FREVOR

17

Author pov:

Jin ah spent the night tossing and turning, haunted by the gravity of the decision looming over her. The next morning, she woke up with a sense of dread. As much as she tried to push the thoughts away, the reality of her mother's illness weighed heavily on her mind.

She freshened up and headed to the kitchen, trying to muster a semblance of normalcy. Her brother, Niki, was already at the table, absently pushing his food around his plate. The tension in the air was palpable.

"Good morning," Jin ah greeted, forcing a smile. Niki looked up, giving her a weak smile in return, but said nothing.

"Morning," he muttered. Their mother was still in the hospital, and the house felt eerily quiet without her presence.

Trying to lighten the mood, Jin ah continued, "I've been thinking... maybe we should visit Mom this afternoon. Take her some of her favorite things."

Niki nodded, his eyes showing a flicker of hope. "Yeah, she’d like that."

Jin ah prepared a small bag with some of their mother's favorite snacks and a comfortable shawl she loved. She needed to keep herself busy to avoid sinking into despair. As she finished packing, her phone buzzed again. It was a message from the hospital: "We need to discuss the treatment plan."

Her heart skipped a beat. She wasn't ready to face the financial burden, but she knew she had no choice. She steeled herself, grabbed the bag, and headed out.

She went to the hospital to meet her mother. The drive was filled with anxiety, her mind racing through the possible conversations with the doctors. At the hospital, she greeted her mother with a forced cheerfulness, trying to hide the turmoil inside her.

"Mom, I brought you some things," Jin ah said, placing the bag on the table beside the bed.

Her mother looked frail but managed a smile. Jin ah took her mother's hand, squeezing it gently. "Everything will be okay, Mom. I promise."

After spending some time with her mother, she stepped out to meet Dr. Chris to discuss the treatment. Her mother's condition had been a constant worry, and now, with the looming costs, she felt trapped between desperation and duty.

When she met Dr. Chris, he looked at her with sympathy. "Jin ah, your mother's treatment is going to be extensive and expensive. We're looking at several rounds of chemotherapy and possibly surgery."

Jin ah's heart sank. "How much will it cost, Dr. Chris?"

He sighed. "The financial aspect is significant. We're talking about a substantial amount."

Jin ah nodded, trying to keep her composure. "Thank you, Dr. Chris. I'll figure something out."

She returned home, her mind consumed with how to arrange the money. The moment she stepped into the house, she felt the weight of everything crashing down on her. She was about to break down when her phone buzzed again. Another message from the hospital: "Please confirm your ability to cover the costs before we proceed with the next steps."

Jin ah's tears spilled over as she read the message. She felt trapped, cornered by circumstances beyond her control. She didn't want to marry Taehyung, but she couldn't bear the thought of losing her mother either.

As she sat on her bed, crying, she felt a sense of hopelessness. She didn't have the strength to argue with fate. The financial burden was too great, and her options were limited.

"What am I going to do?" she whispered to herself, her voice trembling with despair.

She lay in bed that night, feeling utterly defeated. The days ahead were uncertain, and she knew she had to make a decision soon. But for now, all she could do was hold onto the hope that somehow, things would work out.
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