Grateful Tears and Ruthless Shadows
Hyun-ah and Hee-ah bolted out the moment the car door swung open. I hurried after them but paused to glance back.
"I'll head out first, Yukiko."
"Please don't worry about me. I'll follow shortly."
"Thanks."
Every time I came to drop Hyun-ah off, Yukiko stuck close by my side. She nodded with her unchanging expression. I rushed out to catch up with the sisters.
"The patient has just woken up. She still needs rest, but a brief conversation should be fine."
"Thank you!"
A doctor who looked about my age greeted me in the lobby. I replied lightly and dashed up the stairs again.
Even before entering the room, I could hear Hee-ah sniffling back tears.
"Mommy..."
Hee-ah's heartbroken voice made my chest tighten. It wasn't a dangerous situation at all. Ha-yeon's surgery—Hee-ah's and Hyun-ah's mother—had gone perfectly. If there had been issues, the doctor downstairs wouldn't have greeted me so calmly. It was just a natural reaction. Like feeling uneasy at the screech of something scraping, hearing a girl that age sob so desperately set my nerves on edge. I needed to take deep breaths. After steadying myself a few times, I stepped into Ha-yeon's private room.
The money had been well spent; it looked far more comfortable and spacious than her previous room. Ha-yeon lay there, her left and right hands each clung to by her two daughters like perfect little leeches.
"Ah, it's Uncle! Mom, that's the man I told you about!"
Hee-ah spotted me and shouted excitedly. Her tear tracks hadn't even dried yet, but she was trying to flash a bright smile.
"Thank you so much..."
Ha-yeon tried to sit up, so I gently stopped her. The mood turned awkward for a moment. Ha-yeon looked far too young to be someone's mother. It was a cliché, but side by side, she and her daughters seemed like sisters. Her ample, nurturing breasts wouldn't pale in comparison to Mikoto's. Seeing the three of them lined up like that stirred something odd in me—like three photos of the same person taken at different times, laid out in a row.
"Oh, hello?"
I'd seen her sleeping before, but this was the first time meeting her awake. Since I only remembered her lying there, I struggled to decide how to act.
"Thank you truly. I should sit up to greet you properly..."
But her warm smile melted away any tension I might have felt. My own face was probably slack like an idiot's.
"We were going to give up on treatment because of the cost... Thank you so much."
"It's okay."
She moved one hand to grasp mine. Her trembling was so anxious-looking that I soon cupped both my hands around hers to steady her.
"You'll be blessed for this. Such a huge sum... I'll repay it even if it takes my whole life."
"Ah, no need. It's already..."
"Pardon? Our girl works hard, but she couldn't have that kind of money..."
Something felt off. I glanced sideways at Hyun-ah, meeting her eyes. She turned her head slightly, avoiding mine.
"Don't worry for now—just rest and focus on recovering."
I could guess the situation. For the moment, I needed to play along for Hyun-ah and Hee-ah's sake.
"You're right. The girls are still at an age to study, but because of my incompetence, they're working... I need to get better soon so I don't burden our daughters."
Seeing Ha-yeon think of her girls first, even lying there in the hospital bed, made my chest ache.
"Come to think of it, I haven't seen our Hyun-ah's face lately. You're getting along well with the boss, right?"
"Ah, that... well, it's... I'm going to academies these days!"
Hyun-ah trailed off. Ha-yeon's face relaxed briefly, then clouded with worry again.
"Do you have living expenses? You can't starve just because there's nothing at home."
"I'm fine, Mom. Academy fees are free, and thanks to Uncle, I'm eating well. Don't worry."
"That's a relief... my girl."
Only then did she seem to relax, her eyes slowly closing. The watching nurse ushered us out.
"She still needs rest. Don't overexert her by keeping her awake."
Hee-ah and Hyun-ah stared at their slumped mother for a long while before slowly shuffling out of the room.
"I'm really sorry!"
The moment we stepped outside the hospital, Hee-ah apologized loudly.
"No, you did well. From what Hyun-ah told me, it wouldn't be good for her condition to hear about that..."
It was hard for me, a stranger to Ha-yeon, to bring it up directly. Hee-ah couldn't possibly say it either.
—Your hospital bills were paid by your daughter selling her body, so no need to worry.
Saying something like that in front of a mother who'd just woken up might send her collapsing again.
"Sorry, Father. Since starting at the academy, I haven't had time to talk with Mom..."
Hyun-ah bowed her head deeply, begging forgiveness like she'd done wrong. Guilt kept her from looking up. I felt the same.
"No, it's not like you committed a crime... Your mother's health comes first. I understand."
"It's absolutely not something that would shame you, Father."
"Yeah. Thanks."
Hyun-ah might not feel ashamed of me, but I was ashamed of myself. I was growing unsure. Everything I did felt wrong.
"Hyun-ah."
I studied her face intently. It was pure and upright. The sight of the three in the hospital room together had been the most beautiful thing—people who truly cherished each other, wanting the others more than themselves.
"Even if you can dodge it now, living at my place means it'll come out eventually. How about moving somewhere else?"
"Have I imposed too much? Should we go back home?"
"No, that neighborhood's not great."
I wasn't angry at Hyun-ah, nor trying to chase her away.
"I have an apartment nearby. Smaller than my place, but plenty big enough for three."
It was suitable even for a family of four, so though a bit worn, it wouldn't feel cramped. Being close by, security should be decent too.
"Then... what about my... slave duties?"
"Ah, that—we can meet whenever. I come to you, or you come to me. We don't have to live together, right?"
Viewing myself objectively made my actions start to feel repulsive.
"No pressure."
I swallowed my gloom and forced a bright smile. Showing a sour face to Hyun-ah and Hee-ah would be shameless.