Moon Child

Chapter 27 Invisible Scars

Part of him wanted to search for the source of the laughter but, his eyes remained fixated on his swan. His swan who was staring off into the distance with her eye smiles deep on her face. 

The look in her eyes was loving, like that of a mother looking at her child before she turned back to him.

Wait a second...Ye Jin could-

"Love, it's time." Ye Jin held out her hand.

See.

"Time for what?" Hyun Bin took her hand, letting her lead them further away from the laughter.

He never did catch her reply for a rush of wind took him away from her. The last thing he heard was a faint shout and running footsteps before he woke with a groan.

Beeping.

That was all he could hear for a second before more sounds filled his senses. Gradually, he could make out soft footsteps and muffled voices outside the door.

Waking up after a long fight would probably be the most disconcerting experience anyone would get to feel in a lifetime. Bit by bit, your senses would reawaken, just as you start to feel every nerve in your body once again. 

Past that, one had to get accustomed to reality again; difficult when you were drifting in pure bliss and ignorance mere moments before.

As the medication wore off, Hyun Bin began to feel the twinge of pain in his ribs which appeared to be bandaged up. Truly, the pain wasn't as bad as he envisioned it to be, although breathing was slightly uncomfortable. His body felt heavy and languid, a strong disconnect from the strength he normally emanated.

Flashbacks of what happened appeared in the back of his mind. Ye Jin, the car, the loud warning horn, the screech of the tires, the faint memory of him shouting for her to get out of the way.

The desperation and heart-stopping fear.

But most importantly, he remembered the last thought he had before his world went black.

This was why she saved him.

It took a year, but Hyun Bin finally understood what Tae Yang felt that night she pushed him away from that chandelier.

It should have been him, yes. But at that moment where he had to choose sacrifice or heartbreak, the choice was obvious.

Hyun Bin chose to sacrifice himself to save Ye Jin. Tae Yang made that choice too and deep down, he knew it was a choice she would never regret.

Tae Yang saved her brother whom she loves with all her heart. If he had died under her watch, she would have been heartbroken. She wouldn't have wished to live.

Similarly, Hyun Bin saved his swan whom he loves with all his heart. The heartbreak which would follow her death, knowing he could have done something to save her would have ended up killing him instead.

Because when you loved someone, you only wished the best for them. Part of that equation was ensuring that they were alive and well. 

Hyun Bin promised himself he would protect his swan, and protect he did. It was a choice he would make over and over again if he had to.

But...where was she?

Peeling his eyes open, Hyun Bin's eyes felt sore as he gazed at the blinding white light bouncing off the white walls before the rainbow butterfly gracefully flew past his line of vision and back out into the skies. His eyes followed the wonder of nature, only stopping when it landed on his swan, sleeping by the crook of his elbow.