ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇᴀꜱᴏɴ ɪ'ᴍ ꜱᴛɪʟʟ ᴀʟɪᴠᴇ || 𝐊𝐢𝐦 𝐒𝐞𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐦𝐢𝐧

Chapter 8: Dose of Medicine

* 。 • 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ Yumi POV。 • ˚ * 。 •

I watched as my blood dripped inside the tube that was connected to my arm through a wire. My heart rate monitoring machine thing made a beeping noise every second, as if my heart rate were also continuing down the time until I'll get to see Seungmin again.

After a coma worth of time waiting, he hasn't shown up. Even after a week of being awake, he's still a no-show. Was this his way of telling me that he was done with me? Maybe he just didn't want to see me in this state? Or... he didn't know...? I'm all over the News though, how could someone not know about me?

I glanced over at the table in my room. On top of the table sat baskets of gifts, bouquets of flowers, and enough letters and cards to fill a bathtub. The sound of footsteps echoed in the hallway, becoming louder the closer they got. I closed my eyes again, pretending like I was asleep. That's what I did whenever I knew it was my parents coming. Peeking a little, I saw the dark figure make its way into the room.

They lightly shut the door behind them, waltzing their way suspiciously towards the table with the gifts. It was Appa.

"Let's see what you brought me today my Little Treasure Rat," he muttered under his breath. It's ridiculously the crap he says about me thinking I'm not awake.

My vision was dim and buried since my eyes were half closed, but I could still hear him rummaging through the mountain of stuff. He pulled out a box of chocolates from one of the baskets.

"Oh, they're generous aren't they? Well, chocolate won't help you recover, I might as well keep this," He said, shoving it into his 'laptop bag' he's been using to smuggle out the gifts without being questioned.

A few stolen gifts later, he moved onto the letters. Most of them he held up to the light so he could see which ones had gift cards or money inside. Once he found one, he'd tear it open. When he looked inside of it, he'd pull out the money, crumbling up the note that came with it.

"Today's my lucky day, isn't it?" Appa glanced towards me, a sickly smirk on his face. "You aren't completely useless after all,"

I want to punch him. He's lucky I can't leave the bed, or else he'd be unconscious with a few broken ribs by now. I wish Seungmin were here, he would've stopped Appa. If Ma was here, she would've put up a fight for me, telling him off for stealing my stuff.

Also as if my prayers were answered, Ma entered the room, someone else following her.

"MARK! What are you doing!?" She yelled at Appa. A smile crossed my face, which I tried to hide but failed.

Ma almost never defended me. In front of my father, she had to pretend to hate me because Appa did. Something must've happened because now, she was standing up for me in front of him. Who was the guy with her though? Did he have to do with this sudden change? Ma was very loving and caring towards me behind Appa's back; in front of him she usually took a total 180 from that.

"Are you talking back to me Hoe!?" I couldn't see her very well, but I already knew she was pulsing with anger. The guy behind her touched her shoulder, which must've calmed her down. Now Appa was furious.

"Who is this son of a gun!?" He raged, ready to curse out whoever it was.

"Get out. It doesn't matter who he is," She assertively told him. Appa was so pissed that he stomped up to Ma, ready to hit her when the man behind her stopped him. I opened my eyes, just as a wake up call to them that I know what's going on. They didn't seem to notice.

"UGH YOU PIECE OF-"

"APPA!" I yelled. All eyes were on me now. He didn't care, but Ma and the man were a little shaken.

"GET THE HELL OUT OF MY ROOM. RETURN THE STUFF YOU TOOK AND GO!" Appa didn't return it, instead he left the room, slamming the door behind him. I smiled.

Ma and the man sat down next to my bed. "How are you feeling Beta?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. Who's he?"

The man looked around his mid 30's, tanned skin but still pretty light colored. His eyes were a hazel brown, his hair dark, almost jet black. He was pretty muscular, standing at a whopping 179 cm. His curly hair was cut pretty short, which made him look like he was in the military.

Ma took a deep breath, looking at him then back at me. "This is my boyfriend, Beta. His name is Ian,"

My eyes went wide. What the hell. Was Ma cheating on Appa!? What did I miss while I was hibernating!?

"You're cheating on Appa!?" I was shocked. She would never, she wasn't the type of person to be unfaithful. If she was, she would've left Appa a while ago. She wouldn't have put up with all of the bull crap he put us through.

She slapped her forehead with her hand. Did she forget something? There must've been a miscommunication. Ian looked at me, speaking for Ma, who was clearly done with the world right now.

"Yumi, your parents got a divorce while you were in a coma," His voice was deeper than I expected it to be. It was very clear though, so I'm guessing he was sober. He didn't seem like the person to drink, smoke, or vape. Around his neck hung a cross necklace made of what looked like wood. So he's Christian. Why would Ma date a Christian man?

"W-what- I don't... Ma? What's going to happen now when I go home? Who am I going with?" I started to question.

"We moved. I live with Ian now. It's up to you if you want to go with Appa or me, just know that if anything happens I'll be here for you, and I'm not backing down this time,"

I want to go with you.

"Where do you live now, Ma? Is it nearby?"

"Beta... we live an hour away from here. You'd be going to a new school, making new friends. Please, come live with me. I know you don't want to leave, but it's much safer with us. I promise you, everything will be okay if you live with us,"

No Seungmin...?

"Where does Appa live?"

"He still lives in the condo,"

Seungmin.

So who do I choose? Abuse, but I still get Seungmin, or a safe environment far away from Seungmin? I'm stuck.

If only Seungmin was here. Where is my Seungmin?