“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” 
― Albert Einstein

I scaled the corridors, matching the numbers on the door with the one written on the piece of paper given to me. I pressed MiEun closer to my chest as I felt her tiny hands tightened its grip around my neck. My heart beat quickened, so did hers as I dashed down the last corridor as fast as I could with young MiEun in my arms and Junhyun beside me trying to catch up. Stopping at the second last door, I fixed my hair and wiped my perspiration away after placing MiEun down on the floor. Taking the kids’ hands into mine, I carefully pushed open the door and was immediately greeted by the soft beeping sound of the monitor.

“What happened?” I choked out between each ant, as I looked at the doctor with high hopes that maybe for once, he could tell me something positive. The doctor just sighed and patted my shoulders in a comforting manner.

“It would be better if she doesn’t tire herself out too much. Her condition is not taking a turn for the better. She probably doesn’t have much longer. Her condition will deteriorate at a faster rate if she exerts herself too much. “

I gulped as I tried to hold back my tears in front of my children, “How much longer?”

The doctor just shrugged, “Maybe three months? We can’t always be so sure so let’s just hope for the better.” And with that he left the room. I shuffled around the bed to the other side as I settled myself on the chair beside MinKyeong’s bed, before lifting MiEun onto my lap while JunHyun clambered onto the bed and sat beside his mother. A tear escaped my eye as I hurriedly wiped it away, hoping the kids did not see that. JunHyun shifted his gaze to me, then to his mother, and then to me again.

“Appa, why are you crying and why is eomma sleeping here again?” JunHyun finally asked in a curious tone. I looked at him for a moment before answering carefully.

“That’s because eomma fell sick and so someone brought her here so that she could rest and get well.” I explained, ignoring his first question. JunHyun nodded, as though seemingly understanding what I had said, as he continued to stare at the sleeping figure of his mother. I extended my hand out as I shifted a strand of hair out of her pale face, and ran my fingers down the side, against her porcelain skin.

“Why can’t eomma sleep at home then?” JunHyun questioned once again as  he looked at me, confused. I his back as I shook my head and explained in a hushed tone that the hospital was a better environment for her to recuperate, and that she will go home when she gets better. But even so convincing, a part of me ,too, doubted what I had just said.

I cradled the sleeping Mi Eun in my arms as I stared out of the window at the snow-covered street below. The dim street light barely lit the streets below but I could easily make up a couple walking hand in hand as they joyfully kicked the snow on the pathway. I felt my lips curve into a slight smile as I admired the Christmas decorations hanging off the branches of the trees, adding to the festive mood of the crowd below. Turning back to face MinKyeong, I took hold of her hand with my free hand and fiddled with the ring I got her. “Minkyeong uh, Christmas is coming. I hope we could spend Christmas like how we did in the past few years. Down by the beach, just you, me and the kids.” I tried to sound hopeful and JunHyun just nodded his head enthusiastically. “Get well soon MinKyeong uh, then we’ll go home together.” I stood up, with MiEun still in my arms as I headed for the door. “I’ll see you in the morning,” I said taking a last look as her before turning to leave the room, as JunHyun chased after me after whispering a goodbye to his mother.

Fishing out my keys from my back pocket, I unlocked the car door placed MiEun into the child seat next to the driver’s seat and strapper her. Doing the same to JunHyun, I strapped him to his seat before giving him a light pat on his head, knowing that he was still confused over why his mother couldn’t come home with us, even though it was the first time. “What do youo say we stay over at uncle Youngmin’s house tonight?” The two nodded in unison as JunHyun clapped his hands, thinking it was one of those usual sleepovers whereby they got to sleep with their cousin and attend school the next day.  I smiled at my son as I watched him blabber on to his sister with excitement, relieved that at least for tonight, my children will be well taken care of. With that, I stepped on the pedal and began the long drive my brother’s apartment.

The snow danced around in the air, and landed on the ground seconds after. I pulled the scarf that was around my neck and wrapped it around the sleeping MiEun resting on my shoulder, before starting down that ever so familiar path. It was two weeks away from Christmas. People scurried past me, tons of shopping bags in hand as they chattered along happily with their friends. It’s way past midnight, but the shopping mood had yet to die down. I tried to suppress my sadness in me as I plastered a smile on my face, smiling the whole way. Turning into an alleyy with JunHyun in hand, I broke off from the crowd and immediately reach for the spare keys I had. With that, I opened the door and let myself and the kids into the apartment, where I was greeted by a face similar to mine, whose expression immediately softened when he noticed my children in tow. Hurriedly he rushed to the room we used to share before we got married, and pulled the blanket off my bed as I laid MiEun on it. I removed her jacket gently as Youngmin removed her shoes, before pulling thje blanket over her small body. Calling his wife JaeEun into the room, the prim lady bent down and ushered JunHyun out of the room to the bathroom and changed him into a clean set of pajamas.

Pushing me out of the room, Youngmin shut the door softly behind him before asking worriedly, a tinge of dread in his voice, “Is MinKyeong… alright?” He questioned knowingly, his eyes fixed on mine as though the answers were there. mAs if on cue, alol the emotions I had within me poured out instantaneously, as I put down my pride and began to cry, my voice muffled by the tears, “The doctor said she only has three months left…” I heard my brother gasp softly in shock as he sat closer to me and gave my hands a squeeze.

“It’s okay,” he finally choked out, “I’m sure she’ll be fine. She’s a strong girl.” He comforted and gave me a hug, just like when we were younger and had a difficult time, and for some unknown reason, I’m convinced she will be… 

So here's the next chapter. We hope we revealed a little more but at the same time kept some suspense. haha ~ 

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