"Obviously I'm scared of sharks who isn't?"
"Well sharks are more scared of us than we do them"
"How does that relate to all of this"
"Because even though your scared of all the hate It's probably because they fear someone like you succeeding"
"Some...
"I am here, alone, at the end of the world. I reach out and touch nothing."." ~ Haruki Murakami
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‿︵‿︵‿︵୨˚̣̣̣୧ - - - - - ୨˚̣̣̣୧‿︵‿︵‿︵
Life had taken an unexpected but much-needed turn for the better. It was as if a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. For the first time in weeks, I felt like I could breathe again. I had made new friends, stayed close to Aki, and found some semblance of normalcy. Aki's sudden rise as a campus celebrity didn't surprise me. His covers on YouTube kept growing in popularity, and the attention followed him wherever he went. I was happy to ride in his shadow, supporting him along the way, lending him instruments when he needed them, and offering any help I could.
Midterms had just wrapped up, and the weight of academic stress disappeared with it. Life was smooth sailing—or so I thought.
I was sitting on my bed, scrolling mindlessly through my phone, when the call came. The familiar ring tone didn't prepare me for the news on the other end of the line.
"Hello?" I answered, not thinking much of it.
The voice on the other side was my uncle's, strained and shaky. "Y/N... your grandma, she's fallen ill. It's serious."
My heart stopped, and for a moment, I couldn't find my voice. My grandma had always been strong, a figure of warmth and comfort throughout my childhood. And the only reason I would have met. . . her. The thought of her being sick felt unreal.
"I-I'll be there right away," I finally managed to say, my voice tight.
I didn't waste time. Within hours, I booked a flight to Jeju, packed a small bag, and made my way to the airport. The flight felt like an eternity, even though it was just a short hop to Jeju. Once I landed, I immediately took the ferry to Udo-Myeon, the small island off the coast where my grandma had lived for as long as I could remember. The island, with its quiet charm and picturesque views, had always been a second home to me. But today, the serene beauty of Udo felt distant, overshadowed by the heavy weight of worry pressing down on me.
When I arrived, I headed straight for her restaurant the place where I called home and work for a whole summer. As I approached, the familiar sight of the cozy building should have been comforting, but today it only filled me with dread. I climbed the stairs to the small living quarters above the restaurant where she lived. There was no hospital in Udo-Myeon, so a retired doctor—a kind old man who had been a local fixture for decades—was treating her at home.
I opened the door to her room, my heart pounding in my chest. The room was dimly lit, and there she was, lying in bed, looking frail and weak—so unlike the strong, vibrant woman I had always known.
"Grandma..." I whispered, stepping closer to her bedside.
She turned her head slowly to look at me, her face lighting up with a weak smile. "Y/N... my dear, you came."
