The beeping of your heart monitor, the dripping of your IV, the ticking of your clock and the staggered rhythm of your breathing has become a regular occurrence for you, almost hypnotic as your days began to blur. Your father is currently working overtime to pay for your hospital fees, while your mother just left the room to get you some warm water. You really needed that. Your throat burns with an indescribable pain with every breath you take. Laryngeal cancer, that’s what the doctor diagnosed you with three years ago. You have tried a variety of treatments which included chemotherapy and immunotherapy, but none had worked. Surgery was your initial option, but the operation had failed and led to even more complications. You now spend days and hours on end at the hospital to get radiation treatment, therapy and checkups. You barely see your father’s face from the amount of work he does to pay for everything and your mother looks like she has aged ten years over the past three. Sometimes you wished that you had died; You don't want to be a burden to your loved ones anymore but the look on their faces whenever you were able to speak without coughing made you realize that fighting and defeating this disease would be the only thing you could do for your family. You stopped attending school, you stopped seeing your friends, you gave up your dreams of becoming a teacher and worst of all, you stopped talking to Yixing. Sighing, you sit yourself up and looked over at the IV drip to your right, only half the bag left before you can leave today.
Three Years Ago
“Peiyun! Go over to Yixing’s place, his parents said that Yixing just phoned them, he wants to talk to you!” Your mother was calling up to your room while you were studying. You dropped what you were doing immediately and ran downstairs, heading straight to a house you now call your second home. Yixing’s parents saw you as their daughter-in-law already even though the two of you are only seventeen, the fact that you have kept up a long distance relationship for a year proved to them that you guys truly loved the other.
“Oh, Peiyun you’re here! Just give me a few more minutes; his father was hogging the phone just now.”
“Okay.” You took a seat on the couch and glanced around the room; you were here just last week but noticed that they had added new pictures to the wall. You stood up to take a closer look and smiled when you realized that it was a picture of when Yixing had first moved here; You had an awkward smile on your face and Yixing was holding up a V sign, that was the first picture you guys took together.
“Peiyun, I’m done, here.” Yixing’s mother handed you the phone and went upstairs while taking her husband with her to give you some space.
“Yixing! How have you been doing? Are you eating alright? Is practice okay? Don’t work too hard!” A slur of questions left your lips the moment you picked up the phone, it has been three weeks since he last called, his training must have gotten more hectic.
“I’m doing fine, I’m eating well, practice has been great and I have yet to work myself to death haha. Don’t worry and calm down Peiyun. How have you been?”
“Good, college starts next week! I’m so excited; I can’t believe I got accepted into the Education faculty!”
“I knew you could do it! You’ll be the best kindergarten teacher, I have faith in you.”
“Aww thank you Yixing, I hope so, and you know how much I love kids.”
“Of course.”
“Have you been extra busy lately? Your phone calls have started to spread out a little longer. It’s not that I’m complaining though, I just don’t want you to overwork yourself.”
“Oh yeah, I’m fine. It’s just now that my first year is done I officially have a trainee contract with SM which means stricter rules. I’m only allowed to call home once a month now and the amount of time I get with the practice rooms have increased. That’s a good thing though, now I can stay and train for as long as I want to.”
“Apart from the stricter rules that’s great news Yixing! You’re making some progress! I’m so proud of you; it’ll only be a matter of time before you debut!”
“Thanks Peiyun, hopefully I’ll debut soon and show you the results of all my hard work. I want you to see me successful as soon as possible.”
“Aww Yixing, don’t worry and take your time, things will work out for you for sure, I just know it. Nothing in this world can deny you of your passion and your talents.”
The two of you continued to talk for the next ten minutes before he had to go.
“I love you Peiyun, thank you for the support, I really needed that.”
“I love you too Yixing, I have faith in you.”
“Bye, I’ll be calling again, the same time next month.”
“Bye.” With that, a click was heard on the other end before a long drawn out beep sounded. You really missed Yixing, you always put on a smile and a brave face in front of your parents but nothing felt right without him by your side. You placed the phone on the receiver and called out to Yixing’s parents.
“I’m going now, thank you fo-.” You began to cough before you could finish your sentence. Yixing’s parents thought that it was weird to hear you call out to them with an incomplete sentence and raced down the stairs. You were standing at the bottom of their staircase with a coughing fit. Your throat had been hurting lately but you didn’t think that it was too serious, that is, until now. You felt a glob of mucus form at the back of your throat and continued to cough until you tasted blood. Your coughing had finally subsided but as you removed your face from your sleeve, the red fluid that stained your shirt shocked you.
“Blood! Ahh, Peiyun, you have to get that checked at the hospital now! Is your father home?” Scared that you’ll cough again you shook your head. Your mother doesn’t know how to drive so Yixing’s father offered to drive you there.
“I’ll go over to your mothers and let her know, you need to get there now.” You bowed your head slightly to signal a thank you before following Yixing’s father to his car. He grabbed a wad of paper towels on his way there, just in case you would cough blood again. Fear erupted in your heart as you stared at the blood on your shirt, what’s wrong with me?
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So.. I had initially planned to start this story after I finished my other stories but I got the inspiration for it today and couldn't help but write this all down. I hope you guys like the first chapter and thank you so much for subscribing~! ^^
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