“Oh...my...God...IT’S TAEMIN-” I was cut off almost instantly when a hand came flying over my mouth. The said idol turned to me and smiled, only to grin more when he noticed the person holding me back.

“Hi Jongin!” Taemin greeted before he turned to face me. “Is this a friend of yours?”

“No, she’s just a stalker fan Taem. She begged me to take her back stage after the show to meet you.” I glared up at Kai and he glowered at me.

I ripped his hand off my face and bowed politely to the idol in front of me. “Park Yoonae-imnida! It’s nice to meet you Taemin-shii, I’m a huge fan of yours.”

Ji Eun and I were back stage of the after show for Music Bank. Baekhyun had invited us here and afterwards, they brought us back stage to the waiting room which they also shared with SHINee.

“Tch, you ungrateful brat. I brought you here but yet you’re heads over heels for him.”

“What was that Kai?” Taemin asked, looking up at the boy behind me.

“Nothing hyung. Congratulations on your win today by the way.”

“Thanks Jongin.” Taemin said. “Anyways, I have to go now, SHINee has a photoshoot after this. I’ll see you around okay? It was nice meeting you Yoonae-shii.”

He hugged me briefly before walking off with the rest of his hyungs. All that was left was EXO-K and Ji Eun and I. I watched in amusement as Ji Eun and Chanyeol were forced to stand on opposite sides of the room to avoid the manager’s suspicious glances.

“So...my mother wanted to see you again.” I said, ignoring Jongin’s cocky smirk. “Are you free after this?”

“Let me check.” He replied and I watched as he went off to talk to his manager who in turn gave me a look afterwards. I avoided eye contact with him and turned my attention to Ji Eun who was talking to Kyungsoo not too far away.

“You guys did really well today.” Ji Eun commented, smiling widely at the talented singer. I turned to look at Chanyeol and noticed him glaring at his older bandmate from across the room.

I couldn’t help but laugh. It was so obvious that he was heads over heels in love with her.

“Yoonae.” I turned to see Kai suddenly beside me again. “When are we going? I’m free for the rest of the day.”

“Um...I have my car today, I just need to drop Ji Eun home first and-”

“Yoonae! Suho and Kyungsoo invited me for dinner at their dorm, you wanna come?” Ji Eun asked right on cue.

“Uh...no actually, Jongin and I were playing to visit my mother after this. We might join you guys later though if you stay late.” I looked over to the corner where Chanyeol was sulking in all his misery hearing another bandmate’s name come out of his girlfriend’s mouth. “By the way, I think you should probably check on your big friendly giant of a boyfriend, he doesn’t look so happy.”

“No I think he’s fine.” She replied.

I raised an eyebrow. “He doesn’t look fine....”

She turned her head and looked at him. Her gaze softened for a bit but then she turned back to me with the same look. “He’s fine.”

“You’re going to keep giving him the silent treatment?” She shrugged and went off to talk to Baekhyun. Wow....that’s 4 out of 5 other guys...poor Chanyeol.

“They’re amusing.” Kai said from beside me. I grinned.

“You have no idea.” I told him. “Let’s go.”

---

We arrived at the hospital not more than 20 minutes later. Like always, we were arguing about some pointless things that seemed to pop up out of no where. Just as he was nudging my head and I was scowling at him, we rounded the corner by my mom’s hospital room to find the door opened and completely empty.

“Mom?” I called into the room, checking to see if maybe she was in the tiny bathroom attached to it, but there was no one inside.

“Maybe she had an appointment today or something.” Kai suggested as he walked in, inspecting the room as well.

I wanted to believe him, but something wasn’t right, I could feel it. I looked at the empty bed and almost fainted right then and there. There was red spots tinting the usual clean white sheets. Everything was a mess, the water on the night table was spilled, the furniture was turned in weird angles.

Something definitely happened here.

“Mom?!” I called desperately, running out of the room with Jongin on my tail.

Down the hall I spotted one of the nurses that usually took care of my mom. I quickly ran to her and stopped her in her tracks.

“Do you know where my mom is?”

“Oh...Yoonae-shii...” She paused. “You...I didn’t know that you were visiting today...”

“WHERE IS MY MOTHER!” I shouted. Everybody was staring at us by now. She sighed, looked around once, and then turned to me again.

“Follow me.”

My mind was a blur as we made our way through the busy and confusing halls of the hospital. I felt my gut drop as we passed a sign indicating a new section of the hospital.

ICU - Intensive Care Unit

A million questions flowed through my mind as I absentmindedly followed the nurse into an unfamiliar hall. Why were we here? What happened? Is my mother okay? She’s going to survive right?

I didn’t even notice when we stopped in front of a door, Kai and to pull me back in time to avoid hitting the nurse.

“Before we go in,” She said in a low voice. “You two have to promise me to remain calm. We can’t afford to stress her out alright? And one more thing....she doesn’t have much longer to live...it’s a good thing you visited today. I’m sorry....”

With that, she stepped aside and let us in. I couldn’t move from my spot at first. Jongin went in ahead of me, smiling at my mother and greeting her as if there was nothing wrong. She smiled brightly back at him but it was obvious that she was struggling just to move.

“Jongin! You’re here today.” She coughed for a while and Kai rushed over to rub her back. “Thank you.”

I felt my eyes filling with tears as I watched her lifeless body shake from coughing fits. My eyes widened as a few droplets of blood fell onto the blanket in front of her. I couldn’t hold it back anymore and began crying more than I had ever cried before.

“Yoonae...” My mother called to me. The sound of her voice rang in my head as I curled in the corner of the room and buried my head in my arms.

“Jongin...can you bring her to me please? I have something to tell her.” Seconds later, I felt a hand soothing my back. Leaned down and gave me a quick hug before wiping some tears off my face.

“Stay strong alright?” He whispered. “I’m here with you.”

I nodded and allowed him to pull me up. He supported me halfway into the room but when I saw my mother waiting patiently for me, I immediately ran into her arms.

“Shhh....don’t cry Yoonae. Everything will be okay.” I jumped back a bit when she coughed and apologized.

I shook my head and brought my hand up to touch her pale face. She seemed to have aged to so much within a few months. How did that happen?

“Yoonae, listen to me.” She took a few deep breaths before speaking again. “I already talked to Ji Eun’s parents before. If you need anything, go and find them alright?

Yoonae, you were always such a strong independent young woman before, but it’s never wrong to rely on someone. And you must have noticed by now right? With the exception of my illness, you have been so much happier than you have ever been before.”

She looked behind me for a second a motioned for me to lean in. “It’s because of that boy over there isn’t it? I’m not blind Yoonae, he’s a nice boy.”

I immediately stood back up and pouted at her. “I told you Jongin is not-”

“Sure sure, whatever you say baby.” My mom replied grinning widely before suddenly falling into a fit of coughs again. I stood there, stunned, unsure of what to do. What was I supposed to do? What could I do to make her better?

“M-mom? Mom?! Are you okay? I-I...I don’t know what to do...I-”

“I,” She coughed again. “I’m fine Yoonae.”

She motioned to the figure behind me to come over. Jongin came over and wrapped a comforting arm around my waist, I couldn’t help but lean closer to his warmth. He took my mom’s hand and smiled charmingly at her.

“J-Jongin.”

“Yes Ms. Park?” Jongin replied in a soft tone.

“Jongin, you know I already think of you like a son of mine right?”

“Mom~” I tried protesting but she shushed me.

“That’s an honour Ms. Park.” Jongin replied. I looked up to see the look on his face, he wasn’t lying. Everything he said was so...genuine.

“Can you promise me something Jongin?” She asked, from the corner of my eye I saw her grip loosening on his hand.

“Anything.”

“Promise me you’ll take care of my daughter. I know she’s not the most appealing or the most talented. She’s definitely not the brightest either...”

“I think he gets the point mom.” I mumbled. She only smiled slightly wider at my reaction.

“But I can tell that you two care for each other very much. And really...” She grinned at Kai. “I think she likes you.” She whispered.

“Mom, I’m right here~” I tried again but I felt bad immediately because this time, she completely leaned back on the bed and her hand practically fell out of Jongin’s grasp. It was almost time.

“Promise me Jongin, that you’ll take care of her, please?”

I looked up at Kai who immediately agreed and held onto both my mother and I even tighter.

“I’ll always take care of her Ms. Park. No matter what.”

With that, my mother smiled slightly and closed her eyes.

“I love you Yoonae. My one and only daughter.” With that, her hand completely went limp and the heart monitor let out a loud beep.

-----

A few days later, I found myself being forced to get out of bed. Ji Eun was over. She helped me pick out a black dress and even did my hair for me.

The doorbell rang and Ji Eun left to get it. While she was gone, I stared at the reflection in the mirror. Was that me? I couldn’t even recognize myself. My eyes were swollen, tired from crying for hours at a time. My cheekbones almost protruded out of my face, showing how lifeless I had been after only a few days.

“Yoonae. Kai’s here.” I looked up to find him standing handsomely in all black as he looked down at me. The usual Kai wasn’t here today, this Kai was much too gentle, much more considerate.

He held my hand and led me to the car and drove the three of us to the funeral. There, I stood motionless as they went through the usual procedures.

When it was my turn to speak, I ended up turning into a crying mess, all my resolve having gone down the drain. Within seconds, Kai and Ji Eun were by my side, holding me tightly before taking me to leave.

I didn’t even stay for my own mother’s burial, it was too much for me.

When we dropped Ji Eun home, she got out without a word. Afterwards, we got to my house and Kai walked me in, took off my shoes and jacket for me and told me to go change into something more comfortable.

I grabbed a random pair of pajamas and threw them on. When I got back to my room again, he was there, sitting on my bed. He motioned me over and in an instant, I bounded into his arms, crying all over again.

“Don’t leave me.” I whispered when I was too tired to even cry anymore.

He my hair gently and held me closer to him. “I won’t, I promise.”

I fell asleep with tear tracks stained across my face as I laid in his arms. That night, I had a weird dream:

“Kai...Jongin....why are you always the one that’s there when I need someone with me? Why are you always there when I need you the most?”

“Because I’m your friend, and that’s what friends do right?”

“Really?”

“Yeah. That and....”

---

A/N: No words for this...T_T First time I wrote of someone dying so directly.

Again, thanks for all the comments last chapter guys, I'm glad you liked it =]

Luhan <3 Kai <3 Chanyeol <3 (I've been having a Chanyeol phase today. Like...no tomorrow. I saw a few pictures of him and started spamming the save button. He's so cute~....when he doesn't speak xD)

And thanks for all the new and old subscribers. You guys mean a lot to me.

Keep the comments coming. Motivation *hint hint hint*

-Ryeowook, Sungmin, Luhan, Kai, Taemin, Sehun, Chen and Chanyeol's Wifey <3