I also have the same thoughts as Seoyul," replied Kim Seok. "They are always with us. They are the whisper of leaves when we walk down the street. They are the scent of certain foods we remember, flowers we pick, and the scent of this life itself. They are the cold hand on Yinjun and Changyi's brow when they have a fever. Mrs. Yoora and Mr. Jingmi are the breath of Dalmi and Zhuyang in the air on a cold winter day. They are the sound of the rain that lulls us all to sleep. And they are the colors of the rainbow and our Christmas morning this year," said the man who has a visual baby face.
Kim Seok's words made Zhuyang and his siblinga even more excited. This can be seen when they look at each other and share a smile with each other.
"Seoyul Hyung and Kim Seok Hyung made me believe even more that Mom and Dad always live in our laughter," replied Changyi. "Mom and Dad were where we came from, our first home, and the map we followed every step we took. Mom and Dad were our first loves." Changyi looked at Zhuyang and his siblings in turn.
"Besides the four of you's first love, they are also the four of you's first friend and first enemy. But nothing in this world can separate the four of you from them. Not time, not space, and not death either." Jiyoung chimed in.
Suddenly Jiyoung's words made Dalmi and her siblings smile while crying. They can shed tears when their parents are gone, or they can smile because their parents lived. Dalmi and her siblings can either close their eyes and pray for their parents to come back, or they can open their eyes and see all that is left of their parents.
Dalmi and her siblings' hearts could be empty because they couldn't see their Mom and Dad, or their hearts could be full because of the love that their Mom and Dad had shared with them over the years. Dalmi and her siblings can also turn away from tomorrow and live yesterday, or they can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.
Dalmi, Zhuyang, Yinjun, and Changyi can remember that their parents are gone, or they can cherish the memory of their parents and let their parents live on in their hearts. Dalmi and her siblings can cry and shut their minds blank, or they can do what they want — smile and open their eyes to love, and move on with their lives.
Jiyoung, Bitna, Seoyul, and Kim Seok tried to convey to Dalmi and her siblings that through sincere and kind words, everyone who sat between Dalmi and her siblings, tried to say that they will always be by Dalmi's side, Zhuyang, Yinjun, and Changyi to support them.
The support, prayers, and all forms of attention and love that flowed from Jiyoung to Seoyul for Dalmi and her siblings made them happy. Dalmi says that she and her siblings prefer it when people say comforting things about their dead parents. Because this will help bring positive feelings to them.
The positive feelings brought by those close to Dalmi to the funeral home made Dalmi unable to hold back tears. But at that time it was not only Dalmi's tears that flowed out of her eyes to fall on the surface of her face, but there was a thick red liquid that flowed out of her nose. It turned out that Dalmi's nose was bleeding so the blood came out of her nostrils.
It is not known what caused it, but the bleeding that occurred in Dalmi's nose made people who were on either side of her feel worried. The worry grew even more violent when they saw Dalmi's face getting paler and then she passed out.
~~~
Seeing Dalmi passed out, Juyeon rushed to take Dalmi to Jinsang Hospital with his Mercedes AMG G 63 car. He left Zhuyang, Yinjun, and Changyi at the funeral home with Kim Seok and Seoyul. Juyeon's car sped quickly down the street after leaving the funeral home's four-wheeled vehicle parking area.
Juyeon only took a few minutes to arrive at the hospital. Upon arrival at the hospital, the paramedics immediately took Dalmi to the operating room to be examined by a doctor. While Juyeon waited outside the room alone with a restless heart.
After a while, the doctor finished doing a physical examination of Dalmi. Soon, the results came out. According to the results of the previous physical examination, Dalmi was diagnosed with cancer of the blood-forming tissue, including the bone marrow.
Based on the results of the physical examination, the doctor recommended Dalmi to perform additional examinations such as blood tests to determine the number of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in her body. In addition, Dalmi will also perform the Bone Marrow Aspiration Procedure.
The procedure is performed by taking a sample of spinal cord tissue from the Dalmi's hip bone using a long, thin needle. This sample is then examined in a laboratory to detect cancer cells in her body. But that's not all. Dalmi will also get another follow-up examination.
The doctor conducted a follow-up examination on Dalmi to check for organ abnormalities due to Dalmi's illness. The types of tests performed include scanning tests, such as CT scans and MRIs. Then lumbar function tests, liver function tests and spleen biopsy.
"Impossible!! I can't be sick! Impossible! This must be wrong!!" Dalmi did not believe the results of the physical examination regarding her condition. Her heart was furious and her eyes were also teary. "How can I get sick?" She asked.
It seemed so impossible. Dalmi is still young. She also never smoked or drank alcohol. She always eats a healthy diet and is accompanied by regular exercise. In fact, so far there has been no history of a deadly disease like the one she is currently suffering from, in her family tree.
"How can I get Leukemia?" Like being struck by lightning in the middle of winter, Dalmi didn't have enough strength to accept the painful new facts before her eyes.
"Miss Dalmi please calm down. We can't be sure until we get the results of the spinal cord test you just did." The doctor gave Dalmi understanding. He tried to calm Dalmi with that explanation. "You just have to talk to your husband about this, call your family and start checking," the doctor said
"Husband?" Dalmi asked while frowning her pale face as she looked at the male doctor.
~~~