Artistic Tendencies | MiChaeng

e i g h t e e n

You saved me but you didn't have to
~

"Lisa." Tzuyu peeked her head in, waving at the girl who was lying on her hospital bed.

Lisa's eyes lightened up ever so slightly and gave the visitor an enthusiastic wave. She offered a cheeky smile, gesturing towards a stray chair near the table to bring it to her bed.

"Hey, Tzuyu." Lisa smiled, fixing herself against the bed. She slowly brought herself up, grunting as she did so. Tzuyu offered a hand but the older girl shook her head, mumbling at how she can handle herself.

Tzuyu was amused at how mobile Lisa already was considering she just had surgery at least a few days ago.

"You're recovering well." Tzuyu smiles, placing the bag of fruits on the small bedside table. "Really fast, actually. Which is surprising."

Lisa chuckled, scratching the back of her neck bashfully, "It surprises me too. But I'm still trying to get used to this new heart." She sighed, carefully.

Tzuyu figures it was habit.

"That's good. Don't stress Jennie too much." Tzuyu leaned back on her chair, amused when Lisa chuckled nervously at the mention of her soulmate's name.

There was a brief silence. It wasn't awkward but it wasn't exactly comfortable to sit in. Tzuyu was about to excuse herself, finding the small exchange enough but Lisa had spoken against the deafening silence. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"Chaeyoung gave up another donor, didn't she? And it went to me, right?" Lisa looked down at her lap, "She never fails to surprise me with how, honestly, giving she is."

Tzuyu looked away, nodding subtly, "Me too." She cleared her throat lightly, facing Lisa, "Why are you apologizing though..?"

Lisa chuckled, leaning back on the pillow, her head tilting up, "Because I'm sure you wanted the heart to go to her and I can't blame you. I did too. I wanted Chaeyoung to live the life she deserved."

Tzuyu listened, letting herself fall comfortable with the chair she brought.

"I talked to her." Lisa brought her head down, a nimble smile on her features, "I tried so damn hard to persuade her. To convince her that it's ok to be selfish. Even if it's just this time. But nothing. Nothing worked."

****

"Why did you give up the heart, Chae." Lisa tried her best to bite back the growl that bellowed in the vase of her throat. Getting angry would do the both of them no good but she was frustrated.

"You needed it more than I did-"

"Bullshit!" Lisa coughed, steadying herself as she clutched onto the couch armrest. She took in a deep breath, calming the weak pulse of her veins before speaking. "Chae- You need to live your life. You need to do things. Experience life as it is, make mistakes out there. Meet your soulmate." Lisa pleaded.

Chaeyoung sighed, looking out the window. "And what about you?"

"What about Me?" Lisa ran her hand through her hair, raking it through so easily it was obviously thin. "I've been here my whole life and accepted that this is what's supposed to happen. I'm ok with it now. I've acc-"