Loc: Velaria City Medical Center
The morning air smelled faintly of antiseptic and blooming jasmines from the hospital garden. Sunlight streamed through the tall windows, throwing long golden streaks across the sterile floors. Tae Hyun stood by the window of his ward, dressed in simple clothes now instead of hospital gowns, his body lean but his eyes still carrying shadows of exhaustion. Today was supposed to be a day of freedom—his discharge. A day he had been waiting for impatiently.
But as the nurse helped him sign the last forms, another figure entered.
"Min-seo?" His voice held a trace of disbelief.
She stood at the doorway, her hair neatly tied back, her usual sharp eyes softened into something unreadable. A bouquet of lilies was cradled in her arms. For a brief second, Tae Hyun thought she might have come only to say goodbye. But instead, she walked closer, her heels clicking against the floor like an approaching storm.
"You're leaving today," she said quietly, placing the bouquet on the table. Then, her lips curved into a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "From now on… I want to live with you forever."
The words hit him like cold water.
Tae Hyun's brow furrowed. "What are you saying? Why are you here?"
Min-seo tilted her head, her gaze intense. "Because I've realized… everything I need is here—with you. I don't want to pretend anymore. Let me be by your side."
Before Tae Hyun could respond, the nurse entered briskly, carrying his neatly folded clothes. "Mr. Kim, please get changed. We'll complete the discharge after that."
"Thank you," Tae Hyun said curtly. Then he turned back to Min-seo, his expression hard. "Leave. This isn't the place or time."
But Min-seo only stepped closer. She reached out, laying her hand gently yet firmly over his shoulder. Her perfume—rich and heavy—lingered in the air. She leaned near his ear and whispered, her voice low like temptation, "If you want… I can help you. You don't have to fight alone."
For a moment, Tae Hyun froze. His chest tightened, not out of longing but suffocation. He clenched his jaw and, with a sudden push, shoved her hand away.
"No," he said sharply. "I don't need you. Not your help, not your presence. Leave."
Her smile faltered, cracking into something sharp. But before she could retort, he physically guided her out of the room, the door slamming shut behind her.
The hallway echoed with her retreating footsteps, clipped and furious.
Inside, Tae Hyun stood for a moment, his breathing ragged. The nurse gave him a sympathetic glance but said nothing. He changed quickly, eager to leave the suffocating air behind.
Moments later, he walked out of the hospital with his father. The world outside felt alive—children laughing, cars honking, the sky vast and endless. Yet Tae Hyun felt a strange emptiness gnawing at him.
At the same time, across town, Sita's footsteps slowed as she entered a small flower shop tucked in between a bakery and a pharmacy. The warm scent of roses, chrysanthemums, and tulips greeted her like an embrace. She pressed her lips together, trying to summon courage.
The shopkeeper, an older woman with gentle eyes, looked up from arranging carnations. "What kind of flowers are you looking for, dear?"
Sita hesitated. Her fingers brushed lightly over a vase of white daisies. "Something… something for a friend. At the hospital. He was… recovering."
The woman smiled knowingly. "Then lilies, perhaps. They speak of healing and renewal."
Sita nodded, clutching the bouquet to her chest as if it could hold her scattered emotions together. Her heart thudded in her ears. Today, I'll apologize properly, she told herself. I'll tell him everything I couldn't before.
But when she arrived at the hospital and approached the reception, hope unraveled.
"Oh, patient from room 314?" the receptionist said, flipping through her notes. "He's already gone. Just a while ago."
Sita's eyes widened. "Gone? Already?"
"Yes. But don't worry—he's fine now."
Her grip tightened around the flowers. "Did he… leave alone?"
The receptionist glanced up. "No. There was a girl with him."
The words sliced through her like an invisible blade. Sita forced a smile of thanks and stepped aside, her chest heavy. A girl? Was it Min-seo?
She walked slowly, her vision blurring at the edges. In her mind, the apology she had rehearsed dissolved into silence. She pulled out her phone, her trembling fingers dialing Lili.
When her friend picked up, Sita's voice cracked. "I couldn't even apologize properly. I… I was too late."
Before Lili could answer, Sita's attention was caught by muffled voices drifting from a nearby consultation room. The door was ajar. She recognized the deep timbre instantly—it was Tae Hyun's father.
Inside, the doctor leaned forward, his expression grave. "Even though he looks fine now, he isn't fully recovered. His injuries… they've left damage."
Tae Hyun's father's face tightened. "Damage? But he's young, strong. He'll heal."
The doctor shook his head slowly. "I'm afraid not. He should avoid racing from now on. If he pushes himself, the strain could be life-threatening. He cannot continue as a car racer."
The words crashed like thunder.
Tae Hyun's father stared, eyes glistening with disbelief. "Isn't there any way? He's worked his whole life for this. Racing is his dream. At his peak, you're asking him to stop?"
"I'm sorry," the doctor replied softly. "The best you can do is distract him. Help him find another path. If he clings to that dream, it'll only break him."
From the hallway, Sita clutched the bouquet so tightly the stems snapped. Her knees weakened, the weight of guilt pressing down like a mountain. It's because of me, she thought. If I hadn't been there… if I hadn't gotten involved… he wouldn't have lost everything he dreamed of.
Her vision swam with tears she refused to let fall. She turned, stumbling out of the hospital before anyone could see her. The lilies in her hands drooped, petals bruised under her grip.
On the bustling street, laughter and chatter felt unbearably distant. Her heart beat painfully against her chest. Every step forward felt like carrying a rock inside her soul.
Inside her head, only one thought screamed again and again:
I destroyed his dream. And now… how can I ever face him?
TO BE CONTINUED...