After having that episode of chest pain, Ye-jin did her best in managing her emotional stress to avoid such episodes again. Having Bin by her side to share her struggles with makes a whole lot of difference in her positivity. Over the next two days, Ye-jin constantly worked on her breathing exercises to get her lungs working more. The oxygen was the only thing serving as a barrier for her to be discharged and recover outside the hospital. Though still having pain, she has been tolerating moving around better with each day and has been managing it with oral narcotics instead of injectable medications.
While the two were talking about the arrangements they needed to make for their stay in Florida and their flight back to California in weeks time, they heard a knock on the door. They saw the cardiologist approaching them with a smile.
"Hi, you two," the doctor greeted. "How are you feeling today, Ye-jin?"
Bin offered his chair to the doctor and sat on the arm rest of the chair Ye-jin was sitting in, placing his hand on her shoulder.
"I'm doing okay, Doc," Ye-jin answered with a smile. She hasn't had any chest pain since her last episode a few days ago when she went through intense emotional stress. "Feeling better everyday."
"That's great. You look much much better compared to when I first saw you in the ER when you came in. You've come a long way," the doctor said with a smile.
"Thank you," she replied.
"I heard you're almost ready to go," the cardiologist said as he sat in front of them. "So, I wanted to talk to you about what to expect going forward before you get discharged."
Ye-jin and Bin paid close attention to the doctor as he began explaining her prognosis and the plan for her.
"You briefly talked about your options with your cardiologist in California but you haven't come to a decision, am I right?" The doctor asked, receiving a nod from Ye-jin.
Bin put his arm around the top of her back and gave Ye-jin a gentle squeeze on her shoulder as they listened intently.
"Once you're discharged, we'll keep you on the same cardiac medications that you're on right now, along with your other maintenance medications, okay? We've sent over your records here to your doctors in California so they're aware of all the issues and treatments you had here."
Ye-jin nodded in acknowledgement of what the doctor said.
"Can we rely on her maintenance medications to manage her heart issues, Doc?" Bin asked.
"There are a lot of people who stay on meds and are able to maintain a pretty normal lifestyle. These are the low risk patients. However, considering your family history, your symptoms, your heart showing signs of failure, and the results of the additional tests we did here, you're in the high risk category. Unfortunately, a more invasive treatment is most likely needed. I'm not your main cardiologist so once you go home, your doctor there will discuss undergoing an open-heart surgery with you further down the road."
Bin felt Ye-jin take a deep breath, making him rub her upper back as he tried to be a strong support system for her. He took a big breath in himself and reached for her hand, making her look up at him. She gave his hand a squeeze as she felt the heaviness inside again. It had gotten so quiet in the room that she could hear the hissing of the oxygen from the cannula in her nose.
"Then should I expect that we're pushing through with a surgery, Doc?" She finally asked. "Is there no other option where I won't have to do a surgery?"
"Because the risks are too high for you, my recommendation is for you to have the surgery done, especially because you're already showing signs of heart failure. It'll help with the blood flow in your heart and throughout your body. From the looks of it, this was already a problem even before you were having symptoms. At the time when you started becoming symptomatic, like having chest pains, it was already at an advanced stage and at this point, medications might not be enough. Of course, we're going to give the meds the chance to work, but we have to be proactive in managing it. In your case, the risks are too high if we wait too long."
Ye-jin bit the inside of her lip and nodded. Bin could tell that she was thinking hard about the information they were just told.
"I know it's overwhelming, Ye-jin. You just had a big surgery last week and you're overloaded with information about the do's and don'ts for your recovery. Like I said, once you're back in California, you'll meet with your cardiologist there to talk about options and their risks and benefits. The time from now until you're well enough to fly back to California will give us the chance to monitor how well the medications are working for you. The process will take weeks to months, so the heart surgery isn't something that will happen right away. Of course, we're talking about the long term plan here."
"It's a lot to take in," Ye-jin said after taking a deep breath. "But I completely understand, Doc. Thank you for all that you've done since I got here."
"You have a lot going on, Ye-jin, so we'll take it one day at a time. It's really important to have a good support system, and I can see you have a good one right here," the doctor said as he smiled at Bin.
Bin gave him a nod and a small smile before kissing the top of Ye-jin's head. "Anything for her, Doc."
The doctor smiled at the two of them. "I know I dumped quite a bit on you two, but do you have any questions?"
Ye-jin looked up at Bin before looking at the doctor again to ask a question.
"What's the prognosis like after the surgery?"
The doctor looked at both of them and nodded.
"We can't tell for sure until you do the surgery and your symptoms are assessed. Others have had to just take maintenance medications after the procedure, while there are some who have had to have another surgery to implant a device in their chest to constantly monitor their heart rate and send a shock when it detects a dangerous rhythm."
"So a second surgery is possible?" Ye-jin asked, feeling the lump forming in her throat.
"It is."
"And we don't know for sure yet which group I'll fall into?"
The doctor nodded. "That's right. Depending on your consultation, they might even consider doing it all in one surgery. I mean, it really varies for different patients. There's a lot to consider for each treatment. For now, keep up with your medications."
Ye-jin took another deep breath in before nodding. Bin felt her squeeze his hand again while they sat in silence, processing all that crucial information in their minds.
"Do you have another question?"
"That's all for now, Doc. I think I just need to process all this."
"No worries. Just let the nurses know if you need anything, okay? I'll leave you two to take it all in."
When the cardiologist excused himself and walked out of the room, Bin felt Ye-jin lean her head on his body, making him rub her shoulder opposite from him. He leaned down to kiss the top of her head, closing his eyes as he did so to remain collected. She also closed her eyes, her head comfortably resting on Bin's side under his arm. She took a deep breath in as she swallowed the lump in her throat.
After a while, Bin stood up and pulled the chair closer to Ye-jin, sitting very closely in front of her. He held her hand and looked straight into her eyes, not saying a word.
Ye-jin looked right back at him, her hand holding on to him tightly.
"I know this is physically weak right now," Bin said quietly while bringing his other hand over her heart. "But at the same time, it's also strongest heart I know."
She smiled faintly at him and nodded.
"We'll take it one day at a time, Yejie," he said softly while taking his hand off her chest and bringing it to her face.
"Thank you, Beanie," Ye-jin said. "Thank you for keeping your promise after the crash."
"I intend to keep that promise for as long as we're living," Bin replied with a smile.
He sat with her in silence as they allowed each other to process all the information in their minds.
Shortly after that, he walked her down the hallway before making a quick trip to the hotel to take a shower and pick up some items for both of them. When he returned to the hospital, Bin found himself standing in front of a set of doors. He took a deep breath in, thinking about whether or not to step inside an unfamiliar territory as he looked at the cross above the doors. He didn't know who to turn to, and so he found himself seeking His mercy.
His hand reached for the button to open the doors and eventually took the steps to enter the chapel. He had no expectations going in, he didn't know what to think, but he walked out with less heaviness in his heart than prior to going in.
Mr. Son came across Bin just as he was walking out of the chapel.
"Bin?"
"Sir," he greeted as he gave him a bow.
Ye-jin's father looked towards the chapel before looking at Bin again. "How's Ye-jin?"
"She's okay, Sir. I was just about to head back but since you're here, I was wondering if I could talk to you before we go to her room."
"It sounds serious," Mr. Son said with a smile. "Why don't we go for a walk?"
Bin smiled at him and led him out to the courtyard where they talked in private.
Back in the unit, Ye-jin found herself standing by the window after the nurse disconnected her IV and left her room. She held on to her walker as she looked outside. Her thoughts were nowhere near as calm as the clear blue sky in the middle of the day.
She couldn't stop thinking about what the cardiologist told them. To say that she was bothered was an understatement, but not for the obvious reason. It wasn't undergoing another surgery, and an open-heart surgery at that, that bothered her. It wasn't the possibility of going through the same difficulties and complications she just went through either. It was the thought of Bin being burdened with the role of taking care of her.
She knew that he does it for the most sincere and genuine reasons and she was beyond grateful for him, but she couldn't help feel bad for putting him through the physical and emotional stress of dealing with her situation.
She used to imagine them both as a couple, but she never thought they'd find themselves facing the circumstances they were currently dealing with. She certainly did not picture a relationship confined within the walls of a hospital.
Ye-jin swallowed the lump in her throat and took a deep breath. She didn't realize how long she had been standing there for until she heard Bin and her father walk in together.
"Babe," Bin said, surprised to see her standing by the window by herself in her brace and without her oxygen on.
She looked at him before looking at her father, then back at Bin again before clearing her throat.
"Ye-jinah," her father said with a smile. "It's okay, we already talked."
Ye-jin smiled at Bin and thanked her father for his blessing before using her walker to walk back to bed.
"Where's your oxygen?" Bin asked as he walked beside her in case she lost her balance while still allowing her to move independently.
"They took it off after you left. I don't need it anymore," she answered with a smile. "They also said I can go home the day after tomorrow. Well, discharged from the hospital to our rental for the time being."
"How do you feel moving around without the oxygen? Are you still short of breath?" Bin asked, helping her sit on the chair.
"Just a tiny bit when I'm walking around, but my oxygen level's good so I don't need the oxygen anymore," she replied, biting her lip as she sat down. "They said it'll get better once my lungs fully recover."
"What about the pain?"
Ye-jin reached for his hand and gave it a pat. "Don't worry, I'm okay. I can move around on my own now and they're sending me home with a bunch of meds to help me. I'll continue therapy as an outpatient too."
Bin smiled and held her hand. "I'm just making sure you're ready to go home," he said softly.
"I know, Beanie. I promise, I feel better," Ye-jin said with a smile.
They heard her father clear his throat as he stood by the table, watching them closely as if they've forgotten he was also in the room. Ye-jin looked away and bit her lip again, this time to stop herself from grinning. She suddenly felt embarrassed around her dad.
"I know you two are both adults, but I think you forgot I'm still here. I was afraid it might've led to something else," her dad teased.
Bin cleared his throat and smiled. "Sorry, Sir."
"I'm just teasing," Mr. Son said with a smile. "Thank you for all that you do for my daughter, Binssi."
"It's my pleasure, Sir," Bin replied confidently.
"When are you flying back to California?"
"Not for at least two more weeks, Dad," Ye-jin answered.
"The surgeon recommends waiting at least four weeks after her surgery, preferably six, so we'll stay here for about four more weeks before we fly back," Bin added. "Ye-jin wants to fly home as soon as possible but we'll wait a little longer. The flight will be too hard on her back so they're concerned about her comfort during the flight and her risk of getting blood clots."
"And you'll be staying at a rental house for the next four weeks?"
"Yes, Dad. Bin took care of that already."
Mr. Son smiled at Bin. "You haven't booked your flight yet, right? Don't worry about it, I'll take care of your flight home, Ye-jin."
"Dad, it's okay. We'll make the arrangements."
"Ye-jin, it's okay. Please, let me take care of that for you. More than five hours is a long flight home, I want you to be as comfortable as possible in a non-commercial flight."
"Dad..."
"Ye-jinah, it's for your comfort," her father said softly.
Ye-jin nodded and looked at Bin who gave her a smile. "Thanks, Dad."
Her father stayed with them for most of the afternoon before heading back to his hotel. Bin accompanied Ye-jin for a longer walk outside the unit as she tried to increase her tolerance for activity, but he was afraid she was pushing herself past her limits. He brought a wheelchair with them and although she exhausted herself and it took a while, she made it back to her room without using it.
"Why are you still awake?" Bin asked as he took a seat beside her on the bed later that night.
"I think I'm too excited to be discharged," Ye-jin answered with a smile. "It'd be better if we get to really go home to California though."
He smiled and caressed her jaw. "I know, babe. We don't want you to force yourself though, so let's take it slowly."
"I know," she replied.
Bin tilted his head and just looked at her without saying anything, making her squint her eyes as if trying to figure out what his facial expression meant.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" She asked eventually.
He smiled at her and used his thumb to stroke her cheeks. Whether she was all dolled up, dressed for formal events, all suited up in her gear, or even just casually hanging out at home in her pyjamas, he was always mesmerized by her beauty. He couldn't help the twinkle in his eyes as he carefully studied her facial features.
"You're so darn beautiful," he said sincerely.
"You just realized that now?" She teased.
Bin shook his head and chuckled. "Oh Yejie, you have no idea."
"I'm just teasing, babe," she said with a smile.
"I'm not," he replied. "You know what I used to think?"
"What is it?"
"Damn, my bestfriend is gorgeous," he said while looking at her.
"What about now?" Ye-jin asked while smiling.
"Now? Damn, my girlfriend is gorgeous," Bin said, grinning widely, making her heart flutter in a good, romantic way.
Ye-jin covered her face and bit her lip, trying to contain how exhilarated she felt.
"Yejie, don't cover your face," he said with a giggle. "Come on, let me see."
"Wait," she replied, giggling at herself.
"What do you mean, wait?" Bin laughed as he tried to take her hands off her face. "Come on, let me see you."
"Hold on."
"Hold on? Babe, why are you hiding?" He asked, still laughing at her.
Ye-jin took her hands off her face and looked at him, biting her lower lip while smiling widely.
"Why are you hiding?" Bin asked again, the smile on his face getting bigger.
"Stop looking at me like that," she said while covering her face again.
"What? What did I do?" He asked while laughing. "What's up with you right now? Why won't you let me see your face?"
"Because you caught me off guard," Ye-jin mumbled behind her hands.
They used to be so playful with each other so teasing each other about their looks and how good looking they find each other isn't something new for them. For some reason, hearing him flat out say as her boyfriend that she was gorgeous gave her a different feeling in her heart. She couldn't stop smiling.
"Well, it's true," he replied.
"Thank you," she said in response, finally taking her hands off her face. "You're not bad yourself."
Bin blinked at her.
"I'm just kidding," Ye-jin laughed, reaching for his face with both of her hands. "Gosh, Hyun Bin, you have no idea how drop dead gorgeous you are."
"Really?"
They laughed at each other while she held his jaw in her hands.
"Yes, really."
Bin calmed down first and looked intently at her again.
"Whatever it was that I did to deserve having you in my life as my girlfriend, I'm glad I did it," Bin said with a smile. "You are such a gift to me."
Ye-jin felt a lump in her throat form, making her quiet. The sudden change in her expression didn't go unnoticed.
"What's wrong, Yejie?"
"You still feel that way after all that I put you through this past ten days? And after hearing what we're gonna be going through in the next couple of months?"
Bin caressed her jaw in his hand and smiled at her. "Yes."
Ye-jin reached for his wrist that was close to her face and held it in her hand, her thumb stroking it lightly. "I thought being bestfriends with you was my greatest gift. I was wrong. This, being your girlfriend and having you as my boyfriend is my greatest gift."
He leaned close to her and kissed her lips. He felt her smile after he sat up again. "Why? What is it?"
"I just love how your kisses just somehow make things better," she said, making him smile. "One more," she added with a grin.
Bin laughed before bending down again to kiss her lips again.
"Do you know how many times I wished that you'd just lean in and kiss me whenever we have our drinking sessions?"
"I'm guessing as many times as I wished for the same thing?" Bin replied, making them both laugh.
"Oh, we're such dorks," Ye-jin said with a satisfied sigh, the smile on her face not fading. "What a day, huh?"
He gave her a smile and laced his fingers with hers. "I'm glad I get to share these days with you."
"I am too, Beanie, I am too."