Red.

Everything was red. "crap," he said loudly as he shoved his way in the crowded street in New York.  The streets were adorned with all shades of red.  Overused roses and hearts, cupid with an arrow annoyed his sight.  It reminded him of a useless day called Valentines Day. 

He finally came to the underground train station which was far more crowded as it was already 7:45pm.  People were rushing home from work, from movies, school, or perhaps, buying valentines gifts. 

Park Chanyeol was empty handed as he boarded the train.  Wearing a black coat, resting his cold left hand in his pocket, the other grabbing unto the hand rail right above him for support.  As the train doors were closing, he remembered to plugged in his earpiece and pressed a number to call.  He waited for the other line to pick up, placing his phone inside his pocket, where his hand was. 

He stood in the train between a crowd.  Being tall, he could still spot himself on the train's glass windows that served as mirror in the underground rail track.

He continued to eye his reflection, his hair was fine and his pimples weren't visible.

"What's up?" the other line picked up.  It was a girl's voice.  Her voice was dry, seemed like she had just woken up. 
It was a voice that had been too familiar to Chanyeol that it was no longer as exciting to hear.  He felt bad for feeling that way. 

So he tries to make an effort to revive what was gradually fading. "Oh, hi!  Any plans for tomorrow?  I'm kind of free," he tried to sound a little more cheerful and excited.  The other line remained silent.  "Stacey? Babe?" Chanyeol took his phone out from his pocket to check if the call was still on and it was.  "Is this not the right time? I can call you back when I reach."

"Oh, sorry.  I fell asleep, sorry." Chanyeol giggled slightly.  "You fell asleep with your books again? This means I can't take you out tommorrow, huh?" He wished she said otherwise.  He really wished. 

"Yes, sorry Channie.  I promise I'll—" "make it up to me one day, right?" Chanyeol continued the rather expected answer from his long time girlfriend.  He made a deep sigh, shoulders dropped.  "It's okay.  I understand."

"Thank you so much baby!" Stacey beamed.  "I love you." Chanyeol said dryly, waiting for a response before he hangs up. 

There was no response. It turns out that she hung up right after saying thank you.  Chanyeol could only stare at his phone.  Feeling very pitiful.  He starts to reminisce all the words he had said to his girl.  All the promises that he is afraid he won't be able to fulfill now if this goes on.

He must try a little more harder for it to work.  Because a promise is a promise to keep. And he might regret losing her, again. 

Stacey and Chanyeol met in highschool and dated for a year.  Stacey had then decided to further her studies in New York, leading to a break up with Chanyeol. 

Three months after, Chanyeol decided to risk it and went to follow Stacey.  They studied in the same school in New York and began to start dating again.  Since then, the two were together for about four years now. 

Four years and Chanyeol feels like it was getting colder and colder.  For this girl, he dared to approach his rich father for a favor; for the first time ever in his life, to help him study abroad.  He could not be able to accept if the relationship was gonna end just like that. 

Chanyeol presses another number in his phone.  This time, he managed to sit down on one of the seats after some people alighted the train. 

No one picked up so he redialled.  
Chanyeol hissed in annoyance as he redials for the 6th time.  Finally, a deep voice greeted him. 

"Kris, where are you now?" Chanyeol inquired while checking his watch. It was still 8:15pm. 

"I'm on on the street.  On my way to the usual." the guy named Kris answered.  "Why? Stacey is busy again huh?"

Chanyeol nodded, displeased.  "As usual.  Well, I guess I'll see you in  20 minutes."

"Bring in some beer." Kris demanded.

"Right. You be in charge of the girls.  Bring in some ies for me, can you?" Chanyeol jeered.  "I thought you are loyal to stacey?" Kris laughed at the other line.

"I'm just kidding.  I'm cool with just me and you...and the beer.  No girls." 

"alright, see ya." Kris hung up.

Chanyeol knew Kris since in Korea.  Kris then left for New York as well before high school started in korea and It was Kris who helped Chanyeol to look for Stacey in New York.

To Chanyeol, Kris was a real brother.  Apart from his mother and Stacey,  Kris was closest to him.  His only bestfriend.

----

"12:00." the digital clock says.  Chanyeol was still in bed, lying on his stomach, he was still in his clothes the other day, with his socks even.  He got drunk last night and Kris had to call a cab to send him back home. 

The room surrounded by chanyeol's breathing as he sleeps.  His stomach churning without his knowledge.   A few minutes gone by, a loud ringtone startled him.

He began to for his phone under his pillow.  Groaning, he picks up his phone without looking at the screen.  He knew better who it was. 

"I'm up." he said, eyes still closed.

"I know better.  Get out of bed and take your brunch."

"I already ate, Kris." chanyeol lied. He was so tired that he just wanted to sleep the entire day. Besides, it was valentines day.  For him, it was just another lazy day, thanks to his diligent girlfriend.

Within four years of dating, they had only celebrated Valentines Day during the first year.

Chanyeol is studying Bachelor of Music majoring in Violin in The Julliard School while Stacey is taking Bachelor of Fine arts in Drama at the same school.

The relationship between them was rather good.  During the exam preparation weeks, Chanyeol would go over to Stacey's drama studio, where she is practicing alone by herself at night.  Chanyeol would sneak in and surprise her with a sudden sound of violin.  The very first time Chanyeol did that, Stacey was so terrified that she ran out of the room, leaving all her belongings only to be blocked by Chanyeol on her way out of the studio. He hugged her tightly, still giggling to himself while saying a bunch of "sorry".  Stacey sobbed in his arms and kept hitting him playfully, saying he was so unfair and evil.  

It had seemed so perfect.  Next thing they knew, they grew very familiar with each other.  Too familiar that it began to feel boring.  Like a daily routine, nothing was new.  At least, that was what Chanyeol was feeling. 

Another Valentines day has yet to be spent alone in his room.  

"Stop lying, I know very well you're still in bed and you are not even opening your eyes at this very moment." Kris said at the other line. 

Chanyeol was convinced that he really could not lie to Kris very well.  Or perhaps, Chanyeol had just been using the same old tricks. 

He opened his eyes and sat up in his bed, his hair messy.  "Now I am up.  Any plans?"  he asked, rubbing his eyes.

"I'm busy later, I have a date."

"Whoa, whoa, look who's dating!  You're single but your dating while some people who are attached are stuck at home, alone by themselves!" Chanyeol mocked his bestfriend.

"Why don't you go ahead and visit her. Surprise her. A simple dinner wouldn't really take so much of her time, right?"  Chanyeol nodded.  "Yeah.  I'll just...see what I can do. Later then! I need to take a shower."

"and eat your food." Kris added firmly.
"yes, mom." he cackled as he hung up the call, escaping Kris' probable swearing. 

  ---

In a bright room,  Stacey stood in her living room.  Stil in her pajamas  at 5:26pm, she held her Script book in her right hand, her left hand gesticulating as she tries to memorize her lines. 

After a while, she jumped into her couch with a heavy and defeated sigh. 
Her stomach growled in hunger which reminded her that she had only taken her breakfast. 

The following week was their dry run for the drama and she was still struggling with her lines. 

"Ahhh, focus stacey, focus!" she burried her small face in her script book.  Wishing the words would be tattooed in her brain.  She began to sob.  She felt so stressed at the moment, she didn't even have the time to change her clothes or take a quick shower.

A sudden door bell has made her lift her head up.  She scooted towards the door and peeked through the peep hole.  It was her boyfriend, Chanyeol. 

Her face lit up.

And then she frowned. 
She remembered her script book that was in her hand.  She let out a sigh, before she opened the door for him to enter.

As soon as Chanyeol saw her, he embraced her tightly.  She let go of the hug and eyed her boyfriend.  As always, he was wearing a beautiful smile.  The smile that made her worries disappear.

"I thought I told you I'm busy today, channie." She pouted.  She didn't really have any heart to ask him to leave.  She actually wanted him to be with her.  But she knows better.  With that smile of his and his cheerful personality, she would be distracted. 

In fact she was distracted right now.  She wished she could just forget the things she had to do and hang out with him till the night ends. 

"We're not going anywhere.  Let's just have our dinner here, together." Chanyeol said, resting his hands on her shoulder.  He eyed her, noticing she was still in her pajamas. 

"You didn't even change your clothes.  You didn't take a shower?"

Stacey pursed her lips, hesitant to answer him but she nodded anyway. 
Chanyeol laughed and patted her head lightly. 

That laugh. If only she could laugh together with him. If only her mind was free from everything she has to memorize.  

She missed him.  She had not seen him for a week due to her studies and she badly misses him.  She began to tear up in front of Chanyeol.

"What is wrong?" he cupped her face, looking into her eyes that glistened due to the tears forming.  She smiled, "I just miss you.  I feel so bad I couldn't see you because of my practices."

Chanyeol smiled and leaned closer to kiss her forehead.  "I'm here now.  Go and take a shower, you're starting to smell." he teased. 

Stacey pouted, "I'm not."

She started sniffing herself.  Chanyeol laughed harder, "Silly! I'm just kidding! but you do need to change clothes now. I'll prepare our dinner while you change." 

Stacey nodded with a smile. "I'll just take a quick shower then! and keep it clean in the kitchen please." she reminded him as he always create a havoc when cooking. 

She then disappeared into her room, leaving chanyeol by himself.  He let out a sigh before walking towards the kitchen. 

  -----
In Korea
  -----

The street lights were lit on the street as it got dark.  The night was cold and she was alone by herself, carrying a brown envelope with her.  She was walking in her heels for an hour and a half.  She regretted not riding their private car on the way home. 

Earlier in the afternoon, she left the house with her body guards.  She went to the hospital alone.  Her husband was too busy to accompany her.  It wasn't like she was pregnant anyway.  She did not need her husband to go with her.  

"Mrs. Park Ji Eun?" a nurse called.  She lifted her head and got up from her seat slowly.  "The doctor is in, you may go inside." the nurse opened the door to lead her in a small room. 

"Have a seat," the doctor offered.  "Let me get this straight to the point Mrs. Park."

She got confused as to what was the hurry.  "You need to get a surgery as soon as possible.  You need to be admitted in a hospital."

"S-sorry?" her voice was trembling.

"You have Eye cancer. It would be best for you to be admitted here soon for us to be able to check on the development of your cancer." 

She could only nod, as if she fully understood.  The doctor explained a lot more things to her for the next five minutes but her attention was wavering.

She just wanted to get a new glasses for her eyes.  She thought a prescription medicine was what she went there for.  She couldn't believe that once she leave the small white room, she already have a serious illness.  

On the streets, she walked on.  Thinking about her life.  How was she going to fight her illness.  Or does she even have to fight or just let it kill her slowly.  To leave the world.  To leave her husband.

To leave her son. 
"How would I tell chanyeol about this...will I ever be able to see his face one last time?" she cries. 

She took her phone out and stared at her homescreen.  It was a picture collage of him and chanyeol.  In one of the pictures, chanyeol was holding a large fish that he caught when he was still 12. He smiled so brightly.  She wouldn't want to take that smile away from him now. 

If she was going to keep it a secret to him, he would hate her.  She didn't want to keep it a secret.  All the more, she didn't want to go blind without seeing him one last time.  To be with her only son was her last wish.

She decides to sit down by a nearby park.  She wipes off her tears and began dialling a number.

---

A/N:

Hello there~ thanks for subscribing to this story ~ I'm posting two updates so do read the next chapter after this wohooo! 

I still have another fic, Exo High, its fluff and all main pairings are present. 

I just really had the urge to write this fic about lucid dreaming,  I think it's really cool.  

Hope you guys enjoy XD