Chapter 18 (Choices)

Jennie's POV:

My dad was angry at me. They found out my relationship with Lisa and they're against it. He instructed me to stop seeing Lisa. One thing I'm sure with. I will fight for my Lisa no matter what, even if they will disown me. If I need to hide and lie to them, I will do it. I don't know how I'm gonna tell everything to Lisa. She doesn't deserve this treatment.

I'm currently here in school together with Jisoo, Irene, Seulgi, and Joy. We're enjoying our remaining days being a student and tried catching up. Who knows if we will be busier after graduation. We're all business man's daughter and we will be ending up managing our family business this coming months or years. Lisa is not with us, she's been absent for a week already, she's spending her time with her family because her dad will be back in Australia after our graduation. I missed her every day so I'm visiting her at home every after class.

Lisa's POV:

I'm staying at home and resting, my doctor advised me to have a bed rest. I told Jennie and my friends that I'm spending time with my family as an alibi. Little did they know that I'm currently fighting a battle alone. I don't want them to know my current situation. I don't want them to worry about me. I want to maintain my image as a happy go lucky Lisa, a dork Lisa, someone who will joke around to make them smile. I feel sad when I realized that I can't do it to them in the coming months.

Because I'm dying...

I still remembered what Dr. Choi told us during my last check-up.

Flashback :

Dr. Choi: I also ask for a second and third opinion to my friends who's also a doctor in the US.

They said the same thing.

Dad: What do you mean?

Dr.Choi:: Lisa has a brain tumor.

My body was frozen after hearing those. Tumor? Me? How?  A lot of questions are running on my mind. My parents, we're also shocked. I saw a tear left on my mom's eye.

Mom: How is it possible? Is it related to the previous accident that Lisa had 5 years ago?

Dr. Choi: Ne, it's possible. I'm also assuming that. Some tumors have no symptoms until they are quite large and then cause a serious, rapid decline in health. Other tumors may have symptoms that develop slowly. A common initial symptom of a brain tumor is a severe headache in the morning. Headaches due to a brain tumor are often worse in the morning and may get better throughout the day. They may cause pain all over or that's worse on one side of the head.

*The doctor stated. He paused to gasp for air then continued*

Some brain tumors do not cause headaches at all since the brain itself isn't capable of sensing pain. Only when a tumor is large enough to press on nerves or vessels do they cause headaches.

*Lisa has no reaction, she's just listening and starring blankly, her dad tap her back*

Dad: Let me know what to do to cure my daughter. I will spend all of my money just to cure her.

Mom: Tell us Doc that there's something that we can do.

Dr. Choi: Yes. There's something that we can do. In Lisa's case, her tumor is in the late stage of grade 3 and early stage of grade 4.

Grade III — The tumor cells look very different from normal cells under a microscope and grow more quickly than grade I and II tumor cells. They are likely to spread into nearby tissue.

Grade IV (high-grade) — The tumor cells do not look like normal cells under a microscope and grow and spread very quickly. There may be areas of dead cells in the tumor. Grade IV tumors usually cannot be cured.

We need to perform surgery the soonest. Surgery to remove the tumor is typically the first option once a brain tumor has been diagnosed.

Dad: Let's schedule the surgery as soon as possible.

Dr. Choi: When do you want to do it so I can prepare my team?

Lisa: 2 weeks from now after my graduation.

Mom: But Lisa, as per the doctor we need to do it asap!

Dr.Choi: 2 weeks is fine, I can give Lisa some meds to take while waiting for the operation.

Lisa: How many percents are the chance for me to survive?

Mom: Lisa!

Dr. Choi: The 5-year survival rate for people with a cancerous brain or CNS tumor is approximately 34% for men and 36% for women. However, survival rates vary widely and depend on several factors, including the type of brain or spinal cord tumor.

Dad: If she will have a successful surgery what will happen?

Dr.Choi: Lisa can live normal.

I'll be honest that the surgery is risky and delicate. And it's a 50/50 chance but this is the best option that I have in your current case.

Lisa: I'm afraid, but please let me sleep before doing the surgery. Make sure that I will be numb so I will not feel anything. You know, my physical pain tolerance is low. Let's do it, mom and dad.

Dr. Choi: Okay, let me prepare some papers. I advised you to have a bed rest. You can still do the things that you're doing as usual but don't tire yourself. If you feel a severe headache, take these meds. *he instructed*

End of flashback

Lisa's pov:

I feel depressed after hearing those. I'm lucky because Jennie is always visiting and checking me from time to time. How I'm gonna tell her that anytime soon I'll be leaving her. My tears flow when I realized that anytime soon, I can't feel her hugs, kisses and her presence. I don't want Jennie to live miserable if ever that I will die. I want her to live happily and continue her life. I love her so much. But it seems that destiny is playing with us.

Am I going to tell her? Or just keep it by myself?

I don't want to be unfair but...

-What will be Lisa's decision?