|| Philophobia || Baek Kyung

Ch- 9 Grumpy beginnings yet sad unfoldings

Yeona never felt more unfortunate.
God definitely hates me.

"You know how to read books?" Baek Kyung sneered, before turning to the shelf where Jackson was fumbling with the two books.

"Uhh, hey, can you help me pick which book to choose?" Jackson asked, waving the books in front of Baek Kyung's face.

"Jackson, you really know who you're asking," Yeona smirked, tsking at her brother.

"And that's exactly why he didn't ask you," Baek Kyung shot back.

"He did, actually," Yeona said, raising an eyebrow.

"So he learned his lesson the hard way," Baek Kyung smirked, earning a glare from Yeona.

"You bitch-"

"Uhh, guys? Guys?" Jackson tried to interrupt, but sighed when he saw the two arguing, completely ignoring the judgmental stares from nearby shoppers.

He quickly grabbed his sister's arm and dragged her away from Baek Kyung, muttering, "And you call me a kid."

"You are a kid," Yeona replied with a grin.

"I'm just gonna pretend you didn't say that," Jackson replied, shaking his head.

Just then, Yeona's eyes landed on two books on a nearby shelf. One read God Doesn't Hate You, the other He's Just Not That Into You.

Nice placement, bitch, she scoffed silently, shaking her head as she made her way toward the fantasy aisle. But luck wasn't on her side.

Baek Kyung was there too, scanning the shelves. She caught him eyeing the fantasy books like they were his secret treasure.

"So, you like fantasy?" she asked, eyes darting around, watching him closely.

"Why does it matter?" he grumbled, clearly annoyed.

"Aigoo, my bad. I kinda thought you were planning to become a serial killer, so I figured I'd find you in the mystery thriller aisle."

"Fuck you," he muttered.

"If you insist," she smiled, skipping past him. Then she quickly grabbed a book and tossed it his way.

"Here, this one's perfect for you."

Baek Kyung snatched the book and looked at the title: Go To Hell.

Duh. He snorted but still went to the cashier. Probably a gift for his father.

---

Time skip

Jackson, aka Jackass, ended up with five books and thanked Yeona about a hundred times before finally going to bed, hugging his new books like they were the only things keeping him warm.

As for Yeona? She was drowning in assignments that were all due tomorrow.

If only she could skip school just this once.

Suddenly, her phone rang, slicing through the silence and making her flinch. So hard, she accidentally karate chopped her laptop-sending it flying ten feet across the room.

She winced and shut her laptop, then checked who was calling. Not surprised to see it was her aunt.

Her aunt was one of the few people who actually cared about her. A middle-class woman who treated Yeona like a daughter, always making her lunch whenever she stayed nearby. She had three sons-two older than Yeona and one younger.

Yeona answered the call, but it wasn't her aunt's voice she heard-it was her uncle's, deep and trembling with sorrow.

"Yeona-ah... I have bad news."

"What happened, oppa?"

"Mom... got into a car accident a few minutes ago. I got the call and I-I..." His voice cracked as he broke down into uncontrollable sobs.

Yeona felt the air leave her lungs.

After a long pause, she finally whispered, "Where are you right now, Na-reul oppa?"

"Na-reul oppa?" Yeona's voice trembled, barely a whisper now. "Please, tell me where you are."

There was silence on the other end, only the distant sound of muffled sobs. Then, a shaky breath.

"I'm at the hospital... the emergency room. Mom's... she's unconscious. The doctors aren't sure if she'll make it."

Yeona's heart slammed against her ribs, heavy and cold. She gripped the phone so tightly her knuckles turned white.

"Stay there," she said, voice cracking. "I'm coming. Don't move. I'm on my way."

The world around her blurred as tears welled up, blurring her vision. But she pushed through, grabbing her jacket and keys, throwing them on in a panic. The chaos inside her screamed for control, but her legs felt like they were made of lead.

Her phone buzzed again.

"Yeona... please be careful. The roads are bad."

She barely heard the warning, already storming out the door. Her pets, Millie and Shrimp, sat at the threshold, eyes wide and worried. She knelt down, brushing her hands over their fur.

"I'll be back soon, okay? Just... wait for me."

She didn't wait for an answer. The door slammed behind her like a gunshot.

---

The night was cold and unforgiving as Yeona sped through the streets, every red light mocking her desperation. Her breath came in shallow gasps, her mind running wild with every terrifying possibility.

What if her aunt didn't wake up? What if she never saw her again? The thought was unbearable-an endless void of regret and guilt.

She gripped the steering wheel until her fingers ached, knuckles white as paper. Every car that swerved past was a reminder of how fragile life was.

---

At the hospital, the sterile white walls seemed to close in on her. The smell of antiseptic made her stomach twist. Na-reul oppa met her at the entrance, his eyes swollen from crying.

"She's in surgery," he said quietly. "It's bad, Yeona. The doctors said the impact was severe. They're doing everything they can."

Yeona nodded numbly, sinking into a chair near the waiting room. Her phone buzzed again-a message from her aunt.

We're all here for you. Stay strong.

She stared at the screen, the words both comforting and hollow.

Time passed like molasses. The harsh fluorescent lights flickered overhead as Yeona sat frozen, caught between hope and despair.