Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

What keeps beeping?

A familiar figure began to approach Ariel. 

“Sweetie.”

That voice.. it sounds so familiar and warm. 

“Honey, it’s me.”

Mom? Mom!

“I know things are getting tough for you.”

Mom, I need you. Why did you leave me? I need you right now. 

“I know you need me right now. But I can’t be there for you. I can only watch from up there.”

Mom, I hate this. I hate this so much. I was so happy then everything crashed. Nothing is working out like how I thought it would be when I first came here.

“I know, honey. I know, it’s hard.”

What do I do? I don’t know what to do anymore.

“Ariel, I can’t just tell you what to do. You have to decide it for your own being.”

But Mom,-

“What makes your heart content?”

Content?

“What makes you happy? The answer will lead you to your next decision.”

The figure began fading away. 

Mom? Mom! Don’t leave me! Mom! MOM!

“Mom, mom. MOM!” Ariel shot up from the oh so familiar hospital room. 

The two people present in the room, immediately ran to Ariel, worried about her. 

“Ariel, it was just a nightmare.” Luke comforted, standing over her next to the hospital bed. “You’re okay.”

“No guys, it wasn’t a nightmare. It was.. it was…” Ariel ran a hand through her hair and noticed the IV plugs inside her arm. “What happened to me?”

“You fainted again.” Daniel answered, pulling a chair up to the bed for him to sit down. 

Ariel lowered her arm to her side. “Fainted? I had another anxiety attack? But I’ve been taking all of my medications like Ara said to.”

“Lack of medication didn’t cause you to faint.” Luke stated, pulling a chair next to her bed and sitting down. He looked at her with worried eyes. “When was the last time you’ve ate properly?”

Ariel furrowed her brows at his question only because it confused her. “Two and half weeks. I’ve been on that stupid diet.”

Daniel groaned to himself as he sinked further down his seat. “Don’t tell me it’s the one meal a day diet.”

“What?”

Luke rubbed her shoulders to comfort her for the news he was going to bring. “That diet of your’s made you faint. The lack of eating caused you to be more anxious than normal.”

The door opened, revealing the same nurse from last time Ariel was at the hospital. “Choi Ah-Young? There’s another family member who wants to visit you.” 

Ariel glanced at her two brothers. “Uncle Jay?”

Daniel shifted in his sitting position. “Can’t be. He said was going to come and visit later because of a meeting.”

“Then who?” Luke questioned. 

The three siblings turned their heads to the door as a familiar figure entered the room. 

“Ah-Young.”

Oh god. 

“Dad.” Both Daniel and Luke said in unison as they both stood up from their positions. 

Luke was the first to actually say something about his presence. “What are you doing here?” 

Mr. Choi walked further into the hospital room. “I got a call about Ah-Young fainting at her photoshoot.” He stood at a good distance from where Ariel was laying as he examined the IV plugs in her arm. “I can see that you haven’t been properly taking care of yourself.”

Calm down, Ariel. We’re at the hospital.

Mr. Choi sighed as he strolled around the room. “I can see that you didn’t receive any flowers from your boyfriend.” He stopped at the window and began observing the outside. “We can cross modeling off your activities for now. Because of the fainting incident, other publishers have decided to call off future photoshoots for the time being until your health is in shape.”

Daniel cocked his head to the side, irritated how his father is talking about work at a situation like this. “Are you serious? Your own daughter is in the hospital because of that diet your stupid workers put her on.”

“Daniel..” Ariel tried to stop him from saying anything else but he continued as Luke joined him. 

“She fainted because of that one meal a day diet you forced her to do.” Luke emphasiz