Years slipped by, but Min Ju never stopped visiting him at the hospital. The once vibrant girl had grown up in the shadow of her own guilt, her world now painted in muted tones. She rarely spoke, even in the bustling halls of her college. Words felt heavy, unnecessary - after all, the person who once understood her best now lay in a silent, unending sleep.
Haeoseok had always believed in her, pushing her to chase her dreams. So, she threw herself into her studies, pouring every ounce of her energy into becoming the person he had always wanted her to be. She studied beside him, her books piled high on the cold hospital chairs, the beeping monitors her only company. She earned the best internships, topped her classes, and built a promising career.
But loneliness clung to her like a shadow. When the ache in her heart became too much to bear, she would reach for the old guitar they used to play together. Strumming the strings softly, she would let their favorite song fill the air, each note a memory, each chord a whispered promise.
As the music echoed through the empty halls, she allowed herself to believe, if only for a moment, that he could hear her - that somewhere, beneath the sterile sheets and the whir of machines , she only heard his heart beat craving for recovery . Years later, Min Ju landed a job with the highest pay package in the IT sector, a rare feat for a first-time employee. Her brother was stunned - offers like this were almost unheard of, especially for fresh graduates. The whole family buzzed with excitement, their pride overflowing. But Min Ju remained the same - calm, collected, and quiet.
That evening, she walked into the familiar, sterile hospital room, the steady beeping of monitors greeting her like an old friend. She sat beside Haeoseok, her voice steady yet tinged with the emotion she rarely showed to others.
"I did it," she whispered, her fingers brushing the cold metal of the hospital bed. "I fulfilled your wish."
His parents, who had grown to love Min Ju like their own daughter, shared in her quiet celebration. They knew how deeply she had tied her success to his dreams, how each step forward had been for him.
Ten years. It had been over a decade since Haeoseok slipped into his coma, yet Min Ju's daily visits never ceased. She continued to speak to him, her voice a steady, hopeful murmur, craving for the day his eyes would open again.