Doyun was silent. He couldn't speak, as the fear of breaking down before his mother and younger siblings if he tried to speak made him choose to stay quiet instead.
Every word seemed heavy, every breath weighed down by worry and exhaustion. The memories of seeing his mother so weak, the thought of the costly medical bills, and the recent pressure of his own dreams all collided in his mind.
Though he said nothing, Baram knew. She had always been attuned to her children's emotions, able to read the smallest gestures and silent hesitations. She noticed the tension in his shoulders, the slight trembling of his hands, the way his eyes kept darting away as if avoiding her gaze.
She realized immediately that their family's current situation—the weight of her illness and their financial struggles—was the main catalyst for her son's sudden decision to abandon his hard-earned opportunity.
What child could focus on their dreams when faced with the crushing reality that a parent was diagnosed with kidney failure, and that treatment costs were beyond their means? It was an impossible burden, one that even the bravest heart would struggle to carry.
"Oemma, are you crying?" Hyeri's soft voice broke the tense silence. Doyun and Hyewon, both lost in their thoughts, turned to their mother and saw her tear-stained face.
Baram blinked rapidly, trying to compose herself, but the tears betrayed her. They ran down silently, leaving streaks that glistened under the hospital room's soft fluorescent lights. Hyeri immediately wiped her mother's cheeks with the back of her hand, her touch gentle, careful not to cause discomfort.
Hyewon draped the curtains down again, creating a private cocoon for the family. She wanted this moment to be theirs, away from the quiet hum of other patients and the distant chatter of nurses outside the room.
Lee Baram didn't notice the quiet tears, nor the ache in her chest, as she let go of Doyun's hand and opened her arms.
Almost instinctively, all three children ran into her embrace. Hyeri went first, then Hyewon, and finally Doyun, who hesitated only a fraction before surrendering to the warmth.
For a long moment, no one spoke. They simply held one another, the embrace a silent testament to their love, their fear, and their shared burden. Baram adjusted her posture slightly, enveloping her children securely as though shielding them from the harshness of reality outside this small space.
Finally, they released each other, but the weight of unspoken emotions lingered. Lee Baram looked at their faces, her eyes lingering on each of her children. A guilty thought nagged at her heart: had she, in protecting them over the years, inadvertently left them unprepared for the harshness of life? She brushed the thought aside, choosing instead to focus on the present and the warmth of having her children beside her.
Elsewhere, Bae Jimin and Won Shik were leaving a local restaurant used for a class reunion. The evening had been a delicate performance, their client's image carefully managed with Bae acting as her fiancé.
"Bhehehe. You. You should've seen their faces," their client said amid laughter, thoroughly enjoying the relief of her embarrassment being soothed.
Bae Jimin smiled, a polite, measured response. "I'm glad that you're happy with how things turned out."
"Yes. Thank you, guys, for helping me save face. I'll recommend your services to others. Bye!" The client waved cheerfully at Jimin and then turned away to leave.
"Bye," Bae called after her before heading in the direction where he would meet his best friend.
Buzzt! Buzzt!
"How did it go?" Won Shik asked as soon as Bae answered the call.
"It went well," Jimin replied, trying to keep his tone casual.
"Is it over?"
"Hm. I'm already on my way to your place."
There was a hesitant pause on the other end. "Erm, okay."
Jimin noticed the slight tremor in his friend's voice. "Why? Will that be a problem?"
"Er, no. It's nothing; you come."
Jimin stopped in his tracks, suspicion creeping into his mind. "Is Young Mi also there?"
"No. But she's also on her way here," Won Shik replied.
Silence hung between them. Each seemed to weigh their next words carefully, unsure of how to bridge the awkward gap.
"Yeoboseyo? Jimin a? Are you still there?" Won Shik finally asked, breaking the quiet.
Bae stayed silent for a moment longer, thinking about the tension between all three of them.
"If you're not okay, I can meet her outside. The code is still the same," Won Shik offered.
"Never mind. I'll go home then," Bae said finally.
"Okay. I'll see tomorrow, right?"
"I don't know. Let's talk later." Bae hung up the call and immediately sent a text to his new friend and roommate, Lee Doyun, who had just recently moved in this semester.
Back at the hospital, the afternoon sun was beginning to filter through the blinds, casting long shadows across the room. Hyewon had finished helping their mother clean up, change, and refresh herself. The soft smell of soap and clean water lingered in the air.
"Oppa, have you heard anything after your audition for the Knet show yet?" Hyeri asked, her voice bright but laced with curiosity. She shifted on the chair beside her mother's bed, hands clasped neatly in her lap.
"Why do you ask?" Doyun replied, trying to mask the surge of hope that had welled in his chest at the mention of the audition. He glanced at Hyeri, wondering how she could know.
"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. "No, I got in," he said, attempting casualness but failing to hide the tremor in his voice.
"Hey!!!" All three of them exclaimed simultaneously. Even Baram managed a weak, joyful laugh, the corners of her lips twitching upward despite the lingering weakness from her illness.
"You got in, and you haven't even told us yet? Why? You don't even look that excited. What is wrong?" Hyewon's voice was sharp, a mixture of excitement and incredulity.
Doyun's mother reached out, taking his hand gently in hers. Her eyes were full of concern, reading every flicker of emotion across his face. "Why? Is it because of my condition? Or is this about something else?"
Doyun shook his head, still avoiding eye contact.
"Then what is it? We all know how important this is to you. You've been practicing hard all these years just for an opportunity like this," she continued, her voice firm yet tender. She leaned slightly forward, gripping his hands with both of hers.
"I don't want it anymore. I want to concentrate on my studies." His words were soft, almost lost in the room's stillness. His head hung low, gaze fixed on the joined hands.
"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 cracked slightly, but she did not relent.
Doyun remained silent. The fear of breaking down in front of his family, combined with guilt and worry, made speech impossible. Every heartbeat seemed amplified, echoing in his ears louder than any words he could speak.
Baram, however, understood. She squeezed his hands reassuringly, her own tears now hidden by a composed exterior. She wanted him to know that she wasn't angry; she understood why he had made this decision. But she also wanted to gently remind him that some sacrifices, while noble, should not cost him his future.
"Hyeri, Hyewon," she said softly, her voice a gentle anchor, "we have faced hardships before, and we will face them again. But it is not your duty to carry the weight of the world on your young shoulders."
The children nodded slightly, the quiet understanding settling over them like a soft blanket.
Lee Baram paused, gathering her strength, and continued, "About our financial problems, I don't want you to be concerned. Focus on yourselves and only on that. Omma will take care of it all. Everything will be alright."
She looked directly at Doyun, her gaze unwavering. "Doyun, when are you supposed to report to the company for the show?"
Doyun opened his mouth to speak, hesitated, then answered, "It's next Monday."
"Just in two days?!" Hyeri exclaimed. The realization seemed to startle her. "Were you going to tell us later?"
"Oppa, you're to go in just tomorrow next, and you didn't bother to tell us till now? Were you really intending to throw away this opportunity?" Hyewon's voice was a mix of annoyance and worry, a reflection of both sibling love and disbelief.
Lee Baram removed her hands from their shoulders to rub Doyun and Hyewon's hands together gently. "Doyun, Omma would be very happy if you took this chance and concentrated on yourself and your dreams. Hm?"
Doyun nodded reluctantly. "Okay, Omma. I'll go."
"Good," she said, a warm smile spreading across her face. "I want to see you shine brighter than you already are. Concentrate on your training and do your best so that you will not have any regrets. Okay?"
Doyun felt the weight of her encouragement settle into his chest. The fear, the worry, and the guilt remained, but for the first time that day, he also felt a quiet determination. He would not waste this opportunity. He would go, and he would honor both his dreams and the sacrifices of those who loved him.