BEFORE THE STORM

"7:00 AM, FEB 28, 2017" it was the digits that reflected on Andrei's digital alarm clock, and it set off an alarm.

He slowly got off from his bed and saw that it was already filled with sunlight, he closed the windows and pushed the alarm clock button, took a bath, brushed his teeth and dressed up.

Immediately, he drove his motorcycle and stopped by a nearby flower shop, and after buying a bouquet of roses he immediately sets off again, but this time the destination was the hospital.

Today, his beloved Ann will be undergoing surgery, chances are high she will survive, but he couldn't calm down hearing the percentage of failure. He walked to the hospital corridors and took an elevator to the sixth floor, he went through the hospital doors numbers until he found room 647,

"Patient: Ann Jo Yoon"

"Doctor:..."

"This is the room," he said to himself, the paper wrapping of the roses made a crackling sound as he couldn't help but clench his fists out of nervousness. When he looked at the roses, it was the kind that Ann loved so much, this was the same roses he gave her on their first anniversary.

Andrei placed his hand on his heart and felt it hurt so much that he almost wanted to cry, but for Ann, he needed to be strong, just thinking about her in her current situation, he couldn't help but feel that his heart was being crushed into pieces.

"Ann is giving her all, I shouldn't look like a mess like this," he thought as he fixed himself, and practice smiling. After a few minutes, he was ready to open the door, he knocked, classed the doorknob, and then finally opened the door.

[Party Poppers Popping]

To his surprise, he heard party poppers setting off and saw his beloved on the hospital bed while holding one party popper herself. Her hair was as black and silky as usual, as the sunset shone on the hospital windows, while the curtains flew back and forth, the light wrapped her in the beauty that Andrei couldn't help but stare in awe.

"Just as I thought, I really want to marry this person, if this person told me to fight the world for her, I think I would really have done it," Andrei thought to himself.

But as he observed her beautiful features, Andrei noticed that her skin didn't show the healthy color it had before and that her lips were a little paler than normal. Dating her for more than four years, he could easily figure out these small changes that were occurring.

However, with a little courage, those pale lips moved and smiled, and he could hear his beloved say,

"Happy Birthday babe, and Happy Anniversary!"

Andrei was deeply touched, Ann never forgot to surprise him, who was always forgetful of special events like these when he gets busy or preoccupied. This time, he also forgot that it was his birthday, due to his stress and fears, tears started to well upon his eyes, it had a mixture of happiness and fear.

The happiness of all the priceless things that this girl gave him, and fear the fear of losing her forever. But Andrei didn't want to show this weakness, he wanted Ann to keep fighting, he wanted to give her courage. Andrei sat on eye-level to her and replied, "Happy Anniversary Babe! Thank you" he then hugged her tightly, and gave her a kiss on the forehead.

When they separated, their foreheads met with each other, and they gently held each other's faces, as they smiled while closing their eyes, as if their souls were totally comforted and fulfilled with the presence of each other.

"I love you" they say the words that they wanted to say so much to each other.