Affection's Facade

The puppeteer

Author's pov

The VIP hospital room wasn't as small or pale compared to the other rooms, yet just the same it was filled with the gentle hum of machines.

Morning light slanted through, casting long shadows on the floor. Elera's eyelids fluttered open, the world around her a blur. Her vision slowly focused on two figures: So-yeon, slumped in a chair, a picture of fatigue and worry, and beside her, Mrs. Kim, her face lined with distress.

Mrs. Kim's eyes widened with relief. "She's awake!" she exclaimed, walking over briskly to summon the doctor. "Doctor! Elera has woken up!"

An assistant came in soon after, informing them that a doctor was notified and told to be on the way shortly, Mrs. Kim's gaze bore into Elera, a mixture of concern and admonition.

"What happened, Elera? I'm so confused, why would you do this to yourself?" She asked gently grazing her fingers over Elera's bandaged hands. Elera shook her head nervously.

" It's okay, you can tell me later. You need rest." Mrs.Kim said as she softly massaged Elera's arm with her thumb.

" Has Jae-hoon hurt you?" she asked, her eyes sweeping over Elera's frail form for signs of injury.

With immense effort, Elera shook her head weakly once more.

"You know, Elera," Mrs. Kim's voice softened, but there was a weight to her words, "you're like a daughter to me. It breaks my heart to see you in such a state." She said adjusting the blanket around the young woman slowly.

Elera nodded, tears threatening to spill from her eyes. Words seemed too heavy to form. Even if she could there wasn't much she felt like she could say.

Pointing to the slumbering figure of So-yeon, Mrs. Kim whispered, "She rushed here the instant she found out and hasn't slept a wink. You understand how much we care for you, don't you?"

Another nod from Elera. Still, her head was throbbing partly a cause of the overconsumption of alcohol earlier. Still, flashes of suppressed memories weighed on her. She recalled another time, another injury, another hospital room. The ghosts of her past mistakes haunted her while visiting her again. Like all things without permission, but always her requirement to endure.

Breaking her reverie, Mrs. Kim spoke, "A woman named Min-ji did this to you?" There was a pause, a calculated stare. "You really ought to choose your friends more wisely, Elera."

Elera's brows furrowed in confusion. Min-ji?

"The house staff claimed when they found you, she was sitting there with your blood on her hands. All this because you saw her in a room with Jae-hoon. They think your distress was due to that. That you haven't been yourself." Mrs. Kim's tone was pointed. " That can't be true right? She didn't make you do this did she?"

Groggy and still piecing things together, Elera shook her head no, her lips parting to say something, to defend Min-ji. Her throat felt sore and before an attempt could be made, Mrs. Kim stepped uninterested uninterested.

"Elera," she said with finality as she slowly opened the blinds to let more light in. "You can't let a man define your worth. You have so much ahead of you. Think of your life's value. No man is truly loyal."

From her chair, a drowsy So-yeon mumbled, "Except Tae-Hyung. He's loyal to a fault."

Elera's eyes flickered to So-yeon. The subtext behind those words was all too clear. Every time So-yeon mentioned Tae-Hyung's loyalty, it was a guarded remark aimed squarely at Elera, a constant jab reminding her of past indiscretions and perceived betrayals.