I’m lying on a green meadow with nothing but the clear skies and fluffy clouds. It was an open sky and the field was far into the horizon; so infinite, you can only see how the heavens would kiss the earth. I closed my eyes and calmed my mind; it’s been too long since I let my heart go with the wind. “It’s a foreign feeling.” I placed my hands behind my head and thought he wouldn’t mind staying here forever.

“But someone’s waiting for you my little Lion; a lot of people are~” I heard her voice as if it was whispering in my ear. I lolled my head to side and peaked at where it came from; and there she is, the woman that I love yet have failed. My mother. “Oh stop being dramatic Wonie~ you know I died from an illness and science could only do so much in the face of Death. You should know and understand that better than anyone my love.” “Mama?!” She wasn’t like how I remembered her; all soft-spoken and prim. “Coz I’m not little cub! Having you as a son really used up all my energy running after you~ naughty child!” Mama was dressed in a simple white dress with big sunflowers painted on it and she has a simple sunhat with a lion brooch pinned on the side.

I kept my gaze at my mother and finally spoke. “Mama, are you my imagination?” She looked at me strangely and suddenly laughed out loud. “You really ARE my son! The first thing you’d say to me after so many years is if I’m real. Then what do you think my cub? Am I just in your mind or in your heart?” I frowned and turned away from her and then stared at the clear skies.The moment I woke up to this place, I knew it was a dream but seeing my mother here after so long could be a reward or a punishment. “Mama, you’re always in my heart but then that’s why I tried to lock it up. Both you and papa had only left me a scrap of a heart and the fear of losing everything was too great. I bore it all just to keep sane.”

I heard her heave a sigh and let her hands brush my hair. I didn’t realize that it was already unkempt because of the wind but I don’t think it really mattered in this place. “I’m sorry my cub…you had no idea how much I prayed for another day or another month to be with you and your papa. I might have taken too many miracles from God just to wake up beside your papa and see you in the morning. Wonie, you know~ my heart was broken too. Unlike yours, it was already weakening and there was nothing I could do about it. Love, your heart is still there beating for a better day. It’s healthy and you’re alive so please don’t waste away a minute thinking you have no one; because you do. I know you do and YOU know you do…you are just pretending otherwise.”

Even if this image of my mother is made up by my subconscious, she really gets the point across. “It’s because deep down you have struggled with locking yourself away Wonie~ you’re a happy and gentle soul and we want you to be true to yourself. I’m proud of you my little Lion, you have not once failed me or your father, believe me…if I were to be reincarnated; I would pray to have you and papa as my family again.” While looking at her kind and forgiving smile, she spread her arms wide; urging me to fall into her embrace. I sat up and didn’t hesitate to give my mother a strong embrace, pouring out all those years I missed her. “You have to go back now my cub, he needs to be saved too. Your heart would know what to do, since you are kind.”

She was slowly pushing me away from her, the meadow was fading but I wanted to hold on to her. There was so much more I needed to say! “Mama! Wait just a few more minutes!” She was shaking her head and tearfully smiling back at me. “I wished they would’ve just let me die…it’s better than living like this.” That pained voice shook the dreamland I were in and an image of a man crying flashed far into the open space, as if reminding me of a person I can’t seem to ignore. “Go back to him my cub and let us meet him next time.” Her image was fading slowly yet it was too quick for me. “Mama!”

“MAMA!”

Yesung was on the 451st second when the slumbering coroner gave the loudest shout that the poor blind man fell backwards on his stool. He tried to roll on his side to avoid getting his back hurt. “Ow ow what the heck is wrong with him now?!” He rubbed the side of his arm which held his fall. “Hey you ing big ogre wake the hell up!” He sat and stood up with the help of the bars. He was careful enough to stand near the bed just in case he might trip on something; completely unaware that the occupant of his bed was awake and wide-eyed staring at his fuming face.

“Yesung-ssi?” Siwon was still a bit groggy from his sleep. Due to the loud crash he heard, he can’t remember what happened in the last part of his dream. “Of course it’s Yesung-ssi you mama’s boy! Why the heck are you calling out your mom in your sleep! I fell on the goddamn chair coz of your shout.” Before Siwon could argue, he heard the hospital intercom announcing the last call for the attendees of the press conference for the accident this morning. “Oh . Yesung I have to go, let’s talk later. Excuse me!” After placing both his large hands on Yesung’s shoulder, he gently pushed him away from his personal space and got out from the hospital bed. He princess carried Yesung back into his bed— “YAH WHAT ARE YOU-?!?!?!”

Yesung felt a warm but m