The penthouse was quiet, the kind of stillness that felt heavy and oppressive. Soobin had returned from an afternoon of shopping, her mood only slightly improved after a few hours spent among friends. She tossed her bags carelessly onto the sofa, the clatter of her purchases barely penetrating the thick silence that lingered in the home.
Haein, still visibly shaken from their argument the previous day, was trying to maintain a semblance of normalcy. She was in the kitchen, attempting to prepare a simple meal, though her hands shook slightly as she chopped vegetables. The stress of her daughter’s behavior, combined with the underlying health issues she had been trying to ignore, were taking a toll on her.
As she reached for a pot on the top shelf, a wave of dizziness overcame her. Haein’s vision blurred, and she swayed unsteadily before suddenly collapsing to the floor. The crash of the pot hitting the tile floor was jarring, but Soobin was too preoccupied with her phone to notice.
The sound eventually caught Soobin’s attention, and she strolled into the kitchen, her phone still pressed to her ear. She was about to scold the maid for making such a mess when she saw her mother lying on the floor.
“Mom?” Soobin’s voice was laced with irritation, not genuine concern. She ended her call and walked over, barely masking her annoyance. “What are you doing on the floor? Can’t you see I’m busy?”
Haein lay motionless, her breathing shallow. The sight of her mother in such a state finally registered with Soobin, but her concern was fleeting. “Are you seriously trying to pull this stunt now? I don’t have time for this drama,” she muttered, though her face was clouded with a trace of unease.
It wasn’t until the sound of Haein’s laboured breathing grew more pronounced that Soobin’s irritation turned into alarm. She dialed for help, albeit with a resigned tone, and within minutes, the penthouse was filled with paramedics who carefully attended to Haein.
As they prepared to transport her to the hospital, Soobin stood by, her emotions a mix of concern and frustration. She watched as her mother was lifted onto the stretcher, feeling a pang of guilt but quickly shoving it aside. In her mind, this was just another episode in Haein’s ongoing dramatic narrative.
The hospital room was stark and impersonal, a sharp contrast to the opulence of the penthouse. Haein lay in a hospital bed, connected to various monitors and IV drips. The doctors were running tests, and Haein’s face was pale, a stark contrast to her usual composure.
Soobin sat in a waiting area, occasionally glancing at her phone, clearly more interested in her social media updates than her mother’s condition. Every now and then, she would sigh and fidget, a sign of her impatience rather than genuine concern.
Hours passed, and Soobin’s brief moments of anxiety turned into indifference. When the doctors finally came out to update her, they mentioned that Haein had collapsed due to a combination of severe stress and an underlying health issue that needed further investigation. They recommended she stay in the hospital for observation and additional tests.
Soobin nodded absently, her mind already shifting back to her plans for the evening. “Okay, whatever. I’ll head back home then. Just let me know if there’s anything I need to do.”
As she left the hospital, Soobin’s thoughts were focused on her own activities rather than her mother’s health. The brief moment of concern she had felt quickly faded, replaced by the routine of her daily life and the trivial matters that occupied her mind.
Haein, on the other hand, was left alone in the sterile hospital room, grappling with the reality of her situation. The collapse had been a wake-up call, a moment of clarity amidst the turmoil of her strained relationship with Soobin and her own deteriorating health. As she lay there, feeling the weight of both physical and emotional exhaustion, she realized that the path to recovery would be a difficult one, marked by both internal and external struggles.
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Pieces Of Us
Random"Pieces of Us" follows the tumultuous relationship between Baek Soobin, a sixteen-year-old who lives a life of luxury and rebellion, and her mother, Hong Haein, a powerful CEO known for her cold, distant demeanour. As Soobin continues to push her mo...
