25th September, 2023...
"Sis, you need to rest, it's been a long day," the slender, petite lady said as she tucked her into the bed.
This here was Hye-jin's everything. The one person she always confided in and the one person she would go millions of miles for. Her name is Na Eun-ji , Hye-jin's sister. Her trust in this very individual knows no bounds.
As Eun-ji carefully adjusted the blanket around Hye-jin, the soft glow of the bedside lamp cast gentle shadows across the room, creating a cocoon of warmth and intimacy amidst the sterile hospital environment. The rhythmic beeping of medical equipment provided a constant backdrop, a reminder of the battle Hye-jin was fighting.
"I'm okay Eun-ji. How is work? And your boyfriend? I get to see you only a few times, I might as well make use of it, right?" Despite all the discouragement on how she will never get better, her sister knew how to lessen those thoughts. How wonderful!
"My work is fine, just the usual chaos," Eun-ji replied with a gentle smile, her fingers tracing absentminded patterns on the bedsheet. "And as for my boyfriend, well, he's still the same old charming troublemaker."
******
My husband visited not too long after, to pay for my continuous treatment in chemotherapy. He kept talking about his investments rising and how he had prepared for a recovery party and how everyone was doing. It was splendid to hear all these stories.
"Sorry, Honey, I have to take this call." As much as I didn't care what call he was taking, I suddenly grew curious. I managed to set my feet on the cold floor and used the drip stand for support while I walked to the door. I placed my head against the door to listen to the conversation.
The muffled sound of his voice mixed with the distant hum of hospital activity filtered through the wooden door. I strained to catch every word, my heart pounding in anticipation.
"Babe, you know she is unwell."
"You can't be that indifferent."
"I don't care, I promise."
"You are my babe, and she is my ex-wife, okay?"
"Meet me at..."
"Put a little faith in me, dear."
Hearing these words broke my heart into a million pieces. I began to wonder, who is she? I couldn't hold back my tears and crouched to the floor. My head warmer that covered my cut hair eventually fell off. His call was reaching its end, and I had to rush to my bed.
"You took quite a long time," I remarked as he took his seat.
"Honey, what's wrong? Why is your head warmer on the floor?" he asked after seeing my cut hair.
"Ah... There was an annoying fly, and I wanted to get rid of it so I threw it. Unfortunately, I couldn't kill it."
He stood up, picked it up, and placed it back on my head with a forehead kiss.
"I'll be leaving, okay? Take care, I love you very much." And with that, he left.
I could leave it as it was, but I needed to know so I could ask if it was worth it all when I said ' YES' I finally took a step outside my room and eventually outside the hospital. I called a taxi to follow him gently. Eventually, he met the mystery person, the person on the other side of the road.
He picked her up, spun her around, and eventually kissed her. I couldn't believe those were the lips I kissed every night for the past five years of our marriage. I played the taxi driver and asked him the date.
"25th September 2023, ma'am."
WOW! He even forgot. How was I so blind?
I waited for the light to turn red before I crossed the road. At the end of this crosswalk was betrayal that awaited me. Should I back out or face it? Should I slap him or should I cry? Should I declare a divorce or declare him a cheater? Eventually, I came to my destination.
The shock that filled their faces as I walked closer broke me even more.
"Jaehyun, Eunji, how could you?"
I've never called my husband by his first name, but even saying it disgusted my mouth.
"Eunji, why you of all people? I could have just forgotten this day, but why are you the one? Why?" I screamed.
"I stayed on that bed hoping to get better; you visited as if you had the utmost care for me, but you sleep with my husband, why?"
"And you, Jaehyun, despicable! It's painful to hear those words when you don't mean it. Why did you come by every week and act like you missed a part of your life? I see it was pity all along," I spat at his shoe.
"I curse you both, I'll never ever forgive you," I shouted. Everyone on the sidewalk looked at us. Tears streamed down my face, not because I was sad or angry, but because I was betrayed.
"Hey! Stop causing a scene on the road and get back to the bed. It's not like you will live to see your next birthday," he held my hand and pushed me to the ground.
This was the person that kissed me and told me, "I love you."
"You are talking about a birthday; yesterday was my birthday, did you remember? Don't merge me with your disgusting self."
"Stop insulting Jae, Hye-jin. It's enough, and he is right, so please excuse us." Was it the Eunji I knew that was so nice and caring that said those words?
"Wow! I can't believe I blindly trusted both of you."
I stood up from the ground and started to walk on the crosswalk when the lights hit red. The cars stopped, the people's voices became inaudible, my world stopped moving. What was I fighting for? Why did I hang so desperately onto life? Why?
My head began to ache. The headache was so immense that I couldn't move a muscle. I fell in the middle of the crosswalk when the lights already hit green.
A truck with a drunk driver came closer. Move! Move! Mo...
It's cold. The floor's a bit warm. Hmmm... did I make it back to the other side of the crosswalk or did I die in the middle?
Hmmm.... I wonder....