Chapter 16 (1/2)
THE PECULIARS’ TALE: CHAPTER 16
Translated by: whosays25
/16/ Hanneul’s Wish
Some futures are unavoidable. Sometimes, things were not meant to be changed. There’s only one thing you can do; accept. We were forced to accept things no matter how good or bad they were. One example is accepting the cruelty of reality.
“Her condition worsened.”
There were many random errors in life, things that happened naturally and cannot be controlled by humans.
Hanneul’s time has to come. The time allotted for her to spend here in this world will be running out soon, and if only I could ask Him why. Why her? Why take already the life lent to this child whose full of innocent dreams? And I also want to ask…why me? Why does it have to be me who would see the fate of every people?
“Hija.” Someone tapped my shoulder. Head nurse Rosalia nodded at me, signalling me to come in.
“She’s been waiting for you, Jillianne.” Hanneul’s mom said to me while holding back her tears. I knew what will happen next. I took a deep breath first before I opened the door. I need to do this because there is no more time left. The future I saw two years ago…
“U-unni.” She’s looking fragile. I could see through her eyes, she’s tired. Her little body was still fighting and struggling against the pain. “Unni… A-any-eong.” It means ‘h.e.l.lo’ in Korea. She waved her hand, weakly.
“Hi.” I smiled. Her hair was completely gone. Beside her bed were huge apparatuses which she almost grew up with.
“Unni?”
“Yes?”
“Thank you.”
I didn’t reply. I don’t know what’s feeling grateful for.
“Unni?” She called again.
“Hmm?” I approached her and sat next to her bedding.
“I dreamed last night.” Even though it was weak, the joy could still be hinted from her voice. “I saw you.”
“Really?” I insisted on showing enthusiasm.
“Remember when we first met here?” she said, then the things she wanted me to recall registered in my mind. “You had a long beautiful hair and you were always smiling.”
“Hanneul?”
“Yes, unni?”
I stared for a moment before I dropped those words…
“Please don’t go yet.” And there’s a long silence. I know what I said was senseless. Things would no longer change just for those words.
“Unni…” There’s no indication of sadness or fear from her face, “I’m sorry… It hurts so much… I’m going…” She gave a weak smile. So, she already knew. After struggling for so long, she chose this. No, she didn’t give up, she accepted the fact of dying. She accepted because there’s no more choice…and chance left. She’s been preparing herself for so long, to not be afraid of death. This is the path that Hanneul chose.
“Unni,” I sticked closer to her to hear what she will say…the last things she will say.
“Please bring back your smile.”
The things which happened next were unexpected. I remained on one corner while there was chaos inside the room. It was faster than lightning, it didn’t allow me to notice. I just learned that Head Nurse Rosalia pulled me out that place and tried to calm me through some words.
I was left standing. I thought the world was spinning and that everything was in a fast-forward. After some time, I saw the door opened. I heard her family’s mournful cries after the doctor gave the words,
“I’m sorry, but we did everything.”