The nurse begins to explain everything to Jeren, telling him how Liya had met with an accident and how Dane had been called by those people.
She goes on to say that she had seen those four men dragging Dane away that night, which is why she had called the police.
But before the police could arrive, a masked man had brought Dane to the hospital and also paid for both Dane and Liya's hospital bills for the next year.
Jeren listens to everything carefully but doesn't respond at all.
Jeren listens to the nurse and then asks for Liya's ward, heading straight there. As soon as he opens the door and looks inside, he sees a boy standing next to Liya.
Just seeing the boy makes Jeren's anger soar to the highest level. He storms over and grabs the boy by the collar from behind, glancing at Liya.
Liya still looks the same as she did in childhood, but now she's even more beautiful and cute.
Jeren, smiling, continues to look at Liya, but the boy tries to break free from his grip.
"Hey, bro, what are you doing? Let me go!"
Jeren releases the boy and, with a cold tone, asks, "Who are you? Tell me the truth. What were you doing in my sister's ward?"
"Hey, bro, don't you recognize me? I'm Keto."
"Keto?? Who's Keto?" Jeren looks at him with suspicious eyes, as he doesn't know anyone by that name.
Of course, Dane might know him, but Jeren certainly doesn't.
Jeren stares at him carefully, and suddenly it clicks in his mind—he does know Keto.
Years ago, when Jeren was with Liya and they played together, Liya's friend Keto was there too.
Keto was around the same age as Liya, but his nose was always running.
When they were children, Jeren had threatened Keto, warning him to stay just a friend to Liya and not to think about anything like love.
Keto was just a kid back then, so he probably didn't understand much of it.
"Ohh... so you're the kid whose nose was always running," Jeren says with a smirk.
"Brother, don't say that... and... please forgive me," Keto looks down in guilt.
"Liya was bullied by those girls at school."
As soon as Jeren hears the words that Liya was bullied, his expression changes. His eyes turn red, his face darkens, and he asks loudly,
"What did you say? Tell me everything," Jeren says.
Keto tells Jeren everything, explaining that Liya was bullied at school.
Those girls would stop her every day after school and beat her badly.
"I couldn't do anything to save Liya, brother, because those girls were from wealthy families, and their boyfriends were thugs. I got scared," said keto.
Hearing this, jeren held his head in frustration, imagining how difficult it must have been for Liya to endure everything on her own.
"I thought they'd stop bullying Liya, so I didn't tell anyone either. But I made a mistake. I should have told the teacher, then Liya wouldn't be in this condition today," Keto says.
Seeing everything Keto said and the guilt written all over his face, Jeren suddenly raises his hand and slaps keto straight across the face.
The sound of the slap echoes through the entire room, and Jeren's finger marks are clearly visible on Keto's cheek.
Tears well up in Keto's eyes as he touches his cheek where the slap landed.
He looks at Jeren, confused and hurt, wondering why he slapped him.
At that moment, Jeren says, "You were feeling so guilty, right? Guilty that you couldn't do anything. So, I did something instead. Maybe this will ease your guilt."
"But... the slap," Keto starts to say but stops mid-sentence and lowers his head.
"Keto I heard Liya had an accident. Was that a lie? Did those girls do something to Liya? Speak up,"
Jeren's tone makes Keto fearful. He had never seen Dane talk in this manner or with such an intense expression before.
How could he have seen it? Dane never speaks in such a tone; he always talks to everyone with kindness.
"Tell me everything—when did all this start, what are those girls' names, and what do they look like?" Jeren says, placing a hand on Keto's shoulder.
There were three girls who used to bully Liya. All three of them came from wealthy families, and their boyfriends were thugs, which made them fearless.
They did whatever they wanted without hesitation. At that time, Dane was out of town for work, so Liya had no one to support her, and they took advantage of that.
However, even Keto didn't know whether Liya ended up in a coma because of those girls or if it was truly an accident.
After listening to everything, Jeren thinks for a while and then looks at Keto.
"I'm hungry. Go get something to eat," Jeren says.
"What do you want to eat, bro? Just tell me, and I'll bring it," Keto replies.
"I want a burger... two burgers... no, bring me three burgers."
Keto's eyes widen in shock, wondering how Jeren could possibly finish three burgers, but he doesn't say anything to him, still remembering the slap Jeren gave him.
Keto silently walks away, and Jeren watches him leave.
Then he returns to the ward, picks up a chair, places it beside the bed, and sits down, taking Liya's hand in his.
"How much you've grown, little bird," Jeren murmurs softly.
"You were so little when I first saw you, and now look at you, you've become the most beautiful. I promised you in childhood that I would always protect you. I'm sorry I couldn't keep that promise, but don't worry, because I'm here now."
"I won't let anyone harm you now. Your brother will take revenge on those who wronged you. Don't worry anymore."
After saying all that, Jeren quietly sits, staring at Liya. After a while, when Keto returns, Jeren finishes all three burgers by himself. Fortunately, Keto, being smart, brings six burgers, of which he only eats one, and the rest are finished off by Jeren.
After that, Keto leaves for his house, telling Jeren that he will return tomorrow as it was getting late.
Later, Jeren goes for a walk around the hospital, overhearing conversations.
During this time, the nurse he had spoken to earlier in the morning approaches him and hands him his phone.
As soon as Jeren gets his phone back, he turns it on and notices that it has only 20% charge left.
While checking his phone, he walks back towards Liya's room.
However, something catches his attention in the corridor, so he stops right there, turns on his phone's camera, and takes a photo. Afterward, he quietly walks back into Liya's ward.
At night, while Jeren is looking at something on his phone, the door suddenly bursts open with a loud bang. Nurse Merin walks in, glaring at Jeren.
"Don't you have any manners? Can't you see my sister is resting? Why did you slam the door open like that?" Jeren says in a cold tone, getting up from the sofa and walking towards Miren.
Miren had done the same thing last time, but Dane was there then, so he didn't say anything. But now, Dane wasn't there; it was Jeren, who wouldn't take a minute to remind anyone of their true place.
"Your sister is in a coma, so no matter how loudly I knock on the door, nothing will happen to her," Miren says mockingly.
"Stop talking and come with me quietly, the doctor has called for you," she says, narrowing her eyes.
"Applying makeup doesn't hide anyone's age."
Jeren says this in a mocking tone, which makes Miren extremely angry. She stops just as she's about to leave the ward and turns towards Jeren.
"What did you say? Say it again," she says, widening her eyes and glaring at Jeren.
"What?"
"Can't you hear what's been said once?" Jeren says, raising his eyebrow.
"You're not even worth a penny, and how dare you talk to me like that?" Nurse Miren snaps angrily.