The acrid smell of disinfectants filled the room, mingled with the metallic scent of medicine. In the spacious yet oppressive office, Cho Se Ra stared at the doctor as if his words had lost all meaning. Her hands trembled on her knees, clenched tight, and her breath caught in her throat.
— What…? she whispered in a broken voice, her eyes widening as if she had just been slapped.
Dr. Han, behind his perfectly organized desk, adjusted his glasses with a gravity that allowed no doubt.
— Chemotherapy.
The word snapped through the air, cold and sharp.
Se Ra shook her head, as if trying to reject this truth.
— But… she's only six. Six years old! How do you expect her to endure such a violent treatment?
Her voice rose a notch, broken by the injustice. She felt tears sting her eyes, but she held them back, out of pride, out of despair.
The doctor sighed, his compassionate gaze resting on her, but he did not soften his words.
— We ourselves are surprised that the disease took so long to appear. But now… it's progressing too fast. It's the only option.
A wave of panic swept through Se Ra. She swallowed hard, her fingers nervously gripping the fabric of her skirt.
— Leukemia… how is this possible? Sunny… if only you were still here…
Her dead sister's name escaped her lips in a whisper. She clenched her teeth, refusing to break.
— There must be another solution. Another treatment. Something!
Dr. Han briefly lowered his eyes to the medical file. His voice was firm, leaving no escape:
— The treatment will be standard. State assistance only covers palliative care. To cure… it will require more. And her case is urgent. Very urgent.
Se Ra felt her heart pounding in her chest, so hard she thought it might explode. She drew in a breath, gathered her courage, and asked the question she feared most.
— So… how long? How long…
The doctor looked up, his lips parting without the slightest hesitation.
— Four or five months, at most.
Se Ra's world collapsed. Her shoulders slumped, her hands clenched against the chair. She struggled to breathe, as if the air had suddenly disappeared. Her ears buzzed, and the doctor's words echoed over and over in her mind, merciless.
Four or five months…
A veil fell over her eyes. She no longer saw the room, nor the cold walls, nor the immaculate desk. Only this number resonated in her chest like a sentence.
Se Ra rose in an almost mechanical motion, as if her body were detaching from her consciousness. Her legs felt heavy, her steps dragging, but she managed to leave the room without collapsing. The sound of the door closing behind her echoed like a verdict.
-----
The hospital lobby opened up before her, vast and bustling, saturated with the sound of hurried footsteps, fragmented voices, and the rolling of stretchers. The smell of disinfectant still lingered, mixed with the aroma of coffee from a nearby machine. Everything seemed too alive, too normal, while her world had just shattered.
She moved like a shadow, her blurred gaze lost in the crowd. She felt a bump against her shoulder, but her reaction was slow, strangled.
— Oh… excuse me, she said without even looking up.
The person had already disappeared into the flow of bodies, and Se Ra continued toward the glass doors. Her breath was short, her thoughts looping: Four or five months… four or five months…
Outside, the fresh air hit her. The parking lot stretched beneath the pale sunlight, indifferent to her distress. Cars passed by, engines rumbled, and yet she heard nothing. Every step toward her car demanded superhuman effort.
She opened the door slowly, slid into the driver's seat, and leaned back, her head tipping against the seat. Her hands trembled too much to insert the key immediately. Her eyes closed, and the tears she had been holding back finally rolled down her cheeks.
— How is this possible…? she whispered, her voice breaking in the silence of the car.
Her mind, against her will, carried her back seven years:
A soft light filtered through the window, bathing the ultrasound room in an almost unreal clarity. Sunny, lying on the bed, stared at the screen with a radiant smile. The doctor, focused, pointed at the image with a gentle smile.
— Here we go, he announced softly. It's a little girl.
Sunny immediately turned her head to her sister, her eyes glistening with tears of joy.
— Se Ra… Did you hear? A girl… It's wonderful!
Se Ra squeezed her sister's hand, her heart swelling with happiness.
— I'm so happy… Sunny, she's going to be beautiful.
The two sisters burst into nervous laughter, full of hope.
Then her mind drifted to the day little Yoo Na Bi was born:
Sunny's scream tore through the air. In the delivery room, her face was slick with sweat, her fingers crushing Se Ra's hand, which did not leave hers for a moment.
— Why isn't she coming out?! Sunny shouted, on the brink of exhaustion.
The midwife, relentless but encouraging, responded in a firm voice:
— Keep pushing! You're almost there!
— You can do it, Sunny! Se Ra shouted, her throat tight. I'm here, go!
The baby's cry finally rang out, shrill and powerful. The midwife lifted her, tiny but full of life, before placing her on Sunny's belly.
Tears flooded the new mother's cheeks.
— She's… so small… but perfect.
Se Ra, overwhelmed, wiped a tear that rolled down her cheek.
— She's beautiful, Sunny… beautiful.
BACK TO THE PRESENT
Se Ra suddenly opened her eyes, tears blurring her vision. Her hands gripped the steering wheel as if her life depended on it.
— Sunny… if only you were still here… What am I going to do? How am I going to save her?
A sob escaped her lips. She drew in a deep breath, wiped her cheeks with a trembling hand, and finally started the engine.
The engine roared. She reversed, her eyes misted, without checking behind her. A dull thud made her jump: she had just hit a passing car.
Her heart leapt in her chest: not this.
The impact still echoed in her ears. Se Ra took a deep breath before slamming her car door. Her sneakers clattered against the asphalt as she stepped out, her face twisted with anger.
— No, but… are you blind or what?! she yelled, moving toward the driver of the other vehicle. Can't you see I was trying to get out?
The man who stepped out in front of her was far from an ordinary reckless driver. Barely in his thirties, impeccably groomed, his suit perfectly tailored, and his hair neat. He looked embarrassed, almost awkward, but did not lose his composure.
— Ma'am, he said calmly, I'm sorry… but you've hit my vehicle.
Se Ra's eyes blazed. She glanced at the dent: the body of her car was crushed, and his too. The pain in her chest, accumulated since meeting the doctor, erupted into rage.
— So what?! she snapped in a sharp voice. What do you want me to do? Give you my money?
The man opened his mouth, but a car door opened behind him. A figure emerged slowly, like a king deigning to descend from his throne.
Se Ra froze.
He was tall, elegant, dressed in an outrageously expensive suit. Every gesture exuded confidence and arrogance. His fine but hard features betrayed the habit of always having the last word. His hands slid naturally into his pockets, as if he feared nothing and no one.
— Kim Jae Hyun. Thirty-four years old. Banker, businessman, influential billionaire. —
She did not know him at all, and so she did not let herself be intimidated by his looks.
Her disdainful tone cut through the air like a blade:
— Another person who can't drive.
The injustice of the phrase ignited the fuse.
— And you, what do you want? spat Se Ra, furious. For me to give you my phone number?
For a brief moment, she studied him, lost for words in front of his imposing charisma. But her anger surged back, blazing.
Woo Jin, the assistant — for it could only be an assistant, given his conciliatory air — raised his eyebrows, surprised by the audacity of this woman confronting his boss head-on.
Kim Jae Hyun squinted slightly, annoyed, but his voice remained calm.
— No. I just want you to calm down… and take responsibility for the damage you just caused. Only, I wonder: do you even have insurance?
Se Ra's eyes widened, her jaw trembling before an ironic laugh burst from her.
— Wow! And he insults me on top of that!
She threw her arms up to the sky, bursting into a bitter laugh.
— Who do you think you are? The god of heaven and earth? You think you're above everyone else? You think you can talk to me like that? Excuse me, but… who are you to speak to me this way?
Woo Jin stepped forward, teeth clenched, his voice low as a plea:
— Ma'am, please…
— No! she exclaimed, turning toward him, her face flushed. There is no "please" that matters!
She turned back to Jae Hyun, her eyes shining with rage and held-back tears.
— I'll tell you what you are: an arrogant, selfish, heartless man!
A brief silence followed. Woo Jin threw an anxious glance at his boss, but he simply crossed his arms, almost amused by her boldness.
— You care about no one, she continued, her voice trembling but full of rage. You only think of yourself and your interests. You are the perfect example of everything I hate in this world!
A faint smile brushed Jae Hyun's lips. His tone was as cold as it was disdainful.
— Ah… I see. One of those people who think the world revolves around them. Well, let me tell you, you are far from reality.
— How dare you?! shouted Se Ra, fists clenched.
— Ma'am… please… Woo Jin repeated, increasingly tense.
Jae Hyun did not flinch. His gaze fixed on Se Ra as one studies an intriguing insect. Then he sighed.
— Ahn Woo Jin?
— Sir? replied the assistant, ready for anything.
— My appointment is approaching. I'll let you handle this.
Without another glance, Jae Hyun turned on his heels and headed toward the hospital building. His steps echoed with assurance.
— What an impolite man, too! Se Ra shouted, beside herself, but her voice broke.
A few meters from the entrance, Jae Hyun discreetly brought his hand to his ear. A tiny earpiece barely glimmered.
— I want to know who she is, he said in a low but commanding tone.
— Yes, sir, replied Woo Jin, who had made the same gesture, adjusting his earpiece.
Se Ra, on her side, stared at her dented car in despair.
— I'm going to have to spend a fortune at the body shop…
Woo Jin sighed, his voice gentle.
— Ma'am… I'm sorry about my boss. He's not always very sociable.
She looked up at him, her face tight with embarrassment. Her lower lip trembled as she spoke:
— I'm sorry… I don't know what came over me.
— It's nothing, Woo Jin replied compassionately. You may leave.
She nodded in silence, returned to her car, and started slowly. He did the same, his gaze following her with a mix of curiosity and pity.