Eun-Ae gasped as she stumbled over the curb, the fifth fall she had nearly had in the short distance from the car to the entrance of the hockey stadium. She cursed under her breath as she jerked the portable oxygen tank over the cement curb, untangling the tubes from around her feet. She hadn’t grown used to it yet.

When she had awoken in the hospital the previous night, attached to an IV and a respirator, the doctor had informed her that the cancer had metastasized to her lungs and had grown very malignant very fast. The extreme breathing difficulties on the hike had been a result of the cancer’s establishment in her lungs, and the physical activity had been too much for her in such a state. Now she had to be hooked to the portable tank at all times, largely as a precaution due to her insistence to continue on with her bucket list rather than remain in the hospital. However, many of her items had to be rearranged due to her recent handicap, and while she had been struggling to come up with things to do Jonghyun had suggested they attend the hockey game. It was a good enough idea, as she had never seen one live, and she had heard that it was quite the experience. So, here she was, gathering stares as she fumbled with the damned piece of medical equipment.

“Here, Eun-Ae,” came a voice as gentle hands began unwrapping the tubes from around her ankles, and she looked down to see Key crouched in front of her. He had been at her side constantly since she had collapsed on the mountainside, attending to her every need with patience and dutiful care. Yet he was not the same. He was almost too gentle with her, treating her as if she was some glass object that was set to break at any instant. She had enjoyed it, at first, but she was beginning to miss the passion he had shown initially. He hadn’t even kissed her since then, making her a little sad, but she was also grateful. The other idols all knew about the nature of their relationship now, and were playful about it; she hadn’t the nerve to kiss him in front of them. When he was finished untangling the tubes, he stood up to gently brush the hair out of her face, smiling softly. “Better now?”

“Yes,” she lied. She just wanted him to kiss her, and to hold her, and to look at her like he did before. Now every time he looked at her it was with sadness, and worse, pity. She didn’t want pity, especially from him. He smiled wider at her answer, and then took her hand to begin leading her through the entrance to rejoin the rest of the group. They jibed about smooching and canoodling, but it just made her heart hurt. I want him to kiss me. Bitter, she dragged along the portable tank, wriggling her nose at the unfamiliar sensation of the tubes in her nose.

“This is gonna be great, Eun-Ae!” Taemin beamed as he waved the tickets above his head. “It’s been so long since I’ve seen a hockey game! You’ll love it!”

“I hope there’s a fight,” Onew grinned devilishly. “The highlight of hockey is always the fights.”

“How barbaric,” Eun-Ae scoffed, but secretly she hoped there was one, too. She had never seen a fight, either, and she wanted to get in as many experiences as should could before her twenty-day marker. A week had almost nearly gone by, and that thought kind of scared her. She was only left with a week and a half. A week and a half to see and do what she wanted to, a week and a half to come to terms with her mortality, and week and a half to be with Key. As the gloom settled on her, Key squeezed her hand gently.

“Hey. What is it?” he asked her gently as they came to stop in the line for refreshments. She saw no reason to lie to him.

“I’m just… A little scared, I guess. I mean, with this new thing and all,” she admitted, lifting up the tank on wheels emphatically. “I never expected it to get worse… I’m wondering if I’ll even be able to make it to twenty days.” That was the true root of her fear. She was barely expected to live to three weeks with one cancer, and now she had another. Her time was already dreadfully short, and she could not help but wonder if it had been cut shorter.

“No. You’ll be fine,” he insisted immediately, and she felt her heart skip a beat as he pressed a kiss into her hair. That’s my Key, she thought joyfully. “You’re gonna make it there, Eun-Ae.” She propped her head onto his shoulder, instantly cheered. As the sadness faded, however, she became painfully aware of all the eyes on her. Almost all of the patrons of the concession stand were gawking at her and her breathing machine. A little boy even pointed and tugged at his mother’s arm, and she hastily admonished him. Eun-Ae became very self-conscious, drawing the machine to her side in hopes that she may hide it, but nothing could hide the tubes in her nose, the only thing keeping her alive.

Well, not the only thing.

Almost proud, Key put an arm around her waist and pulled her close. It seemed a casual move, but she could feel him shaking with anger. She smiled despite herself, pleased he would be so protective of her, and reached up to put a hand on the muscle of his upper arm in an effort to calm him.

“They can’t help it, Key,” she whispered. It was true. If she had been in their position, she would have stared, and gossiped. It was human to be curious, after all. “They’re just people.”

“Yeah, well those people should keep their eyes to themselves,” he grumbled under his breath, his hand pulling tighter against her waist. He shoved his other hand into his pocket as he glared around at the crowd, causing them to shy away and return to their business. Eun-Ae just smiled and snuggled up to him. I shouldn’t be afraid, she thought as she swung the machine back and forth slightly. This cancer could all but strike me down, render me useless, but he would still feel the same about me, and I would feel the same about him. It didn’t matter if she was bedbound for the rest of her short life- as long as she had him by her side, she would be happy.

Finally they reached the register, and Eun-Ae thought the boys had bought out the entire concession stand as they navigated to their seats carrying giant buckets of popcorn and massive drinks and snacks of all kinds. Onew, of course, had nearly fainted when he saw they had chicken tenders, and was currently gnawing on the end of one hanging out of his mouth with four trays balanced in his hands as he gingerly walked up the steps. They were all so excited, though, chattering eagerly while they snacked, and seeing them so excited made her happy. She was doing this for them as much as they were doing this for her. It had been so long since they had just hung out together as friends, as life had driven them apart. She was so grateful that life had decided to bring them back to her when she needed them most.

“What are you thinking about?” Key asked her when they finally stopped at their seats.

“Just you guys,” she answered simply as she watched the boys begin shoving into the aisle. Due to her new condition, she had been relegated to the seat by the steps, and so she stood patiently while the boys forced their way through the narrow gap and wrestled their way into the fold-out chairs. Minho dumped a good quarter of the popcorn bucket onto Jonghyun's head, leaving the boy buttery and grumpy while Minho sulked at his loss. They began bantering playfully, threatening to send all the snacks they had purchased into the crowd around them, and she smiled. “Just how lucky I am to have all of you, and how much fun you guys have been having.”

“Not about how much fun you’ve been having?” he remarked with raised eyebrows, sitting down in the seat and opening hers up for her.

“Well, of course I've been having fun,” she mused as she eased herself down into the chair. In addition to her injured lungs, her legs had been more sensitive of late. She rubbed them gingerly before placing the oxygen tank between her and Key, so no passersby stumbled upon it. “I don’t know. I know it’s weird, but I’m just happy you guys are having a good time. You’ll be able to look back on this time and be happy instead of sad,” she murmured quietly. Key's hand reached out to grasp hers, and then to bring it to his lips to plant a kiss on her knuckles, like a prince would do to a princess.

“I will remember, Eun-Ae,” he whispered against her skin. “Every second of it, the way you looked, the way I felt… I’ll forget nothing.” Despite the gloomy undertone of the message, Eun-Ae felt delighted at his devotion to her.

“I know you will, Key,” she smiled gently. Then he got that sad, pitiful look in his eyes again and dropped her hand, and she blinked in confusion when he turned away from her. The mood killed by his actions, she was forced to turn and watch as the game began. She kicked at the oxygen tank in annoyance.

I’ll only get worse. As time goes on, will he close his heart off to me completely? Will I lose it when I only just gained it?