Fifth Vital [EN]: Chapter 395

396. Unspeakable Pain

“What are you all doing?”

Tae-kyung asked with a surprised expression, seeing the bundles of money scattered on the floor.

“Ah! Director, well, you see…”

Team Leader Choi, who was picking up the money, explained the situation at Tae-kyung’s sudden appearance.

“Money came for you, Director.”

“Huh?! Money came for me?”

“Yes, a box was delivered, and when I shook it to see what was inside, money poured out, so we were picking it up.”

“A man just left this, saying it was for you, Director, and then he left.”

“Director, there’s a note here.”

Following Jang Deuk-chil, Nurse Lim Jeong-suk handed over the note that was in the box.

Tae-kyung unfolded the note and checked the contents.

-I am moved by the sight of the Director caring for patients with a humble heart from a high position, and practicing medicine with all sincerity.

Please continue to stay by the patients’ side as you do now. I am adding a small token of my appreciation. I ask that you use this donation for the hospital’s needs and for patients who need help.

Thank you. From an anonymous patient-

“It’s a donation.”

“I wondered… But who sent it?”

“Isn’t there a name written?”

“No, it says ‘anonymous patient,’ and judging from the contents, it seems to be one of the patients who received treatment at our hospital.”

At Tae-kyung’s words, Nurse Lim Jeong-suk and Team Leader Choi tried to recall patients who were particularly memorable, but it was difficult to pinpoint just one person out of so many.

“Geez! Even if I rack my brain, I can’t think of anyone in particular.”

“Director, what should we do with this money?”

“The amount is considerable. It’s a whopping thirty million won [approximately $25,000 USD]. Thirty million!”

Team Leader Choi, who had been organizing the scattered bundles of money, couldn’t resist his curiosity and checked the amount.

“Thirty million? That’s quite a lot of money. Let’s do this.”

“Do what?”

“It’s possible that the person who gave this money might come back to look for it, so let’s keep it safe. If no one comes to claim it after some time, we’ll list it as a donation.”

“Yes, Director. We’ll do that.”

“Hey, Team Leader.”

Tae-kyung and Nurse Lim Jeong-suk left the office, and Jang Deuk-chil, who was looking at the box of money with an ironic expression, asked.

“Yes?”

“What do you mean by saying they might come back to look for the donation?”

“Ah, that. Sometimes, people donate without consulting their families, and then the families come to claim it back.”

“They ask for the donated money back?”

“That’s right. Given the Director’s personality, if that happens, he’ll return it, so he’s saying let’s wait and see.”

“I see. Then, will someone come looking for this money too?”

“I’d like it if they didn’t, but I don’t know.”

Team Leader Choi picked up the box of money and left the office to store it in the safe where important documents are kept.

* * *

In a certain home-

A woman’s name, a wife and mother, is Kim Yeon-ju.

As on any other day, she cleaned the entire house as always.

‘It’s already this time.’

After finishing cleaning, Kim Yeon-ju headed to the kitchen after looking at the clock hanging in the living room.

Chaga mushrooms [a type of fungus believed to have medicinal properties], broccoli, mini paprika mixed with red, yellow, and orange, eggplant, blue-backed fish [likely mackerel or similar], and lean meat.

Kim Yeon-ju took out healthy ingredients full of nutrients from the refrigerator and began to prepare them one by one.

She washed and washed various vegetables, so diligently that it seemed a bit excessive, and a strange sense of determination and loneliness seemed to be felt on her face.

She was diligently preparing ingredients that seemed ordinary but were not, when suddenly-

Click-

Suddenly, the sound of the front door opening began to be heard, and Kim Yeon-ju stopped what she was doing.

No one was supposed to be home at this time.

Her mother-in-law and husband, who lived with her, should be at work. Moreover, they always contacted her in advance if they were coming home, so no matter how much she thought about it, no one should be home.

‘Who is it?’

Kim Yeon-ju couldn’t understand no matter how much she thought about it, and she even began to feel a little scared.

Thinking it might be a burglar, she unknowingly tightened her grip on the knife she was holding.

Just as she slowly came out of the kitchen and moved towards the front door, it was right then.

‘Mom!’

“Mommy!!”

With a loud voice, a boy and a girl with bright expressions entered the house, leaving behind the shoes they had thrown off haphazardly.

‘San? Jin?’

The people who opened the front door and came in were none other than her lovely son and daughter, whom she wouldn’t hurt even if she put them in her eyes.

Thud-

But Kim Yeon-ju’s expression was a little strange. Surprised to see the children, she unknowingly dropped the knife she was holding on the floor.

‘I’m home from school.’

‘Me too! Jin is home from school too.’

‘Mom, the knife fell.’

‘Mom, are you okay?’

Startled, Kim Yeon-ju realized that she had dropped the knife at the children’s words and quickly took the knife to the kitchen before returning to the living room.

‘Jin, didn’t you say you were going to the bathroom?’

‘That’s right! I need to pee. I’ll go to the bathroom.’

The younger sister, who had been holding back her urine at her brother’s words, quickly ran to the bathroom, and Kim Yeon-ju, still dumbfounded, approached her son, squatted down, and made eye contact.

‘S-…San? Is that really San?’

With trembling hands, like a leaf shaking in the wind, Kim Yeon-ju touched her son’s hand and gently cupped his face.

She stroked her son’s face as if she couldn’t believe this situation and stared intently at him.

‘Mom, what’s wrong? Why are you like this?’

San looked at his mother with an expression that he couldn’t understand at all.

‘San? San….’

‘Yes, Mom. It’s me. San is right. Mom’s son, Lee San.’

‘That’s right. It’s true. It’s really Mom’s son, San.’

‘Mom, did you have a dream?’

Kim Yeon-ju, having confirmed that the child in front of her was her real son, hugged him tightly and rejoiced.

‘Ugh! Mom, I can’t breathe.’

‘Sorry. Mom is just too happy.’

‘What, you’re only hugging each other. Me too! I want to hug Mom and Oppa [older brother] all together.’

In the meantime, the second daughter, Jin, who had finished her business and came out of the bathroom, widened her big eyes even more and hugged the two tightly.

‘Jin, is your body okay? Are you not sick?’

Kim Yeon-ju, taking the hand of her daughter who hugged her with her small hands, asked if her daughter was okay this time, just like she did to her son.

‘Mom, really. Why would I be sick?’

‘Really not sick? Is your stomach okay?’

‘Yes. I’ve never been sick? I’m super fast at running and super strong.’

‘That’s right. Our Jin is super strong. That’s a relief.’

Kim Yeon-ju, seeing her lovely daughter full of health and energy, hugged her son and daughter once again with a relieved expression.

‘Mom, but we’re having Oppa’s birthday party today, right?’

‘Huh? Birthday?’

‘Today is Oppa’s birthday.’

‘Today is San’s birthday?’

‘Yes.’

At the word birthday, Kim Yeon-ju quickly checked the date on her phone, and it was indeed her son’s birthday.

‘San, I’m sorry.’

She had never forgotten her children’s birthdays, even if she forgot her own, and she spoke to her son with an apologetic face.

‘Mom forgot.’

‘I’m okay. And I heard that birthdays are originally the day my mom had a hard time giving birth to me, so it’s not me but my mom who should be thanked.’

‘San, where did you hear that?’

‘I saw it in a book.’

Her son, who usually liked to read books and was kind, often spoke like an adult.

‘So, I don’t need to have a birthday party.’

‘Ah! Why not? We have to have a birthday party. That way, we can eat cake too. Jin wants to eat chocolate cake….’

‘Jin, today is Oppa’s birthday, so let’s eat what Oppa wants to eat, and Mom will buy you chocolate tomorrow.’

‘Okay.’

‘No. Mom. I want to eat chocolate cake too.’

‘Okay. I got it.’

After that, her husband, who had come home from work, bought a chocolate cake, and her mother-in-law bought a lot of food and gifts that the children liked.

‘Happy birthday to you.’

The family, sitting around a table set with a feast centered around the cake, sang a birthday song and celebrated their son’s birthday.

‘Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to our beloved San.’

‘Happy birthday, our San.’

‘Happy birthday, Dad.’

‘Oppa, happy birthday so much.’

As San blew out the candles on the cake with all his might, the family clapped and rejoiced all at once.

‘Everyone, look here.’

And Kim Yeon-ju, wanting to capture this happy moment, took out her phone and took a picture.

‘One, two, three.’

Click-

‘Our San and Jin came out really cool and pretty. That’s right! Is there anything you want for your birthday present?’

‘Mom, I actually have something I want for my birthday present.’

‘What is it? Just tell me. Mom will do everything for you.’

‘If you leave Jin like this, she might come to where I am. Jin shouldn’t come here. Take her to the hospital quickly. Help my sister.’

‘What? San. What are you talking about?’

‘Mom… There’s no more time. If even Jin comes, Mom and Dad will have a hard time. I want Jin to get healthy quickly and live happily again like before. And I’m doing well, so don’t worry about me. I want Mom to stop crying. I’m going now. Mom.’

‘San, where are you going? San?’

As she was listening to her son’s incomprehensible words, she called out to her son and turned her head at the sound of someone calling her.

* * *

“Honey?”

“San… don’t go.”

“Honey, Yeon-ju?”

“……!”

Kim Yeon-ju, who opened her eyes at her husband’s call, was in a daze for a few seconds before jumping up from the sofa.

“You must have dozed off here because you stayed up all night. You didn’t eat breakfast either, did you? Do you want something to eat?”

Without saying anything to her husband’s words, she quickly hurried to her son San’s room.

Click-

Numerous books filling one wall, writing utensils and textbooks on the desk, and a backpack on one side of the floor, and even the blanket on the bed spread out without a single wrinkle.

The objects in the room that had lost its owner were still in their place today as they were yesterday.

“Honey, where’s San?”

“What?”

“We celebrated San’s birthday.”

Kim Yeon-ju, who came out of her son’s room, headed to her daughter Lee Jin’s room.

“…….”

The hand that was holding the doorknob and trying to open the door suddenly stopped and consciously opened the door very carefully.

Through the slightly opened door, the face of her daughter, who had fallen asleep with difficulty in a room with a humidifier turned on, came into view.

Seeing the all too familiar scenery of the room, she realized that the happy daily life a little while ago was a dream. Kim Yeon-ju went into her son San’s room with an expression as if she was about to burst into tears and sat on the bed.

“Honey, are you okay?”

“No, we were just having San’s birthday party all together, and Jin was strong too….”

Unable to continue speaking, she bit her lower lip and shed tears, and Lee Jae-san, who saw Kim Yeon-ju, put his arm around her shoulder and patted her.

“Did you have a dream? You haven’t had one for a while, but San came out in your dream. Right?”

As if this wasn’t the first time, Lee Jae-san warmly comforted his wife.

“Our San… San said that I should be congratulated on his birthday. Jin didn’t have any pain and was strong and healthy, so… I thought it was real and even took a picture with my phone….”

In fact, Kim Yeon-ju knew as soon as she opened her eyes on the sofa.

That all of this was a dream. But the children’s images were so vivid that she was briefly confused by the sand-like hope that it might be real.

“It’s okay. Yeon-ju, it’s okay.”

“I miss him. Ha! Our San… I miss him so much. Honey, I couldn’t even get San a birthday cake….”

The son she missed so much passed away suddenly without any warning the day before his birthday.

In the face of such a sudden accident, the family had to send their son away without even having time to say goodbye.

After losing a child more precious than life, everything changed from then on.

No matter how much time passes, the image of her beloved son is not forgotten and becomes clearer.

“Honey. In my dream just now, San said there was no time for Jin and told me to help her.”

Kim Yeon-ju and Lee Jae-san, who lost their son in an accident, had a big concern, which was their second daughter, Jin.

From some point on, their daughter started to get sick, and now the severity was worse than before. But there was one problem for this family: they couldn’t go to the hospital.

It was natural for people to go to the hospital and get treatment when they were sick, but that natural thing was an unspeakable pain and a nightmare itself for this family.

“Yeon-ju, should we take Jin to the hospital?”

At the word hospital, Kim Yeon-ju flinched slightly.

“I have something to confess to you. I actually went to the hospital a few days ago.”

“You went to the hospital? How?”

“I went out to get Jin’s medicine and went there, but while I was registering and waiting, my mother-in-law called, and I was so surprised that I just came out. Honey, you know what.”

“I decided that I had to see a doctor and ask about Jin’s condition no matter what happened that day? But when I thought about seeing a doctor, those memories kept coming back, and I couldn’t calm down. I came out after receiving a call from my mother-in-law, but honestly, I was also relieved that she called.”

“Yeon-ju, I’ve been thinking about it for days, and it seems like there’s no other way now. We’ve tried everything we can except the hospital. It’ll be hard, but we have no choice but to go to the hospital.”

“I think so too. But how? My mother-in-law won’t allow it.”

“I looked it up on the internet, and there’s a doctor who solved a child abuse case in the past and was on the news. He helps patients a lot. So I’m thinking of visiting that doctor. It’s not that far from our house either.”

“Is that Yeoul-dong, our hospital?”

“That’s right! Did you happen to go to that hospital too?”

“Yeah. I saw on the internet that the director there is good to patients, so….”

Kim Yeon-ju suddenly stopped talking and paused.

“What’s wrong?”

Kim Yeon-ju, gesturing to Lee Jae-san to be quiet, walked quietly to the door.

She put her ear to the door and concentrated for a moment, then suddenly opened the door wide.

“……!”

“Auntie!”