Ruthless Girlfriend | Bbangsaz

Chapter 7: Take It All

Hanni

Sleeping with Minji's arms around me was the best nights sleep I've had in three months. Her body was so warm, so consuming, I almost forgot where I was.

Once I woke up and remembered that I asked her to stay, I panicked. My plans were already ruined, so there was no point in leading her on. If the circumstances were any different, I'd probably let myself enjoy my time with her. But that wasn't the case for me. I didn't have time.

Elle informed me at breakfast that we were heading into Boston today. After we pick up the tuxedos, she has one last consultation with her florist.

I can feel the tension between Minji and I as we walk into the shop together. I'm sure she thinks I have bipolar disorder or something, with my constant mood swings, but it's better this way.

"You look so handsome, Minji." Elle's face gleams as she takes her in. I allow myself a look, cursing myself for doing so. Shit. She does looks good, really good.

She's wearing a dark gray, vintage-looking suit with a cream-colored shirt and navy blue suspenders. She looks absolutely adorable—much better than I'd imagined when Elle told me their theme.

"I feel like a child," She grimaces. Elle scowls in her direction and she flashes a wide, cocky smile right back. "Nah, I'm kidding. I make anything look good." She shrugs, grinning so wide her dimples show.

"Kim Minji…" she scowls.

"I'm just playing, Elle. You know I love your taste."

"Stop buttering me up, Minji. I know your true feelings," she teases.

I continue staring in awe at how relaxed and attractive she looks right now. I know nothing about her, but I imagine her life is simple. She has health, wealth, and happiness—three ingredients that I'm completely lacking.

"How bad is it?" I asked, reluctant to hear the answer. This didn't feel new to me, after sitting in doctor's office so many times before."You're in stage three, Hanni. It's high grade. The tumors have spread past the bone already." He looked at me, his eyes filled with pity and sadness. I knew what that meant."Inoperable," I finished for him. "Which means three, maybe six months.""I'm sorry, Hanni." He frowns. "You have options, though."I shook my head, not wanting to hear any silver lining to this nightmare. "Where I lose my hair, my ability to talk, get into hundreds of thousands in debt, and die at the end anyway?" I asked flatly. I wasn't about to sugarcoat it. I knew my 'options.'"Hanni…" His voice low, authoritative. "There are programs to help with payments. There's options to help you live longer.""Oh, sure. I'll get a few extra months being in severe, death-like pain, a few extra months of medical bills stacking up, a few extra months alone. Where do I sign up?"His hand roughly brushed his jaw as the other pinched the bridge of his nose. I wasn't a clueless patient. I knew what I'd be getting myself into. I knew exactly because it'd been my life for years as I watched my mother and how she was hardly herself by the end of it.

I hadn't seen my dad in years. I lost my mother two years ago and my grandmother three years before that. It's a cycle I wouldn't be breaking, unfortunately, but I took time to consider my options. And taking treatment wasn't one of my options. Once I learned to accept my destiny—my path—I chose life.

I hadn't seen it coming. You know how some say you get a gut instinct, or that subconsciously you know something's coming? Well, I hadn't. It hit me like a tornado. It was my tornado—a disaster dropping out of the sky. I couldn't do anything about it. It had the power to control me, but I wouldn't give it the power to destroy me. I would take what was left of my life and live.

Minji ignores me the entire time at the tuxedo shop, the florist, and the drive home. I catch her staring at me a couple times, but her expressions are always unreadable. I don't blame her. I've confused myself in all of this.