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It was a day when heavy snow was falling. It was so heavy that I received a text message warning me of a "heavy snow advisory." It was so heavy that even Yeoju, who was lying in her hospital bed without a care in the world that day, was forced to sit up and stare out the window.
"It's been a while since I touched snow."
The female protagonist of this work was hospitalized exactly one year ago and has been hospitalized ever since. Last winter, the previously healthy female protagonist began experiencing a persistent and intense feeling of tightness in her heart, so she was taken to the hospital for examination. The results revealed that she had a heart condition that required a heart transplant to survive. The female protagonist, who was only 21 years old, gave up on the university she had so desperately wanted to attend and chose hospital treatment.
Was this illness too much for someone so young, only 21? Two months after being admitted, Yeo-ju was diagnosed with depression, and the dreams she'd envisioned as a romantic 21-year-old were all shattered. For a long time, she just stared blankly out the window. Then, the quiet hospital room door creaked open, and a nurse carrying a small tray approached her, calling her name in surprise.
"What's wrong? You're looking out the window."
"It was snowing heavily outside, so I took a look."
"Really? That's surprising."
"But what's going on?"
"What's going on? I came to change your IV drip. Sit down."
The nurse, who had already finished preparing to give the IV, called out to the female lead, who was staring out the window despite her call. She soon lay down on the bed again and gave the nurse her arm as if she was used to it now.
It's been a while since she was diagnosed with heart disease and rushed to this hospital, and now a year has passed and Yeo-ju herself is 22 years old. The hospital really couldn't do anything, but she didn't want to lose her precious 21 years to this terrible disease. Yeo-ju, who had been receiving IV fluids as if it were nothing, quietly leaned back against the pillow and closed her eyes.
/
How long had it been since she closed her eyes? The female protagonist opened her eyes wide at the sound of someone shaking her body awake. She glanced at a person who came into view and pulled the blanket over her head again.
"Are you really not going to get up?"
"I'm going to get tested quickly. I was going to wake you up earlier, but I couldn't."
"I don't want to go."
Eventually, Yeo-ju was pushed out of the hospital room by the nurse's hand and slowly went down the stairs toward the examination room. It seems that the intention to close her eyes for a moment led to a long sleep. The nurse who had been changing her IV had already left after doing so, and now a nurse with a familiar face was shaking Yeo-ju awake. Originally, she was supposed to go down the stairs and not the elevator, but today, even if it meant being stubborn, she wanted to take the stairs and go down to the examination room.
The examination room was on the third floor, and Yeo-ju was currently in a patient room on the fifth floor. As she slowly looked around and walked up the stairs to the examination room, she spotted a man descending the stairs just like her. He was holding a bandage in his left hand and a large drink in the other. He had a piercing in his ear and his hair was quite ornate, as if he had been wearing something unusual. Yeo-ju, aware that he was someone strange, quickened her pace, which had been slow until just a moment ago, and hurried down to the examination room on the third floor.
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"Did you run by any chance?"
"Huh?"
"Did you run all the way here?"
"No."
"My heart is surprised."
"I walked at a fast pace."
"I told you not to walk too fast. Are you really going to let go of the wheelchair?"
"I told you over and over again that you would be in danger even before you got the transplant."
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I left the examination room and pressed the elevator button. I wondered if I was going to this extent for a small heart problem. I wanted to run, too. I wanted to act without thinking, just like everyone else. The elevator doors opened, but I didn't want to get on. I just wanted to walk to the hospital hallway window and watch the snow fall as it always did.
/
The doctor said that if I don't get a heart transplant by next December, I won't be able to live anymore. The doctor said those words to me so thoughtlessly that it made me feel empty that I had received countless medications, procedures, and surgeries at the hospital to extend my remaining life. Who was to blame for the fact that my body was now a mess due to all the hospital's attempts? Both of my arms were covered in needle marks and IV marks, and my small, thin body was covered in surgical scars.
If I just die like this, it'll be over.
Even if I chose to get a heart transplant, it was a huge problem because I couldn't find a donor. I wanted to live. No, I wanted to live. I wanted to overcome this damn disease and live a normal life. However, I didn't have a single ray of light, not even a single hope. There were countless people in the world who wanted a heart transplant, and I would be one of them, and there would be an incredibly small number of donors who were absolutely necessary for patients with such heart disease. I knew it all.
"Sob"
Tears came out first. I felt empty at myself for dying without achieving anything. I wish I had never been born.
I must have been sobbing silently for a long time when someone tapped my shoulder. Fearing that even a little of my sobbing might have escaped, that it might have bothered those around me, I scrambled to my feet, unable to even wipe away my tears.Huh?I was startled as soon as I got up and saw the person behind me.
"That punk from earlier!"
Oh, I made a mistake. I was so overwhelmed by my own emotions that I couldn't even choose my words properly and blurted out what I was saying to the person right in front of me.
I blurted out that he looked like a thug and that a thug had appeared, but this guy was a little, no, very strange. He was staring at me with a face that I couldn't tell if he was in a good mood or not, and smiling. Why, why wasn't he smiling? The female lead should be in a bad mood, but she looked at the man who was just looking at her and chuckling in disbelief, and decided that something was definitely strange. She quickly pressed the elevator button again, which had already left.
After a while, the elevator arrived and the doors opened, and Yeo-ju rushed inside and started pressing the close button without mercy. Yeo-ju hoped that the man would not get on the elevator with her. She didn't know what would happen if she were in the same elevator, in the same space as this man. Was it because she pressed the close button faster than anyone else? The doors slowly began to close, and Yeo-ju began to sigh, saying that she was finally relieved? No? It wasn't.
- Bang
The door, which was about to close, slammed open again. The man, panting, perhaps running to catch the closing elevator, followed the woman into the elevator and leaned against one of the walls, somewhat—no, a little too violently. Startled again by the sight of him, the woman, with a groan of frustration, began to press against the wall again.
"What floor is it?"
"Huh?"
"Which floor are you going to?"
"Ah, it's the 5th floor."
Before the woman could even finish speaking, the man pressed the button for the fifth floor. She glanced at him and shrank even further. The chaotic fantasy swirling around in her mind was making her even more anxious. She felt like she was going crazy because the man hadn't pressed the button after hearing her say she was going to the fifth floor. Unable to hold it back any longer, tears streamed down her bright eyes. The man who'd spoken to her around that time had terrible timing, too.
"You were crying earlier. What happened?"
"Huh?"
"I saw you sobbing earlier. What are you doing?Crying again..?! "
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"Are you feeling better now?"
"Sniff."
"Why did you cry?"
"If you don't want to say it, you don't have to."
"I get tested once a week, but I was a bit overdoing it."
"You're crazy, but where does it hurt, Miss?"
"ᆢHeart."
"Huh? Then you shouldn't be surprised."
"Are you okay? Didn't your eyes get big in surprise earlier?"
"Okay, it's okay."
"Oh, then that's good."
The heroine suddenly became docile, as if her tail had tucked in, and responded with bewilderment to the man who was checking her condition. Just then, the elevator arrived on the fifth floor, the doors opened, and the heroine pushed the man who had reached out toward her away, nodded slightly, and dashed out of the elevator, panting.
/
Even after that incident, Yeo-ju would run into the man every time she left the hospital room. It was really strange. The two of them kept running into each other as if they had been waiting for Yeo-ju to come out of the hospital room. And every day they ran into each other like that, it started snowing heavily outside. The sky, which had been clear until just a moment ago, was suddenly snowing heavily as soon as Yeo-ju came out of the hospital room. Even if it was a coincidence, it couldn't have happened.
"It's weird"
"What's strange?"
Today, Yeo-ju, who came out of the third-floor hospital room for a checkup, encountered the man coming out with her again. They ran into each other so often that Yeo-ju began to wonder if he was following her. But she couldn't just outright demand why he kept running into her. She sighed softly and, instead of heading down the elevator, walked toward the window in the fifth-floor hallway. The sky, which had been bright until just moments ago, was gradually darkening, and large snowflakes were falling heavily. As Yeo-ju muttered a few words, looking up at the sky, the man suddenly approached her as if to respond and asked.
"Eww!"
"Why, why are you surprised?"
"Surprised. Why did you come here?"
"No, I like it too because it seems like we're going to see snow."
"But what's so strange about it?"
"I wonder why I always run into you when I come out of the hospital room."
"Is that weird? "
"It's strange, I see you every time I come out of the hospital room."
"So, you don't like it?"
" yes? "
Listening to the man, it seemed like what happened on the emergency stairs that day was quite bothering him. He explained that he'd been waiting for Yeo-ju to enter a ward on the fifth floor because he wanted to apologize, and that he wanted to talk to me.
"You cried a lot that day too. That bothered me too, so..."
" .... "
"I'm sorry about that."
"If it's not too much trouble, I'd like to spend some time talking with you."
The heroine was once again surprised by Jimin's different attitude toward her than last time. She wondered how he could transform that cold, almost icy expression into an expression of pure innocence that she could never have imagined.
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After that, the two became quite close, and just like Jimin (the man) wanted, they were able to have light conversations, and they became much closer than when they first met. Also, every time they met, outside the window, which was in the middle of winter, heavy snow fell endlessly.
- Click.
"Have you been there?"
"Yeah."
"Your expression is very dark. What did the doctor say?"
"You know, I want to see your eyes."
" huh? "
"It's been over a year since I last touched snow. Can you come with me?"
“I don’t mind, but your eyes look so sad.”
"Come with me."
"Okay, let's go together."
Today, when it snowed unusually heavily, I thought that Yeoju would know without me having to ask her, even if she had gotten tested and heard from the doctor.
20 minutes ago,
"Are you guys hanging out together a lot these days?"
" yes?"
“You two are often together, are you two possibly lovers?”
"No, I don't."
"Really? Then don't give your heart or mind to that kid."
"Why?"
"He's a very sick child."
“I probably won’t be able to last this month either.”
" ...... "
Jimin had heard nothing from Yeoju except that she had a serious heart disease, but for Yeoju's sake, Jimin decided not to ask even though he was curious and to hold back until Yeoju told him herself.
/
Since it was obvious that she would cough if she caught a cold, Jimin tried to calm her down by going to see her eyes first, so he could put as little strain on her heart as possible. He went into the hospital room, put a scarf around her neck, and put a thick coat on her. She grumbled, asking why he was making her dress so thickly when he was just going to see her for a short while, but when he silently led her outside, she seemed to have quickly forgotten her grumbling and was happy to touch the snow that she was seeing for the first time in a long time as she was hit by the falling snow. Jimin, who was watching her with a sad expression, and this person who smiled harmlessly at him, Jimin could never let her go first.
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It had been about a week since the two of them went out together to see the snow. As always, it was snowing outside, and Yeo-ju's condition had worsened significantly compared to a week ago. The fact that Jimin was visiting Yeo-ju in her hospital bed more frequently probably meant that she was in critical condition.
"My lady."
"I'm sorry, now you're making me come find you."
"My lady."
"Huh?"
"Would you consider getting a heart transplant if one were available?"
"Huh?"
"If you are thinking of getting a heart transplant, please accept it, no matter who it is."
"Why?? "
"I wish you were alive."
"You should get a healthy heart transplant before it's too late and return to a normal life."
"Why are you suddenly saying something like that?"
"You're in a lot of pain. I don't want to see you die."
"So tell me, I'll get a heart transplant. I'll be healthy again."
"Yeah."
Jimin's behavior that day was strangely immature. He kept demanding promises from the female protagonist that he would receive a heart transplant to become healthy, which was quite suspicious. It was as if he was willing to be the female protagonist's heart donor.
/
"Jimin! There's someone who wants to donate a heart to me."
"I can be healthy again!"
"Yeah. Congratulations, my lady."
Unlike the happy heroine, Jimin, who was trying hard to hide her dark expression with a forced smile, seemed to be hiding her sad expression today for some reason, unlike her happy expression.
"Why are you like this today?"
" what? "
"I haven't seen you smile once when you're with me lately."
"What's wrong? What's going on?"
"No, there isn't."
"If you have any worries, why don't you tell me? I told you everything."
"Don't worry, it's true."
Jimin tried to escape the situation by forcing a smile, even brighter. Yeoju sensed he was hiding something from her. But as Jimin's face hardened again, Yeoju couldn't say anything more.
The day before his heart transplant, Jimin loitered in front of Yeoju's hospital room for a while before knocking with difficulty. When he opened the door, he saw Yeoju, expressionless, staring blankly out the window at the falling snow, as if possessed by something.
"Hello?"
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Huh?"
"Why didn't you tell me that you were my heart transplant recipient?"
" ...... "
"I'm not going to have this surgery."
"You are a very bad guy, very bad."
"I don't want to see you, get out."
The female protagonist's mouth trembled slightly as she spoke to Jimin. After repeating that she was sorry to her, she slowly left the hospital room, and she eventually broke down. She loved Jimin, who made her smile even a little during that short time. Although she couldn't express it well, she relied on and was conscious of Jimin quite a lot. But, returning that to Jimin meant giving her life to her. She hated and resented everyone and everything who tried to proceed with the surgery without saying a word to her.
" ..... "
Yeoju continued to stare blankly at the hospital room window for a long time. But this wasn't right. No matter how much she thought about it, it seemed like Yeoju wouldn't be able to receive surgery after receiving a heart from Jimin.
After dazed herself for a while, the female protagonist quickly ran out of the hospital room. She ran as fast as she could to the doctor's office, which had no appointment. This surgery had to be stopped.
- Knock knock.
"Teacher!"
" Yeoju?"
"I'm not going to have this surgery. Please cancel it."
Damn heart, when she opened her eyes in a daze, she was able to face herself lying in the hospital room again. What the heck, I was just standing in the examination room. She could tell by the sight of the hospital room that was different from before, and the IV tube still stuck in her hand. Ah, I collapsed again. An oxygen respirator was hanging next to her, and several unidentifiable machines caught the woman's eyes. For a moment, goosebumps appeared all over her body, and she felt dissatisfied with everything next to her.
Even in that hectic time, there was a person who clearly stood out in her mind. The heroine still trusted him and resented him, but she knew full well that he was more than she needed. She quickly pulled out the IV drip from her hand. Her hand bled, but it didn't matter. She put on a black cardigan and moved toward him. No, even if she hadn't moved, she had moved a little faster.
" jimin park. "
"You fell down. It's okay, you're fine!"
" jimin park. "
"You're bleeding"
“Listen to me, Jimin.”
Yeoju ran to where Jimin was, gasping for breath as she grabbed Jimin's hand as he approached her. She was out of breath and her heart was in pain as if it was going to burst, but there was something she wanted to say to Jimin.
For a moment, Yeo-ju, who had been holding onto Jimin's collar instead of his hand, began to slowly, very slowly, very slowly tell him the words she had not been able to say before, the truth she had wanted to tell him.
"I don't know if I can say this now, but I like you, Park Jimin."
“My heart hurts so much from running all the way here, but I don’t think I can give you a transplant.”
“Even if you force me into surgery by putting me to sleep, I will have to live the rest of my life feeling sorry towards you for receiving your heart transplant.”
" ..... "
"I don't want to do that. Please stay by my side until the end."
"Please don't sacrifice yourself to me"
Jimin quietly approached the female protagonist, who was crying in Jimin's arms, holding onto his collar tightly, and kissed her. Of course, he didn't forget to apologize to comfort her.
"I'm sorry, but I will always be by your side."
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It is now 10:13 AM, all the schedules are over, and the surgery has gone perfectly. After the surgery, Yeo-ju has been recovering her health without any problems, and beside her, the person she truly loves is silently watching over her. Yeo-ju was truly happy by that person's side, and a few days later, holding that person's hand tightly, Yeo-ju finally ended her long hospital stay.
"Congratulations on your discharge."
"Please give me a nickname."
"Why did you even add a nickname lol"
"Put it in!"
"You're so cute, honey. Congratulations again on your discharge from the hospital."
"Thank you, haha"
"Are you satisfied now?"
"Eung~!"
The person holding her hand tightly and smiling brightly was none other than Jimin. He was once the person Yeoju had secretly feared and the one who was trying to donate his heart. But not anymore. Now, he was the person Yeoju truly loved and her lover. The two of them passed by the hospital they would never visit again after today, holding hands and chuckling.
“Now that I think about it, there’s something I’ve always found fascinating.”
"What is it?"
"Every time I met you or was with you, it snowed outside."
"How is it, isn't it amazing?"
"That's right. That's amazing~"
"I guess our relationship was connected by our eyes."
"Do you think so too?"
"Yeah, I think so."
"If that's what you say, then so be it."
Holding hands tightly, the two slowly walked to their car, already soaked with falling snow. Even as they walked the short distance, the snow continued to fall relentlessly, seemingly unstoppable..
you The end.
to . Unfinished story
The woman who had been crying on Jimin's shoulder like that soon lost consciousness again and collapsed. Jimin's hospital room was noisy for a while due to the people carrying the woman who had collapsed from crying. That night, Jimin could hardly sleep because he was worried about the woman who had collapsed, rather than his own worries as the recipient of the transplant, and thus his last night in the hospital deepened.
"I'll be here soon too."
Jimin, who was slowly folding the blanket, muttered softly. In truth, he wanted to go to Yeoju right away instead of just folding the blanket like this without a soul. However, he couldn't just visit Yeoju, who was busy preparing for surgery.
- Smart.
At that moment, someone knocked on Jimin's quiet hospital room, and the person who opened the door and came in was none other than the doctor in charge of Yeoju.
"Jimin?"
"Doctor, what are you doing?"
"Are you mentally prepared?"
"Yeah."
"Well, that's good. Now listen to me carefully."
" yes. "
"Jimin, thank you so much for not giving Yeoju a heart transplant instead."
"Huh?"
"Some kind person from somewhere else had been promising to donate his heart for a long time, and he said he would do it today."
"Really?? "
"Yes, but don't tell anyone until the surgery is over."
"Of course, he told me not to wonder who he was either."
"That person is a very kind person."
So, when Jimin heard that he could be with Yeo-ju again without donating his heart, he wanted to meet that person right away, but that meeting did not come to fruition.
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Despite the twists and turns of the transplant recipient's warm donation, Jimin never fully discovered her true identity. All he needed was for Yeoju to return safely from surgery. And as Yeoju entered the stable room after her surgery, Jimin gently held her hand. Perhaps so that when she regained consciousness after her wounds were removed, she would be the first to see him and be happy.
"From now on, I will make you happy for the rest of your life."
ㄴ Please be informed that this article was written in 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐇 𝐈𝐓 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐀𝐍𝐘 Kumi.