Seungho.
As I drove, I couldn't stop thinking about the stupid thing I'd done. I got involved in someone else's fight, one that wasn't my business.
"Why the hell did I do that?! Maybe Miss Kang will misunderstand... I'm a complete idiot."
While I was still lamenting my mistake, a call came in. I pressed the button on the steering wheel to answer it.
"What's wrong, Mr. Kwon?"
"Young man, where are you?" Mr. Kwon asked, agitated.
"I'm leaving the company. What happened?"
"Sir, your father is in the hospital. Come quickly."
"What?... I accelerated as much as I could, turning towards the hospital. Fortunately, there wasn't much traffic. "I'll be there in five minutes, Mr. Kwon." I hung up, feeling my heart race with worry for my father. He arrived at the hospital and stormed in, approaching the receptionist.
"Excuse me, do you know where Mr. Park Tae-ho is?"
"Yes, he's in the pulmonology ward right now. They're seeing him. Who's looking for him?" the young woman asked, opening a notebook and taking out a pen.
"His son, Park Seungho."
"Very well. If you'd like, please go to the waiting room and the doctor will inform you about your father."
"Very well, thank you."
I went to the waiting room and sat down.
I rested my arms on my knees, my hands over my mouth, waiting for the doctor to tell me about his condition.
"Young man..." I looked up, seeing Mr. Kwon approaching. I quickly stood up. "Mr. Kwon, what happened?" I asked, taking him by the shoulders.
"Apparently, the pneumonia got complicated. We were in the office, and I was telling his father he needed to rest, but he didn't want to. Suddenly, he started having trouble breathing and fainted."
"I see..." I put my hands to my face in despair. "The doctor is coming out of the emergency room and heading to the waiting room."
"Family of Mr. Park Tae-ho?" I approached the doctor, worried. "That's us. Tell me, Doctor, how is my father?"
"Mr. Park had a brief respiratory arrest, but fortunately, he's stable now and out of danger." I breathed a sigh of relief at the news. I felt like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. "Thank you so much, Doctor."
"It was nothing. You were lucky to get him here in time."
"Can we go see him?" "Where is he?" Mr. Kwon asked.
"Yes, of course, he's in room 207."
"Thank you very much." We both bowed and headed towards the room. When we entered, my father was lying in bed with an oxygen tube in his nose.
"Father?"
"Son... it's good to see you," my father said, trying to get up. I quickly helped him lie down.
"You shouldn't exert yourself. You need to rest. You just had a respiratory arrest."
"Why? I'm old now. I've lived everything I had to live."
"Not at all, Father. You've survived so many arrests that you're as strong as a horse," I said, letting out a small laugh.
"Very funny... But... seriously... I don't think I'll live much longer," he said in a subdued and sad tone. "What do you mean, Father?" I asked, placing my hand on his shoulder.
"My illness is progressing. No matter how much money I have or how many treatments I get, I won't be cured... It was a miracle you were cured when you were twelve."
"I was cured because I was treated in time, Dad. You can still be cured, so don't lose hope."
"Even so, son... I feel like I only have a few years left. I want to ask you something..." he said, trying to sit up in bed.
"Careful, Father... What do you want to ask me?"
"Promise me that... you'll get married and start a family."
"Dad, you know... I still don't know if I want to get married or have children."
"Son... I don't want you to be alone..." he replied, weakly placing his hand in mine. "At least... try... Please... I'd like to leave knowing that my son won't be alone, and that he'll have a family." I felt a chill run through my body; for some reason, I felt he wasn't lying about how much life he had left — that's great... I'll try to find a partner, and when it's serious... I'll introduce her to you so you can relax.
"I'm glad to hear that. I hope you find the right person..."
"By the way... Father, does my brother know about your condition?" I asked.
"You know... that your brother, since he went to Canada... hasn't visited us or anything," he said, sighing, a noticeable sadness on his face. "You should tell him... He's your son too."
"I know... But I have little hope that he'll be interested." A silence enveloped the room. The doctor came in to examine my father's progress and verify that the medication was working properly. I left the room with Mr. Kwon, sitting down in one of the seats in the hallway, resting my arms on my knees and looking down.
"Mr. Kwon... Do you think I should do this?... Look for a wife?"
"Perhaps... Besides, don't you think your father will leave you alone if you do? And if he doesn't want to be with that girl, he can get a divorce and that's it..."
"You're right, but... He also said he wanted grandchildren." "In that case… You can pay the girl to have children with you and support them until the divorce."
I jump up from my seat, shocked by the stupidity I just heard. "Are you crazy?! I won't do that. I'll just find someone else…" The door to my father's room opens, and he leaves, still with the oxygen tube in his nose, while the doctor tries to get him back into bed.
"I'm glad to hear that, son!"
"Dad, what are you doing? Get back in bed!"
"Son, let me tell you, I've been waiting for this moment, so I've arranged dates for you with quite a few girls so you can choose."
I sigh before replying, "Dad… Have you lost your mind?!" I'm not going on those dates. If I'm going to get married, it'll be to a girl I choose, whether you like it or not... Understood?
"I don't understand how I ended up in this situation..." I said as I got ready for one of the dates my father arranged.
"Practically, sir... It was because she accepted due to her father's condition."
"Damn it... That old man tricked me... Never mind, let's just get this over with, Mr. Kwon..." From that day on, I had to go on several blind dates with women I'd never seen before.
"So... what do you like to do, Miss Yoon?" I asked, placing a glass of wine on the restaurant table. My date was leaning back in her seat, glued to her phone.
"Excuse me... did you ask something?"
"No... I didn't say anything, don't worry." And so it went, woman after woman, date after date. With each woman I saw, I felt less and less like getting married.
"This handbag, Mr. Park, is the latest exclusive model. Don't you think it's beautiful?"
" Yes… It's beautiful."
I'm practically giving up. I can't go on with this anymore.
" And this isn't over, Mr. Park… You still have more appointments to go " Mr. Kwon said mockingly.
"No more, Mr. Kwon…"