By the time Yerin reached Paw Wow Veterinary Hospital, Seoul's clock tower had already struck 9:30 AM.
She parked her tiny pink scooty with the same pride one might have after winning a Formula 1 race. Her scarf—no, her emergency disguise—was still wrapped around her face like an Egyptian mummy who got lost on her way to the pyramids.
She glanced up at the big round clock hanging above the hospital entrance."9:30," she whispered dramatically. "Five minutes late… but technically on time if I walk fast."
Straightening her helmet, bag, and scarf (which now covered half her eyes), Yerin strutted inside the hospital like a spy on a secret mission.
Except… the mission went wrong immediately.
The moment she opened the glass door—
Chaos. Pure chaos.
Dogs barked, cats hissed, a parrot squawked something that sounded suspiciously like 'run!', and one golden retriever hid behind the reception desk as if he'd seen a ghost.
"Whaa—what's happening?!" Yerin froze mid-step, her voice muffled under the scarf. "It's me, your favorite human!"
A small puppy whimpered.A cat hissed again.Even the clinic turtle retreated into its shell.
"Okay," she muttered, narrowing her eyes. "That's rude."
The receptionist, Jisoo, peeked out from behind the counter with wide eyes."Dr. Han… is that you? Or a criminal trying to rob us?"
Yerin huffed. "Excuse me? Even robbers don't wear pink helmets!" She tugged down her scarf dramatically—revealing her slightly squished, toast-stained face.
Jisoo blinked. "Oh my god. It is you."
The barking immediately stopped. The animals slowly relaxed, as if realizing their beloved vet had just been temporarily possessed by chaos.
At that exact moment, the clinic's door opened again—and in walked Mrs. Go, one of Yerin's regular clients, holding a snow-white Persian cat named Mr. Snuggles.
"Dr. Han! Thank goodness you're here!" Mrs. Go exclaimed in her usual dramatic tone. "Mr. Snuggles hasn't eaten his salmon since last night!"
Yerin gasped like it was the end of the world. "Not his salmon?! That's a cat tragedy!"
Mrs. Go nodded gravely. "He turned his nose away. Twice."
"Twice?!" Yerin widened her eyes. "Oh my- he's officially heartbroken. Who hurt him?"
Jisoo coughed. "Maybe his owner, who gave him five baths last week?"
"Jisoo, not now!" Yerin whispered. "We don't blame the mother in front of the child!"
She crouched down and gently lifted Mr. Snuggles onto the exam table. The cat immediately puffed his fur, glaring at her as if to say 'touch me and you die'.
"Oh no…" Yerin whispered, slowly backing away. "He's in murder mode."
Mrs. Go gasped. "What does that mean? Is it serious?"
"Very," Yerin said solemnly. "It means Mr. Snuggles is one emotional meltdown away from writing a breakup letter."
Mrs. Go clutched her chest. "Oh my heavens!"
Jisoo couldn't hold back her laughter anymore."Dr. Han, maybe take off your helmet too? You still look like a lost biker."
Yerin blinked. "Oh. Right." She quickly pulled it off, her hair bouncing free in a messy ginger-brown wave that caught the clinic light.
Mr. Snuggles, now calmer, blinked at her.
"See?" Yerin cooed, scratching behind his ear. "It's me, your favorite doctor. I fix hearts and give treats."
The cat purred reluctantly, tail flicking in surrender.
"Exactly," Yerin said proudly, turning to Jisoo. "All it takes is charm, patience, and a cat treat in your pocket."
Jisoo smirked. "You mean ten cat treats. I saw you refill your pockets again."
"Details," Yerin waved her hand dramatically.
Mrs. Go smiled in relief. "Ah, Dr. Han, you're truly a miracle worker. I don't know what we'd do without you."
Yerin grinned. "Probably live a quiet, accident-free life. But where's the fun in that?"
Everyone laughed—except for the turtle, who peeked out of its shell and looked unimpressed.
As Mrs. Go left with a happy Mr. Snuggles and Jisoo went back to her desk, Yerin leaned against the counter with a satisfied sigh.
"See?" she muttered. "No chaos today. Everything under control." she sighed
Right at that moment, her phone buzzed.
Yerin glanced at the screen—"Eomma". She smiled
"Eomma?" she chipped, throwing hands in the air
All she heard was crying—loud, panicked, breathless crying.
Her heartbeat instantly dropped. face dropped
"Y-Yerin-ah… your father… he—he had an accident…" her mother's voice cracked like breaking glass."Moon is crying like a maniac. She won't even let me touch her. Yerin… please… come fast…"
In the background, Yerin heard her younger sister screaming,
"Unnie! Unnie, where are you?! Appa… Appa won't wake up— Unnie, please!"
A cold chill stabbed her spine.
"A-Accident? But he just left the house—"
"He was drunk again," her mother whispered as if ashamed, as if exhausted from years of the same pain."He stumbled into the road and a taxi—"Her voice broke entirely.
Yerin didn't even hear the rest. Her legs moved before her mind did, running toward the hospital like the earth was collapsing beneath her feet.
At the Hospital
The moment she stormed inside, chaos swallowed her.
Nurses rushed past with stretchers. Monitors beeped violently. Someone was crying in a nearby hallway. A baby wailed. A doctor shouted for more saline.
The air smelled of antiseptic and dread.
"M-Moon?" Yerin called.
A small figure crashed into her stomach—her sister, trembling uncontrollably, face red and wet.
"Unnie!" Moon sobbed, clutching Yerin's shirt so tightly her knuckles turned white. "Appa's bleeding… he's not even talking… Unnie, I'm scared… I'm so scared…"
Yerin hugged her tighter, even as her own vision blurred.
"It's okay… I'm here. I'm here now, Moonie…"
But nothing felt okay.
A nurse approached them, flipping through a clipboard with mechanical coldness."Are you the guardian? The patient—Han Bong hyun?"
Yerin nodded quickly. "Yes! My father—how is he? Is he conscious?"
The nurse did not soften. Not even an inch.
"He's in emergency care. But before we continue any procedures…"She paused, looking almost bored."We need advance payment."
Yerin blinked. "W-What?"
"For the treatment to proceed," the nurse said firmly. "Your father needs immediate surgery.Estimated cost— ₩ 10,00,000. Please pay at the counter now."
"₩ 10,00,000?!" Her voice cracked."I—I don't have that kind of money right now! Can you start first? I'll arrange it—"
The nurse cut her off sharply."Miss, if you can't pay, the doctors cannot continue the procedure. Hospital policy."
Moon clung tighter, wailing again."Unnie… Unnie, they're not helping Appa… why aren't they helping him?"
Yerin's heart shattered.
"That's my father in there!" she screamed, voice shaking violently."He's injured! He could die! Please—just treat him, I'll do anything—"
The nurse only sighed."I'm sorry. No payment, no procedure."
And she walked away.
Just like that.
As if her father's life weighed nothing.
Yerin fell to her knees, pulling Moon, her 17-year-old sister, into her arms.Her whole body trembled.
"Why… why is this happening…" she whispered, gripping her hair."We already struggle every day… why one more thing? Why now?"
Moon sobbed into her chest."Unnie, don't cry… please don't cry…"
But Yerin couldn't stop.
Her tears fell uncontrollably, spilling from years of exhaustion—from her father's drinking,from being the only responsible one,from being the one who always fixes everything…even when she herself is breaking.
"How am I supposed to arrange a million won… right now?"Her voice cracked so painfully it echoed in the hallway.
She covered her mouth, trying to keep her sob inside, but it burst out anyway.
"Moonie… I'm scared too…"
For the first time, she admitted it.
She was terrified.
She was helpless.
She was completely alone.
As she cried, the sliding doors at the end of the hallway opened.
A pair of expensive leather shoes stepped in—steady, confident, unfazed by the chaos around.
Someone walked toward her… slowly… deliberately.
Moon tugged Yerin's sleeve."Unnie… someone's coming…"
Yerin lifted her swollen eyes—and froze at the sight.
Her heart dropped.Her breath hitched.
The person she never thought to meet here…
stood right in front of her.
" Do-yun," She said, voice almost unreadable.
"What a mess you've gotten into, Yerin."
She stared at him in disbelief.