Whispers in the Hospital

As soon as I received the news that my father had been rushed to the hospital, Do Hwan and I immediately stopped the first taxi that passed by. My hands trembled as I typed the hospital’s name into my phone, making sure of the address.

The road felt longer than usual, even though the taxi driver was driving as fast as possible.

I kept clutching my bag tightly on my lap, trying to calm myself, but the anxiety gnawed at my mind. Do Hwan, sitting beside me, occasionally glanced at me, then, without a word, slipped a bottle of mineral water into my hand. I just stared at the bottle, uninterested.

"Calm down," he said softly.

I didn't respond. How could I be calm when my father had suddenly been rushed to the hospital? What happened? Why didn't anyone tell me sooner?

As soon as the taxi stopped in front of the hospital, I quickly got out without waiting for Do Hwan. My steps were hurried, almost running past the main entrance. The sharp scent of antiseptic immediately greeted me, along with the echo of footsteps in the white corridor.

"My dad, Kang Jae Hyun… where is his room?" I asked the nurse at the information desk urgently.

The nurse searched the data on her computer, then looked at me with sympathetic eyes.

"He is in a ward on the third floor, room 312."

I immediately turned around, heading for the elevator. Do Hwan caught up with me and pressed the button before I could do it myself.

"I want to know his condition too, so don't rush so much that you trip," he said, his voice gentler than usual.

I gave a small nod, trying to take a deep breath. As soon as the elevator doors opened, I stepped out quickly. My pace quickened as the room numbers got closer to 312.

Standing in front of the room, I hesitated. My breath shook, my hands clenched tightly at my sides. I had to prepare myself for whatever I was about to see inside. Counting to three, I slid the door open slowly.

My Dad lay on the hospital bed, his face pale under the overly bright white light. His eyes were closed, making me even more anxious. With trembling steps, I walked closer and gripped his large hand tightly.

"Dad…," my voice was barely audible. I didn't have the strength to speak louder. I just wanted him to open his eyes, turn toward me, and assure me that this was not a nightmare.

Suddenly, I heard chuckles around me. My brows furrowed as I looked up.

My Dad was grinning slightly, and beside him, Do Hwan was already stifling laughter.

I was stunned, my emotions a mix of relief and annoyance. "What is this?" My voice rose.

My Dad chuckled. "I just wanted to see your reaction. Besides, I'm fine, dear. No need to overreact."

Do Hwan was still holding back laughter. "You should’ve seen your face earlier, Narin. Like you just lost your entire world."

I clicked my tongue sharply, my eyes stinging. "Don't joke at a time like this!" My voice trembled. "I was nearly dying of fear on the way here, you know?"

My father took a deep breath, his expression softening slightly. "I'm sorry, Narin. I just didn't want you to worry too much. I'm really okay."

I shook my head. "If you're really okay, why are you in the hospital?"

He smiled faintly. "Just a little fatigue. It's nothing."

I hoped that was true.

The sound of the door opening interrupted our conversation. A doctor entered, wearing a white coat with glasses perched on his nose. His eyes scanned the notes in his hand before looking at us. "Who is the patient's family?"

I quickly stood up. "I’m his daughter."

The doctor nodded. "Could you come with me for a moment?"

My heart pounded faster. I glanced at my Dad, who only smiled calmly, before finally following the doctor out.

---

Inside his office, the doctor sat down and skimmed through the documents before finally looking at me. "Before anything else, I need to ask you a few questions. Can you answer them honestly?"

I nodded. "Of course." Just from his expression, I already knew this wasn’t something simple.

"Have you noticed any unusual symptoms in Mr. Kang before? Physical changes or anything else?"

I was silent for a moment. My brain started replaying past memories. Then, I began to recall some things...

"Symptoms? I don't know if these count, but sometimes he looked easily tired, drowsier than usual, and his legs would swell occasionally. Also, his appetite has been declining, and he started skipping breakfast," I explained.

The doctor nodded knowingly, as if he had already predicted my answer. "Alright, I'll get straight to the point, Miss Kang."

I braced myself for whatever he was about to say.

"We’ve done tests and confirmed that Mr. Kang has chronic kidney failure," the doctor said clearly but cautiously.

I froze. My breath caught in my throat. My fingers clenched tightly around the chair as if seeking support in a world that suddenly felt like it was collapsing. I couldn’t say a word or even react. Somehow, my vision blurred. My mind could only process one thing—my father’s illness.

"H-how could this happen? What caused it?"

"It could be due to poor diet, prolonged stress, or uncontrolled diabetes/hypertension over the years. This isn't new—it seems to have been developing for quite some time."

My heart sank. "What do you mean, quite some time?"

The doctor sighed, placing the documents on the table. "We've found indications that this condition has been present for years, but only now has it worsened. It seems he deliberately kept it from everyone."

I stared at the doctor in disbelief. "No way. My Dad wouldn't do that."

"Chronic kidney failure takes years to develop. His kidneys can no longer function properly to filter toxins from his body. That’s why he often felt fatigued and looked pale."

"Then… then what should I do, Doctor? Please save my Dad. He’s the only person I have left in this world. Please!"

"For now, his condition is still manageable, but we need to proceed with further medical treatment, such as medication therapy or hemodialysis—also known as dialysis—depending on its progression. And we need the family's consent for further action. If left untreated, this condition could worsen and become life-threatening," he explained in detail.

I gripped my knees, trying to steady myself. "Does… does my Dad know about this?"

The doctor nodded slightly. "Most likely, yes."

I swallowed hard, my stomach churning. Had my father been hiding this from me all this time? For what? To keep me from worrying? But now… now I was far more worried than before.

Just as I was still trying to process everything, my phone vibrated in my pocket. I ignored it.

But the vibrations kept repeating. Over and over.

The doctor noticed. "You should answer that if it's important."

I exhaled heavily, pulling out my phone and glancing at the caller ID. "Witch."

Hesitantly, I swiped the screen and brought the phone to my ear. "Hello?"

Without warning, a sharp voice burst through the speaker. "Kang Narin! Hurry home and watch the store. I have work to do!"

I shut my eyes tightly. Of course. She didn’t care at all about what was happening.

"Mom, I'm at the hospital," I said weakly, trying to keep my emotions in check. "Dad was just admitted. I can’t go home now."

"Yeah, I heard. So what?" she snapped coldly. "What’s the point of you staying there? You’re not a doctor, not a nurse. You’ll just be in the way. Go home and watch the store!"

"Mom, this is serious," my voice trembled. "The doctor said Dad has been sick for a long time but never told anyone. I can’t leave him now."

She scoffed. "I spent so much money on you two, and now you’re whining over a minor illness?"

I bit my lip, my chest aching. "I’ll repay everything, but please don’t speak badly about my father."

"Just do as I say, Narin!" she snapped, then abruptly hung up.

---

After leaving the doctor's office, I walked aimlessly. My gaze was empty, my feet moving without really knowing where they were going. My chest felt tight, and my head was filled with unanswered questions.

I let my body collapse onto a waiting chair, feeling the exhaustion hit me along with the storm of emotions inside me.

What should I do?

What am I supposed to do now?

Why is this happening to my Dad?

My mind kept spinning, searching for certainty that I couldn't find. My breathing felt heavy. I wanted to cry, but the tears wouldn't fall.

After sitting in silence for about ten minutes, my throat felt dry. I got up sluggishly and walked toward the vending machine at the end of the hallway. The hospital's atmosphere remained the same—quiet, with only the occasional sound of nurses hurrying by or the wheels of a stretcher rolling past.

I inserted some money and pressed a button at random, not even looking at what drink I chose. The machine made a sound, and a few seconds later, a canned drink dropped down. I bent down to pick it up.

As I stood back up, my eyes caught something in the machine’s glass reflection.

Someone was standing right behind me.

The figure was dressed entirely in black. I couldn't see their face clearly because the reflection in the glass was slightly blurry, but I was sure they were watching me.

I could even feel their gaze piercing into my back, making the hairs on my neck stand on end despite the cold air in the hospital hallway.

My heart pounded. An eerie feeling washed over me—fear, anxiety, and something else I couldn't explain. I tried to stay still, making sure my eyes weren't playing tricks on me. But before I could react any further, a hand suddenly grabbed my shoulder.

I gasped.

"What are you doing here?"

I quickly turned around, my heart nearly jumping out of my chest.

Do Hwan.

I swallowed hard, trying to calm my still-racing heartbeat.

"You scared me!" I lightly hit his arm, feeling relieved that it was just him. But when I glanced back at the machine’s glass…

The figure was gone.

I immediately turned around to check where they had been standing.

No one was there. The hallway was empty.

Was I hallucinating?

A chill ran down my spine. I tried to shake off the unease, but the unsettling feeling lingered.

It was as if I was still being watched.

***