Being There...

The song that inspired this story;

Being There by Jeong Eunji

Just a few words I wrote on a piece of paper that I would wait... that alone made me feel encouraged.

Even though I don't know yet.

What day... and when will we meet again...

Leave it for tomorrow, it's better to come again... I thought to myself as I walked out of the alley and headed towards the nearby train station. And let the night breeze gently blowing through the body Until my eyes caught sight of a taxi coming up “…” Or should we just call a taxi back? I hesitated for a moment as I looked at the taxi, “…” Hmmmm… What should I do?

Until that taxi turned and disappeared from sight. So I took out my cell phone from my pocket.

It's only 9:00 p.m. "..." Then it's better to head back to the skytrain...

Having made up my mind, I continued along the path until I stopped at an intersection before reaching out and pressing the switch on the signal pole to wait to cross the road. Everything was as usual…except for one Ajumma who hurriedly crossed the road even though the crossing signal hadn't even turned green yet.

We people are easy-going too... If suddenly there is…

*Pink!!!*

As soon as I heard the sound of the horn, I was thinking about the car. I immediately turned to look to the left where the sound came from and saw a bus coming towards me. “Y… Yaaaaaaaaah!!!” I turned around and looked at Uncle. That Jumma was speeding up his own feet for only a few seconds. We have to choose whether to close our eyes and pray for that auntie's survival...

Or risk doing something crazy? Like rushing out…

“R… be careful!!!”

But I don't know what I'm thinking. So he shouted and decided to rush out like that.

*Eaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!*

And it was fortunate that the bus braked in time, so both me and the ahjumma were not injured...

“Jugulrae (Do you want to die?)!? Why don't you cross the road and look at the lights like this? What if the brakes don't come on in time?!?” The bus driver rolled down the window, appeared and immediately shouted insults in anger.

“I… I'm sorry!!”

So I bowed my head and apologized before turning to look at that ahjumma who was now standing in the middle of the road as if trying to escape his guilt, pretending not to know anything. “…” Can you give it to him yet? That's it! I complained and sighed tiredly before bowing down and apologizing to the driver of that car again.

But the story seemed to end well...turned a corner where another sedan was trying to overtake...

He probably didn't notice that I was in front of the bus and was about to walk back.

…until it crashed into me hard.

*Hee hee!!!*

“Oh… Oh!!!”

I woke up in the middle of the night and immediately screamed in pain… I'm not dead yet... I thought to myself and tried to examine my body that was covered in bandages until I heard the sound of high heels walking in the distance before the door to the room opened.

“Ah… Ah Eku… aren't you asleep yet?”

The clear voice of the young nurse who had just opened the door into the room greeted her.

“I… I just had a bit of a nightmare…”

I replied as I followed the nurse as she walked towards me until she stopped beside me.

“So, do you feel any pain in any part right now?” the young nurse asked again.

“It… hurts,” I gritted my teeth. “It hurts really bad…”

“Uh… besides the surgical wound on your body, are there any other parts? Like… on the leg??” she asked further.

“No… no…” I replied softly before the nurse injected more anesthetic. "You'll feel better in a moment." With that, she took out the urine bag hanging near her bedside and hung a new one in its place. “...but if for a while it still doesn't get better or you need any more help, you can call at any time.”

"yes…"

“Then...get plenty of rest.” After saying that, the young nurse walked and stopped in front of the door before turning to speak to me again, “Oh! And don't force yourself to move too much because the wound will tear you up.” She smiled again as she opened the door to the room.

"goodnight!"

“…” I turned my head towards the door until I heard a soft clanking sound. In the end, I was left gnashing my teeth and staring at the ceiling like this. “…” I tried to look down at my lower body again, wondering if the anesthetic hadn't worn off yet? He still doesn't feel anything??

I thought and tried to move my toes. that still can't see anything “…”What if the anesthetic wears off? “…” I gulped down my saliva. before raising his head and looking out at the sky outside the window on his left.

...How much will it hurt?

After the events of that night... How many days has it been? I tried to use my arms to push myself up, but a sharp pain in my side made me give in and helplessly fall back onto the bed. “…” Even though other parts still hurt this much, why… I thought to myself and tried to glance at my toes that were both in casts.

Why can't I feel anything in my legs?

“K…?”

"...The doctor must apologize and express his sincere condolences, but we have tried our best..."

That sentence made me feel like someone had hit me in the head with a hammer so hard that I couldn't think straight for a while.

“What is this doctor talking about? What I'm saying is... that's not true! I... are you joking?” I asked the other person in a trembling voice. “I… it's not true, right?”

But the other party didn't answer, there was only a sad expression and eyes. who only looked back silently

“Say it isn't true!!!” I clenched both my hands and clenched my teeth tightly before letting the tears that were welling up slowly flow out. Crazy!! The most insane!!! Why would I have to? Come across something crazy like this!!!

*Excited…*

Why!!!?

“W… Why? Huh…” I let out a moan, not ashamed of my normal, happy life that I once had… Now it's all in ruins, isn't it? The rewards from helping others?? Is this??What I should get!!!

*Shocked!!*

I swung my arm and hit a nearby IV pole and fell to the ground. before turning to pick up something that was placed nearby He came up and threw it out at the opposite wall with full force until it shattered into pieces.

*Phew!!!*

“Oh… Igu!! What are you doing!?” The nurse who was with me immediately cried out in shock, as did the doctor who was trying to tell me to calm down. “Please… calm down!! What's going on? Let's talk slowly and leave each other...!!!!”

Are you so cool!!? I picked up another glass that was lying upside down nearby and immediately changed direction and threw it towards the doctor, not paying attention to the pain I was feeling.

“E… calm down first!!”

“Calm down!?” I turned around and shouted, “That's easy to say!! You guys aren't me!! You guys aren't the ones who have lost anything like me!!!!!” I continued speaking even though I was still in tears. The flow doesn't stop. “What are you guys going to understand!!! What are you guys trying to understand!!!” I shouted again in pain.

Before the doctor and nurse in the room took advantage of the moment I was sitting crying, they ran in and grabbed my hand.

“P… let go!! I told you to release it!! Yaaaaah!!!!” I shouted and tried to resist as the doctors and nurses pressed me down on the bed. “I told you to let me go!!!”

“Let go of me!!!”

Each side held on to each other for a long time. Before someone else tied up my body and both arms with something I don't know, so I couldn't move, "Let me go!!!" before I looked and saw the doctor who was about to inject something into my body. Saline line enters...

And that… was the last thing I saw.

Before my consciousness fades...

*Knock…Knock…*

“It's time to take the medicine…” The nurse's voice rang out causing me to just lie still. in bed slowly His eyes turned to look at “…” before turning his eyes back to the opposite side and looking at the view outside the window like before.

“Ah… Ah Egu… why don't you eat anything?” the nurse exclaimed softly. When I saw the tray of food I didn't even think to touch it. “If you stubbornly refuse to eat anything like this, when will you get better!?”

That sentence made me glance back at the nurse again, “…” Even though I felt dissatisfied, I didn't say anything before turning to face the window again, until the young nurse had to give in. I gave up and walked out of the room with the cold, old food tray. But after a while I heard footsteps and the sound of a cart approaching again before the door to my room opened.

“Why don't you eat anything? Or is the taste not to your liking?”

But a familiar voice that I had heard before made me decide to look back and there… So I met a new young nurse... It was the same person I always met at that small restaurant.

“Ah… Ah Egu! You were back then!!” That young nurse greeted as soon as she saw my face. “So where did you suddenly disappear to? So what are you doing and why are you lying like a vegetable like this?” she asked as she brought a new cart full of food and medicine to a stop next to the bed.

“I got hit by a car…”

I replied and turned to look at the small name tag attached to the other person's chest. “…”

“Then you must recover quickly!” Mr. Anonni continued. “...Will I be able to go back and have a drink at that restaurant again!”

That sentence made me speechless… The only thing I could feel right now was the pain in my heart that had come back to haunt me again until I could feel the hot edges of my eyes because of the tears that were flowing. come out

“Ah… Ah Egu!! Why are you crying like that!?”

The other party exclaimed in shock before quickly grabbing a tissue and helping wipe away the tears.

Until time has passed... I don't know how long I just lay there crying.

“Do you feel better now?”

“…” I didn't answer but turned to look at Mr. Anonni who was sitting next to him holding his hand. With gratitude because she sat and comforted me and listened to everything I vented without saying a single word, and even wiped away my tears.

“I… I'm sorry I had to listen to your bad stories…”

I turned to speak to the other person in a trembling voice.

“You, are you watching too many series? Damn it!” she jokingly complained, “If it were me! That's the middle of the road!” She continued and there was a moment of silence. before speaking again “But I still consider myself lucky... That she's not dead yet."

“Otherwise… That girl could probably sit and drink alcohol for a long time.”

“K…?”

Hearing this story immediately piqued my interest.

“What can I say…” Mr. Anonny began to speak, looking like he wasn't very confident, “...I don't know if it's what you think or not, or if I just messed it up myself, I don't know. … But after that day, when she didn't go to that shop, it seemed depressing. Let's go too…”

“Plus, he used to seem like he was going to consult with me about love...but when I asked him to tell me about it, he just changed the subject!”

“I said so! He must secretly like her.”

You… like me? I thought in my heart and swallowed, “…” Even though it made me feel good to hear Unnie say it like that for the main purpose. I agree to go to that store every day. Even though our own house is in a different area, because of the smile of the shop owner, "..." But if he knew that we had to become disabled...

...If you can't walk for the rest of your life like this, will you still like me??

When I think like that… Tears that seemed to have stopped once again began to flow again.

“Ah… Ah Egu!! Why are you crying again!?”

“A… Well, it's…” I tried to speak to the other person, but so many words seemed stuck on my lips that I couldn't speak.

“Or are you afraid that the other party won't be able to accept your situation?”

Until the other party intervened...

That word would say that it was heart-wrenching, but it was true because it was exactly what Unnie said. “…” I was afraid… so afraid that if the other party saw my disabled condition like this, she would feel hate. I came up

“Do you know… what is the most important thing for a patient like you?” Mr. Anonni continued, holding my hand.

“What encouragement…”

“…So if you don't want the other party to see you like this…then you have to fight! Don't give up just yet…”

“Hurry up and heal yourself. Do physical therapy... And then…”

“…Let's go back to that shop together!!”

I was leaning on the bed that had been tilted up as my eyes turned to the view outside the window…looking blankly at the trains passing by. Before the familiar sound of a cart and footsteps began to sound closer…

Until he stopped in front of the room with a soft knock on the door.

*Knock Knock…*

“Guess what you brought us to eat today!” Mr. Anonny, who is now a nurse taking care of me, said with a smile as he slowly pushed the cart closer…

…until it stopped next to me

“You might like it today…” she continued with a bright smile before slowly Open the cover covering the food tray.

“Do you like it?” she asked again. “Actually, it's not food that you can eat. Haha, but I secretly changed this myself especially for you!!”

“Oh… Unnie, did you make this yourself?” I asked while looking down at the food in front of me.

“Try eating it!”

But he refused to answer what I asked and changed the subject by letting me try to prove it myself. “…” I slowly raised my arm and reached out to pick up the fork that was placed nearby before sticking it into the pile of noodles. That spaghetti Then slowly put it in your mouth...

“How are you?” Mr. Anonni asked again.

I don't answer anything... But I let the tears slowly flow out. I slowly chewed the noodles and tasted the spaghetti with meat sauce in front of me slowly, thinking back to the events of that day. Its taste… There was hardly any difference “…” I still remember the image of that shop owner concentrating on cooking… I can still taste that spaghetti very well…

The flavor that focuses so heavily on tomatoes seems to clash like this…

*dripping…*

Until clear tears slowly flowed down her cheeks.

“Oh… Unnie told him?” I turned to ask with a trembling voice.

“No…”

“L… then why?”

“I'm just saying that there is one person I would like to feed to you…” Mr. Anonny continued in a gentle voice, moving closer and gently stroking my head. “But it seems like that girl knows that people That's what I said...it'll be you...Mina.”

She continued before taking out another small piece of paper and handing it to me.

I'll wait... Son Chaeyoung

When I saw the message on the paper…my tears immediately overflowed. Like many feelings that were suppressed in my chest, I absolutely do not believe that Unnie didn't say anything about me… Otherwise, how would that shop owner know?

That person Unnie was talking about… it was me.

“The doctor would like to thank you very much. Because since you helped that patient, he has improved a lot…”

“I… not that much!” I replied as I looked through the window between the physical therapy room and the corridor. “I was just doing what I could…” before focusing on Mina who is doing her best

“In any case, doctor, please excuse me first. Please take care of that patient as well…”

“Yes…” I replied before the doctor slowly walked away. There was only me outside, who was looking at his little brother alone. “…”When I think about it, I probably thought right that day that I told Miss Changman about that matter. I thought to myself as I thought back to the events of that day.

“Nong Chang!! Today I have something I want to ask you to help me with!” I blurted out as soon as I walked into the shop before walking to sit down at the front bar counter. “Only you can help me with this matter!” I continued. “It must be only you!”

“Ah… Ah Egu… why did you say something like that?”

“Because this matter is directly related to you!” I continued. He stood up from his chair and went towards the freezer and took out the water that was soaked inside and the glass that was on a nearby shelf.

“Is this about me??”

"yes! Directly about you…” I repeated. Before starting to pour water into a glass, he lifted it up and drank it with a gulp of thirst. “Haaaah!! Feel a little refreshed!!”

“Ah… Ah Egu… and what is the matter with that?”

“First of all…I want to ask you directly. First, what do you really think of that customer?” I decided to ask the other person right away because now I was starting to feel confident that Mina had feelings for this girl as well.

“L… which customer?”

“This is the person who makes you feel lonely every day! Do you think that I'm so stupid that you can't even see what you think of Mina!?”

“Mina?” the other person asked confusedly.

"yes! Mina!! That's the name of the customer you made spaghetti for that day!" I continued to explain.

“Oh… Aigoo!! Then why does unnie know his name!?”

“Because you're the patient I'm taking care of!” I replied and let out a heavy sigh. "But let's just say he can't come to you right now! That's why!! That's why you want us to help you make the spaghetti that day again..." I paused for a moment to catch my breath. After a moment, “Or can you teach me how to do it?”

“L… And Unnie, when are you going to give it to him? Today?”

Her voice suddenly changed… I smiled inwardly.

"Probably tomorrow. Will you be able to make it for me?"

“Okay… Okay!! If… then come by tomorrow morning and come see me again so I can prepare it for you!!”

I really thought it was right to tell that girl...

“Is there something good?” I heard Mina's voice ask.

“Oh… just thinking about something…” I replied before taking over from another nurse and slowly Mina's stroller headed straight back to her room. “You tried your best today as well…” I bent down and spoke to Mina.

“So… let's try again tomorrow.

Hwaiting!!”

From that day until today, more than a month has passed. It's been almost two months now...even though the wounds on my body are getting better enough to start doing some light physical therapy. But even so… “…” I looked down at my legs that were still in casts on both sides again before sighing heavily, “…”

Even if you try not to think about anything, you still can't help but feel sad and hurt when you know you won't be able to walk like you normally would...

…again

I turned to look to my left and saw a building under construction in the distance that was now beginning to take shape and grow taller. Before turning to look at another angle, the ginkgo trees on the streets in that area are now starting to turn yellow for you to see.

Everything changes all the time… Only I seem to be standing still here.

Now… how will that shop be? Will there be as many customers as usual?

Will you be okay?

And will she still… Are you waiting for me?

---------- :: [THE END] :: ----------

Finally it's finished ^^

How do you feel after reading this? Let it hang again, right? 5555555555555

I chose to end like this. Because I want to understand the feelings of people who only think about the other person's story. Without being able to go find another person

And it was an ending that left us guessing. Will the two of them meet each other after this?

Just like that, hehe.