Her mind is racing and her heart is aching. Her legs slowly come to a stop when she catches sight of Yongsun, Hyejin, and Wheein each leaning against the walls while they wait anxiously outside the operation room.

Hyejin and Wheein are sobbing uncontrollably and comforting each other while Yongsun just stares blankly at the wall in front of her, crouching on the floor with her arms around her knees. Her eyes are dry and hollow like she isn’t really there, her lips chapped and sore. She had cried till she couldn’t anymore. 

Moonbyul takes a careful step towards Yongsun, lowering herself so she could face the older girl and as she does, feels wetness in her own eyes. Yongsun looks so broken and lifeless like she had lost all sense of purpose in life and this is entirely her fault. She knew what her father was capable of and yet she still provoked him.

“I’m so sorry, Yongsun-ah… I don’t know how he found out about me going to the police. But I know he did it because he wanted to drag me down with him. He wanted us to suffer. I should have known better...”

Moonbyul’s heart sinks when Yongsun’s tear-stricken face slowly looks up at her. “You did this? You let him hurt my mother? My poor, innocent mother? She’s never had an easy day in her entire life… from divorcing my abusive father and raising me all by herself to getting a bullet to her chest while at the market buying ingredients to make my favourite soup. Why does she have to suffer for us?”

“Yongsun, words can’t describe how sorry I am.”

“Byul ah, my mother is dying. She’s bleeding out in there and all I can do is sit here and wait for the doctor to come out and tell me that he’s sorry. Please, I don’t want to hear another apology.”

“Yongsun…”

“Leave. I don’t want to see your face again…”

“Please.”

“Get out of here! Please just get the out of here and never come back!” Yongsun is hysterical and Hyejin has to hold her back, begging her to stop.

Wheein takes a few steps towards Moonbyul and places a hand on her shoulder. “I think you should leave. She’s not in her best state of mind right now.”

Moonbyul stares at Wheein and then Yongsun, then back at Wheein again. “Wheein ah, I’m so sorry. That’s all I can say. Please take care of her.”

Wheein nods, her own eyes b with tears yet again. “You know I always do.”

Moonbyul turns on her heels and starts walking away with a heavy heart. A single tear slides down from her warm butterscotch eyes, followed by another one, and another one, until soon, a steady stream of glimmering tears flows its way down her reddened cheek, releasing the sadness and sorrow that has been held inside of her for all this time.

But still she does not make a sound.

//

A few months past just like that. Calls remain unanswered and words, unsaid. Moonbyul’s father had left her out entirely in his will, putting her younger sister’s name instead as the rightful heir to whatever’s remaining of his wealth and empire.

“Unnie, let’s split everything.” Seulgi had rung her up a few times to convince her to take some of their father’s inheritance.

“I’m not taking his blood money. Seulgi, you can keep everything of his if you want.”

“You know I was never after his fortune. And now that he’s left everything to me, I’m terrified. I dreamed that I was going to become like him. A psychopath tycoon filled with greed and murderous intent…”

“Seulgi, I know you need fundings for your start-up business. At least you can put the money to good use.”

“I’ll be donating most of it to charity. Unnie, are you sure?”

There’s silence on the line until Moonbyul speaks up again.

“You know, it’s funny how I only started to understand the true meaning of happiness when I was no longer relying on his money. Per