Minho POV

I wiped the perspiration off my face with my wristband. I saw the ball coming towards me and prepared to hit it with my racket. I had a mean backhand, I had been told and it was the one I used to return the ball.

It ricocheted towards my opponents court. Donghae-hyung, my friend, tried his best to return it but he wasn't able to catch it in time.

The ball sailed just a few centimeters above his tennis racket.

For that, I won.

"You still haven't lost it, have you?"Donghae-hyung commented as we shook hands.

It was just a friendly game and although both of us played to win, there were no hard feelings when eventually, one of us had to lose.

"Of course, I haven't. I'm not like the others whose skills are now rusting."I replied, jokingly.

I liked sports since time immemorial. I have tried almost all it, even the what they call extreme sports. Basketball, squash, swimming, tennis; modesty aside, but honestly I was good in all of them.

I tried sky diving, parasailing, scuba diving even bungee jumping. I'm also an expert martial artist. I enjoyed all kinds of physical and challenging activities.

I caught a glimpse of my knees. Anger filled my system as painful memories lingered in my head.

Instinctively, my hand also went to my back. I felt like I was thrown back to that particular moment of my life where I wish I just died.

Flashback

I was in the midst of a frenetic polo match where my horse stumbled. I fell flat on the ground while the horse carrying my opponent suddenly went wild.

One of the horse's hooves caught me squarely on the back. One leg  kicked my shin and knees.

The pain was so intense and I swear I saw black spots dance before my very eyes. I knew I was on the verge of passing out. And how I wished I would indeed lose consciousness because the pain was so great. I wanted to shout but no sound would come out of my lips. Instead, I could only gasp as each moment brought on more agony.
 

I was rushed to the hospital. Several tests were ran on me and the verdict came.

I probably won't be able to walk again.

Of course, they didn't tell that straight on my face. Doctors were taught to give their patients hope even if their cases seemed hopeless. They told me, I'll be needing extensive therapy. I need to persevere to bring my mobility back.

"Cut the bull, Doc. Just give me the plain, unvarnished truth."I hissed, staring him, daring him to deny my request.

The doctor sighed."Okay, since it seems to me you can take it, and it might just work to your advantage to know the truth, I'm going to give it to you," he paused for a while."Worst case scenario, you will never walk again. The injury to your spine is such that fusion would be a problem. The knee injury could be repaired but extensive therapy is necessary for it to regain its former mobility. The spine thing is the ball breaker. But there is hope and this is no bull. A hospital in US has done wonders with the kind of injury you sustained. They do not promise miracles but their success rate is something to look forward to, something that could give you hope."

Hope was really such a fragile thing but it was true it was hard to kill. It was the only thing that gave me strength to face Sooyoung.

Sooyoung was my girlfriend.

She was the second girl who I can say that I really loved.

The first was Seohyun. She was my girlfriend back in senior high.

Seohyun was my first love. We wove lovely plans for the future. But those plans were cut short and superceded by the plans of her parents. Her family was planning to migrate to America. And of course, she can't defy her parents' wish. That left me with a broken heart. I recovered from it mainly because I was young and I had no choice.
 

It took me many years to feel something for a girl again.

After my first bout with a broken heart, I was more cautious. But love had a way of finding a person, even one who was unwilling to feel it.

I met Sooyoung at a party, and I couldn't seem to get her out of my mind. I followed through and we became an item a couple of months after that.

We had recently celebrated our second year anniversary as a couple when that fated day came, the accident at the polo match.

Followed by the devastating news that I can't possibly walk again.

I was devastated but Sooyoung was more so.

She looked liked she was strucked by lightning when I told her what the doctors said.

"The ing doctors could be wrong!"she cursed. She sounded hysterical. "You have to get a second opinion. Even a third, and a fourth one!"

"I have done that,"I said. By then, I had calmed down. I understand how she reacted. I had already popped the question to her. We haven't set the wedding yet, but it was on planning stage already.

Why in the world that the freaking accident happened now?

It just didn't seem fair. To me and most especially to her.

"What about that clinic in the US?"she asked.

"My doctors have forwarded my records to them. They ..."my voice trailed off. I don't know how to say it. It seems like a lump suddenly formed in my throat.

"What!?"she asked expectantly.

"They said they might not be able to help me."I answered, looking down.

"Then find someone! Anyone, who can!"she screamed. She sounded too desperate.

"Honey, that's exactly what I'm trying to do."I felt very, very tired. Physically, mentally and emotionally. I needed someone to comfort me and yet it seemed the very person I sought it from needed it more than I do.

A few days after that, I went home. I had continous therapy sessions and while my knee injury was showing great improvements, my spine injury seemed hopeless.

Day by day, I saw huge difference with Sooyoung's actions.

My once sweet and loving girlfriend suddenly seemed to be having trouble finding time for me.

I don't want to go looking for something to grieve about but I just couldn't help but notice the changes.

I was not suprised when one day she visited me and told me to postpone the wedding.

"There's nothing to postpone. We haven't set the date yet."I answered coldly."Maybe what we should do is to forget we ever talked about getting married,"I added.

"Maybe that's what we should do,"Sooyoung replied.

And that marked the end of my so called love story.

End of Flashback