Love is better than pain
14. Cracks in the Night, Secrets of the Dawn
That night too, the two slowly confirmed each other's feelings and conveyed their sincerity with warmth.
Eyes, kisses, breath. Emotions quietly spread, embracing each other with a warm warmth.
***
Dawn. A quiet bedroom.
Myungho was sleeping soundly, and Siyeon suddenly opened her eyes with a sharp pain.
강시연
"....!!"
I clutched my stomach and clenched my teeth, pulling myself out of the blanket. It was hard to keep my body still, but I desperately moved quietly.
Having barely made it to the bathroom, Siyeon leaned against the toilet.
강시연
“Ugh… Ugh…!”
Siyeon, unable to even open her eyes due to the nausea that was creeping in, continued to vomit endlessly.
Then— After a long time, I opened my eyes, breathing heavily and holding back tears.
Blood. Red liquid was spreading inside the white toilet bowl.
강시연
“……!”
She covered her mouth. Holding back a scream, her eyes twitched wildly.
My mind was spinning. Nevertheless, I flushed the toilet and carefully wiped away any spills.
My fingertips trembled. My knees gave out and I collapsed to the bathroom floor.
I calmed myself down by catching my breath and biting my lips tightly.
강시연
'I can't avoid it...'
The next morning.
Siyeon, who woke up before Myeongho, wrote a note in soft handwriting and quietly left the room.
[I'll go to work first. Do your best today too :)]
Then, I ran some quick business at work and headed straight to the hospital.
***
A little while later, Myeongho woke up, rubbing his eyes.
He read the note on the desk, smiled, and headed to the bathroom.
As he prepared to wash— His gaze, which had been brushing the floor, suddenly landed on a corner of the tiles.
A red mark. It had already faded, but a tiny trace of blood remained, as if it had seeped into the cracks in the floor. Myung-ho's eyes slowly widened.
디에잇(명호)
"...Siyeon..?"
He was complicated by many thoughts.
A hospital in Seoul. White walls, quiet hallways,
And then a softly flowing announcement. Siyeon sat in the waiting chair in front of the examination room, and waited, hands clasped tightly together.
My heart was beating quietly, but quickly. I knew something was wrong with my body.
The blood in the morning, the dizziness, the recurring pain—all were compelling evidence.
???
“Ms. Kang Si-yeon, please come in.”
At the nurse's call, Siyeon raised her head and cautiously entered. The door to the examination room closed, and the doctor sitting across from her looked strangely heavy.
의사
“…The test results are back.”
Siyeon bit her lip. Silence nodded silently. The doctor glanced at the chart in his hand, then looked back at her and quietly opened his mouth.
의사
"It's stomach cancer. It's progressing quite quickly... It's already metastasized to the liver."
강시연
“……”
In that moment, with a "beep" in Siyeon's head, all sound stopped.
The doctor's mouth continued to move before my eyes, but I couldn't hear it. Only then did I hear the last words.
의사
“…In its current state, treatment is not easy. To be honest… I have about six months left.”
강시연
“………”
Only then did I really stop saying anything. My fingertips grew cold.
Without blinking, Siyeon just stared at the doctor's face.
의사
"I recommend immediate hospitalization, but your will is crucial. Treatment is certainly possible. But... it will be difficult."
Siyeon nodded quietly.
강시연
“Right now… I won’t be hospitalized.”
의사
“…Yes. But if there’s any change in your body at any time—”
강시연
“Yes, teacher..”
Siyeon slowly rose from her seat. The hospital hallway remained quiet, and she let out a small breath as she walked out the door.
강시연
‘6 months…’
Only 6 months.
Spring passes, summer comes— and there may be no after that.
Siyeon looked up at the sky.
Under the dazzlingly clear sky, her eyes were slightly wet.