The Reunion of an Embrace

Do Hwan and I walked back to my dad's room. My mind was still filled with the image of the suspicious figure at the vending machine earlier, but I chose to ignore it. Maybe my thoughts were just too chaotic, making me see strange things.

"I moved your dad's room," Do Hwan suddenly said, making me stop in my tracks.

"What do you mean? My dad is still sick, but you…,"

"I know," he quickly cut me off. "That's why I gave him a more comfortable room to rest in."

"A comfortable room?"

Do Hwan nodded. "A VIP room."

"What have you done? You didn't even tell me or ask for my permission." This was, of course, shocking. He only told me after he had already done everything.

"I'm sorry. I just couldn't keep watching you like this."

"But you can bear watching me suffer? For your information, I'm too poor to afford luxuries in this world, including a comfortable room for my father."

"Narin. I'm here. Now you have me. What are you worried about?"

I fell silent.

I was angry. Disappointed in myself because, in reality, I couldn't do much like I had promised my father.

However, hearing those words come out of this man's mouth, for some reason, made my shoulders feel lighter.

"You don't have to carry everything alone anymore. For now, just focus on your dad's health, okay?" he continued. I simply nodded in response.

Honestly, I felt uneasy accepting all his kindness, but for now, I would try to accept it. After that, I would think about how to repay him.

We continued walking, passing through corridor after corridor.

However, as we got closer to my dad’s room, I noticed something was wrong. Several hospital staff and a few men in black suits stood in front of the door, seemingly arguing with someone inside. Without thinking, I quickened my pace.

When I pushed the door open, an even worse sight unfolded before me. Several uniformed men approached my father’s bed while he looked restless. The nurse who had been taking care of him also seemed helpless.

"What is going on here?" I asked loudly, my voice slightly trembling with panic.

One of the men in suits turned to me with an innocent expression. "We're just following orders. Your father will be moved to another room."

"What? Why all of a sudden?!" I stepped closer to my dad, standing by his side as if protecting him. "You can’t move him without our consent!"

"A VIP patient needs this room immediately."

My heart pounded. Just because someone had a higher status, my dad had to be kicked out?

"My dad is a patient too!" I shouted, my voice rising. "You can't just take this room from him!"

"I don’t mind moving," my dad’s voice was calm, but I knew he just didn’t want to make things worse.

"But I do, Dad," I said, glaring at the man in the suit.

Do Hwan, who had been silent all this time, finally stepped forward, standing beside me with a sharp gaze. "You can’t do this."

The man in the suit looked at Do Hwan, seemingly not recognizing him. "We’re just following orders from our superiors."

"Orders from whom?"

"Someone who has more rights to this room."

I was about to yell back, but before I could say anything, two large men behind them started approaching, clearly ready to take further action.

"Don’t touch her."

Do Hwan’s voice was deep and firm, silencing everyone in the room.

One of the large men chuckled. "And who are you?"

Instead of answering, Do Hwan slipped his hand into his pants pocket, looking at them without a hint of fear. "If I report this to the hospital director, how long do you think you’ll be able to keep your jobs?"

The suited man’s expression changed as if he had just realized something. "You…?"

The room felt suffocating with the tension hanging in the air. I could feel my anger boiling, but Do Hwan remained calm, staring at the suited man as if waiting for his next move.

The leader of the group finally let out a long sigh and signaled his subordinates to back off. "Forget it. We don’t want to cause a bigger commotion."

I glared at him. "So, you finally realized how ridiculous this is?"

The man didn’t answer, only giving me a sharp look before turning around and leaving the room with his team.

Once the door closed again, I let out a heavy sigh and turned to my father. "Are you okay, Dad?"

He gave me a small smile. "I didn’t expect you to be this upset. I told you, I don’t mind moving."

I stared at him. "That’s not the point, Dad. They can’t treat us like this."

Do Hwan only glanced at me briefly, but before he could say anything, his phone suddenly rang. He looked at the screen for a moment before answering the call.

I couldn’t hear the voice on the other end, but his expression remained blank.

"Alright," he said shortly.

Then, without explaining anything, he put his phone back in his pocket and turned around. "I have to go."

I frowned. "Eh? Where to?"

"Or do you want to sleep with me?"

That remark made me immediately snap, "Are you crazy?"

He laughed at my reaction. "Don’t forget to study. The exams are coming up in a few days."

Ahhh, right. I almost forgot.

---

I stared at my dad's back as he peacefully slept after dinner. His face looked calm, though I knew his body was silently fighting against the illness that continued to wear him down. I let out a long sigh, adjusting his blanket before rising from my chair.

I glanced at the clock on the wall. It was almost midnight. That was when I realized I had left my study books at home. I needed to retrieve them and return quickly.

Moving carefully to avoid disturbing my dad, I walked toward the door. But just as my hand touched the doorknob, my eyes caught sight of a figure standing motionless in front of the room.

Someone dressed in black.

My heart pounded instantly. I recognized that silhouette—the same one I had seen reflected in the vending machine glass earlier.

The figure was gripping a small bag, as if hiding something. They stood still, unmoving. But the moment they noticed me, they slowly lowered the cap covering part of their face, then turned around and walked away.

I froze for a moment, feeling a chill run down my spine. So… what I saw before wasn’t just my imagination?

Without a second thought, I dashed after them.

I ran without stopping, weaving through the hospital corridors that were now growing empty. The figure moved swiftly, passing by nurses and visitors who turned their heads at the sound of our hurried footsteps echoing in the nearly silent night.

I didn’t care. I had to know who they were. I had to know why they had been standing in front of my dad’s room with such a suspicious look.

I was starting to grow tired, but I refused to stop. The figure in black was fast, slipping through the dim corridors of the hospital.

As they turned into a darker area, my eyes landed on the first object I could reach—a large trash bin overflowing with garbage. Without thinking, I shoved it forward with all my strength.

Thud!

The figure stumbled and fell to the floor with a heavy thump.

This was my chance.

I rushed forward, my breath ragged. Without hesitation, I grabbed their shoulder and forcibly turned them over. The figure struggled, but I was faster. My hand reached for the black cap covering their face and yanked it off.

I gasped.

Long, messy hair. Wide eyes filled with shock.

I froze.

“You? How can you…”

She snatched the cap from my grip harshly, turning away with a scowl. Her steps were hurried, as if she couldn’t wait to leave. But without thinking, I instinctively grabbed her wrist.

“Hana, how are you going to explain this?” I asked, my voice slightly trembling.

She stopped but didn’t turn around. “Explain what?” she replied flatly, as if there was nothing to clarify.

I frowned, unable to believe her reaction. “Why were you here? Why were you sneaking around and standing in front of my father’s hospital room?” I looked at her sharply. “You need to explain everything.”

Hana let out a scoff, then turned with an irritated expression. “I was just passing by. What’s wrong with that?”

Her excuse was absurd. I was sure she was hiding something. I kept staring at her, trying to read her expression.

She sighed heavily, running a hand through her hair. “Fine,” she said, her voice laced with sarcasm. “I was worried. Happy now?”

I was taken aback, but before I could respond, Hana continued, her tone rising.

“You think you’re so strong acting like this?” she scoffed. “You’re not! You’re weak, Narin. You’re weak.”

I fell silent.

“Why are you just standing there? Isn’t this unfair to you? So make a scene! Don’t just accept all the insults and mistreatment from others.”

I still couldn’t say anything. I didn’t know how to respond.

“Do you think I enjoy watching you like this?” Her tone softened. “All this time, I thought we were like sisters—inseparable. But you? No! I was the only one who shared everything with you. The only one who opened up. But you? You always kept everything to yourself!”

I stared at her, confused. I didn’t understand why she was this angry.

“What do you mean…?” I asked cautiously.

Hana’s eyes turned red with emotion. “Are you stupid or just pretending to be?” her voice wavered. “Do you think I’m mad because you’re dating Do Hwan?! Do you think I’m that shallow?!”

I froze.

“For how long are you going to stay silent and never tell me anything?!” she went on, her voice shaking. “For how long will you keep carrying all this pain alone?! I’m sick of it, Narin!”

Her voice broke, and finally, her tears fell.

She sobbed loudly—childishly—letting out all the emotions she had bottled up for so long.

I looked at her, feeling both heavy and weightless at the same time. I had never seen her like this before.

Without hesitation, I pulled her into a tight hug.

“Why are you crying?” I whispered. “I’m the one at fault here.”

She stiffened for a moment in my arms, but I could feel her slowly relaxing.

Then, hesitantly, her hands gripped the back of my shirt tightly, as if afraid I would disappear.

I was relieved.

She. my best friend. had come back.

***