Let's meet again

As the people rushed out of the state building, a sea of panicked faces flooded the streets. Families clung to one another, employees, both young and old, scrambled to escape the chaos as the building’s alarm system blared incessantly. Sirens wailed, echoing through the city, mingling with the cries and shouts of those fleeing the scene. Across the road, a growing crowd gathered, their eyes fixed on the horrifying sight of thick, ominous gas billowing from the building’s shattered windows.

The world around me seemed to blur as I pushed my way through the crowd, my thoughts a tangled mess of fear and determination. My heart pounded in my chest, each beat echoing louder than the last as I neared the building’s entrance. Amidst the smoke and chaos, a familiar figure emerged—his white coat standing out starkly against the darkened backdrop, a symbol of hope in a scene filled with despair.

My breath caught in my throat as I saw him stagger, his steps faltering as he struggled to maintain his balance. His hand reached out, as if grasping for something to steady himself, before he collapsed onto the ground. Panic surged through me, and I sprinted toward him, ignoring the shouts and warnings from those around me. His white coat, now stained with blood, clung to his body, the crimson marks standing in stark contrast against the fabric. His face was pale, glistening with sweat, and his breath came in shallow, labored gasps.

I dropped to my knees beside him, my heartstrings clenching with an unbearable pain. I gathered him into my arms, my fingers locking tightly with his, as if by holding onto him, I could somehow keep him tethered to this world. Tears streamed down my face, the hot, stinging drops blurring my vision as I choked out a desperate plea. “Please… please stay with me,” I begged, my voice trembling as I fought to keep my composure.

He looked up at me, his eyes clouded with pain, yet there was a softness in his gaze that I had come to know so well. A faint, feeble smile tugged at the corners of his lips, an attempt to comfort me even in his final moments. His fingers tightened around mine, and with a final, shuddering breath, he whispered, “Let’s meet again…”

Those were his last words, a promise filled with both hope and despair. As his hand went limp in mine, a crushing wave of sorrow washed over me, and I cried out, the sound tearing through the air, raw and unfiltered. The world around me faded into insignificance, reduced to nothing more than a backdrop to the overwhelming grief that consumed me.

I cried and cried, my tears a futile attempt to wash away the uncertainty that gripped my heart. How could I go on without him? Was it possible for us to meet again, to feel the comfort of his embrace, to see the determination in his eyes once more? The questions swirled in my mind, each one more painful than the last, but there were no answers, only a hollow ache that settled deep within my chest.

In that moment, I made a silent vow—I would do anything to see him again, even if it meant starting over, reliving every moment, every painful memory, just for the chance to hold him one last time. But this time, I wouldn’t let him go alone. If death was the only way to reunite us, then I was ready to face it, as long as we could be together, even in the afterlife.

As I clung to his lifeless body, the world around me began to reassert itself. The harsh wail of sirens, the chaotic shouts of rescue workers, and the hushed whispers of the crowd all came rushing back, breaking through the fog of my grief. I felt strong arms pulling me away from him, my cries of protest falling on deaf ears as I was dragged toward the waiting ambulance.

The medics insisted on checking me over, but their words were nothing more than a distant murmur, lost in the whirlwind of emotions that raged within me. I sat numbly in the back of the ambulance, my eyes fixed on the spot where he had fallen, the place where I had lost him forever. In the midst of my despair, I saw the small girl Ji-Eun running toward her mother, a smile of pure relief lighting up her tear-streaked face. They embraced, holding each other tightly, a silent testament to the life he had saved, the life he had sacrificed everything for.

It was then that the reality of what had happened began to sink in, the full weight of my loss crashing down on me like a tidal wave. I had loved him, more deeply than I had ever thought possible, and now he was gone, ripped away from me in the blink of an eye. But as I watched the mother and daughter share their tearful reunion, I realized that his sacrifice had not been in vain. He had given his life to save others, to protect those who could not protect themselves. It was a cruel irony that the very thing that had drawn me to him—his unwavering dedication to his work, his selflessness, and his compassion—was also the thing that had taken him away from me.

As I sat in the ambulance, my mind drifted, it all started then, to be honest I myself am confused as to when, but I remember clearly The day we had met, a day much like any other. It was from then my whole life has changed, was it cruel? Was it fair? Was it for love? Was it for pain? Was it to save lives? I don't know but if it wasn't for him and I can't imagine reaching here......

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