Your brother went home to take your dad’s belongings and rest a bit before they return back and stay the night with your father. You were asked to go home with them but you insisted on staying with your dad. You brothers couldn’t stop you, so they just said they would come back quickly. SeongJun wanted to stay with you and suggested JunSeo to go home first but you refused and pushed them out saying that you wanted to spend more time with your dad. They reluctantly left you alone in the hospital.

You let out a long sigh as you watch your dad, still in his deep slumber.

You thought your brothers was wrong, how could they not tell you anything when your dad was in such a bad condition. It was understandable that they didn’t want to let you worry but… but your dad, was severely injured. What if anything happened to him? Are they still going to keep it from you until you realise? Thinking back, your dad hasn’t come home ever since that dinner. Even though he comes home very late and leave house early in the morning, his presence was at the very least still there, how could you not realise? You were really an idiot, you thought.

“Appa, please wake up” You mumbled, “You have to be with us, please. Wake up so you can get an operation and get better. Stop sleeping please appa” You begged silently, latching on to your father’s hand, you held in your tears.

“Sorry Miss Min? We have to do a routine check for the patient, if you don’t mind, could you please step out for awhile?” The nurse interrupted, you did as told, and you went out of the room.

Sitting on the bench outside the ward, you lean on the wall, tears that you held in for long escaped your eyes. You swallowed hard and sniffled. You felt lonely, maybe you shouldn’t have asked SeongJun to leave. You wiped your tears roughly with your palms but it doesn’t seem to stop.

“So..Ah?” You turned your head towards the familiar voice. You turned your head to the opposite side and wiped your tears before you return your gaze at the familiar face.

“Jackson?”

“What are you doing here?” he asked.

“What are you doing here?” You asked back.

“This hospital belongs to my family, I came here for a meeting” He answered you. “So, why are you here?” He asked again, this time, he advanced to sit beside you. “Is anyone… hurt?” He didn’t know the appropriate word to use. You didn’t answer him and stared on the ground. You didn’t feel like talking.

The pin drop silence was broken through by a loud beeping sound which woke you up from your daze. More nurses seem to be running in to the ward your dad is lying in. You frantically flipped your head around and stood up on your feet. You moved slowly towards the entrance of the ward, afraid to see what is happening inside. You peeped in the room, and Jackson mimicked your action.

“No way… no way!” you ran towards your dad’s bed but was stopped by the nurses.

“Miss please calm down, you have to stay away, your dad is currently in a critical condition, and we are trying our best to keep him stable, please cooperate with us and wait outside.”

“WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM?! HE WAS OKAY BEFORE, WHAT DID YOU GUYS DO TO HIM?!” You screamed and wailed. You ran to Jackson and grabbed his coat, “YOU SAID THE HOSPITAL IS YOUR FAMILY’S, SO DO SOMETHING!” anger consumed you but gone in a bit. “Please Jackson please, I’m begging you. Please help me” As sadness took over and you can’t seem to control your emotions right now. You kept crying and crying.

Jackson had to hold you back and pulled you forcefully out of the ward to keep you away.

You fell on to the chair lifelessly.

“Yah Min So Ah! Come back to your senses!” Jackson shook you.

“Oppa!” you suddenly remember you have to call your brothers, and you searched Jackson for his phone. “Where is your handphone?” You continue to rummage every pocket you can find on him.

“Stop Stop! It’s here!” He passed you his hand phone and you immediately dialled your brother’s number. You kept mumbling into the phone once it was picked up and tears just couldn’t stop flowing. Your brothers didn’t know what you were talking about and Jackson decided to take over the phone and converse to your brothers. He was told that they will be back in a bit. 

“Relax SoAh, your dad will be okay, trust me.” Jackson patted your back and wiped away your tears.

You sat outside the ward for quite some time until all the nurses are gone, and you went in to see your dad and Jackson followed you in, keeping a distance from you, afraid of intruding your space. Your head spinned and your feet wobbled, you grabbed the nearest chair and set down. Jackson almost shot forward thinking that you were going to fall. He was relieved that  the chair caught you in time. He was worried about you but he could only stand at the side and watch you crying helplessly. 

Unknowingly, Jackson had dragged you to the nearest lounge for the patient’s family members before you were too quiet that he thought that you had too much on your mind that he needed to take you away. He bought you drinks from the vending machine but you didn’t touch it at all.

“It’s weird seeing you like this Min SoAh” He kept making unnecessary comments which you ignored, and drifted in to your own world. “You brothers are on their way already”

“The world is so cruel you know that?” you finally spoke up and Jackson kept his gaze fixed on you, waiting for you to continue. “Sometimes they are nice to you, they grant you something but the next second, they take away another thing from you without giving you any warning. Life if always so unfair, I just wanted to have a family, go to college. Why is it so difficult? I don’t wish to be rich, I don’t wish for anything more. Why did they have to take away omma, and now they want appa. They can’t take appa away just like that, I haven’t spent enough time with him yet. I haven’t had the chance to tell him how thankful  I am for him. I haven’t have the chance to do anything for him.” Your pearl-like tears streamed down your pale cheeks, “because of me” you choked on your words. “Because he wanted to send me to college, because I am always being a burden, because of me he is like that” your throat were burning, it felt as if someone stabbed directly in to your heart, it was very painful.

Jackson was looking at you with pity, that was the least you needed right now. You don’t want and don’t deserve any pity from anyone. At the moment, his phone rang. He picked up while looking at you staring in to space.

“Hello? This is Jackson speaking” he answered.

“I am SoAh’s brother, JunSeo, SoAh is with you right?”

“Yes she’s with me, do you need me to bring her back?” Jackson answered unusually polite.

“No its okay if she wants to stay wherever she is now, I just need to know that she’s safe. Once she’s ready, then bring her back. I’m counting on you to take care of her, Jackson. Please, just this once” JunSeo spoke with so much sincerity and so much sadness in his voice.

“Don’t worry, I will.” Jackson ended the phone call and he led out a sigh looking at you. You were so strong in school, he didn’t know you had to go through all these. All he saw in school was a façade. He saw your protective brothers and thought you have a happy family, he saw how you stood up for yourself and thinks that you are strong. He saw how you don’t whine like how the other girls in school does, he thought you were tough. He knew you weren’t rich, but he didn’t know how people would work so hard for their family. He never knew because he has never been in an average family before, let alone poor.

After what seemed like hours, he brought you back to the ward and your brother thanked him.

“JunSeo h-hyung? Can I call you that?” JunSeo just nodded, “I don’t know if it’s the right time to say this but I wish I could help. I don’t have the intention to boast but this hospital belongs to my family, so if there is anything you need, please feel free to tell me.” Jackson was never good with words that aren’t nonsense, it was kinda weird for him to say that.

“Thank you Jackson, and also for taking care of SoAh”

Jackson left the ward after making sure that you were okay, he texted Got7 telling them that your father is in his hospital. Considering you as they friend, they wanted to visit your dad but was stopped by Jackson saying that you’ve been through a lot today and they should probably drop by other day.

Jackson went to the counter and asked for information about your father. He heard about how your family was struggling with the fees and how you guys were demanded to pay the deposits before your dad can continue to receive treatment. He was kind of angry, he didn’t understand why his dad have to set all those ridiculous rules. He never knew until today. His mind was set to help you, as a friend. He had already spoke to the person incharge to go on with treatment as usual with his permission. He knew better than to meddle with your family's financial problem, so that was the least he could do. He knew that your family doesn't like being thrown with pity, thus he decided to discuss about the financial matters with your brothers when the situation becomes better. 

Slowly, unknowingly, each of the Got7 members was starting to get attached to you. Some as sister, some as friend, and some as… lover.

Mark was sitting in his room when he received the text from Jackson saying that your dad was in a critical condition, in his hospital.

He shot up from his seat and re-read the text received.

Even when Jackson advised them not to go to the hospital, Mark still want to go because he was genuinely worried about you. He wanted to be there when you are sad.

He didn’t want to leave you alone after a tough day you’ve been through, he wants you to know that he’ll be there when you need someone.

Jackson too, knew that Got7 members care for you, he didn’t want anyone to come because one, he knew you didn’t want anyone to see your weak side. Two, he’s never seen Mark’s eyes shined for someone so brightly before and he knew instantly that Mark has some feelings for you. Three, and Mark will never leave someone he cared for, alone. He wanted Mark to have some alone time with you, without ’s disruption. Even when he knew he was being biased.

He knew that Mark would definitely appear in the hospital.

As expected by Jackson, Mark reached the hospital in no time. To clear your doubt, Jackson did notice that Mark’s attitude towards you was different, not only him, everyone around him could sense that but you.

Jackson was sitting in his own room when Mark barged in.

This was the Wang family’s hospital and Jackson was expected to take over when he was old enough, thus, his father got him his own office room in the hospital, easy for him to start his learning in the hospital.

“oh you ar-“

“Where is Min So Ah?” Mark went straight in to the point without even caring about if Jackson realize his feelings for her. Before Jackson could reply, one of the nurses barged in without knocking on the door, which made the two man in the room jumped.

“Jackson ssi, Mr Min is in a very critical condition now! He… he might not make it tonight” the nurse panicked, with both Mark and Jackson rushing to the emergency section, led by the nurse.

They stopped on track when they saw the three of you sitting outside the emergency operating room. Mark eyes immediately spotted you, you were sitting at the far end, silently crying with your knee tucked up.

JunSeo and SeongJun were both standing outside the room waiting anxiously, they kept pacing around the hallway, and glanced at you from time to time. They tried to comfort you but you just pushed them away.

“Hyung, dad will be okay right?”

“Yes he will.” SeongJun always needed assurance from his brother, and JunSeo always needed to be strong at times like this because he knows that his younger siblings relied on him a lot. If he too, broke down, then there won’t be anyone there for them. He was broken inside too, he was the oldest child and when his mom was still around, his mom would always tell them, “no matter what happens, no matter where life takes you, always have each other’s back”. To his mom, she wanted them to always be with each other, but to JunSeo, he always sees that sentence as his responsibilities to the younger ones, especially towards their one and only sister.

Hearing footsteps approaching, they turned towards the visitor, Mark. Except for you, who were still sobbing alone, didn’t want to be disturbed by anyone. Jackson patted Mark, encouraging him to go to you. Mark gave your two protective brothers a look, and as if they were having a telepathy, they understood that look and nodded. Mark slowly advance towards you, everyone turned their gaze at you too, and they were worried about you. Your brothers were silently hoping you won’t push Mark away, they hope you will at least accept someone and talk to them about it instead of hiding everything to yourself. They were afraid you will return back to your old self when your mom passed away.

With steady steps, Mark walked towards you, the nearer he gets, the clearer he could see your tears stained face, and your weeping self.

You heard footsteps nearing but you chose to ignore. You have no idea that Mark was there, you thought it was your brother wanting to comfort you again. You appreciate their effort but you really wanted to be alone right now. You didn’t want to face anyone just yet.

“You alright?” Your ears perked up at the voice that you recognize was not your brother's, you reacted to the voice but kept your head face down. Once again, you ignore him. He didn’t give up and sat beside you and let out a sigh. “Hey, don’t cry, there is still hope”. He figured out that you didn’t want to talk and just sat quietly beside you. At least, you didn’t push him away. Your brothers saw the sight that even though you two were not talking, you didn’t try to push Mark away and they were kind of relief. While Jackson was trying to think of something to console the Min brothers. He tried talking to them but SeongJun didn’t have the mood to talk to him, fortunately JunSeo was nice enough to response to him, even if it’s a one word reply. From time to time, the three of them kept glancing at you and Mark, and all they saw was the same scene, Mark fixed his gaze on you the whole time and you just look down with tears non-stop flowing down.

Hearing sound coming out from the other side of the room, JunSeo’s ears perked up and stood up immediately followed by SeongJun. The next second, the doctor came out, with much expectation, you rushed over too. JunSeo held your arms and made you stand in front of him. Mark walked over too. The hopeful eyes of the three siblings made it difficult for the surgeon to break the news to them.

“I am sorry but, we’ve tried our best” You once fast paced heart seems to stop at the moment and your mind went blank. Even Jackson and Mark at the side was lost for words too.

“What do you mean you’ve tried your best? How is my father?” JunSeo held on to you firmly and tightly as if using you as a support, and questioned the surgeon while SeongJun clench his fist with tears threatening to fall.

“I am sorry, his injury is too severe and he’s losing too much blood. We aren’t able to operate with that condition, it will only make it worse”

“What do you mean worse?! He is gone now! How could anything be worse than that?!” Mark argued, looking at the three of you. Jackson didn’t know what to do, was he supposed to do something? He didn’t know. Why didn’t he learn and study harder so he could actually help. He regretted.

“I’m sorry, my condolence to you and your family” with that, the surgeon walked away.

With that, you ran into the room first, and your brothers followed suite, then Mark and Jackson. Your dad was now in the private room for patient whom is at the endpoint of their life, barely conscious, waiting to tell their last words to their loved ones. You kneeled down at your dad’s bed. He was so pale, so fragile that made you realize he was really going this time.

“Appa…I don’t need to go college, appa. I don’t need any luxurious life. I only need you appa. Please, please wake up. I don’t want anything other than you. I only need you appa. I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry” You kept apologizing, bawling your eyes out. Your brother was crying too, they too, kneeled in front of your dad, mumbling whatever they wanted to say before time runs out.

“I’m…” all of you went silent hearing your dad’s voice, “I’m… sorry…” You dad trailed off before he fell into deep slumber that he will never wake up from it.

“APPA, APPA PLEASE, PLEASE.”

Standing by the side, watching the siblings cry, Mark and Jackson can’t help but let the tears slip out of their eyes. Even the heartless Mark cries.

You sat down as your knee went weak, but your hand still held tightly onto the cold hand of your dad, almost digging into his palm. You didn’t want to let go because once you let go, you were afraid you won’t be able to hold on to it anymore.

JunSeo and SeongJun walked over and got down beside you, the two of them hugged you and the three of you cried in each other’s’ arms.