Morning came quietly to the hospital.
Too quietly.
The pale sunlight slipped through the large windows of the waiting area, falling across the rows of chairs where Yerin's family had spent the last two nights.
Nobody had really slept.
Even when their eyes closed, their minds remained awake.
Waiting.
Hoping.
Fearing.
Yerin slowly opened her eyes.
For a few seconds, she forgot where she was.
Then everything came rushing back.
Ji-hoon.
The hospital.
The machines.
The forty-eight hours.
She immediately sat up.
"Ji-hoon..."
Her voice was hoarse.
Do-hyun, who had been sitting a few chairs away, looked toward her.
"He's still stable."
Yerin looked at him.
"Did the doctor come?"
"He checked him earlier."
"And?"
Do-hyun stood.
"He said Ji-hoon's condition hasn't gotten worse."
Yerin released a slow breath.
"That's good."
"It is."
She looked toward the glass doors.
"I want to see him."
Do-hyun nodded.
They walked together toward the viewing area.
Through the glass, Ji-hoon lay motionless.
The machines around him continued their quiet rhythm.
Yerin stood there for a while.
She pressed her hand against the glass.
"Morning, idiot."
Do-hyun glanced at her.
Yerin's lips curved faintly.
"You know, I've been talking to you for two days."
Nothing.
"So you better be listening."
Still nothing.
She lowered her voice.
"You've scared everyone."
Her eyes became wet.
"Especially me."
Do-hyun stood a few steps behind her.
He didn't interrupt.
Yerin remained there until she heard footsteps behind her.
She turned.
Her father was walking down the hallway.
He was dressed formally.
His coat was already on.
He carried a small travel bag.
Yerin frowned.
"Dad?"
He stopped.
"Yerin."
She looked at the bag.
"Where are you going?"
Her father hesitated.
"I have to leave."
Her expression changed.
"Leave?"
"I have a business matter abroad that needs my attention."
Yerin stared at him.
"For how long?"
"A few years."
Her eyes immediately hardened.
"Now?"
Her father looked at her.
"Yes."
She glanced toward the glass.
"Ji-hoon is in there."
"I know."
"He's still unconscious."
"And you're leaving?"
Her father's expression became serious.
"I don't have a choice."
Yerin stared at him in disbelief.
"You don't have a choice?"
"Yerin—"
"No."
She stepped closer.
"You can't be serious."
Several people in the waiting area looked toward them.
Her father lowered his voice.
"Not here."
"Then where?"
"Let's talk somewhere private."
"Why? So you can tell me the same thing quietly?"
Her father's jaw tightened.
"Lower your voice."
Yerin laughed bitterly.
"You want me to lower my voice?"
She pointed toward the glass.
"My brother is lying in there!"
Her voice cracked.
"He hasn't opened his eyes in two days!"
Her father looked toward the room.
"I know."
"Then stay."
Silence.
Yerin stared at him.
"Stay here."
"I can't."
"Why?"
"I have responsibilities."
She looked at him as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"Responsibilities?"
Her eyes filled with tears.
"Your son is your responsibility."
Her father remained silent.
Yerin shook her head.
"I don't understand you."
"There's more happening than you know."
"Then tell me!"
Her father looked away.
"Yerin."
"No."
She stepped closer.
"Don't say my name like that. Explain it."
Her voice trembled.
"Everyone keeps telling me that there are things I don't understand."
She wiped her cheek angrily.
"Then make me understand."
Her father sighed.
"There are business matters that cannot wait."
"Business?"
She stared at him.
"That's what you're worried about?"
"It's not that simple."
"It looks pretty simple to me."
Her voice became quieter.
"Ji-hoon is in that room."
She pointed again.
"Mom hasn't slept."
"Your mother hasn't slept."
"I haven't slept."
Her eyes filled again.
"And you're leaving."
Her father looked at her.
"I'm doing this for the family."
Yerin shook her head.
"No."
"What?"
"You're doing it for yourself."
Her father's expression hardened.
"Enough."
"No!"
Her voice echoed through the hallway.
"You don't get to say enough!"
Do-hyun immediately stepped closer.
He didn't say anything.
He simply stood behind Yerin.
Yerin noticed him.
For a second, her breathing slowed.
She knew he was there.
She wasn't alone.
Her father looked at Do-hyun briefly.
Then back at Yerin.
"You don't understand the situation."
"Then tell me!"
"I can't."
"Why?"
"Because you're not ready."
Yerin stared at him.
"Not ready for what?"
He said nothing.
"What are you hiding from me?"
"Nothing."
"You're lying."
Her father looked away.
Yerin's tears finally fell.
"I thought you were supposed to protect us."
Her father looked back at her.
"I am."
"Then protect Ji-hoon."
Silence.
"Stay with him."
Her father's expression softened for a moment.
"I wish I could."
Yerin's voice broke.
"Then don't go."
He looked at her.
For several seconds, neither moved.
Then he quietly said,
"I have to."
Yerin's eyes widened.
"Why?"
He looked toward the glass room where Ji-hoon lay.
Then back at his daughter.
"One day, you'll understand why I have to do this."
Yerin frowned.
"What does that mean?"
He didn't answer.
"Dad."
He turned away.
"Dad!"
He kept walking.
Yerin followed him.
"Don't walk away from me!"
He reached the entrance.
She stopped.
He turned around one last time.
His expression was unreadable.
"I'm sorry."
Then he walked outside.
Yerin stood frozen.
Through the glass doors, she watched him get into the car.
The engine started.
The car slowly pulled away.
She remained there.
Watching.
Until it disappeared completely.
Her face was filled with disbelief.
"He just left."
Her voice was barely audible.
Do-hyun stood beside her.
Yerin looked at him.
"How could he just leave?"
Do-hyun didn't answer immediately.
He looked at the empty road.
Then at her.
"I don't know."
Yerin swallowed.
"He didn't even look back."
Do-hyun remained beside her.
She looked down.
"I thought..."
Her voice broke.
"I thought he would stay."
Do-hyun didn't try to explain her father's behavior.
He didn't defend him.
He simply stayed.
Yerin wiped her tears.
"I'm nto going to forgive him."
"I know."
"really not going too."
"I know."
She looked at him.
"You're not going to tell me I'm wrong?"
"No."
"Why?"
"Because you're allowed to be angry."
Yerin looked away.
For some reason, those simple words made her cry harder.
Do-hyun quietly placed a hand on her shoulder.
She didn't pull away.
Later that morning, Yerin returned to the waiting area.
Her mother was sitting beside her grandmother.
Yerin walked toward them.
"Mom."
Her mother looked up.
"Where did your father go?"
Yerin's mother hesitated.
"He told me he had to leave."
"You knew?"
"He mentioned it last night."
Yerin stared at her.
"And you didn't tell me?"
"You were already struggling."
Yerin looked away.
"I don't understand this family anymore."
Her grandmother gently reached for her hand.
"Yerin..."
"Everyone knows something."
Her voice was quiet.
"Except me."
Nobody answered.
And somehow, their silence hurt more than anything they could have said.
A few hours later, Do-hyun stepped outside the hospital.
He took out his phone.
His father's number appeared on the screen.
He hesitated.
Then called.
The call rang several times.
Finally—
"Do-hyun?"
His father's voice came through.
"Where are you?"
"Abroad."
"I know."
A pause.
"Why are you calling?"
Do-hyun looked toward the hospital.
"Ji-hoon was attacked."
Silence.
"I know."
"You know?"
"Your mother told me."
Do-hyun's eyes narrowed.
"Do you know who did it?"
Another pause.
"No."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
Do-hyun leaned against the wall.
"Then why did someone tell me to ask you?"
His father's voice changed.
"What?"
"You heard me."
"Do-hyun, stay away from this."
"Why?"
"Because you don't understand what you're dealing with."
Do-hyun's expression hardened.
"Everyone keeps saying that."
His father remained silent.
"Was Ji-hoon's attack connected to something from the past?"
No answer.
Do-hyun's grip tightened around the phone.
"Father."
Silence.
"Answer me."
His father finally said,
"Stop asking questions."
Do-hyun's eyes narrowed.
"That's not an answer."
"It is the only answer you're getting."
Do-hyun took a breath.
Then asked the question that had been sitting in his mind since the previous night.
"Was my marriage to Yerin planned?"
Silence.
A long silence.
Do-hyun's expression slowly changed.
His father still didn't answer.
"Father?"
Nothing.
Do-hyun looked down.
He already knew.
Sometimes silence said more than words ever could.
The call ended.
That evening, Yerin found Do-hyun sitting alone in the garden.
She walked toward him.
"You called your father."
Do-hyun looked up.
"How do you know?"
"Because you look like you just argued with him."
He gave a small sigh.
"Something like that."
Yerin sat beside him.
"What did he say?"
Do-hyun looked ahead.
"He told me to stop asking questions."
Yerin's expression changed.
"About Ji-hoon?"
"Yes."
She looked down.
"My father left today."
"He said I'd understand someday."
Do-hyun turned toward her.
"Did he say anything else?"
"No."
She paused.
"Do-hyun..."
"Yeah?"
"I don't think they want us to know something."
He nodded.
"I think so too."
Yerin looked at him.
"What did your father say when you asked about our marriage?"
Do-hyun didn't answer.
Her eyes narrowed.
"You asked him."
"Yes."
"And?"
"He didn't answer."
Yerin stared at him.
"Why would he not answer?"
"I don't know."
She looked toward the hospital.
"Our fathers."
Do-hyun nodded.
"They're hiding something."
Yerin folded her hands together.
"I don't like this."
"Neither do I."
"What do we do?"
Do-hyun looked at her.
"We find out ourselves."
Yerin nodded slowly.
"For once..."
She looked at him.
"No more secrets between us."
Do-hyun held her gaze.
"Agreed."
They returned inside.
Yerin went to check on Ji-hoon.
Do-hyun stayed behind for a moment.
He opened his phone.
The old photograph was still there.
He zoomed in again.
The photograph showed their fathers standing together.
But this time, he noticed something he hadn't noticed before.
A building in the background.
A sign above the entrance.
And beneath it—
a date.
He took a screenshot.
Then searched the date.
Nothing.
He searched the building.
Still nothing.
He tried another database.
Still nothing.
Then—
a result appeared.
Do-hyun's eyes widened.
The building had once belonged to a company that had been connected to both families.
He read the information carefully.
The company had been shut down years ago.
The same year as the date in the photograph.
Do-hyun stared at the screen.
Why would their fathers have been there?
And why had someone circled a person standing in the background?
He opened the photograph again.
His eyes moved toward the circled figure.
He couldn't see the face clearly.
But the person seemed to be watching their fathers.
Do-hyun's phone vibrated.
He froze.
A new message.
You're getting closer.
He stared at it.
Then another appeared.
But you're looking in the wrong direction.
Do-hyun's expression darkened.
He typed:
Who are you?
No response.
He typed again.
What do you want?
Nothing.
He locked his phone.
Then looked toward the hospital room.
The Room
Yerin sat beside Ji-hoon.
She held his hand.
"You know..."
She smiled faintly.
"Dad left today."
Her voice became quieter.
"I was angry."
She looked at him.
"Really angry."
Her eyes filled with tears.
"But you're probably going to yell at me when you wake up for crying this much."
Nothing.
She squeezed his hand.
"So wake up."
She leaned closer.
"I have a lot to tell you."
Her voice trembled.
"And a lot to ask."
She wiped her cheek.
"Please."
She stayed there.
Waiting.
Hoping.
Then—
something happened.
Yerin froze.
She felt something against her palm.
She looked down.
Ji-hoon's fingers had moved.
Her eyes widened.
"Ji-hoon?"
Nothing.
She leaned closer.
"Ji-hoon?"
His fingers moved again.
Yerin immediately stood.
"Nurse!"
The nurse rushed into the room.
"What happened?"
"He moved."
The nurse quickly checked him.
The doctor was called.
Yerin stood outside the room, watching through the glass.
Do-hyun rushed toward her.
"What happened?"
"He moved."
The doctor entered the room.
Everyone gathered near the glass.
Yerin's heart raced.
The machines continued beeping.
The doctor checked Ji-hoon's condition.
Then—
Ji-hoon's lips moved.
Barely.
Yerin stepped closer to the glass.
"What did he say?"
Nobody answered.
The doctor leaned closer.
Ji-hoon's lips moved again.
This time, Yerin heard it.
One word.
Barely audible.
"Father..."
Yerin's face went pale.
Do-hyun looked at her.
She slowly turned toward him.
Her eyes were filled with confusion.
"Father?"
Do-hyun said nothing.
Because suddenly, the same question was running through his mind.
Which father?
Yerin's?
His?
Or someone neither of them had considered?
The doctor looked toward the glass.
Everyone stood frozen.
Ji-hoon's eyes remained closed.
But his fingers moved once more.
And then—
the machines continued their steady rhythm.
Yerin pressed her hand against the glass.
Her heart pounding.
Something had changed.
Ji-hoon had spoken.
And whatever he was trying to tell them...
might be the first piece of the truth they'd been searching for.
— END OF CHAPTER 33 —