Yoon-gi, 17-year-old female protagonist
After meeting Yun-gi and countless seasons have passed, spring has come again.
It was a pleasant day, the kind of warm sunlight that we had just met, with forsythia buds in full bloom.
My lungs have been in poor condition for a while now, but today I felt pretty good. For some reason, I felt like I was going to be lucky, a day that felt good.
At that moment, I saw the thoracic surgery resident and professor in charge of Yoon-ki running in and talking to Yoon-ki's mother. I guess I knew because I'd been at the hospital for a long time. It seemed like Yoon-ki had been selected for the transplant.
Yoon-ki was hastily selected as the beneficiary because the first and second place winners were unable to receive surgery.
-Congratulations, Yoongi. You won't be sick anymore. You can go to school.
-Yeah, I'm really nervous. But what will you do if I go?
-I guess I'll be okay somehow lol. I hope the transplant goes well.
Because it had been quite some time since the organ was removed from the brain-dead patient, Yoon-gi hurriedly signed the consent form and was whisked into the operating room. He was nervous. Honestly, Yoon-gi wasn't in great physical condition, so the transplant could have failed. Time passed by incredibly quickly. It was morning when he arrived, but the sun was already slowly setting.
I waited endlessly with Yoon-gi's parents in front of the operating room. What if something went wrong? Then, the professor emerged from the operating room.
There was some bleeding during the surgery, which was a bit difficult, but ultimately, the surgery went well. The bleeding caused swelling in my organs, so I can't close the chest cavity yet. I'll try closing it again in an hour or two once it subsides.
Fortunately, Yun-gi's heart transplant surgery went very well. Yun-gi's parents began to cry after hearing the professor's words.
Yoon-gi was taken out of the operating room and transferred to the intensive care unit. I went in at the visiting hour and found him awake. Honestly, I was envious. I briefly thought I might one day be able to undergo surgery like that, but I gave up hope. It's been 17 years already, and I no longer have any hope.
I was looking at the forsythia flowers in full bloom on the rooftop.
It's been a week since Yoongi received his transplant. I was crouching in front of the empty rooftop flower bed, watering the forsythia flowers. Then I heard someone coming up. I glanced around absentmindedly, and there standing next to me was Yoongi, his face flushed with color, looking quite healthy.
-Will you be discharged soon?
-Yeah. What would Kim Yeo-ju do if I wasn't there?
-Yeah. I don't have any friends... haha
-You know what, Yoongi? This forsythia flower here is known for its meaning of hope, but it also has a flower language of deep affection.
-I see. It's a really hopeful flower.
-When I see forsythia flowers, I feel hopeful. The bright yellow color makes me feel good, right?
As time passed, the sunlight grew stronger, and the forsythia flowers began to wilt, Yoon-gi was discharged. I was so envious. I'd never left this hospital before. Honestly, being envious was just an excuse; I hated seeing Yoon-gi go. I hated the feeling of the seat next to me being emptied. I guess I'd already grown quite attached to him during that time. At first, the prickly Yoon-gi seemed a bit unlucky...
It was around the time Yoon-gi left the hospital's main gate. Yoon-gi's mother had gone to collect some money, and his father had gone down to the basement to get his car. I hurriedly grabbed a handful of slightly wilted forsythia branches and walked over to Yoon-gi.
-Hey Min Yoongi!!
-What, Kim Yeo-ju, did you come all the way here?
-Take this.
-Forsythia??
-Yeah. It's a gift I give you.
-Will we still be friends after you leave this hospital?
- Since you received a transplant, I hope that I can gain that energy and receive a transplant too.
-Thank you, Yoongi. You're a precious friend to me. Goodbye.
The hospital we were staying at was in Seoul, but Yun-gi's home was very far away, so I knew I wouldn't be able to see him often. Also, since I'd been staying in the intensive care unit for a long time, I knew I wouldn't be able to see him even if he came for an outpatient visit. That's why I really wanted to tell him.
The forsythia flowers are blooming beautifully
