Na-ri heard noises. She couldn't see clearly. Just blurry lights. She felt her body being pushed through a hallway. Someone held her hand tightly.
"It's going to be okay… Just hang in there," a soft voice said beside her. It was the man she had bumped into earlier—the one with the umbrella.
The pain was heavy, but she couldn't even cry. Her eyes blinked slowly, barely catching glimpses of the bright hospital lights above. She heard doctors talking fast.
"Her pulse is dropping!"
"She's losing blood!"
"Prepare the anesthesia!"
Na-ri wanted to speak, but her mouth wouldn't open. Her eyes rolled back as everything turned black.
—
In the waiting room, Minji burst in like a crazy person, wearing two different shoes. Her hair was messy, her eyes already swollen. She was crying so hard that her voice broke in between sobs.
"Where is she? Where's Na-ri? What happened?!"
A nurse tried to calm her down, but Minji kept pacing and shaking her head, mumbling to herself. Not long after, the rest of the family started arriving.
Her aunt Kang Mi-na walked in with her husband Jung Jin-ho. Behind them came the Chairman, Kang Hyun Bin, with his secretary pushing his wheelchair. Ji-a and Tae Joon arrived shortly after, pretending to look shocked.
The moment the Chairman saw the young man who had brought Na-ri in, he stopped.
"Young man… are you the one who brought my granddaughter here?" he asked.
"Yes, sir," the man replied simply.
"Thank you. Truly… thank you for saving her," the Chairman said and gave a weak bow from his seat.
Hours passed. Everyone sat in silence. Some were restless. Some pretended to be concerned. Minji sat in a corner, hugging herself tightly. Ji-a kept fixing her makeup every five minutes. Tae Joon didn't say a word.
Finally, a doctor came out.
"She's stable for now, but still in critical condition. We'll need to monitor her closely."
They all rushed forward. The Chairman broke down in tears. His secretary handed him a tissue, but he couldn't stop.
"I told her not to marry a useless man like you," he shouted, glaring at Tae Joon. "Now look what happened! Where were you when she was dying?"
Tae Joon looked down, silent.
A nurse came out next, looking around the room.
"Mr. Han?" she called out.
The young man stepped forward.
"Yes?"
"Please come with me to sign some papers."
He nodded and followed her down the hall. The Chairman turned back to the others and said, "That young man is the reason she's still alive."
In Na-ri's hospital room, she lay on the bed with a breathing mask. Her arms had bruises. A drip hung beside her. Machines beeped quietly. The Chairman sat beside her, holding her cold hand.
"You're strong, Na-ri. You'll be alright. Grandfather is here," he said gently.
Minji came close. "Grandpa, don't worry. I'll stay with her tonight. You need to go home and rest."
The Chairman nodded slowly and stood with help from his secretary. They left the room together.
Outside the door, most of the family had gathered again. Kang Mi-na wiped her eyes with a tissue while her husband stood by, biting his nails.
Ji-a swung her bag back and forth nervously. Tae Joon stood beside her, arms crossed.
Kang Mi-na walked into the room with her husband following behind. The moment she saw Na-ri lying there, she sighed and sat beside the bed. She began stroking her hair softly.
"Poor sweet Na-ri… Who would've thought you'd end up like this?" she whispered.
Jung Jin-ho stood near the door, saying nothing.
Outside, Ji-a turned to Tae Joon, voice low.
"Why are you acting worried now? Do you suddenly care about her?"
Tae Joon didn't answer.
Ji-a rolled her eyes. "If she wakes up, she'll ruin everything. She'll divorce you. You won't get a single penny."
He finally replied, "So what? If she dies, we'll definitely get something in the will."
Back inside the room, Kang Mi-na's voice dropped as she leaned closer to Na-ri's face. Na-ri's eyelids twitched slightly, but no one noticed.
"You know, looks like the gods are finally on my side," the aunt whispered cruelly. "Your father stole everything from me. Our father gave him everything just because he was a man. I got nothing."
She paused, eyes cold.
"Then you and your parents got into that accident. Your parents died that day but you somehow survived and took everything again. My money, my position, my properties… everything I worked for. You never worked for any of it. I won't let that happen again."
She looked around once, then pulled a small syringe from her handbag. She leaned over and quietly pushed some clear liquid into Na-ri's IV drip.
"Goodbye, Na-ri."
She stood and walked out with her husband, fake-crying again.
Just a few seconds later, Minji came back. She went straight into the room. When she reached Na-ri's side, she saw tears sliding down her cheeks. Na-ri's hands twitched. Minji gasped.
"Na-ri… can you hear me? Oh my God! She's crying!"
Na-ri didn't speak. She couldn't move much. But she had heard everything.
Every word her aunt said.
And tears kept falling.