Short Story 2 : Heart on the Right Side

Ban has never missed a beat. He’s always been able to hold down the fort on all his projects, and his projects have always been the envy of his peers.
“How did he come up with fin façade that bends with ventilation current without electronic circuits?” Pong examined Ban’s project model, impressed by its brilliance.

“I think it all comes together extremely well. The innovation and aesthetics.”
“Architecture is a record of fleeting moments, dates, time, and every moment of the day.”
“Whoa, what a deep concept! So poetic. I wonder who wrote it for him? Usually Ban isn’t this sensitive.” Eak observed.
“Why don’t you try waking him up so we can ask him. Over there – his caffeine booster has worn off. He’s drained out over there.”
That was how people always saw Ban – the most extreme of everything. The best. The nerdiest. The strongest.
“Vi…wrote it for me.” Ban squeaked from under the blankets.

“Hmm…who’s Vi?” Both Pong and Eak asked.
“Vi…my friend who’s studying agriculture,” Ban replied drowsily. Eak and Pong continued to listen.
“Vi…who is the right side of my heart.” Eak and Pong looked at each other, confused.

“He must be talking in his sleep.” The two men slipped out of the studio, leaving Ban to smile in his sleep, with the right side of his heart. And that was what Vi was for Ban, the right side of his heart that was constantly beating with him. Pumping energy for Ban as well as the left side of his heart.
“I’m lucky to have two hearts. My heart on the left side pumps energy to my brain, my thoughts, and helps with dealing with new challenges. I may be a bit rough on the edges, but I have my heart on the right side to balance my soft and sensitive side. It’s the other half of me that allows me to stand at this point.”
This was Ban’s speech when he accepted his award for Best Architect in Asia. It stressed the importance of Vi, the deep bond between them as lovers and partners.
“I would like to share this award with my right-side heart, if you don’t mind.”
The sound of applause filled the auditorium, the sound and feeling of being “the best”. It was the only thing left from that day.
Today it was flowing around Ban’s heart. He could still hear it, see the images replaying like a movie on rerun. However, today that feeling was not one of happiness of being “the best” anymore. Today it cut him like a knife.
Today Ban was a hemiplegic. His heart on the left side was still beating on that side. But it could not do anything. His thoughts swirled in his head, full of despair and hopelessness. He was now a person who was only half of himself; how could he look after his parents and take care of his partner?
But the heart on Ban’s right side must continue beating. Even though it may be weak or discouraged, it must go on beating for the heart on the left, which was why Vi never thought of leaving him. However, she must be responsible for her own life, as well as Ban’s life, and the lives of his parents. It was a huge burden, which was more than she alone could handle. If only there were someone who could help her.

“Ban” I have something to tell you,” Vi said, in a strained voice as they had breakfast together.
Ban was trying to drink his coffee but it was dribbling from his lips on the side that was paralyzed. Ban would not give up. Vi wiped the spilt coffee from his lips with a napkin.
“I can’t take it anymore, Ban. I want to separate. From now on we will live on our own, and look after our own parents. We can’t go on dragging each other down like this.”
The left side of his heart stopped beating. Was the right side of his heart going to stop working too?

No. There must be a better solution than this. Vi chased this thought out of her mind. There was no way she would separate from Ban, especially when he needed her most.
“Ban…I have something to tell you.” Vi said brightly as they had breakfast together. Ban was trying to drink his coffee but it was dribbling from his lips on the side that was paralyzed. Ban would not give up. Vi wiped the spilled coffee from his lips with a napkin.
“Let’s move closer to doctors, Ban. Where there will be people to help me look after you. It will help me take care of our parents better. Let’s move to live in a house with the same concept that you once designed. This house is like a life hammock, cradling our life. Do you remember, Mr. Best Architect of Asia?”