The sickening smell of hospital’s air made its way to my nose once I made it in. sterilized, sharp to the nostrils, and awfully repulsive. Baekhyun used to say that it was the smell of healthy air; I said that it smelled like crap.

Being on the biggest facilities in the city, National Hospital of Seoul had the many floors that contained a high number of rooms and it was bustling with patients and staff; I wouldn’t have made it to the correct room if a nurse didn’t take me on her way up.

Walking further into the corridor, I noticed my father’s figure standing outside room 1024, his back leaning against the wall and arms folded, a band aid on his cheek, and bandage wrapped around his left hand.

“Dad!” I ran to him with tears threatening to spill from my eyes, and his arms were already open to receive me. “Are you alright? What happened?”

“Don’t worry much, I’m okay. It’s Minah …” he voice trailed and I knew something bad happened to her. “She … her legs … there’s a probability that she …”

Bad new were on the way “She won’t walk again?”

“No, not that. She will walk, and thank god for that, but her kneecap was severely damaged and the doctors say that she won’t walk as properly as before” and with his words, I found myself being dragged to her room with the company of my father, who sensed my hesitation and kept his palm on my back, perhaps to keep pushing me in case I decided to run away from there.

I disliked her, no scratch that, I hated her guts from the first day I saw her, because a) I felt as if she was deprecating me with her gaze, and b), and most importantly, she was going to steal my father, while me and mom lived alone. It was natural for me as a toddler to want everything just for me, just like her, but we both had more than we deserved anyway. Life has punished me by growing up with one parent, and taking Baekhyun from me, and she was punished by her father’s death, and now her disability. Or not.

She was lying on the bed, legs hidden under the warm sheets, shoulders hunched by head raised up in dignity. She wasn’t the type to hold her head down as far as I’ve known, and then our gazes met and something flickered in her eyes, something evil, vengeful, and strangely I had this feeling; that life was going to take another thing from me.

“Oh you’re here, came to enjoy the show” she said mockingly, “I was going to do something bad tonight, very bad, but the accident prevented it, or let’s say delayed it? Strange, you should be here, and not me!” I had no idea what her word salad meant, but for the first time in my life I felt bad for her.

“I want you to leave the house” her words were straightforward and they took me of guard, as well as my father, whose hand I couldn’t sense on my back anymore.

“What did you say?” he asked in utter disbelieve

“You heard her,” it was Sekyung’s voice to talk now “I can’t guarantee my daughter’s recovery if yours is still around”

“What are you talking about?! What about my daughter? Where do you want me to take her?! She can’t leave Seoul now! It’s impossible!” he was going ballistic and me too, inside of my head.

“You have the apartment you inherited from your uncle, it’s in Seoul, not that far away from the house” her voice was as business like as ever.

What? Move to another house alone? Just so that Minah could recover well. Pathetic isn’t it?! You’re going to wonder, how a girl who has nearly grown without a father, and was raised by an ignorant mother, and lost the only brother she will ever have, is going to do that for the sake of a person she absolutely despised, but surprisingly, I wanted to be good for once. I had new friends, the ones that I wanted, I got to live with dad for a while at least, and I got the best boyfriend that I could ask for. Wasn’t it time for me to give away something?

“Are you out of your mind? I understand that Minah is in trauma, but that doesn’t give yo—”

“—I will go, dad, don’t tire yourself” I pulled him by his sleeve and we walked outside the room, heading to the waiting area.

“Kim Yuri, what have gotten into you?”

“It’s okay dad, I think it’s my chance to see how I could fetch for myself, how I can manage the real life from now on”

“Do you think I can give away my child?! You’re impossible—” the rest of the words got stuck in his throat once I hugged him

“I love you, dad” and those unspoken utterances, that could never describe how grateful I am because you’re my father, will be forever engraved in my mind and heart, because even if this isn’t the last time we’ll hug each other, I feel like it will be the last time I’ll be able to feel your warmth, that’s why I’m so sorry for being a bad child at times, and for the love you gave unconditionally, I thank you.

“Where do you want me to put this?”

“Just there, thank you Chanyeol”

I moved out earlier than I expected. Any further arguments between me and my father were unnecessary and he understood that it was for the best, for the moment being at least; it’s not like I was exiled.

Surprisingly, I got an unforeseen visit from Namji and Chanyeol who were taken of guard when they found out that I was ‘packing my junk’ (as mom would say) and moving out, and being the good friends they were, they didn’t hesitate helping me.

The flat that my father told me about was quite nice; the medium room had a window that overlooked this beautiful garden, the walls were a pale beige and the door and window frame were a dark brown, a pale blue and cream bed, a L-shaped couch, and the rest of the wooden furniture was a dark brown. The kitchen was spacious, red and grey, with a kitchen bar, and it was open to the TV room, which had a nice set of white couches and a large flat screen, with a dining table in between.

Even if they were done helping me bringing the boxes and suitcases up, Namji and Chanyeol insisted on staying and putting everything in place, while my father went away to bring us lunch.

Meanwhile, I took the opportunity to text Sehun who had no idea what was happening; since the phone call, he had been calling and sending messages that I couldn’t ans