By Zephyria 
I entered the elevator and arrived at the floor where the VIP rooms were located. Unlike other floors, what I faced upon stepping out of the elevator was a circular lobby. It looked like an information center.
The hallways splitting to both sides were equipped with electronic entrances, making it impossible to see inside. As if that weren’t enough, security guards were standing guard on both sides of the doors.
“What is the nature of your visit?”
The employee behind the desk asked in a kind voice. A hurdle from the very start. I stood there for a moment, looking at the employee, and then took my phone out of my pocket. It was time for the ‘Dad chance.’
—What is it?
“I’m at the hospital.”
—……What? Why haven’t you left the funeral hall yet and……
“I’ve come up to the VIP ward. You have to keep your promise, Father.”
—Does it have to be like this? And of all times, today!
“There’s no reason it shouldn’t be today.”
It wasn’t ‘of all times, today,’ but today was the day I had carefully chosen.
If I were unlucky, I might run into Grandfather while he was there, or even if not, Grandfather might arrive in the middle of it. Father would surely tell everyone to keep their mouths shut, but even if word somehow got out and Grandfather chased after us, it would definitely take longer to get here from the ancestral burial grounds than from Grandfather’s house.
After putting some thought into it, today was the most suitable day.
“Please tell me the room number. It would be even better if you could place a call here.”
―You absolutely insist on…
“Even if you try to force your way in, the door will be an issue, Father. There’s no need to make a scene. This could all pass quietly if you just keep your mouth shut. I’m tired of waiting, so hurry up and make the call.”
―…Thirty minutes. Exactly thirty minutes.
“I don’t recall that condition being part of our agreement. You aren’t exactly in a position to set terms, Father. Why are you acting like this, making the atmosphere so grim? Just make the call already.”
I really have to listen to all sorts of bullshit. As if he’s doing me a favor by letting me visit. If anything, I’m the one doing him a favor by pretending to be generous after he practically begged me to get my hands dirty.
I hung up the phone without hesitation and trudged toward the desk. As our eyes met, the staff member beamed a smile as if they had been specially trained. As expected of a facility for VIPs.
“I’m the hospital director’s youngest son. A call should be coming through soon, so should I wait a moment?”
No sooner had I spoken than the internal phone rang. The employee, who had been staring at me, answered the phone and responded mechanically, “Yes, yes.” The fact that they maintained a smiling face and a sweet voice even then made them seem like a mannequin, which was creepy.
“Our staff will guide you to the room. Guardian visits are limited to thirty minutes.”
Good grief. Father is truly meticulous. Did he really think that would work and leave such a useless instruction?
“Whether it’s thirty minutes or three hours, I’ll come out when I’m done visiting. If the attending physician is here, call them too.”
“…Excuse me?”
“Isn’t there a doctor in charge of the patient? Did they not come to work? I said, please call them. Left, right. Which way is it? Aren’t you going to open the door?”
“Ah, it’s to the right.”
The employee, who had been momentarily dazed, moved their hands quickly, and the door to the right opened.
“Please guide them to Room 1.”
At the employee’s word, the security guard stepped through the open door and led the way.
“Tell the attending doctor to come quickly. Please.”
I gave the employee a wave and followed the security guard. I grabbed Kwon Yi-kang’s hand, as he kept lagging behind, and urged him forward.
I didn’t know how large the rooms were, but perhaps because it was a VIP-only floor, there weren’t many. Upon reaching the room at the very end, the security guard stepped aside to signal me to enter.
I took a deep breath before the tightly closed hospital door.
When we meet, I’ll have to greet her, but what should I call her? Aunt? Or mother-in-law? If I call her Aunt and tell her I’m the one marrying her son, the patient might be so shocked she’d fall backward, so I had to be careful. On the other hand, calling her mother-in-law made the ‘in-law’ part trigger an instinctive rejection.
After some serious deliberation, I glanced back and saw Kwon Yi-kang staring into space, seemingly lost in thought as well.
“Are you nervous?”
When I asked, lightly touching his arm, he flinched his fingertips and focus returned to his vacant eyes.
“What?”
“I asked if you’re nervous. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you make a face like that.”
“Ah, no. I’m fine.”
“Do you want to open the door?”
“…No.”
Had this man ever shown such a cautious and timid side? This new side of him was cute, yet also pitiful. It’s not like he’s the criminal here, so why is he so intimidated? The one who should be worried is the person who hurt you.
Holding Kwon Yi-kang’s hand, I opened the hospital door with my other hand. As I slowly pushed it wide, the edge of a bed came into view.
“Let’s go in.”
I pulled his hand firmly and stepped into the room. I pretended otherwise, but it was a quite tense moment.
Since I’m technically her nephew, would she recognize my face? No, would she recognize Kwon Yi-kang’s face more? Having met Kwon Yi-kang’s father, I felt they had many similarities. Would she look at Kwon Yi-kang and think of his father?
Ten thousand thoughts raced through my mind even as I took a few steps. And rendering those thoughts and worries pointless, the woman lying on the bed had her eyes closed and was attached to a respirator.
“Is she sick somewhere?”
Of course, she was in the hospital because she was sick. Whether she was asleep or unconscious, I gazed down at the woman who showed no sign of opening her eyes even at the sound of people entering.
“How do you know the patient?”
A person sitting on the sofa stood up and asked.
“I’m her nephew.”
“Nephew?”
“Yes, nephew. She’s my aunt.”
I couldn’t bring myself to say ‘daughter-in-law,’ so I put forward the ‘nephew’ card. Even when two men marry, one takes the female role. Since I’m the one being penetrated and I’m the one who would have to give birth, I’m ultimately the daughter-in-law. Though I hate to admit it.
“And who are you?”
“I’m the caregiver. It’s the first time a family member other than the old man has come, so I was surprised.”
Even if we wanted to come, we had to know she existed. She was hidden away like a secret. Probably even the deceased Cha Baek-joo or Cha Dong-hu didn’t know about the aunt’s existence.
I pulled Kwon Yi-kang to stand near the bed and we looked down at the woman side by side. She looked small, frail, and so fragile that it seemed her breath might stop at any moment. She was beautiful, unlike someone who had a thirty-four-year-old son.
Perhaps because Kwon Yi-kang took after his father, he didn’t share his mother’s bone structure or features, but elements like Kwon Yi-kang’s gentle aura and the way his lips always held a faint smile seemed similar to the woman.
It would have been better if we could have met her eyes and talked.
I wanted to ask why she had never looked for Kwon Yi-kang until now. I wanted to ask why she had to separate herself from her child so helplessly. But the person who could answer didn’t open her eyes.
“Is she asleep? Or is she unconscious?”
“Uh… weren’t you told before you came?”
At my question, the caregiver looked at the woman on the bed with a slightly troubled expression and asked back.
“Told what?”
“The patient has been in a vegetative state for quite a while.”
The content itself was shocking, but I was more worried about Kwon Yi-kang. I gently took his limp hand, interlocking our fingers, and checked his face.
His expression had vanished, and his dark, sunken gaze was fixed entirely on the woman. Contrary to my fears, there were no tears, but there was no sense of joy or longing either.
Looking around, I brought over a folding chair and opened it near the bed. I pulled Kwon Yi-kang down to sit in the chair and lightly gripped and released his shoulder.
He moved as I led him, like an obedient puppy, but that was all. He only stared at the woman, without uttering a word or taking any special action. It seemed as if simply confirming her existence with his eyes was enough.
No, I think I understand. How he feels, facing his mother for the first time in his life and not knowing what to do. Rather than longing or desperation, it was the awkwardness and bewilderment of meeting after so many years, and a displaced sense of anger and resentment.
Knock, knock. A short knocking sound pierced the silence. The door opened, and a man in a white coat entered, scanning our faces next to the bed.
“The attending physician?”
“I am Professor Yoon Jong-gil, the physician in charge. What is your relationship to the patient?”
“Nephew. I’m the youngest nephew, but since my older brothers are all dead, I’m the only nephew left.”
Even if he didn’t know my face, any doctor working at hosan would know that two of the hospital director’s children had died. At my response, the attending physician let out a soft “Ah.”
“I’d like to hear about the patient’s condition.”
“Due to patient information protection, it is difficult for me to disclose that. I believe I can only speak once I have approval from the Chairman or the Hospital Director.”
Ah, Father. He really has made things a headache in so many ways. I clutched my head and let out a groan.
“If you have nothing to tell me, why did you even come in?”
“Pardon?”
“I’m asking why you bothered showing your face if you won’t tell me anything because of ‘protection’ or whatever.”
He’s making me exhausted. I decided to use the ‘Dad Chance’ again. When I called, Father didn’t pick up easily, as if he intended to make me anxious. I hung up and called back a couple of times. Only after a long while did Father answer.
“Patient information protection? What kind of bullshit is this?”
―Isn’t that a natural duty for a doctor?
“Duty, responsibility, the law—those are all great words. But I don’t think those are words that should be spoken by someone who is quite far from the law. Do you really want to bring the law into this? Should I file a formal request for disclosure? Where do I apply for a paternity test?”
―Cha Soo-kyung.
“Yes, I’m Cha Soo-kyung. Father’s son. Aunt’s nephew. Are you going to keep making me listen to bullshit like patient information protection? There’s someone here who is closer to Aunt than I am. A tearful reunion between mother and son, a hidden backstory. Do you want that to hit the news?”