"Dr. Lee!"

A voice rang out from a distance.

The physician turned on his heel the moment he heard his name. Without wasting a second, he rushed back into the operating room, leaving everyone frozen in place.

ᯓ ᯓ ᯓ

"Can you believe this guy was on the verge of dying just moments ago?" Jaehyun scoffed, throwing a side glance at Taesan.

"Right? Someone was literally crying his eyes out," Leehan added,

"Will you two shut up?" Taesan snapped, his frustration evident.

Jaehyun, ignoring him completely, mockingly imitated his earlier breakdown. "'If anything happens to her, I’ll never forgive myself!'" he said in an exaggerated tone.

Taesan clenched his jaw, resisting the urge to throw something at him.

"Seriously, guys?" Sungho sighed, shaking his head in disapproval. "We’re in a hospital, and there’s a patient in the room. Can you act your age for once?"

A faint giggle echoed in the air.

"The patient is enjoying it. Please continue."

All heads turned towards Ma-ri, who lay on the hospital bed, smiling despite her exhaustion.

She had been shifted to the recovery room just hours ago after a critical operation. The odds had been against her; the doctors had almost lost hope. But miracles existed, and Ma-ri was living proof.

Though weak, she was stable. And for the first time in forever, the future didn’t seem so uncertain.

"Not you too, Ma-ri," Taesan groaned, shaking his head as he sat beside her on the bed.

His hand found hers, brushing against it gently.

"How are you feeling now?" he asked softly.

"Much better," she replied, squeezing his hand in reassurance.

A small smile tugged at his lips. "The doctors said we can leave tomorrow."

She nodded in response.

A moment of silence settled between them before Ma-ri finally spoke. "I’m sorry… you all had to go through that because of me." She lowered her gaze.

"You shouldn’t be sorry. I’m the one to blame," Taesan murmured, eyes fixed on the floor.

"You aren’t," she said firmly. "Trust me, Taesan… I fell for you the first time I saw you. Your love was never one-sided."

She reached out, cupping his face as tears threatened to spill from his eyes.

"I’m so sorry you had to go through all that, Ma-ri. I’m sorry I couldn’t do anything earlier. I’m sorry—" his voice broke.

Ma-ri let out a soft giggle. "You look cute when your nose turns red."

Taesan blinked, completely caught off guard. "Huh?"

"Dude, she just called you cute," Jaehyun cut in.

"Shut up, Jaehyun hyung. Don’t ruin the moment." Woonhak sighed dramatically before turning to the couple. "You guys continue."

Jaehyun rolled his eyes. "You’re too young for all this. Babies shouldn’t be here." Without warning, he grabbed Woonhak and dragged him out of the room.

Sungho, Riwoo, and Leehan followed with amused chuckles. "Sorry for the interruption," Sungho added with a dramatic bow before closing the door behind them.

For the first time in a long while, Ma-ri felt something unfamiliar— warmth.

A genuine, comforting kind of warmth.

She smiled, savoring the moment, but then… something struck her.

The warmth faded instantly.

Her gaze shifted to Taesan, who was still looking towards the door his friends had just left through.

"Taesan."

His head turned towards her immediately.

"What happened to him?" Her voice was barely above a whisper.

"Him?"

"M-my dad." She hesitated, gripping the sheets tightly.

Taesan exhaled before saying,

"He took his own life."

Ma-ri’s eyes widened. That was not what she had expected.

Her father's voice echoed in her head—his last moments playing back like a haunting melody.

ᯓ ᯓ ᯓ

"Let’s get this over with, shall we?" Yoon smirked, his gun aimed straight at Taesan’s head.

Ma-ri turned in horror. "You can’t do this."

"Oh, trust me, I can, daughter." Yoon’s voice was void of remorse.

"Not him. Please," she pleaded, her voice trembling. "I’m your daughter. Do whatever you want with me, but don’t involve them!"

Yoon’s gaze burned with hatred. "He’s the reason you drifted away from me. He’s the reason you were planning to leave me... He’s the reason behind everything."

His grip on the gun tightened. "It’s time to say goodbye, boy."

Then—

A gunshot.

But it wasn’t Taesan who fell.

It was her.

Blood seeped through Ma-ri’s clothes, pooling beneath her.

"Ma-ri!" Taesan’s scream broke through the silence as he rushed to her side, hands covered in her blood.

Yoon’s eyes widened in shock. "What have I done? My daughter… Ma-ri, open your eyes!"

His voice grew desperate, shaking her limp body.

Then, a bitter laugh escaped his lips.

"I did this."

His laughter turned manic. "I killed my own daughter."

Before anyone could react, he raised the gun to his own temple and—

Bang.

His lifeless body collapsed beside hers.

Blood. Everywhere.

ᯓ ᯓ ᯓ

Taesan exhaled deeply, bringing Ma-ri back to the present.

"That’s when the neighbors arrived, and we rushed you to the hospital. But your father… he wasn’t breathing anymore. The authorities took care of the rest."

Silence hung in the air.

Ma-ri’s eyes welled with unshed tears, but before Taesan could utter another word, she cut him off with a trembling smile.

"Don’t worry… I’m fine."

Taesan shook his head. "Ma-ri, you don’t have to pretend. Cry if you want to. It’ll make you feel better."

She hesitated before whispering, "Can we… hug?"

"Of course."

Taesan pulled her into his arms, holding her close— closer than ever before.

"I love you, Taesan."

Ma-ri’s voice was barely a breath, but the weight of those words was undeniable.

Taesan tightened his hold around her. "I love you more than you can imagine. Thank you for giving me a chance, Ma-ri."

They pulled apart, gazing into each other’s eyes, unspoken promises lingering between them.

"So… will you go out with me now, Miss Ma-ri?" he asked, intertwining their fingers.

A soft laugh escaped her lips.

"For sure, Mr. Han."

And for the first time in years, Ma-ri smiled— not out of obligation, but out of pure, genuine happiness.

ᯓ ᯓ ᯓ

Next up will be the epilogue I promised, look forward to it <3