"Stevie, why? Do you know the number? Why have you stopped me from answering the call? Who are they?" Areum asked again, her voice sharp but tinged with concern.
Her fingers rested lightly on the table, just short of snatching the phone back from Stevie.
"No, I don't know who they are, miss. But this is the young master's private line. Only those who are very important to him have it," Stevie replied calmly, his eyes glancing toward the phone but not touching it.
Areum frowned slightly. Her brows knit together in frustration. "Okay. But what is wrong if I answer the phone call? I just want to tell them that he is asleep and will get back to them when he wakes up. Why are you preventing me from doing that?"
Stevie exhaled slowly. "Ah. Oh." His shoulders relaxed a bit. "You looked annoyed, so I thought you were going to be... you know..."
"Know what? Be harsh on them. Why should that matter? They are the rude ones who disturb someone asleep. I wa—"
Buzzt! Buzzt! Buzzt!
The phone vibrated again in Stevie's hand, and Areum shot him a pointed look. "Ah. See?" she said. "They're not going to stop unless someone answers the phone. Bring it to me. I'll not be harsh."
Stevie hesitated for a moment, then placed the still-vibrant phone into her palm. Areum immediately brought it to her ear. Her heartbeat sped up slightly as she adjusted to the idea of speaking to a stranger.
"Yeoboseyo?" A shaky male voice whispered through the phone. Areum immediately switched the phone to loudspeaker, her curiosity overriding any initial hesitation.
"Hello?" the person repeated, and Areum remained silent, listening carefully.
"Is that you? Are you the person I think you are?"
Before Areum could respond, the line went dead. The call was cut off abruptly. She held the phone for a moment, unsure whether to dial back, her mind racing with possibilities.
The voice had sounded anxious, almost desperate.
Buzzt! Buzzt! Buzzt!
The phone buzzed again. This time Areum picked it up and held it to her left ear, listening carefully, not placing it on loudspeaker.
"Hello? I know it's you. I'm glad to know that you got back safely." The voice was quicker now, rushed, but calmer than before. Areum could hear the sound of controlled inhalation, a deliberate effort to steady the tone.
"I understand why you would want to refuse to answer my calls or reply to my texts, but can you please meet with me? To give me a chance to explain myself on what happened..."
The call ended again before Areum could respond. She paused, gripping the phone, unsure of what to make of it. Was it her brother? Had he really sent these messages, or was it someone else entirely? Her mind spun with possibilities.
She couldn't know for certain, and the thought of hearing private matters not meant for her unsettled her. She carefully hung up before any sensitive details could be disclosed.
"Stevie, do you recognize the voice on the phone? Is it any acquaintance of oppa?" Areum asked, her voice low, careful not to draw attention.
Stevie shook his head in denial. "No, miss. I'm afraid I do not. It is unfamiliar to me."
"Then I guess it's a wrong number," Areum said, a note of frustration in her voice as she set the phone aside. She decided it was best to switch it off for now. Her brother would deal with it once he woke up; that much she knew.
Across town, a different scene was unfolding.
"Yeoboseyo?" Bae Jimin answered the phone, still groggy from sleep. He sat up in bed, his phone pressed to his ear, squinting at the morning sunlight filtering through the blinds.
"I'm waiting for you at the centre. Where have you reached?" Wonshik asked sharply from the other end of the line.
"Hm? Oh!" Bae quickly got off the bed, still holding the phone in his hand as he scrambled to get dressed. The phone cord of responsibility tugged at him, reminding him that he was expected somewhere he didn't fully understand.
"Wait, Jimin a, don't tell me that you were still sleeping before my call?"
"Huh? No. No. I'm already on my way," Jimin lied, still adjusting his shirt in front of the mirror.
"You better hurry up and get your ass right here before the client notices your absence." The voice barked one last time before hanging up.
Jimin exhaled heavily, adjusting his tie. He glanced at his reflection in the mirror, wondering how he had ended up in a situation like this. He and his closest friend, Won Shik, ran a small business together, and today Jimin's job was to act as a client's fiancé at a school reunion.
He still didn't fully understand why their client needed a fiancé for the event. It seemed absurd, even laughable. 'Doesn't it involve only one's classmates?' he thought. But well, this was how they earned their money—helping his friend's business run smoothly. He reminded himself that it wasn't about his pride but about the practicalities of life.
He tightened his jacket, took one last deep breath, and left for the centre, determined to perform his role convincingly.
Back at the hospital, Hyewon had finished helping their mom clean up and change her clothes. The soft sound of the water running and the faint rustle of fabric had filled the room during that time. She returned to their mother's bedside, carefully ensuring that everything was in its place.
"Oppa, have you heard anything after your audition for the Knet show yet?" Hyeri asked, her voice bright but curious. She leaned slightly forward, her hands folded neatly in her lap.
"Why do you ask?" Doyun wondered. He looked at his youngest sister, trying to determine if she knew something he didn't. 'So how does she know anything? This was right before the call from the hospital yesterday that I received the news,' he thought.
"Our classmate's cousin received the message that he had passed to the next stage. They were talking about it in our group chat this morning. I remembered that you had also auditioned for the same program. Why? They didn't pick you?"
Doyun shook his head and said in a nonchalant manner, "No, I got in."
"Hey!!!" All three of them exclaimed, their voices overlapping, full of surprise and excitement. Even their mother, Lee Baram, let out a small laugh, relieved to see her children animated despite her own frailty.
"You got in, and you haven't even told us yet? Why? You don't even look that excited. What is wrong?" Doyun's voice wavered slightly as he fought to keep his emotions in check. The relief of success felt distant compared to the worry for his mother's health.
His mother reached out and took his hand in hers. "Why? Is it because of my condition? Or is this about something else?" Her voice was gentle, filled with concern and maternal care.
Doyun shook his head, unable to look directly at her. The weight of responsibility pressed heavily on him, mixing with the faint thrill of the opportunity he had earned.
"Then what is it? We all know how important this is to you. You've been practicing hard on your own all these years just for an opportunity like this." Her eyes searched his face, pleading for the truth.
"I don't want it anymore. I want to concentrate on my studies." He said it softly, his head bent low. His gaze was fixed on their joined hands, out of focus on everything else around him.
"I do not believe the excuse you just gave. Tell me the truth. Is it about my condition? Are you trying to throw away the only opportunity now available for you to reach your dreams when even doing so will not change our current condition for the better?" Her voice shook slightly, though her tone remained firm.
Doyun was silent. Words failed him. The fear of breaking down before his mother and younger siblings made him choose silence. He could feel the weight of their gaze upon him, each expectant look a mixture of hope, love, and concern.
He pressed his lips together, willing himself to remain composed. The moment stretched, heavy with unspoken thoughts and emotion, each second a test of his resolve.