Sana walked briskly through the hospital corridors, heading toward Mr. Kim's room for her post-op rounds. Her heart felt heavy, knowing that the ankle surgery had gone well, but the real battle-the cancer-was one he refused to fight. Every day for the past week, she had visited him, trying to convince him to see the hospital's oncologist and start treatment. And every day, Mr. Kim resisted.
When she entered his room that morning, she found him sitting up in bed, staring out the window. His frail body seemed smaller, and his once lively eyes had dulled.
"Good morning, Mr. Kim," Sana greeted, her voice filled with her usual warmth. "How are you feeling today?"
Mr. Kim gave a half-hearted shrug. "Same as yesterday, I guess. My ankle's fine, but the rest of me... well, you know."
Sana pulled up a chair beside his bed. "I know we've talked about this, but I really think you should consider seeing our oncologist. You deserve a fighting chance."
Mr. Kim shook his head, his lips pressing into a thin line. "Doc, I've lived a good life. I'm not afraid to die. I've seen people go through cancer treatments... and I don't want that for myself. I don't want to suffer."
Sana leaned forward, her hands resting on the bed's edge. "I understand that you're scared, but there's still hope. If not for yourself, then for your wife. She needs you. She's been with you through everything. Don't you think it would be even harder for her if you just gave up?"
Mr. Kim's face softened at the mention of his wife, but the hopelessness in his eyes didn't waver. "I don't want her to see me suffer, either. She's been through enough already."
Sana sighed, knowing this was a tough battle. "But think about it. If you die without trying, she'll lose you... and she'll have to live with that pain every day. That's a different kind of suffering, and one that could be avoided. Please, Mr. Kim, don't make her go through that."
Mr. Kim looked away, his fingers trembling slightly as they gripped the hospital blanket. "I just... I don't know if I can."
---
Later that evening, after another long and emotionally draining day, Sana made her way to the on-call room, hoping to grab a few minutes of rest. When she entered, she found Yoongi and Jungkook sprawled out on the couches, watching a movie on Yoongi's laptop. The room was dim, the only light coming from the screen.
"Come to join us?" Jungkook grinned, shifting to make space for Sana.
"Sure," Sana replied with a small smile, sitting down between them. "What are you guys watching?"
"Some random old movie," Yoongi muttered, eyes glued to the screen. "It's decent."
Sana let herself relax for a moment, her mind still stuck on Mr. Kim and how she hadn't been able to get through to him. As the movie played on, she wasn't paying much attention-until she heard a specific line from the film that made her sit up straight.
A character on the screen was giving a heartfelt monologue, saying, "You don't fight for yourself. You fight for the people who love you. Because they need you just as much as you need them."
The words echoed in Sana's mind, and suddenly, it clicked. That was it. That was the way to reach Mr. Kim.
Without another word, she jumped up from the couch, startling Yoongi and Jungkook. "I need to go see my patient!" she said hurriedly, grabbing her coat.
Jungkook raised an eyebrow. "Now? It's late."
"I need to," Sana said firmly, already halfway out the door. "Thanks for the inspiration, though!"
---
Sana rushed down the hallway, her heart pounding as she made her way back to Mr. Kim's room. She felt a new sense of urgency. Maybe, just maybe, this would be the moment that would change everything. She could convince him-she had to. His wife deserved that much.
As she reached his room, the door was slightly ajar. She pushed it open slowly, her heart sinking as soon as she saw the nurses surrounding his bed. The steady beep of the heart monitor had turned into a flatline.
One of the nurses looked up at Sana, her expression somber. "I'm sorry, Dr. Minatozaki. He passed away about ten minutes ago."
Sana's breath caught in her throat as she took in the scene. Mr. Kim was lying still, his face peaceful, but the weight of what she hadn't been able to do hit her like a wave.
She stepped closer to the bed, her hands trembling as she reached out to place them on Mr. Kim's arm. His skin was still warm, but he was gone.
She stood there for a few moments, trying to process everything. She had been so close-so close to convincing him, to getting through to him. But now, it was too late.
Her thoughts turned to his wife. What would she say to her? How would she explain that he was gone, that he had given up the fight? She couldn't stop thinking about the words she hadn't been able to say in time.
Sana closed her eyes, a tear slipping down her cheek. "I'm sorry, Mr. Kim," she whispered. "I really thought I could help you."
---
Later that night, Sana found herself back in the on-call room, sitting in silence. The weight of the loss hung heavy over her. Yoongi and Jungkook noticed her change in mood as soon as she returned, but they didn't say anything. They knew the feeling all too well.
Jungkook was the first to break the silence. "Tough day?"
Sana nodded, her voice barely above a whisper. "Yeah... I couldn't save him."
Yoongi glanced at her, his usual stoic expression softening. "Not every battle is meant to be won, Sana."
She sighed, leaning back against the couch. "I know. But I still wish I could've done more. I thought I finally found the words that would make him fight. But I was too late."
Jungkook gave her a sympathetic smile. "You did everything you could. Sometimes it's not about winning the fight-it's about being there for them when they need you."
Sana looked down at her hands, still feeling the weight of Mr. Kim's last moments. "Yeah. I guess you're right."
But deep down, she knew it would take time before she could fully accept that some things were beyond her control. For now, she would carry this loss with her, hoping that it would make her a better doctor, and maybe, one day, she'd find peace in knowing that she had done her best.
