Page 66 of Wish Upon a K-Star

M y mom arrives at the hospital in the afternoon. She’s a flurry of energy. But under it all, I can see that she’s worried. She actually tears up when she sees me, wrapping me in a hug that makes my sore shoulder throb. But I don’t pull away. It’s nice to see that she’s a real mom at least when her daughter is put into physical danger.

I have a small but steady stream of visitors. Sohee and Bomi bring me a care package of face masks and fuzzy socks. They tell me that all the Kastor girls wanted to come, but they thought it might be too overwhelming.

“There are so many fans out front sitting vigil with signs,” Bomi tells me.

“You should look out the window when you get a chance,” Sohee adds. “There’s so many people who love you, Eonni.”

David comes with a giant bouquet covering half his face, like he’s hiding from me. He looks like he hasn’t slept.

“I’ll understand if you want to request a different stylist for your upcoming schedules,” he says. He hasn’t been able to look me in the eyes the whole time he’s been here.

“What? No!” I blurt out. “I don’t want to work with anyone else but you. I won’t let that asshole take anything else from me!”

David lets out a surprised laugh and steps forward to hug me. “I’m happy to see you haven’t lost any of that spirit I always knew you had.”

When Robbie and Jaehyung come with Hyejun, they bear gifts of contraband bags of Honey Butter Chips.

I know it must be Hyejun’s idea, but he just shrugs like it’s no big deal.

“Have you been to see Minseok?” I ask, trying to sound casual as I pop some chips into my mouth. I pretend I’m focusing on the snack even though I’m waiting anxiously for an answer.

“He got stitches,” Robbie says. “But the doctors say he’ll be fine in a couple of weeks.”

I’m relieved to hear it, but at the same time disappointed. Why hasn’t he come to see me, then?

I’m about to ask if he’s said anything about me when my mom bursts into the room. “I have good news! Oh, Hyejun-ah, boys, it’s good to see you.”

She sends Robbie and Jaehyung one of her bright smiles as they give polite bows of greeting.

“Oh, Hyeri, honey, you shouldn’t be eating processed food right now.” She plucks the bag of chips from my hands and shoves them at Hyejun. “Boys, you should probably get going, Hyeri is about to be discharged. You can see her when she gets back from LA.”

“Oh, sure,” Jaehyung says. “See you later, Noona.”

“Yeah,” I say as they leave. I want to ask them to have Minseok call me, but I’m scared it’ll make me sound too desperate.

“Wait.” I turn to my mother. “What do you mean ‘back from LA’?”

“We’re going there for the table reading,” my mom says. “I was worried you might miss it. But you’ll just make it! This actually works out. I can escort my daughter back home now.”

I frown. “Me getting attacked is good timing.”

“Oh, Hyeri, you know I didn’t mean it like that.” My mom shakes her head. “I don’t even want to think about what that man tried to do to my daughter.” She shudders, closing her eyes and rubbing at her temples.

I realize now that my mom doesn’t do well with difficult things. She’s not trying to ignore painful stuff. She just truly doesn’t know how to deal with it.

In a weird way, it makes me feel better to know that.

“I don’t know if I can travel,” I start to say, but she waves her hand.

“I already asked your doctors, and they said it should be fine.”

I’m still unsure about this. But I tell myself it’s okay. Maybe even good. It would suck if I had to put my life on pause because of what happened.

“You’re going to stay with me in my hotel tonight and then we’ll fly out tomorrow.”

I try to think of a dozen reasons why this is too soon. But I keep quiet as my mom bustles about packing up the few things I have with me. Because the biggest reason I want to stay is Minseok, and I can’t admit that out loud.