chapter soundtrack:
she - park jung eun

❄️ 

Youngro was quiet throughout the dinner with her family. Once in a while, she would bit her thumb, and her eyes wandering around the Eun family's dining room.

On the dining table, Eun family members were eating their dinner silently. A family of four, but just like the other nights these days, only the mother, the oldest son, and the youngest daughter were there. 

"Eun Youngro!" Hong Aera, her mom, called her out. "What's bothering you?! Finish your kimbap!" 

"Huh?! Oh! Yes!" The youngest daughter quickly nodded and put in another piece of kimbap into .

Youngro's brother, Eun Youngu who was seated next to her stared at his little sister. The man was 4 years older than Youngro, but he acted just like a caring father for her. He always took care of Youngro, and she might see him as an overprotective brother. But Youngro wouldn't complain, he just loved her brother that much. 

"Is there anything bothering you, Youngro?" Youngu raised an eyebrow, "if you want to share with me, feel free."

The youngest peeked at her mother who sat in front of her, giving a confusing look. Youngro then took a glass of water before answering to her brother, "There actually is..."

Aera raised an eyebrow, giving a curious stare to her daughter. 

"Mother... Youngu Oppa... What if I just committed a crime?"

The mother's eyes rounded, getting ready to shout something before Youngu cut in the middle. "What— What did you just do to be exact?" Her brother was then moving closer to Youngro. She could see a glimpse of panic on his eyes. "You... you didn't kill anyone... or robbed someone... did you?" He carefully asked, one of his hand holding Youngro's back.

Youngro closed her eyes, both of her hands reached out to her cheeks. "What if I just... comitted a crime to the Crown Prince?"

Yes, the public knew South Korean Crown Prince Im Sooho studied arts at Korea National College of Arts. Everyone knew. And upon hearing Youngro's words, Hong Aera stood up and shouted, "W-what did you do, Eun Youngro?"

Youngro gulped. "The FBI... are they watching our house? Is there anyone suspicious visited our house by chance?"

"Now, now," Youngu took Youngro's hand, holding them tight to comfort his sister. "Tell us, Youngro, what did you do?"

"I spilled a cup of hot coffee to Crown Prince."

"Whoa."

Hong Aera got back to her seat, having a good 10 seconds to proceed, and rubbed her temple. "That's... I don't know. Is there any law for that?" She said. "Did he hurt?"

"I don't..." Youngro squinted her eyes, she tried to recalled the memories that afternoon. "I don't know, he looked fine when I saw him... he said he was fine."

Youngu wanted to chuckle but it's the Crown Prince they were talking about then. His hand reached out to pat Youngro's head. "Well, if he didn't charge you for anything and he told you he was fine, I guess there's nothing to be afraid of."

"Right?! It should be fine... right?" Youngro grabbed her brother's hand. "Right, Oppa?"

"Yes. If there's anyone from the palace comes to our house and looks for you, I will just say there's no one called Eun Youngro in this house." He laughed. "Relax, Eun Youngro. All of us know, all South Korean people know, Crown Prince Im Sooho is a good man. Although he looks cold most of the time, people see him as a kind person. You don't have to worry."

Youngro left out a small chuckle in response, "You act like you know him a lot, Oppa." 

The older son gave his sister a comforting smile, patting her head once again. "Well... I watch TV and the news program most of the time at the village. Don't worry too much, okay?"

"Okay," Youngro said.

"Now, now," Hong Aera knocked the dining table. She had finished her meal and getting ready to tidy the table. "Youngro, Youngu, hurry and finish your meal. Youngu, sleep early. Tomorrow morning you have to go to Geumsan to pick up fresh fruits and you need a well good night sleep. Youngro, you will deliver the package for your father tonight. I have to clean up the store now."

The Eun children quickly finished their meal and followed their mother's orders.

❄️ 

It was almost 10 PM, and Youngro was walking her way to Seoul public hospital.

Eun Changsu, her father, had been sick for almost a year by the time due to a brain condition. The other members of Eun family who ran a fruit shop took in charge more since the time the father fell sick. Eun Youngu, being the oldest son, took charge of his father and left his job as a journalist. Once a week, he would go from Seoul to Geumsan to pick up the fruits from their relatives at the village and helped his mother selling the fruits at the store in Seoul everyday.

Eun Youngro insisted to help the family, but Eun Youngu wanted a better life for his sister. He said to Youngro, that she had to focus on her study, get a degree, and be a music composer just like what she always wanted to be. Her brother, Youngu, was the person who helped her a lot during her admission to college. He helped Youngro managed the paperworks, the documents, and contacted the people in charge so that she could get into the prestigious campus with scholarship.

Sometimes, Youngro felt sorry to her brother that he needed to leave his dream job like that. She promised one day she would make him proud. 

"Oh, Miss Youngro!"

A nurse approached Youngro as she entered the inpatient care area. "Hello, Nurse Lee!" Youngro greeted the nurse cheerfully. "I come to visit Father, how is his condition today?"

"He's fine," Nurse Lee answered, her eyes looked at Youngro empathically. "Youngro, the doctor asked me again if your family have made a decision..."

Oh, this conversation again...

"Your father is fine... but as you know, he takes a longer time to heal with his current condition, we can only help him with medicine. Thankfully, the insurance from government help covering the payment. However, this can not fully heal him. As the doctor said, your father needs to be treated through a couple of surgeries... and Doctor Oh also recommended your father to transfer to Yulje Hospital..."

"Yes, Nurse Lee," Youngro nodded as a response. "My family had discussed about it. We know that... that is the best way to help Father heal quickly. However... we just... can't do that yet. I hope you understand... I hope we can find a solution soon."

We can't afford the treatment. That's why.

The Nurse showed her a smile, and took Youngro to her father's room which was shared with the other 3 patients. Every month, Youngro would meet new patients in the room. But her Father would always be there, lying down unconsciously most of the time, next to the window.

All the patients have gone to sleep. Only Eun Changsu's bed was glowing with a dim light that night. The faint sound of the hospital machine beeping quietly, in rhytm with the old man's breath.

"Father, it's Youngro." She whispered. 

Eun Changsu's eyes moved slowly, finding the clear sight of his youngest daughter. Once he saw her, Youngro could hear a low humming voice coming out from her father. "Young... ro."

"Yes, it's me, Father. Mother had to clean the store before tomorrow morning come, and Youngu Oppa will go to Geunsam tomorrow so I come alone today." She explained. "I'm sorry I come here late, Father. I had late night additional class today..."

Youngro touched her father's face with her small hand, giving him a sincere smile. "The weather is getting colder lately. We packed an extra blanket from home for you. Your favorite one! You said this was given by Grandfather from his friend after a trip to Europe, remember? You even said that Grandfather got this from the royal family?" She proceed to unpack the thick blanket— from the texture and the material itself, Youngro could see how expensive and high quality the blanket was. "Whoa, imagine if we really are connected to the royal family, Father... we may be able to heal you quickly. And our family would live comfortably." She whispered faintly, followed by a small chuckle.

She spread the blanket on her father's body, layering the white hospital's blanket. She patted the blanket softly to make sure it covered her father body neatly and kept him warm.

As she proceed to put the new bag to her father's cupboard next to the hospital's bed, Youngro heard her father whispered something. She turned her body and appr