I burst into the hospital room, my mother right behind me. Hyemi’s sitting up in bed with her arm in a cast, eating ice cream from a tub. In an impressive show of ambidexterity, she’s balancing the tub against her chest with the cast, holding the spoon with her left hand.
“What happened?” I hurry over.
“It was like I was in a scene from a drama,” Hyemi says. “I was at a crosswalk and a motorcyclist ran a red light, almost bowling me over. I landed on my arm, pretty hard. Too bad there wasn’t a cute boy to catch me!”
I stare at her face. Is she masking her pain with cheerfulness? Except that she really does look okay. She doesn’t appear to have any wounds, besides her arm.
“Your father’s in Hong Kong, isn’t he?” my mother says, coming to stand next to me. “Has anyone checked you in?”
“I don’t think so. I called Secretary Park when I got here, after I called my mom and dad.”
“I’ll go check with the doctor,” my mother says, leaving the room.
“Sun Ye-eonni and the others were here,” Hyemi says. “You just missed them. They brought the ice cream. Also snacks and toys and stuffed animals. Ruby brought her Tamagotchi, which is actually kind of stressful.” I look behind her to a box of items stuffed with colorful bags of chips, Pepero, and Choco Pies, as well as a Switch; on the top of the box is a crocheted carrot with a face.
“They had to leave for a recording,” she explains.
Her words are followed by a brief lull.
“I’m sorry I haven’t been around this past week,” I say into the silence.
“After the news article . . .”—I don’t have to explain the one—“I became obsessed with saving the company, as if it was something I could do, on my own. I was so caught up with everything going on in my own life, that I’d forgotten the person who was struggling the most. I’m sorry, Hyemi.”
“You know, since you brought it up, I was hurt.” My chest tightens. “I thought, when you didn’t come to see me, that you were only helping me because of my father’s money.”
“Hyemi . . .” My heart constricts.
“But then Nathaniel said something that made me realize that I was wrong to think that of you. He asked me if I thought you were someone who’d help me just for my father’s money, and not because maybe you liked me, just a little.”
“I like you a lot.”
She giggles. “And I realized . . . I didn’t. I don’t. You helped me because you genuinely wanted to. I could feel that. Every hour you spent with me in that practice room, every time you listened to me, I felt your sincerity.
“Nathaniel and I . . . we talked a lot about you.” She scratches her chin. “Actually, most of our conversations were about you. He was the one who guessed you were dating CEO Cha’s nephew because you were trying to save Joah . . .”
Nathaniel.
“Hyemi.” I take a deep breath. “There’s something I have to tell you.”
She looks at me, her expression open.
“I’m in love with Nathaniel.”
“I know,” she says, deadpan. “I saw all your appearances together. You can’t fake that kind of chemistry. And I know you’re not an actress. I watched your cameo.”
I gape at her, then laugh. “Hyemi-yah!”
“I’m happy loving Nathaniel from afar, like a fan. My heart isn’t broken, so don’t worry about me. Honestly, I like you more than I like Nathaniel. I’m cheering for you, Eonni.”
She’s so sweet. I wipe the tears gathering at the corners of my eyes. “What about ASAP? Have you thought about whether you want to stay?”
“I don’t know . . .” She tucks a strand of her hair behind her ear. “I miss performing. This whole week, I’ve wanted to be on stage with the other members, but I don’t want to be a burden to them either.”
I frown, remembering something that Sun Ye said last night. “When Sun Ye and the others were here, did she talk about an announcement regarding ASAP?”
“She did, though she was pretty cryptic about it.”
“If you want to stay in the group, you should stay. The other members also want that. Let’s trust in our CEO, Hyemi. She’ll make things right.”
She beams. “Okay, Eonni.”
“Hyemi-yah!” Youngmin stands in the doorway holding a humungous bouquet of pink roses.
“Youngmin-ah! Are those for me?”
“Oh, these? They’re for the halmeoni two doors down. Of course they’re for you!”
He flounces over and she laughs.
I leave the two of them, stepping outside the door. My mother waits on one of the benches opposite the room.
I take a seat beside her. I’m still shocked about what happened at the house with my father. “Did you really mean it?” I ask quietly. “About not breaking up with Nathaniel.”
She leans back in her chair, crossing one leg over the other. “Whatever your father says, I always want to do the opposite. It worked out for you, in this case.”
“Eomma . . . are you making a joke?”
She laughs, a bright sound. “It’s been a while, hasn’t it? Don’t worry. I will support you. Looking at the security camera footage—which, by the way, I’m going to cut your father’s access to—from these past weeks really helped me to see. I mean, I’m not pleased that you lied to me and invited Nathaniel to stay with you, even with Ajumma around. But watching those videos made me remember what matters most, what has always mattered most. Your happiness.”
She sighs, but not with distress. With relief. “I’m going to divorce your father.”
“But . . .” I’m so shocked that I say the first thing that comes to mind. “What about the shares?”
Her eyes widen. “You thought I was staying with your father because of the shares?”
“Yes?”
“No, Sori-yah, I stayed with him for you. I wanted you to have a family, something I, as an orphan, couldn’t give you. But then I realized, you already have a family. Me. And Ajumma. But also Nathaniel and the other XOXO members. Joah is your family.”
“But the house.”
“Sori-yah, it’s my house.”
“Yes, but Abeoji bought it for you.”
“Exactly. He bought me the house as a condition that I didn’t leave him after his first affair went public. It’s not a gift unless the receiver owns the house. I made him buy it in my name.”
The house doesn’t belong to my father. It belongs to my mother.
“It’s true that I signed a prenuptial agreement, but I don’t want your father’s money. I don’t need it.”
“And—and the company?” I’m a little breathless with all the revelations. “I saw the papers in your drawer, that you were selling the company to KS.”
“Oh, Sori. You must have been so stressed. Is that why you were dating CEO Cha’s nephew?”
She shakes her head. “I’ll admit, I did . . . waver, but I never truly considered the offer. The papers were drawn up by KS’s lawyers.
“Since it’s worrying you, I can tell you I took out a loan. The company will be fine. Every day presents new challenges, but I’ll work together with my team to face them. I toed the line before, bringing Hyemi into ASAP in exchange for her father’s money, but I’ve decided to stick to my principles from now on.
“Even if Hyemi’s father should offer the money tomorrow, I won’t accept it. Hyemi is talented and hardworking, so she’ll remain in the group. I want to protect Hyemi. I want to pave a path for her with lots of beautiful things for her to see along the way. That’s my dream for her. That’s my dream of Joah.”
“Eomma,” I say, tears in my eyes, “I’m so proud of you.”
“And I’m so proud of you, my darling girl.” She takes me into her arms, holding me close. After a few minutes, she gently releases me, her own eyes a little damp. “What do you think about finally having that meal?”