Chapter 27: The Sorrys

Ashma was standing outside the door peeping through the glass. Her hand was stretched towards the door handle but was unable to touch it. She didn't want to see her mother on a hospital bed, lying motionless. Moreover, Baek-Hyeon was inside. How was she going to face him? How was she going to talk to him? How was she going to apologise to him? Her mind was churning thoughts after thoughts.

Yong-Sun looked at her with sympathy and kindness. He understood that she was hesitating to enter the room. He took pity on her and opened the door for her. He took her hand in his and pulled her softly inside with him.

A chill ran down her spine, she never wanted to see any of her relatives in a hospital yet her mother was admitted to a hospital. The white room had two beds. Two large monitors with lots of wires running around them and two sea-green blankets were kept on both of them. One of the beds was empty. Her mother was on the other bed. Two chairs were placed in the opposite corners for visitors. Baek-Hyeon was sitting on one of them. As Ashma entered the room, he stood up.

Her breath kept quivering. She looked at her mother with tear-filled eyes. Wavy lines were moving in the monitor next to the bed. It was showing her heart rate, her blood pressure, her oxygen level and a lot more information which she had no idea about. An IV drip was inserted into Vidhi's left hand. She was knocked out. Ashma was aware of nothing else in the room. She kept looking at her unconscious mother with sad eyes.

"I am sorry, Mom. I am so sorry. I won't get angry at you anymore. I am sorry." Ashma kept muttering over and over again. But couldn't gather the courage to walk up to her.

Yong-Sun signalled Baek-Hyeon to give her an update. He mouthed, "talk to her." Tears were dripping down Ashma's face. She didn't even try to wipe them away. She stood in a single position, completely motionless, just staring at her mother.

"She is doing okay. They have given her a sedative to sleep better," informed Baek-Hyeon.

She sniffled, "will she be allowed to leave the hospital today?"

"No, they want to keep her under observation for 24 hours. They still have a few more tests to do," updated Baek-Hyeon.

She contorted her face and sniffled again. She tried hard not to make any sound but the dam of grief broke and she started bawling with pain. Baek-Hyeon's heart broke seeing her like that. His anger went out the window. He touched her shoulder with all the adoration he could find.

His touch melted her away and she kept sobbing loudly. Her knees gave away and she was about to drop on her knees. Baek-Hyeon suddenly held her tightly, stopping her from falling. She too hugged him tightly and kept crying in his arms. Yong-Sun moved forward to catch her after he saw her falling on her knees but stopped himself to give a chance to Baek-Hyeon. He knew they both needed to wipe away all the anger, rudeness and embarrassment that happened. He knew Baek-Hyeon needed to see her vulnerability and needed to help her, talk to her, be there for her.

Abruptly Ashma screamed, "I am sorry, I am sorry for everything I said. I didn't mean any of it, not a single word. I am so sorry. I was rude yet you are here for my mother, for me. I am so very sorry. I am sorry. I am sorry." She kept talking and sniffling. Her arms were tightly wrapped around his neck.

Tears started falling from Baek-Hyeon eyes. He pulled her closer and let her cry on his shoulder for long. He kept stroking her hair with love to calm her down. Both brother and sister stayed in that position for quite some time.

Yong-Sun stood near them smiling and crying at the same time. Suddenly a knock on the door broke their trance. Baek-Hyeon and Ashma broke their embrace and wiped their tears.

"Come in," permitted Yong-Sun. He then corrected himself and said in Korean.

A nurse came inside. She bowed down to both Yong-Sun and Baek-Hyeon. They reciprocated the gesture. The nurse checked on the IV drip and draw a vial of blood from Vidhi's hand.

During her check-up process, Baek-Hyeon talked to the nurse and Yong-Sun translated the conversation for Ashma.

"He is asking if everything is okay. She said she is drawing blood to get a few more tests done. If every test will be normal, she will have a mental evaluation in the morning and she will be allowed to go home," he translated.

"Thank you," appreciated Ashma.

The nurse checked everything and went outside the room. After she exited Ashma turned towards Baek-Hyeon, joined her hand in namaste and with all the gratitude she could muster she thanked him, "thank you for everything."

"It's my pleasure," he replied.

"I am sorry. I am extremely sorry," she apologised again. She still had her hand folded in namaste.

He moved forward and covered her hand with his and lowered her hand. "It's okay. If it would have been my mom, I would have shouted at everyone including the doctor too."

She lowered her head and with shame said, "thank you for understanding. You both should leave. I will stay here with her."

"Oh, I don't think you will be allowed to," informed Baek-Hyeon.

"Excuse me!"

"It's after visiting hours. No one is allowed in hospital after eight. Doctor know us, that why they are generous. Only a call from Harabuhji can get you to stay here at night," said Baek-Hyeon.

"What? Why?"

"He is one of the donators of this hospital. Every year in the name of CSR, Park corporation donates a lot of money to this hospital. Why do you think everyone keeps bowing down to us?" he questioned.

"Oh!" exclaimed Ashma.

"But let me find out. I will be back. Let me talk to a doctor," assured Baek-Hyeon.

"Thank you," said Ashma with all the gratitude in the whole wide world.

"You don't have to say it, again and again. Okay, let's make a pact. In the morning you said you wanted to be friends first. Then I will try to understand you and your anger as a friend and you need to stop saying thank you and sorry," stated Baek-Hyeon.

With tears in her eyes, she smiled at him. Her tears sparkled like diamonds. Yong-Sun let out a gasp but controlled himself. She replied to Baek-Hyeon, "I will try."

"Okay, I will find out whether anyone can stay tonight."

"Sure."

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Baek-Hyeon patted her head with adoration and started moving outside the room when his eyes fell on Yong-Sun's face.

"What happened to your face?" he screamed.

"What?" asked Ashma confused.

"Not you," he replied to Ashma and then immediately addressed Yong-Sun, "you." Yong-Sun straightaway placed his hand on his face to hide the redness from the punch. He was lucky that swelling had not appeared till now.

The memory of kiss and punching flooded both Ashma's and Yong-Sun's minds. They lowered their eyes and avoided looking at Baek-Hyeon.

"Nothing, it's nothing. You go talk to a doctor." Yong-Sun started pushing Baek-Hyeon outside the door.

"Are you sure, it's all red?" Baek-Hyeon turned his head like an owl and spoke to Yong-Sun.

"I am fine, go," scolded Yong-Sun.

"Fine, Hyung. No need to get angry." Baek-Hyeon walked out of the room.

Both Ashma and Yong-Sun looked at each other at the same time and removed their gaze instantly. Ashma saw his red cheek and felt guilty. She looked around for something cold. All she could find was a metal tray that was lying on the night table near her mother's bed.

She picked up the tray and moved towards Yong-Sun.

"Are you going to hit me with a tray after you punched me?" teased Yong-Sun with a naughty smirk on his face.

"What? Stop teasing," she complained.

"You can hit me and I cannot even tease you," he taunted.

"You can kiss me and I cannot hit you," she teased back in a whispering tone. She didn't want anyone to hear that they kissed.

"Touche."

She raised the tray and gestured towards his cheek. "May I?"

"What? What do you want to do with the tray?" he inquired, scared.

"The cold will ease the redness. I am sorry again for punching you." She came close to him and softly place the tray on his cheek. They both looked into each other's eyes and their cheeks turned redder.

"I am sorry again for the kiss…" His voice was loud.

"Shhh… forget about it," she shushed him.

"What?"

"Forget about everything that happened between us," she snapped.

"Will you be able to?" he raised one of his eyebrows.

She said in a whispering tone, "yes, and you need to forget too, you didn't kiss me, I didn't punch you, you didn't touch my…" She stopped mid-sentence as it was too embarrassing for her.

"Your what?" He had a naughty smile on his face.

"Nothing, shut up!" she shouted.

"Shh… your mother is sleeping." He grabbed her hands to shush her.

"Sorry." Luckily the sedative in Vidhi's system was too strong. She was totally knocked out.

The touch fried their brains. The electric current running through their nervous system was disrupted completely. Without any motion, they kept looking into each other's eyes. They even forgot to blink. There was a moment of silence, then Ashma lowered her gaze and said, "apply an ice pack when you reach home."

"Aw… you are worried about me," teased Yong-Sun, again.

She removed the tray from his face and replied, "no, I am ashamed as you are walking, talking proof of my violence and I don't even know your name."

"Oh sorry, my name is Seo Yong-Sun." He moved his hand forward for a shake.

"My name is Ashma." She took his hand and firmly shook it.

"I know."

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