ER

Between heaven and hell: Read my story

Special thanks to my lovely commentors and subscribers^^ Please do comment it gives me strength to update this ff. I'm sorry for being too busy. I'll try my best to update. Comment please, I really read all of it

_________________________

Sunday used to be full of laughter and jokes during breakfast, but now they woke up separately not bothering to stare into each other's face while pillow talking. Sehun tossed and turned in his bed, stretching his limbs out when he realised that he's really on the bed and the spot next to him empty. They slept on the same bed again. He must have finished his work so late that he couldn't be bothered to make his bed and slept on the floor and lie down on the bed instead.

Finally after a busy week, he has all the time to himself and maybe go out with his wife too. She has been so kind to him so he should do something for her right? He took a quick shower , whistling while he climbed down the stairs. He looked around starting from the kitchen to see his breakfast on the counter, he touched the scrambled egg and toast, still warm. He bite on his toast wearing his flip flops walking to the backyard.

"Morning sweetheart!"

"Omma?" 

He's surprised to see his mother crouching on the ground with Areum by her side , her hands covered with dirt as she planted a flower in the hole. He knows so well how his mother loves gardening, a smile formed on his lips to see the two ladies together. 

"I just wanted to drop by and visit but Areum pull me to the garden. Look at all this flowers , I hope I can do more at mine. I am jealous of your wife sweetie."

"Omma, does Appa knows that you're here?"

Mrs. Oh nodded, her forehead covered with beads of sweat. Areum saw it, wiping it away with a towel. 

"Omma, let's get inside. We're done with this for now." She held her mother in law's hand, walking back in the house, Sehun trailed behind the two , chewing his toast. They washed their hands, settling down at the living room. 

"When did you arrive?"

"Around 8, you were fast asleep. Actually I come here to ask something from you" she turned her gaze to Areum before scooting closer to her. She took Areum's hands in hers, taking a deep breath. "You see, me and your father is not getting any younger." She seemed reluctant. "I know that this is too much of me to ask, after all that you have been through. I talked to your mother about it too and we uhm.. we can't wait to hold a grandchild."

Sehun's lips dried, he couldn't say a word. Areum stayed calm giving her the most reassuring smile. "I guess I make you wait for so long till you have to ask for it." She brushed her thumb at the back of Mrs. Oh wrinkly hand. "I can't wait to hold one of my own too."

"I don't want to pressure you but, things have been so well between the two of you and now that Sehun is here." She diverted her gaze to her son who has his head down. "He will help you go through all those difficult times like you did with Nara and me and your mother will be with you too."

Sehun looked at Areum from the corner of his eyes, she has the bittersweet smile on to please his mother. She wouldn't want to hurt her but with their current situation. That wish is far from possible. They hardly even sleep on the same bed, even holding hands is hard for him. His mother's eyes were sparkling with happiness and hope when she heard her earlier. 

 

"Can we talk?" Sehun leaned on the door after sending his mother out. Areum shook her head, making her way to the kitchen. She started to clean the dishes , distracting herself from him. How can she face him after saying yes to his mother's request. It is impossible for the moment, he refused her trials of skinships and kissing him ended with rage and awkardness.

"Why are you avoiding me?"

"I am not, can't you see this mess? I'm cleaning it up" she struggled to tie her hair with her wet hands. Sehun took a step forward , snatching the hairband from her. "Let me help you."

"Can you-"

"Hush now, you're distracting me" his fingers were stiff, trying to fit her hair in the round loop. "Why can't woman just have short hair?"

"I might look like Justin Bieber instead of Selena Gomez"

He didn't get her joke, keeping a straight face.

"Gosh, your memory is wiped off I see."

"Should I google them?" he innocently blinked a few times after the question.

She burst out laughter, shaking her head in disbelieve. Confused, he smiled looking at her happily making fun of his words. 

"Instead, let's go memory hunt today" 

He grabbed a clean towel from the top shelf, drying the plates. From behind, they might look like a lovey dovey newlywed but in reality, his impulse made him to do so. He's used to help around the house when he was a kid, he remembers getting scolded from his mother for not joining his father to go fishing. 

"Where are we going?"

She scrubbed harder on a plate with oil stain, her face scrunched up that he finds it funny. "Strong woman you are."

"I'll take that as a positive compliment. Well.. we're going to my parents, they're out travelling again. No one will be home but the maids. Kris and Amber have classes to attend. I want to show you something." She hummed to some random songs that came through her mind while he's silently back to his task. He's quite excited about the memory hunt idea. 

Just what's next?

 

Kris went to the hospital for his step father's charity programme. He has lots of free time after Areum got married, he felt the loss of his sister.  Now that she's with Sehun, he needs to find his own happiness. Free from burdensome thoughts of being a grown up to protect his only sibling. 

He handed out gifts to the children and some donation for the family as well. Back when his father passed away, their family was having a hard time with debts and the sudden loss. No one really paid any attention to them, no one offered help. They were struggling to live everyday and without his mother's help. It was way harder. The main purpose of a hospital is to give the best treatment but nowadays money determines whether you can continue your life or not. 

"Are you Mr. Liu's son?" asked a middle age woman.

"Yes, he told me to replace him" 

"Smile son, your face somehow looks full of sorrow"

The only person who always remind him to smile is Areum. After years of striving to provide for himself and Areum. He forgot his own dreams,his other purpose to smile other than for her. His lips trembled when the bad memories of the past flashed through his eyes. He shrugged it off, lips curled into a smile to please the woman. 

"Look at how handsome you are, life will always give you a hard time. Don't let it hurt you, smiling through the pain and fight it. In that way, nothing can let you down." She took his cold hands into her warm ones. " Thank you for paying us a visit. It has been a long time since anyone came here to see us."

He looked behind her to see a teenage girl lying on the hospital bed, her eyes wide open but her body isn't moving. "Is she your daughter?"

"Yes. She has been like this for 3 years now, doctors told me that they can do nothing about her. But I believe that she would be running one day because Soohyun is a strong girl."

He sees happiness in her eyes when she talked about her daughter, she may not be able to do anything for her mother but her presence alone is a blessing to this woman. Just how ungretful he is, he has a mother that he refused to get close to, a sister who will always look up to him , his loving step father and Amber. He's the one pushing himself in the corner of loneliness. 

"I will pray for you daughter's recovery, don't ever lose hope."

After 2 hours of walking around the hospital, he decided to go home. Some of his stepfather's employee began to bring back empty boxes in their car. They bade goodbye to each other before going on separate ways. Kris was passing the ER when he heard a familiar sound of a little girl wailing for her father.

"Papa! Papa!"

He followed the voice to see Nara reaching out her short arm to a man wheeled out from the ambulance, he ran to his niece and caught a glimpse of a pale Kai. His lips was blue and his body looked stiff.

"Nara-ah" he carried her in his arms.

"Uncle Kris" she buried her face in the crook of his neck sobbing quietly. 

"Kris?" Mrs. Kim was a mess, her cheeks were stained with tears. Her eyes and nose were red. Her gray hair is now visible, the fierce looking woman who used to hate him and his sister is now looking pathetic. 

"Mrs. Kim, what happened?" he helped her to take a seat on the metal chair. 

"I-I found him on the floor unconcious. He was so cold" she couldn't talk as tears began to stream down her cheeks again and again. 

"He'll be fine. He did it before didn't he?"

"C-Can you tell Areum about this? She needs to know right?"

He reached for his cellphone in his pocket, Nara has calm down now. She sat on his lap, trying to snatch the phone from him. "Mama, Nara want to talk to Mama."

"Hold on sweetie, let's go talk to Mama. Can you stay here alone?" 

He needs to make the call outside the ER, it's too loud and stressful with patients being wheeled in one by one. 

"I'll be fine"

Nara has stopped crying , she wiped away her tears eyes never leaving the cellphone. Kai was hesitant to call his sister, yes , she needs to know. Nara needs her too. Not thinking any further, he dialled her number. After 3 rings she answers with a cheerful hello.

"Hey, umm, where are you?"

"Mama!"

"In the car with Sehun, is Nara with you?"

"Yes, umm, Kai. He's in the hospital right now"

"God, what happened?!" she was surprised and worried, it's clear in her voice. 

"Mrs. Kim found him cold on the floor, Nara just stopped crying and she wants you here. Can you come?"

"Where are you?"

"Hyunsung Hospital, come straight to the ER. Don't rush ok, careful."

"I'll be there"

"Mama!" Kris handed over the cellphone to his niece. "Mama, Papa"

"Mama will be over soon, be good ok? Stop crying , Papa will be fine."

 

"Sehun we have to head to Hyunsung hospital now, Kai is taken to the ER and Nara needs me. I'm really sorry but we have to cancel our plan."

"It's okay, type in the location"

He took a quick glance at her to see her back leaning on the seat, her eyes fous on the road, plams sweating from nervousness. She cares, she cares so much about that Kai. "Hey, calm down."

"I thought that he's fine now but he's not. What if something bad happen to him? Nara-" she's breathing heavily from the shock of the news. He shouldn't be jealous at a time like now. Nara needs her father and being a good mother she is. Areum felt sorry that her daughter is passing through a tough time. 

They arrived at the ER faster than expected because the trafic was clear, she spotted Kris right away with her daughter in his arms. 

"Nara-ah" she took her from Kris, hugging the little one. "Are you alright?"

"I am but Papa not" she pouted, cupping her mother's face. "Papa won't leave Nara right?"

"Mr. Kim Jongin' relative?"

Mrs. Kim stood up with her shaky legs. "How is my son?"

"He's stable for now but his heart is so weak. Is he stressing himself out?"

"I-I don't know. He has been quite sick for some time just light fever. He refused to go to check it."

"We're running some tests now, we put him to rest. You may come to see him tomorrow. I'll get going for now."

"Thank you doctor"

Just then, the door opens revealing Kai with wires on his body. His eyes close and his skin seemed to have some color. They watched him till he left their view. 

"I'll send you home Mrs. Kim" offered Kris, holding her arm. 

She nodded weakly, looking at Areum. "Thank you for coming"

She remained silent not knowing what to say to her. They have a bad relationship afterall. This woman took her child away from her and hide her lover. Now that things have changed, she still could not forgive her for what she did. Meeting her eyes, scares her. Areum has been staying away from this woman, there is no good in becoming close to her.

"I came for my daughter, you don't have to thank me." She sounded cold and so not her. Sehun didn't want to judge her when he knows nothing about what happened between the two. "Nara is coming with me."

Mrs. Kim nodded not saying anything as she walked out from the hospital. Kris managed to give his sister a quick hug. giving her a peck on her cheek.

"See you tomorrow" He followed after Mrs. Kim, not wanting to leave the woman alone after the fearful event.

Areum looked over her shoulder to see Nara has fallen asleep. She must be exhausted after crying for quite some time. Sehun reached his arm out for her. 

"I'll carry Nara"

"It's okay, I can manage." 

 

The ride home was silent. they didn't want to wake the sleeping child. The clock shows 4 p.m. when the reached home. She went straight upstaits to the master bedroom to put Nara on the bed. Sehun went to drink some water, pouring another glass when he heard footsteps coming down. 

"Water?"

"Thanks" she leaned on the counter, releasing a heavy sigh when she place the glass in the sink. " I'm sorry that I  put him first, it was an emergency."

"We can always go to trace my memories, I'm going nowhere." He smiled warmly at her, trying to comfort her somehow. "So tell me, what would your husband do to comfort you at times like this?"

She titled her head, crossing her arms giving him the judging look. "He would hug me and tell me that everything will be fine."

"Sounds so like a textbook husband" he rolled his eyes earning a soft giggle from her.

"Forget it, what will you do?"

"I so... want to kiss you right now" his voice was serious but with a soft tone, almost inaudible. "You're so y, cover that bra strap darl." He held her shoulders, pulling the shirt up. "Nara must have stretched it when she hugged you earlier." He clicked his tongue, giving her a playful wink.

She was dissapointed with his actions, she thought he was leaving her alone when he turned back but then, he took her by surprise. His arms wrapped strongly around her body, there was no space between them. They can feel each others heartbeat in this position. 

"Everything will be fine" he whispered in her ear sending shiver down her spine.

She relaxed herself in his hold, inhaling his manly scent. "Textbook husband."

"Hey, you like it don't you?"

"Don't you think it's better this way? You... not knowing the pain from the past?"

"Don't you think that it's unfair to you?"

"Maybe... I don't want you to remember. Let's take things slow, I like it. like this. You said it earlier that...you're not going anywhere."

 

Kai woke up in the middle of the night, the irregular beeping sound from his machine made the doctor and nurses running in his room. He was breathing heavily, his vision blurred, his throat dry.

"Mr, Kim if you can listen well to me, please blink twice."

He weakly followed the doctor's words and manage to calm down after gathering a full conciousness. "I'm awake now, tell me what's wrong."

"Sir, I think it's better-"

"Just tell me"

"I'm afraid that your transplanted heart is not the problem but your lungs are. Your medical history showed some acute difficulties in the past, well your negligence has now cost you Sir. You are suffering from Pulmonary Arterial Hypretension."

"The bad news?"

"It might be fatal sir, in your case."

He smirked causing confusion to the doctor present. "When I wanted to die so bad, I was kept alive. Now, when I want to live so bad, I might be dead? What would happen to my daughter?." It is more of a monologue to himself but the people who heard him felt the pain in his voice. He's upset, mad at his condition. "I will do anything to stay alive, my daughter is just 5. I have so many new things to do with her." 

He bite his lower lip, his eyes were full with fresh tears. He's afraid that he might be taken away from his little angel. "Can you do me a favor? Keep this away from my family, I want to give them a happy ending. I won't give up on living, I will do whatever it takes to be here longer for my daughter."

It fears him...

The thoughts that he might not be able to pick up Nara from her school everyday like he used to.

Not being able to run after her when she plays tag.

Not being able to hug her when she has nightmares and climb in his bed.

Nara is a cheerful child, she is his everything. He was there when she was so tiny crying for no reason in the middle of the night, he may be subconcious when he swayed her in his arms, trying to calm her down. But he remembers those sparkly eyes looking at him earnestly, asking for his attention. Her slight smile shines his days, taking away his tiredness.

How can she at such a young age, handle the pain of an eternal separation.

"I'm scared" he admitted to himself, burying his face in the pillow. "God, please save me."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Like this story? Give it an Upvote!
Thank you!
cassielf29
The final chapter is here. Upvote if you love this ff & leave me your final comment! For those who gave up on this, maybe one day you may want to know the ending. You are welcome anytime since this ff will be here forever, waiting for you. Thank you! *bow*

Comments

You must be logged in to comment
Ojkmtlover #1
Chapter 18: Sehun is the best. I can't describe how much I am proud of him.
_notebook_ #2
Chapter 49: THE BEST STORY EVER.
everyone needs to find they peace and happiness . thank you by reminding it with this beautiful story. wish you the best.
katmod16 #3
Such an emotional story. Glad I found this. Congrats for writing this amazing story.
gaeakim #4
Chapter 50: Am crying so much oh my goOOOOOOD T_T
ikran12 #5
Chapter 49: I cried so much ???from when jongin died to the last chapter,I was really sad that he died, jongin,nara and areum were all caught up in mrs Kim bad decision,jongin didn’t deserve to die,Nara didn’t deserve to live without her mother and areum deserved to know the truth. Even though I love jongin and was saddened by his death iam happy she ended up with sehun because he was there for her when jongin wasn’t. I love how sehun treated nara like his own daughter and when she called him dad I can’t ??. Kris married nana iam happy he found someone and mrs Kim changed. I read this fanfic the whole night it’s 02:30 and iam balling my eyes out. I loved it so much you did a great job
Mikka_
#6
You should put a trigger warning for suicidal thought
Mikka_
#7
Chapter 5: This chapter is strange .. I mean, I feel so bad for Sehun. She doesn't love him. But still marry him and try to force herself. I think this may be one of the worst things that someone can do to another. Especially as she knows the feelings he got for her.
You shouldn't try to force the feelings.
Mikka_
#8
Chapter 3: "Because I like you and you love me" I wonder if this sentence is intentional.
Maybe I'm thinking too much but I would feel pretty bad if my crush tells me this
Sey-ra
#9
Chapter 49: this story deserve more subscriber.I love it.I am going to miss this lovely family.
Bluerhino #10
Chapter 49: I read the whole chapter throughout the night and I AM NOT REGRET NOT SLEEPING FOR THE NIGHT! why my tears can’t stop? This is too sad. Thank you for this masterpiece