Samantha///
I carried my heels in my hands as I stumbled into the guest room. Evan had passed out on the couch but I refuse to wake up hangover and also having a sore neck from sleeping on the couch.
Dropping onto the comfy bed it took less than five minutes for me to be in a deep sleep.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Two years ago]
My apartment was dark when I walked in. I was exhaused from teaching all day and couldn't wait to sleep. To my shock the lights flicked on and my boyfriend walked out of the kitchen carrying a birthday cake and singing the happy birthday song to me.
"Jaehyun!" I clap happily looking at him. He stops infront of me with a huge smile on his face.
"Blow out the candles and make a wish layla." He softly tells me.
I look at the cake unable to hold back my emotions. I close my eyes and blow out the candles.
I wish you knew my real name, I wish I was honest with you, I wish you knew what you mean to me.
I open my eyes finding him staring at me lovingly.
"What did you wish for?"
"I can't tell you or it won't comw true."
He pouts. "Come on! I'm so curious my love."
"I'll tell you someday okay?"
Jaehyun places the cake on the table and gives me a warm hug. "Happy birthday my love."
We stare at each other with nothing but admiration and love for each other. I hug him tightly and he stumbles abit but quickly manages to balance the both of us.
"I love you so much."
"Not more than I love you."
No Jaehyun...I love you more than you'll ever know. I am able to feel safe next to a man only because of you. I'm not afraid of getting hurt by anyone because of you. My only fear is losing you. I love you.
He looked at me under his dark eyelashes with an unwavering smile on his handsome face.
"I am glad you are happy."
"You make me happy." I tell him truthfully.
Jaehyun gaze suddenly changed and he looked like he was in alot of pain. He held his stomach before groaning in pain.
"Jae? Jae what's wrong?!"
"It hurts...it hurts so much."
I didn't know what to do so I quickly called for an ambulance.
By the time they told me they were on their way he was unconsious.
"Jaehyun please wake up!" I sobbed while violently shaking from fear.
He did not respond to me and I had to watch the person I lovw get taken to the hospital not responding to any treatment they gave him.
I sobbed in the waiting room horrified of what would happen if I lost him.
"Layla!" His brother Dongmin came running into the hospital with his girfriend Sua.
"Dongmin!" I sobbed unable to even talk properly. He pulled me into his embrace to console me.
"Dongmin...I didn't know he was sick at all." What kind of girlfriend was I? How did I not see any signs that he might be in pain before this?
Jaehyun had taken such great care of me, from making sure I learned the language properly to introducing me to his friends and family and teaching me about his culture. Without him I would have been completely lost.
"Don't worry he'll be fine."
Dongmin, a man I once found down to earth and hilarious looked so shaken up right now. I could only imagine what he was going through because Jaehyun was his only family. Their parents died in a horrible plane crash when they were six years old and since then they only had each other.
Their grandparents did their best to raise them with love and attention so they never lacked anything but Jaehyun once told me how he still felt alone. He said that having his brother was the only thing that gave him joy back then.
"Did the doctor say anything?" Sua asked me.
"No. They just rushed him off...I have no idea if he's okay or not."I said between shakey breaths.
"Don't worry he'll be fine...I know he will."
I hoped and prayed she was right. Jaehyun needed to be okay. I didn't care what it took. He needed to be fine.
That night we slept at the hospital as the doctors ran various tests on him. No one was allowed to go see him during this time forcing us to wait for him outside his room.
"Here. Drink some coffee." Dongmin hands me the warm beverage.
Sua was a college student busy with exams so she had to leave the hospital. She wanted to skip her exam but Dongmin and I begged her to go rest and study so she can be fresh for her exam.
"Thank you."
He leans against the wall crossing his arms over his chest. "I am actually terrified."
"I understand how you feel...I am also very scared."
"He has never gotten sick before so this...is so strange to me."
"I just have been so busy with work that maybe I missed signs that he was sick..."
"Don't blame yourself Layla."
At that very moment it dawned on me that Jaehyun might leave me without knowing who I really was. All my lies would be all he'd know of me.
The mere thought that he could die without meeting the real me horrified me. My heart sank even deeper now.
"Layla the doctor is coming."
Dongmin and I quickly move to where the doctor stood talking with the nurse.
"Doctor. Can you share any news about my brother please?"
The doctor looked exhausted, the lack of sleep was showing in the man who was around his late 40s.
"Yes. I have made sure to run many tests to be sure of our findings and the results say that the patient has a stomach cancer...treatment can be very expensive so-"
I drop the coffee. My body felt reallt cold all of a sudden and my brain seemed to have a hard time processing the information I was just given. Before I knew it my legs gave out.
"Layla!"
Dongmin catches me as I hit the ground. Nurses immediately rush to my aid and I'm led to take a seat.
"No!" I cried out, rage building up within me. It was so unfair. Why? Why him? Why did it have to be the kindest man I've ever met?
"Why him?!" The words left my mouth in a sob. "I need him so bad. I love him so much!"
Dongmin holds me closer crying too. We both shared immeasurable pain. The fear of losing the one we loved so much
Also haunted us.
"We must be strong for him." Dongmin tells me when he finishes crying.
"I...I...I will be strong." I stammered because I couldn't stop crying.
In my heart I made a vow to do anything in my power to make sure Jaehyun lived. I would spend all the money I have if it meant he'd live.