: Unwavering Day (3)

Professor Shin opened the door for her.

Lina made her comfortable in the front seat.

'You are still the one I want' was playing on stereo. The Professor was moving along feeling the beat.

She noticed an old picture of a smiling teenage girl.

'Sweet sixteen.' Lina leaned on the window-pane watching the trees passing by.

'Sixteen. The age when one first gets the vibe of youth, when one first falls in love, when one chases her dreams, when one first think of revolution, as well as when one first face his own demons, gets his heart broken for the first time, gets the taste of nightmares.'

"Are you feeling uncomfortable anywhere?" Professor Shin asked seeing her sinking deep in thoughts.

"Miss Park?"

There was no answer.

"Lina?"

Professor Shin stopped the car and hesitantly nudged her.

"Miss Park?"

Lina snapped back into reality. Few minutes more she would have been having another breakdown. She looked at him with blank eyes.

"Huh?!"

"Miss Park are you okay?" he was slightly surprised seeing her in this state suddenly.

Being a practitioner of psychiatry, himself Professor Shin was well aware of such cases. These type of PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) cases were his specialty. He never thought that accidentally he would have to see those signs in a brilliant student like Lina.

"Miss Park!" He called again.

Lina was not moving rather just sitting there with a blank face. Her face was pale like white paper. Sweat beds formed in her forehead. Her fingers were slightly shaking.

"Miss Park!!"

"Miss Park!"

"Lina!! Look at me. It's okay. It's okay."

"Just Close your eyes. Take a deep breath. And breathe out now."

Professor Shin let her drink some water and made her rest comfortable.

"Are you okay now dear?"

" Yes sir."

"Are you okay? Should I drive back to hospital? You are not well at all." Professor watched carefully. He was concerned about her.

" No sir. It's okay." Lina nodded her head.

" Are you sure? You literally fainted few seconds ago."

" It's nothing sir. I've not eaten anything yet. Maybe that's why." Lina tried to reassure him.

" It's all my fault. I kept you busy the whole day. "

Professor played along with her lies. It is hard for PTSD patients to speak about their problems. Then too with strangers. Professor Shin was practically a stranger to her. He tried to make her comfortable. It's necessary to relieve stress from them.

"Uh… No... It's not your fault. Sorry for making you uncomfortable on such a happy occasion." Lina apologized.

" Don't be like that. Are you sure you can go ?" he rechecked with her?

" Yeah sir."

"Then it's fine. I thought you were being annoyed for my song selection. Such old songs. Nowadays youngsters are mostly into pop..." The professor tried to change the topic to divert her mind.

"No sir. I grew up listening to Shania Twain. " Lina answered.

The old man grinned.

"Great. You know what Miss Park She is my wife's favorite singer. Back then while we were still in college this song came out. Since then, it became our love anthem."

The professor began to tell her about his incredible youth.

Lina was quietly listening to their love story. She was like every other teenager living addicted to love stories. Every new romance novel out there could be found in her collection. But that incident she changed everything. Lina lost all respect and hope for love.

Still, it was amazing for being to hear such sweet and unexpected stories from a person like Professor Shin.

" Sir, Is She your wife? " Lina could not control her curiosity.

" Yes."

Prof. Shin nodded proudly.

" We were still in high school then. Is not she pretty? "

" Yeah. So beautiful. "

Lina loved this side of lovesick Professor of whom she was being afraid all this time.

"So, Lina, from where did you complete school?" Suddenly the question came from the Professor.

" B High school in California."

" Oh I see. You've completed your school from the USA then."

He noticed her since he found her sitting in the last row in his first class. Actually he was shocked to see her there. Lina reminded him of the girl from that year.

Nearly 3 years ago, he came across a girl during one of his dates with his dear wife.

Prof. Shin loved to re-visit old days with his dearest wife. Having a date with the love of your life even after 25 years of living together was quite refreshing for both of them. Their idea of love was far different from others. According to Mrs. Shin no one is older enough not to go on a date.

Spending time together was the key of happiness to them. The shin couple was having a quiet romantic dinner in a noodle shop they used to visit in their high school days.

The shop wasn't crowded at that time. They were just about to finish their meals when Mrs. Shin noticed a foreigner giving orders of numerous plates of noodles in fluent mandarin.

The blonde girl was enthusiastically making orders and even giggling with the cashier girl like long lost friends.

Few foreigners were able to speak fluently. This girl was really exceptional for earning glances with her perfect mandarin from the remaining customers.

Madam Shin nudged her husband " look. How sweet. Such a Pretty girl. Wish our Yang had a girlfriend like her in America. Look at those eyes. How mesmerizing !"

Prof. Shin nodded in disagreement "I guess the girl he often mentions is prettier. My Yang lover brain over beauty. Our Yang's girl is smarter. "

They both laughed thinking about their beloved nephew Yang's girlfriend whom they never met .

Later that evening, they again came across that girl in the courtyard of the orphanage the Shin couple often visited.

Mr. and Mrs. Shin lost their firstborn in an accident. Later they adopted their child from this orphanage. Since that the children from the orphanage house became very close to their heart. They used to come here in holidays.

The girl was busy in distributing the noodle packets, chocolates and toys among the children.

It was an eye pleasing scene in front of them.

"How come we have not met her before? Look how good she is with kids. So sweet. She is a kind soul. I can tell. Her eyes. So much emotions are there."

" I guess the girl is here for some trip.She is handling the kids well."

"Such a lovely girl. I can tell she is a keeper. Wish Yang could meet her."

"Mrs. Shin." He took her hand in his palm and caressed it " Watch her. Look carefully ma'am. She is a foreigner. She will return back to her home after her trip."

" Yeah, hubby. You are right. " Mrs. Shin leaned on his shoulder. " But still I wish Yang... Girls like her are rare. She will make everyone happy wherever she goes. "

They saw the girl started walking after bidding goodbye to the children. The children chorused " Goodbye jiejie. Thank you so much."

She suddenly turned back and sat down on the ground opening her hands.

The children ran to her for a group hug.