Hee-mi's body finally gave out, collapsing heavily onto the floor.
A nurse rushed toward her in alarm.
She knelt beside her quickly and gently patted her shoulder.
"Miss?"
"Can you hear me?"
She checked her pulse in a hurry, her eyes darting down the hallway from time to time, afraid someone might discover what had just happened.
"Miss… open your eyes."
After what felt like hours, Hee-mi's eyelashes finally moved.
She slowly opened her eyes.
For a few seconds, she stared at the ceiling, trying to understand where she was.
It felt as if part of her mind refused to accept what she had just seen through that glass.
But the image returned instantly.
The tubes.
The machines.
Min-soo's pale face.
She looked at the nurse and whispered:
"I'm sorry…"
The nurse smiled gently.
"It's alright."
"We all have the right to break down sometimes."
Then she added warmly:
"If I were in your place, I might have reacted the same way."
Hee-mi's lips trembled slightly.
The nurse asked:
"Can you stand?"
She nodded faintly.
"Lean on me a little."
"It will help."
Hee-mi extended her hand and leaned on the nurse's shoulder.
And when her body finally straightened, she couldn't stop herself from looking back at the ICU room.
She whispered inside her heart:
Min-soo…
Please…
Don't give up.
For me…
You haven't kept your promise yet.
That simple promise…
She didn't even know if he still remembered it.
And as soon as the thought crossed her mind, memories flooded in without permission.
Many years ago…
She was a little girl hiding behind the bushes.
Her loud sobbing made it easy to find her.
Young Min-soo approached her.
His eyes were innocent.
His hair messy like any child's.
He bent slightly and asked:
"Why are you hiding here?"
"Did they bully you again?"
Her voice came out broken between sobs:
"I'm ugly."
"They said my hair is messy."
"Isn't it?"
Min-soo shook his head immediately.
But she continued stubbornly:
"Yes."
"And they said no one will ever want to marry me."
"And I'll stay alone until I'm thirty-five."
Little Min-soo's eyes widened.
Thirty-five.
To a child like him…
it sounded like an eternity.
He thought for a moment.
Then said very seriously:
"Don't worry."
She lifted her head toward him.
"If no one wants to marry you…"
He paused.
Then smiled.
"I'll marry you when you turn thirty-five."
Her tears stopped.
"Really?"
"Really."
She wiped her nose with her sleeve.
Then held out her tiny pinky finger.
"Promise?"
Min-soo smiled.
He extended his own pinky.
Their small fingers locked together.
And he said with the absolute confidence only children have:
"I promise."
"And a pinky promise can't be broken."
Hee-mi leaned on the nurse as she was led down the corridor.
But the memory stayed with her.
As if it had happened yesterday.
She was moved to a small medical room.
An IV drip was attached to her arm to restore her exhausted body.
By morning…
a knock came at the door.
Su-hyun entered.
Dark circles under his eyes were clearly visible.
He was holding a small bag.
He approached the bed.
Hee-mi lowered her head immediately upon seeing him.
She didn't look directly at him.
Only stole fragmented side glances.
He sat on the chair beside her and said in a tired voice:
"Why are you pushing yourself so far?"
He reached out toward her hair as he usually did.
She didn't move away.
But her body stiffened instinctively.
At the same time, her fingers clenched tightly under the blanket.
Su-hyun noticed.
He slowly withdrew his hand.
After a brief silence, he said:
"I brought you some clothes."
"I know you won't leave the hospital until Min-soo wakes up."
Her voice came out faint:
"Thank you."
"You didn't have to trouble yourself."
Su-hyun rubbed his forehead, trying to gather his thoughts.
Then he raised his head.
His smile had disappeared.
There was something strange in her eyes.
Something that hadn't been there before.
He frowned slightly.
Then asked directly:
"What's wrong?"
"Did I do something without realizing it?"
Hee-mi quickly lifted her head and shook it.
"No."
"It's nothing."
But her eyes betrayed her for a brief moment.
There was a flash of resentment.
It appeared and vanished instantly.
But Su-hyun saw it.
He swallowed hard.
She said softly:
"I'm just tired."
He looked at her for a long moment.
It was clear she was hiding something.
But she didn't want to talk about it.
He finally stood up.
"I'll go now."
"I want to ask more about Min-soo's condition."
Then he added:
"Take care of yourself."
And he left the room.
The following hours passed painfully slowly.
The press never left the hospital's surroundings.
And the rumors grew louder.
More and more.
Some called Min-soo an angel.
Some called him a demon who deserved what happened.
Some decided they knew the truth—without knowing anything at all.
As if the world had forgotten something simple.
Park Min-soo was not an angel.
Nor a demon.
He was just a human being.
And at that moment…
that human being was fighting to stay alive.