Chapter 11 PART 1: Fighting with Destiny

Eira was sitting on her bed, listening to the player given to her by Cyril on their first month while watching the leaves on the tree outside her window start to fall one by one. 

Mrs. Choi was busy making the matching scarf she was planning to give her daughter and nephew since it was starting to get cold, the one for Benedict was already done and she was now halfway done with Eira's. 

Both of them were nervous but being the ladies that they are, they both refused to dwell on that and so silence reigned inside the room.

Mrs. Choi glanced at the watch she was wearing and she saw that it was already 12 noon which means her daughter would be called any minute. 

She felt her palms sweat and her hands start to shake so she carefully placed the unfinished scarf in the box beside the finished one and closed the lid. She took in a deep breath and pocketed her hands, lightly gripping her mobile.

Eira was still immersed in her own thoughts that she didn't notice that her mother was now standing beside her. Somehow Mrs. Choi was thankful for that because she had time to compose a smile on her face despite all the butterflies flying inside her stomach. 

A soft few pats on Eira's hand and she finally looked at her mother's direction. She smiled softly and took off one of the earphones, "mom? what is it?"

Mrs. Choi smiled and softly shook her head, "nothing much... I just got bored. What are you listening to?"

Eira grinned, "my Cyril playlist... what else?"

Mrs. Choi had to fight the urge to wrap her arms around her daughter and cry. Her daughter was too young, too vibrant and too alive to have this kind of illness. 

She wished that it was her on that bed and not her daughter who was just twenty-two... she had so much to achieve, she was talented and bright.

"Mommy? Are you all right?"

Eira's voice took Mrs. Choi out of her trance and she smiled shakily at her daughter, "of course dear. Why did you ask that?"

Eira's face mirrored the sadness on her mother's face and she took one of her hands on her in her own, "Because you are crying mommy..."

Mrs. Choi touched her face and true enough there were tears that she unconsciously shed. Eira leaned forward to remove the tears on her mother while sporting a gentle smile on her face...

"Mom... I'm sorry if I always make you cry, for making you, Dad, Ben and Cyril sad... "

"You idiot! Its not like you wanted this! Don't apologize for something that isn't in your control!"

Eira chuckled lightly, "I know mom... you don't have to get angry."

"Sorry dear, I'm not angry. But seriously stop apologizing all the time, I already told you that we are all here because we love you and not because we are obligated to do so."

"I know mommy... and I love all of you too."

Mrs. Choi squeezed the hand of her daughter that she was holding when a knock on the door was heard, "come in..."

The nurse poked her head into the room and smiled at the Choi ladies, "Ma'am... Dr. Park wanted to inform the both of you that it's time. We'll be bringing the young miss to the operating room."

Eira smiled at the nurse and nodded, "all right. Thank you nurse... please tell Dr. Park that I'm ready."

The nurse nodded and let two other nurses come in before she left to relay the message. Eira took off the other earphone from her ear and handed the player to her mother. 

"Mommy... please hold on to this for me. I'll get it from you after this."

Mrs. Choi wanted to say something but she felt that something was blocking her throat so she just nodded and took the player with both her hands. 

Eira smiled again and laid carefully on the bed with the help of the nurses. She was then wheeled out of the room with her mother following close behind.

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Jun slumped on the stage they were doing the final rehearsals on. Tyrone threw him a towel and sat beside him.

"Big Brother, I feel that something is weird today."

"Tell me about it Ty... Mick tripped on a cord, knocking out some of the lights... Cyril Big Brother's foot caught up with something... Benedict Big Brother was accidentally hit by a rod on his tummy... I slipped on the stage earlier during rehearsal... you were the only lucky one who hasn't had any accidents yet."

Tyrone sported a serious look and he glanced at Mick who seemed to have accidentally bumped into one of the coordi noonas. 

"Actually Big Brother... I've had my share of bad luck already."

"You did?"

Tyrone nodded and gripped his water bottle tighter, "my... breakfast was switched with Cyril Big Brother's..."

"That's not much!"

"Big Brother... that was bad... you know how they are trying to make me gain muscles right? So my meal is different from all of you?"

Jun nodded and waited for Tyrone to continue, "my meal had more meat than any of you... so I had to make do with a regular meal today."

Jun groaned and laid down on the stage while Tyrone leaned on the stage while still looking blankly at Mick who was helping the coordi noona pick up clothes on the floor.

"You two! Start to get ready! The concert will be starting soon!"

"Yeeeeeesssss!!"

Jun and Tyrone then helped Mick and the coordi noona as they got ready for their performance.

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"Are you ready, He Ran?"

Eira smiled at his Uncle who was already wearing the clothes for operating, "of course Uncle... I thought I asked the nurse to relay that?"

Jungsu chuckled and patted Eira's cheek, "yeah... she did. I just wanted to hear it directly from you. "

"Geez... you don't believe me..."

"Of course I do...now let me do my job and you just relax, leave everything to me..."

Jungsu ruffled He Ran's hair and kissed her forehead affectionately. Eira smiled as she felt the sedatives and anesthesia kick in, she murmured as she was closing her eyes... 

"Uncle Su, I love you..."

Jungsu gripped on the sheet of the operating bed tightly until he felt a soft tap on his shoulder. He looked behind him and saw his mentor, "Jungsu... we need to start now."

Jungsu nodded, wore the gloves on his hand and the mask on his face just as the nurses placed the oxygen mask on Eira. With a serious look on his face, Dr. Park sent the signal to start the operation...

The room was quiet save for the beeping of the machine symbolizing Eira's heartbeat. The doctor was now able to open Eira's body and is now starting to go through her ribs to see her heart.

A few minutes after, so far the operation was doing well. There weren't much blood coming out of Eira meaning she was cut on the exact places, not damaging any other unnecessary arteries.

"So far so good..." Jungsu whispered as he wiped the sweat off his forehead.

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