During gym time, Kim Hanna suddenly stopped running in the middle of the field. Her face paled, her breathing was labored, and she was clutching her chest.
"Hanna!" Kang Min shouted in panic and ran straight to her, followed by Lee Jong and Sung Jae. Hanna almost fell, but Kang Min managed to catch her.
"What's wrong with you, your breathing?" Sung Jae asked frantically.
"Let's take her to the infirmary now!" Lee Jong ordered.
Quickly, the three of them helped Hanna walk to the infirmary. Once there, Hanna lay down with her breathing still labored. The attendant immediately examined her and gave her oxygen to help her breathe easier.
However, the atmosphere changed when Kang Min stood in the corner of the room, his face full of emotion. After a moment of silence, he approached Hanna with piercing eyes.
"Why did you hide this from us?!" Kang Min's voice sounded loud, breaking the silence. "Pulmonary hypertension is not trivial, Hanna. You think we don't have the right to know?!"
Hanna was silent, looking down wordlessly.
"We've been friends since childhood, Hanna. We've always shared everything. Then why are you hiding this? Don't you trust us?" Kang Min continued in a disappointed tone.
Lee Jong, who was standing next to him, bowed his head with a sad expression. "You should have told us, Hanna. We can help you."
Sung Jae, who was usually cheerful, was now silent, not knowing what to say. The atmosphere became heavy, and only the sound of Hanna's breathing began to improve.
"I don't want you to worry," Hanna finally said in a low voice, almost a whisper. Her eyes were teary. "I don't want to be a burden."
Kang Min let out a long breath, trying to temper his emotions. "You're not a burden, Hanna. We're your best friends. If something were to happen to you, it would hurt us more than any worries."
Hanna bit her lip, feeling guilty. Lee Jong rubbed her head lightly. "Don't do this again, Hanna. We're here to take care of each other, okay?"
Hanna nodded slowly, her eyes starting to get wet. "Sorry... I'm really sorry."
Kang Min finally sighed once more, then patted her shoulder gently. "The important thing now is that you take good care of yourself. Don't push yourself anymore. If you need anything, say so. Don't hide anymore, okay?"
Hanna nodded with a small smile. Although the atmosphere had calmed down, the three friends were still anxious and scared about Hanna's condition. They were determined to take better care of Hanna, no matter what.
The next day, the atmosphere at school was different for Kim Hanna. Her three best friends-Kang Min, Lee Jong, and Sung Jae-seemed much more protective than usual. Hanna, who is used to being free and ignorant, begins to feel watched at all times.
When the entrance bell rang, Lee Jong immediately approached Hanna who was getting ready to ride her motorcycle in the school parking lot.
"Hanna, get off," Lee Jong said firmly while folding his arms across his chest.
"What? Why?" Hanna looked at him confused.
"You can't ride a motorcycle anymore," said Kang Min who suddenly appeared from behind Lee Jong. "Your condition doesn't allow it. It's dangerous."
Hanna rolled her eyes, feeling annoyed. "I'm not seriously ill! I just have pulmonary hypertension, that doesn't mean I can't do anything!"
"Pulmonary hypertension is serious, Hanna," Sung Jae chimed in, standing on the other side with a serious face. "Don't try to mess with your health."
Hanna snorted in annoyance, then looked at the three of them. "So what should I do? Walk? Seriously, you guys are too much."
"No, I'm not. From now on, you go to and from school on the motorcycle with me." Lee Jong emphasized as he held up his spare helmet. "I'll carry it, you sit in the back. No discussion."
Hanna could hardly believe what she was hearing. "You guys are joking, right?"
"No," Kang Min and Sung Jae replied almost simultaneously.
"Come on, get on," Lee Jong said as he handed the helmet to Hanna.
Reluctantly, Hanna accepted the helmet and got on Lee Jong's bike. As the bike started moving, Hanna hissed softly, "You guys are really like nagging moms."
Lee Jong just chuckled. "If I'm a mom, you're a brat who has to be guarded 24 hours."
Upon arrival at school, the situation didn't change much. Her three best friends kept a close eye on Hanna throughout the day. When Hanna tried to help carry sports equipment to the field, Sung Jae immediately snatched the items out of her hands. "Don't. Let me carry it."
When Hanna tried to jump from the stands to the field, Kang Min pulled her arm quickly. "Don't you remember yesterday?! Don't even try, Hanna."
Hanna looked at the three with annoyance. "Hey, I'm not a kid who needs to be taken care of all the time!"
"But you're not Superman either," Kang Min retorted while narrowing his eyes. "We don't want to see you fall again like yesterday."
Hanna could only let out a long sigh. In her heart, she was upset that her freedom was being taken away, but on the other hand, she also felt the warmth of her three best friends' attention.
When it was time to go home, Hanna again had to go home with Lee Jong. On the way, she grumbled while folding her arms.
"Why are you all changing like this? I can take care of myself, you know," Hanna complained.
Lee Jong just smiled and focused on the road. "We just don't want to lose you, Hanna. You're too important to us."
Those words made Hanna pause for a moment. Although she didn't admit it, she knew her friends only cared about her. Slowly, her smile reappeared.
"Alright, chatty moms. I accept your concern. But don't overdo it, okay?" she said half-jokingly.
Lee Jong just laughed, while Kang Min and Sung Jae who were waiting in front of Hanna's house looked satisfied to see them arrive safely.
That day, Hanna realized that despite their exaggerations, she was never alone. No matter what happened, she knew her three best friends would always be by her side.
That afternoon, Lee Jong and Sung Jae arrived at Hanna's house first. They sat in the living room, joking lightly while waiting for Kang Min who went to buy ice cream and snacks. Hanna, who had just finished helping her mom in the kitchen, appeared with a slightly annoyed face.
"Hey, aren't you guys tired of coming here all the time? My house isn't a base camp, you know," she said as she leaned against the living room door.
Lee Jong just chuckled. "If it's not a base camp, then why are we so comfortable here?"
"Because I'm kind, right?" Kim Hanna replied while folding her arms.
Meanwhile, at the store near Hanna's neighborhood, Kang Min had just come out with a plastic bag filled with ice cream and snacks in his hand. But his steps stopped when five men stood in front of him like they were waiting.
"Is it you?" asked one of them in a cold tone, while taking out a cell phone and showing a CCTV video recording. In the video, a person in a black hoodie and hat came out of an apartment. His features were very similar to Kang Min's.
Kang Min remained calm despite feeling a little nervous. He approached, looked at the phone screen with a flat expression, then smiled a little.
"The person? You mean me? Wow, it's cool that I'm in a video like this. Am I a celebrity now?" Kang Min chuckled, trying to cover his worries.
The men seemed annoyed by Kang Min's non-serious response. One of them stepped forward, looking at him sharply. "Don't play around. We know it's you. Stop pretending."
However, Kang Min kept a casual face, then put one hand in his pocket. "Wow, seriously, Mr. Detective. If you want proof, why don't you just drag me to the police station? Or... maybe you're just looking for attention? I'm not interested, bro."
Kang Min's confident and slightly nosy attitude finally made them feel ill-feel. One of them waved his hand, signaling them to back off. "Let's go. This kid is just looking for trouble."
The five men finally left, leaving Kang Min still standing there with a sardonic smile.
"Those damn people," Kang Min muttered as he continued his steps.
However, from a distance, a black car was parked at the corner of the street, monitoring the incident. Inside, Choi Sang Woo watched everything calmly, while flashing a faint smile.
"That kid is smart," he said as he lit a cigarette.
In the seat next to him, Ji Ho, who was also watching, nodded with a small smile. "That kid is cool. He knows how to handle situations like this without panicking."
Sang Woo just chuckled. "He is indeed talented. But unfortunately, that talent has led him to a deeper pit. We'll see."
The car slowly moved away, while Kang Min continued his steps to Hanna's house, unaware that he was being watched.