The World Inside Our Dreams: Book One

In Kyung

Poor In-hye really wanted to go home by the third day. I didn't blame her. The hospital is very scary for people like her. But I realized that the reason she anxiously wanted to go was because of the costs.

I was walking in from getting a coffee while In-joo was out doing an interview when I heard In-hye quietly ask the nurse something.

"Miss?"

"Yes? Do you need anything?"

"For patients that don't have any kind of insurance...do they have to pay for each night at the hospital? Like a hotel?"

My heart slowly fell at the worried sound of her voice. The nurse was silent for a moment before saying, "Honey...you shouldn't worry about those things. Your heart can't handle any worry right now."

With those words, I was determined to do my best to fake that we were financially stable for her medicine. I stepped into the room and In-hye couldn't hide her worry that made her eyes dim. "What's wrong?" I said. "Did you need anything, In-hye?"

The nurse looked at In-hye and she slightly shook her head. The nurse understood to keep their conversation quiet and left with a bow. But In-hye was never very good at hiding many things from me despite her quiet behavior. I took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

Though, the reassurance was mostly for me. In-joo had told me how much money she had for that medicine. The doctor said that she needed to take two kinds of medication that would help her heart stay calm. I passed by the pharmacy one morning before work and asked for the cost of these medications. The amount made my blood drop to my feet. I gave the nurse a quick bow and left before I fainted.

What are we going to do now? Not even combining all of our savings together will cover half of those medicines. When I wanted to give in, I went into my director's office to ask for an advance payment. For the first time, he had an expression on his tired face as he laughed at me.

"You're kidding, right?"

I clenched my jaw at how heartless this man truly was. But I resorted to my last explanation as I said, "Sir, please. I need money to pay for my sister's medication. I'll do anything. If you want me to sweep the floors, I'll do it."

He does a small laugh at my begging expression. If there's anything I hate to do, it's to beg for help. Especially for money...

But the image of In-hye in that hospital bed. The memory of her pale face makes me take out a pleading gesture from me and wait for my boss to say, "Sorry. It's just how life works. This company has slowly been going down because of what you did with the Park family. There is nothing I can do."

His last words resonated in my head for hours. I numbly walked home as those words stabbed my head and my chest every time I remembered. How can the world be so heartless?

If only I would have kept quiet...maybe we'd be okay...

On the night that In-hye finally came home, I sat by her side on her bed. Though it may the stiffest bed I've ever had, she happily slept and her muscles finally relaxed. Unnie was in the kitchen continuing her list of possible jobs and I was stuck in the middle. I didn't know what to do and I longed for a moment of true silence.

I missed that peace in the middle of the storm. So I called Jongho.

"Hello?"

"Jongho..."

"Hey, In-kyung. How are you?"

I sighed and decided to tell him everything. It was always that way since we were children. He was the only person other than In-joo I told my worries. He quietly listened and that silence slowly reminded my heart of that peace I fell in love with when he was here.