“Ugh.”

Upon entering the hospital, Ju-eon’s brows automatically furrowed. Since being told he was terminal, the hospital’s distinctive air had started to feel nauseating, and lately, it had become difficult to control his expression.

“Are you alright?”

“…Yes, I’m fine.”

A passing nurse quickly approached Ju-eon and asked with concern. Ju-eon nodded while smoothing his expression. It wasn’t unbearable. He exhaled slowly.

Reaching the end room on the highest floor, Ju-eon moistened his lower lip before knocking on the door.

Knock knock.

“Yes.”

A gentle voice from inside permitted the intruder. Opening the door, through the streaming sunlight, he saw a middle-aged woman with extremely delicate features. Her fragile frame revealed how much she had suffered from illness.

“They said you can eat things besides hospital food now, so I brought these.”

Fortunately, only rehabilitation therapy remained now.

Various cakes and teas, even meals from a good traditional restaurant. As he set down the shopping bags he had brought, Kim Eun-sun waved her hands dismissively with reddening eyes.

“Why did you bring all this? I’m really fine…”

For the past few years, Ju-eon had been the only visitor to see Kim Eun-sun. Though she wasn’t on bad terms with other patients in the hospital, having no visitors was a bitter thing.

Eun-sun hurriedly unfolded a chair that was beside her and offered him a seat.

“Thank you.”

“Maybe it’s because I haven’t seen you in a while, but your complexion looks much worse than mine?”

“I’ve had a lot of work lately.”

Yeo Myung-hwon’s mother. Kim Eun-sun.

Neither Myung-hwon nor Eun-sun had told Ju-eon the details, but he vaguely sensed that what they were trying to hide was related to Myung-hwon’s father.

From what he could guess, Eun-sun had left home, almost like being driven out, under conditions that wouldn’t harm Myung-hwon, and hadn’t seen him since. Myung-hwon was essentially abandoned without knowing the circumstances. And Myung-hwon felt deeply betrayed by this.

Ju-eon meeting Kim Eun-sun was an unintended, almost miraculous coincidence. Eun-sun had somehow learned of Myung-hwon’s department and collapsed when she came to see him secretly just once, and Ju-eon discovered her and took her to the hospital, where he learned she was Myung-hwon’s mother.

Though she pleaded that she must never meet Myung-hwon, she occasionally showed signs of missing him. It wasn’t that they didn’t see each other because they hated or despised each other. So Ju-eon believed that Myung-hwon would someday forgive his mother, and secretly paid her hospital bills.

‘I told you I only need you.’

His face looked pained when he said those words. But Myung-hwon showed clear rejection. He had hurt Myung-hwon again by making assumptions on his own.

“Must be a busy time these days?”

“There’s been some personnel changes.”

Ju-eon smiled awkwardly. A strangely awkward air flowed between them. Eun-sun hesitated before difficultly opening her mouth.

“Um… is he doing well?”

This question wasn’t directed at himself. She seemed worried after hearing about how busy things were.

“Yes. He’s doing well.”

“Really? That’s good.”

Eun-sun found it difficult to speak Myung-hwon’s name. Ju-eon understood how great the pain must be of not being able to see family again after losing them all at once in a moment’s accident. That’s why he thought the two of them were pitiful. Because it happened while they were trying to be considerate of each other.

“Um…”

As Ju-eon hesitated, Eun-sun spoke first.

“You have something to say, don’t you?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t know what it is, but please feel comfortable saying it without burden.”

Ju-eon bit his lower lip as if he had made up his mind. Though regrettable, it wasn’t his role to step in. Ju-eon was Myung-hwon’s person.

“I won’t be able to come anymore. I have an overseas business trip. I’m sorry.”

Ju-eon smiled awkwardly after adding an unsolicited reason.

Eun-sun’s eyes widened in surprise for a moment, but she soon smiled warmly. When the corners of her eyes creased slightly, Myung-hwon’s face flashed briefly. His guilt doubled and he lowered his head. Eun-sun placed her hand on top of Ju-eon’s.

“I wish I could repay your kindness somehow…”

“I’m sorry. In the end, I couldn’t do anything.”

“I know it must have been very difficult for you being in the middle. I’m sorry. I’m just a burden.”

“No. Please don’t say that.”

“I was thinking I should do something for you after I’m discharged…”

“I didn’t help expecting anything in return.”

“Thank you. Really.”

Overcome with emotion, tears welled up in Eun-sun’s eyes.

“…I’ll come one more time.”

Ju-eon mumbled in an uncertain voice. It was like a promise to himself.

He still wanted to ask one more time. He knew it was meddlesome, and knew Myung-hwon would be angry about bringing it up again unnecessarily. It was also a choice he wouldn’t have made if he had more time left.

**

With some time left before meeting the doctor to check on Eun-sun’s condition as her guardian, he went to reception and paid the hospital bills in cash up until discharge.

The nurse spoke to Ju-eon in a friendly voice. Perhaps because he had taken a day off on a weekday, the hospital was extremely quiet. There seemed to be only one or two other visitors besides Ju-eon.

The nurse, who had been watching Ju-eon nervously while moving her lips, subtly opened up conversation.

“You must be happy the patient will be discharged soon.”

“Yes, well.”

Ju-eon looked up while checking the time on his phone. The nurse’s eyes sparkled as if curious about what relationship existed between the patient and Ju-eon, who readily paid such a large sum.

When Ju-eon answered more readily than expected, the nurse seemed to take it as a signal that more conversation would be okay and asked another question.

“May I ask what your relationship is?”

This seemed to be what she really wanted to know. The other nurses doing work behind her were also listening in on the conversation. Ju-eon hesitated for a moment before answering in a quieter voice.

“…She’s my partner’s mother.”

“Your partner must be happy.”

The nurse’s eyes widened at the unexpected answer. Ju-eon’s clear face reddened slightly at the words that felt sweet just saying them.

“I hope so.”

If only Myung-hwon thought that way too. He was at a loss for how to bring up this issue again.

The nurse looked at him enviously, saying it must be their prime time. She laughed, saying she too had such times courting her current wife.

After the conversation ended, he checked the time again. There was still some time left. Just as he was considering waiting in front of the doctor’s office, his phone rang.

Rrrr.

Checking the screen, Ju-eon hurriedly went toward the emergency stairwell to answer the call.

-Hello?

“Yes, Team Leader. Is something wrong?”

It was rare for Team Leader Kang No-hun to call an employee who had taken a day off. Ju-eon answered tensely, wondering if something had happened, but No-hun hurriedly explained, seeming rather flustered.

-No, I know you took the day off, but I just got a call about the team transfer. They said they can move it up to about a week from now. Wanted to ask what you want to do.

“Yes, that’s fine.”

It wasn’t urgent news, but it wasn’t pleasant news either.

-Your voice doesn’t sound good, are you okay?

“Yes, I’m fine.”

-You can still come visit often after changing teams. I’ll throw you a big farewell party too. Don’t feel too bad about it.

“I’m the one who asked for it to be moved up.”

-I feel bad knowing you must have been very uncomfortable, that’s why.

“It’s fine.”

Leaning against the wall, he felt its characteristic coldness. A coolness spread through Ju-eon’s body as his temperature rapidly dropped. Ju-eon tried to maintain his composure while exhaling slowly.

-Okay then. I won’t keep you long on your day off.

“Yes.”

-Oh right. Myung-hwon left for an urgent business trip today so he might not be reachable.

Why did he have to hear this from someone else’s mouth rather than his? He shouldn’t be sad about things like this. If he got sad about such things, there would be too many things to be sad about to handle.

After hanging up, he stood there for a moment when a vibration rang out.

Buzz.

He thought it was another call, but it wasn’t. The vibration wasn’t coming from his phone but throughout the entire building.

Bang.

When he hurriedly opened the emergency stairwell door and went outside, people were moving about busily. Ju-eon caught the nurse he had just been talking with earlier.

“Sorry, but what’s happening?”

“We’re checking now, so I’m not sure. I’m sorry.”

The nurse quickly moved on after answering. To assess the situation, Ju-eon looked out the window. A scene that felt immediately out of place caught his eye.

Misfortune sometimes confronts us at unexpected moments. Like now.

“That’s…”

Ju-eon muttered, turning pale.

Part of the building that had been fine until he entered the hospital was now damaged. Looking down, he saw people running out of the building in terror. Ju-eon drew in a sharp breath.

“That’s where the ma’am is…?”

A beat later, he realized that building was the inpatient ward. Though Eun-sun had almost recovered, she couldn’t walk properly yet as she had just started rehabilitation therapy.

The moment that thought entered his head, the blood drained from Ju-eon’s face. In that instant, he dropped everything and ran straight toward the ward. Though it was clear there was nothing a guide could do alone, he couldn’t just stand still.