In chapter 36, I posted a picture of Woohyun playing soccer. I just wanted to clarify that the picture is from a CF. It's a nike CF that Hoya, Woohyun and Myungsoo participated in. Thank you, tranthetrain for pointing out that I never mentioned it.

I hope you enjoy this chapter. Make sure to leave a comment and have a great day/night!

Just like that, a year passed. Winter came once again and we spent our time snuggled up in front of the one fireplace in the hospital. We would drink hot chocolate every once in a while and on Christmas, there was a feast. We spent New Year’s Eve together with Sungyeol barely making it to the countdown. That night, we slept in our favourite place in the entire hospital; the playroom.

Woohyun and Haneul were still going strong. Haneul had learned to stop feeling so indebting to Woohyun. I learned that as well. We decided that Woohyun was just the type of person who would always give and be happy with getting the minimal. That made me want to be like him a lot.

I went to soccer practises diligently throughout the entire winter season. I had gotten better, said my coaches. I was even on the list for possible backup players. It was quite exciting.

That spring, soccer practises were beginning to become a much bigger deal. Now that winter was over and we could go outside freely, our coaches told us big news. He picked fifteen of us—including me—to go under special training throughout the spring and summer. We would be allowed to play on the national team the following year. So, we were to spend the spring and summer in a special training zone.

I was ecstatic and so was everybody else. The only downside to this was that I wouldn’t be able to go to the hospital anymore. But it was okay, everybody said. I had already completed the required amount of community service hours so I was free from the wrath of the government. But the hospital had become my second home. Even Sun Hi treated it like her own place.

“When are you leaving?” Myungsoo asked.

“In a week,” I said as I gave him a fruit cup.

“When will you be able to come visit us?” Hoya asked.

“On weekends, I think,” I answered truthfully. “I can talk to you guys on the phone, though.”

I walked over to Woohyun and Haneul to give the two a fruit cup as well before settling down on Woohyun’s bed. He was sitting on Haneul’s while bugging her to feed him. At times like this, I would become slightly jealous. But I just assumed it was normal to feel that way. There would always be time for love late on, I would tell myself.

“Sehun, you can’t leave me with this freak,” Haneul pouted.

Woohyun’s jaw dropped, “But you love this freak!”

“That’s what you think,” Haneul sang as she ate her fruit.

Woohyun made a face before turning to me, “We should go play outside.”

“You can’t go outside right now, it’s too hot,” I pointed out.

Along with all the other changes, Woohyun changed. His health was getting worse but that didn’t stop him from doing what he wasn’t supposed to do. The doctors and nurses gave specific instructions as to what Woohyun should do and eat. Haneul and I would always have to remind him to take care of himself.

Woohyun groaned, “Haneul, he won’t let me go outside,” He dropped his head on her shoulder.

Haneul pushed him away, “I won’t either.”

○●○●○

I had just finished handing out lunch when I decided to go to the entrance. I sometimes walked around there and talked to patients. Every once in a while I would console someone who was on the verge of losing a loved one. At those times, I wondered what would happen to me if I lost someone. And subconsciously, Woohyun popped into my mind.

I went to a bench and sat down on it while looking around. Far to the right, there was a little girl playing with someone who seemed like her Father. He would tickle her and she would laugh before running away. It was a cute sight.

“Sehun?” I heard a deep voice to my left. I turned around to see Kris who had been sitting beside me the entire time.

“It is you!” He exclaimed. “I didn’t notice you before.”

“Neither did I,” I chuckled. “What are you doing here?”

“Sara,” He nodded to the receptionist desk where Sara was.

“Is she okay?”

“She’s fine. She’s just here for a checkup,” He smiled

“Ah,” I nodded.

Sara was Kris’ wife. They got married near the end of last summer and I got the privilege of being Kris’ best man along with D.O. All my old friends were there. It was nice being around them without any tension. Some of them said they were going abroad to study while others, like Kai, were staying in Korea.

“How have you been? It’s been a while since we’ve met,” Kris said.

“I’m doing great. You seem to be doing well,” I pointed out. “Is married life that great?”

Kris chuckled, “Well, everything is working out well, so, yes, I’m doing great. Why do you still come to the hospital, Sehun? Isn’t your year of community service up?”

I explained to him how I loved being there. I even told him about the national team. I told him it was my last week before going into extensive training. He seemed very proud. He told me that he was glad I found my way.

“Sehun,” Woohyun called from behind.

I invited him over to meet Kris.

“This is Woohyun. Woohyun, this is Kris,” I said.

The two shook hands and introduced themselves. Then, Woohyun told me that the nurses were looking for me. It was something about medicine. Woohyun left afterwards for a checkup.

“He seems nice,” Kris remarked and Woohyun scurried off.

“He’s unbelievably nice.”

“Is he one of the reasons you like the hospital so much?”

I smiled, “Yea, Woohyun makes me happy. He’s so weird—then again, all of the guys are.”

Sara came back and I met her once again. The two left but before they did, Kris gave me a big hug. I watched them walk out of the hospital before going to the nurse’s office.

○●○●○

“Let’s go outside now,” Woohyun said when I exited the nurse’s office.

I looked at a nearby clock and nodded my head, “Sure, let’s go. I’ll get the other guys. You get the soccer ball.”

Just like that we dispersed and headed in opposite directions. And within ten minutes, we were on the soccer field again. We divided ourselves into teams to play a game of soccer while Haneul did some yoga.

It had become her new hobby. She even tried to teach me but I ran away from her yoga calls. Woohyun, on the other hand, did yoga with her all the time. But of course he would.

“Sehun, play rough today,” Woohyun said. “It’s one of our last days together.”

I scoffed, “You’re acting as if I’m leaving forever. You can’t get rid of me easily, you know?”

“But you’ll barely be here,” Myungsoo said.

“I’ll come on weekends, guys. I wouldn’t leave you, seriously. Anyway, let’s play,” I said as I threw the soccer ball.

The game started and we went on for what felt like only five minutes. Haneul watched from afar while stretching. She would come in and wreck our game every once in a while. But it was all fun. We decided to only play for five more minutes. Then, we would go inside and play with the children in the play room.

I chose to paly goalie for my team since Myungsoo had gotten sick of that position. I blocked the ball as best as possible since I wasn’t used to playing that role. At one point, Woohyun came at me but missed. I kicked the ball to the far end, everybody chasing after it. Woohyun was about to go as well when he all of a sudden stopped and bent down, hands on his knees.

He was coughing profoundly when I walked up to him. I pat his bag and yelled for Haneul to bring some water. While she was running towards me, Woohyun went into another round of coughs. But this time, blood came out and in a matter of seconds, he fainted.

○●○●○

Woohyun was in the ICU. The doctors took him in right away and began yelling a bunch of stuff we would never understand. All we could do was helplessly watch his body get carried in through the big, white doors. We all stood outside of the room, waiting.

“We were just playing soccer. How did he get so sick from soccer?” Sunggyu asked aloud. “We’ve always played!”

I buried my face in my hands, “I should have never let him play.”

“Please don’t do the whole guilt thing,” Haneul said as she removed my hands. “Woohyun wouldn’t want that. You’re only going to beat yourself up for no reason. Let’s just pray that he gets better.”

I looked up at her worried face. There were tears in her eyes threatening to come out. I realized that Haneul was probably feeling horrible at the time. I stood up and wrapped my arms around her. And when I did, she started to sob, clinging onto my shirt.

We stood in the waiting area for half an hour before doctors came out. They told us he was fine for now and that we could go inside to see him. Without a word, we ran inside the room only to find Woohyun surrounded by wires.

“Oh my…” Haneul gasped before crying again.

I rubbed her arm as we stood around Woohyun’s bed. All we wanted was for Woohyun to open his eyes and put on that goofy smile, telling us this was all a prank.

Too bad April fool’s day was long gone.

○●○●○

“Woohyun’s really sick,” I told my Mother and Father when I finally got home that night. It was almost midnight when the nurse’s decided to kick me out.

“What happened?” My Mother asked.

“I don’t know,” I cried. “We were just playing soccer! We always play. So why? Why did he all of a sudden get so damn sick? God, why did I take him outside? It’s my fault.”

I walked out of the house and to the patio in our backyard. I leaned against the railing, letting the cool air cover me. I looked up at the dark sky. The clouds were partially covering the moon and no stars could be seen.

“He has to get better so I can show him real stars,” I said to myself.

 I heard the door to the patio open and close. My Father came and stood beside me, looking up as well.

“It’s calm out, isn’t it?” He asked.

“Yea,” I whispered. “I wonder if it’s calm in the hospital.”

“Of course it is. Everybody’s calmly thinking of Woohyun’s wellbeing. We all want him to get better and this will only happen if we pray for him.”

“He needs to get better.”

“Sehun, I know you’re worried, and there’s not much I can say to comfort you. But I want you to know that it’s not your fault. You said you always play outside. You didn’t know what was going to happen so don’t beat yourself up about it.”

“But—”

“No,” My Father said sternly. “There’s nothing for you to regret. You’ve been a really good person taking care of all of the patients there. I’m really proud of you, Sehun. You’re the best son anyone can ever have and I’m sorry for being a horrible Father.”

“Thank you,” I whispered as I looked him in the eye.

He moved forward and hugged me. That was when I felt this new closeness with my Father. I knew I had someone to depend on. I finally felt like I had a Father.

“I’ll always be here for you, Son. Whether there’s chaos or not, I’ll watch the night sky with you.”