Pay With Your Heart

The truth?

A short gasp escaped Father Lee's lips as he staggered backwards, almost losing his footing. His eyes blinked rapidly while his mouth fell agape, and his shoulders trembled at what this destroying truth was.

This wasn't happening! His wife wasn't dying! There had to be some prank in all this. She had only passed out, and she...

He slowly turned to look at her as she lay on the bed. This wasn't real! She had just yelled at him minutes ago. His mind voice quivered as his eyes slowly turned red.

Cancer? She have cancer? How was that even possible? She had looked sick and had emaciated a little. Okay! More than a little, but he didn't for once suspect it would be as severe as cancer! What was happening? How could he not know, yet she knew? He pondered as he glanced at Eun-sun, who had her head lowered to the ground, maybe too afraid and ashamed to look at him.

"How long has this been?" His ice-cold voice came asking no one in particular.

"Three years," Jae-Hyun replied this time, but his answer got the men staring at him with disbelieving eyes, most especially Dan-Han, who hadn't said a word for what seemed like the longest of time.

"Three years?" Father Lee snapped, his feet almost giving way as he stared at his wife. For three years, his wife has been sick, and he was clueless about it until now?!

How could they keep something like this away from him? How could she keep something like this from him? He glanced at Dan-Han, who had suddenly turned pale like he had been drained of his life source. It was apparent he didn't know too.

"Dan-Han." Jae-Hyun cautiously called, but the man didn't respond as he blankly stared at him. Disbelief, pain, anger were buried deep in his eyes, and Jae-Hyun could see it. This was what he had feared and why he had should have never let Mrs Lee pull him into this mess.

Dan-Han held his gaze for a few more seconds before turning around to leave. He had to tend to his mother first before thinking about anything else. Eun-Sun took a step towards him, but he halted her with his hand.

"I'll go get the plane ready." He said before walking away, not even sparing a glance at her. He didn't know what to say to her. What was he to say to her, to them! He had no idea. He didn't even know how to react or feel at the moment, but first, he had to get his mother to the hospital. She wasn't going to die, and he was going to make sure of it. His feet felt heavy as he walked, but he surged on like he didn't feel his chest constrict tightly inside of him with every step he took.

He hurriedly called for a chopper and made preparations for the jet to be ready within minutes.

In-Ha was the last to know about Mrs Lee's condition, and with the current situation between himself and Dan-Han, he offered to stay back to help the team. This was the least he could do, considering how much trouble he had caused with his reckless act.

Fear and panic engulfed the team members and the occupants of the province who heard about Mrs Lee sudden ill health. They were all stupified by the sudden turn of events, especially when she was wheeled out to the chopper. To everyone, she had just looked healthy yesterday, so how could she be sick now, even to a state of being unconscious?

Half an hour later, they were in the air flying back to the capital. Everyone on the plane was at still breath, as they all had their eyes glued to Mrs Lee, who seemed to be battling for her life. Soo-min, who had always looked unattached and lost, had a tearful look as she sat by her side. Her once vibrant face, which always held a smile, was now covered with an oxygen mask, and she looked nothing like herself.

Dan-Han could not take his eyes off his mother for a second. He was still in deep shock, and every word Eun-sun and Jae-Hyun had said kept resounding in his head. He couldn't believe it... No! he didn't want to believe any of that was true. He refuses to believe!

The next few hours on air had been the most torturous for everyone who had boarded the plane. No one said a word except the plane crew members, who made announcements at intervals. Eun-Sun watched Dan-Han as he kept staring at his mother. She couldn't say a word to him. She feared his mood and countenance.

The moment the plane touched down, Mrs Lee was rushed to the hospital.

"I'll go with them," Jae-Hyun said, following the doctors who were wheeling her inside the hospital.

"You will not," Dan-Han said after him, causing Jae-Hyun to halt on the spot. He took a step back and turned to Dan-Han how looked at him with incensed eyes. "Do not lay a hand on my mother." He warned before walking away.

"Da-" He tried to call him, but he stopped himself. He must understand how the man felt at the moment. He sighed defeatedly as he watched him stride away with heavy feet.

He feared Dan-Han might never forgive him if anything happened to his mother, and that was inevitable. She was already in a critical state, and that alone wasn't good.

He sighed again. Unsure of where to go he decided to go to his office for a while till he went back again to check on Mrs Lee. Dan-Han might not want him around her, but she was a mother to him, so he'd still have to do his best. He had only turned around when he caught of glimpse of Eun-sun in a daze staring at Dan-Han's retreating silhouette. He could guess what was going through her mind, and he felt pity for her because just one look at her and one could already see the anguish in her eyes.

Dan-Han's silence and anger towards him were tolerable, but to her, it must be heart wrecking, and he doubted if she could hold on to the man's fury.

Taking a few steps towards her, he stopped in front of her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"He'll forgive you. He's just a bit upset." He assured her, making Eun-sun glance at him with sheer desperation glistening in her eyes. She was in dire need of some reassurance that Dan-Han wasn't going to hate her because of this. She should have done the right thing at the right time.

Flashing a weak smile at her, Jae-Hyun said, "He loves you, and he can't be mad at you for too long. He's just angry for now." He told her. Eun-Sun looked ahead of her through the path Dan-Han had taken. Uncertainty flashed through her eyes. She wasn't sure he'd easily forgive her, and even if he did, she didn't know how long it was going to take.

Jae-Hyun left her alone, and Eun-Sun didn't know what to do. Taking in deep breaths, she calmed herself and went to look for Dan-Han.

She had only stepped out of the elevator when she saw him sitting by the hallway with his shoulders sunken and his face buried deep in his palm. She took careful and nervous steps as she approached him.

She opened her mouth to say something, but before she could, he raised his head and looked at her. Eun-Sun swallowed at his icy gaze.

"Dan-Han, I'm sorry." She apologized, but he didn't say a word as he kept looking at her. Her heart skipped several beats as she moved closer, "I'm truly sorry. I should have told you."

"You should have." He finally said something after several hours of his silent treatment.

Lowering her head in shame, she nodded. "I should."

After a few moments of silence, he spoke again; this time, he asked a question. "How long have you known?" Eun-Sun lifted her nervous gaze towards him, which were full of fear and guilt.

"A few months ago." She regretfully replied. Dan-Han shot her an incredulous look.

"Park Eun-sun, you're unbelievable." He hissed out in disappointment as he stood up to his feet. He didn't know what else he'd say to her right now.

"Dan-Han, please, say something." She pleaded as she desperately held his hand.

"Say what?!" He snapped at her, slightly startling her. "You...you knew all these while my mother was sick, and you didn't see it fit to tell me."

"I tried." She cried.

"When?" He asked, but she couldn't answer. "We had all the time. You had all the time, but you kept something like this from me!" He yelled, causing tears to roll down her cheek.

"I'm sorry." She sobbed.

"You broke my trust, Park Eun-sun." He hissed. "Go home. I have nothing else to say." He said before walking away, leaving her behind for the first time. Eun-sun was filled with regret as she sobbed.. She wondered if Jae-Hyun was right. Would Dan-Han ever forgive her? 

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