The third day of the training had passed with Sungmin enduring his preceptor’s mood swings without even knowing what had been causing them. His preceptor just kept torturing him mentally without even justifying why. But Sungmin already had other worries to even really bother about his in-charge’s snide attitude.

His priority was his mom.

And unlike the first two days, neither did Donghae, nor did his preceptor find him standing outside the hospital entrance; waiting for his bus to arrive.

They didn’t know that he was with Siwon inside his mom’s ward. Doctor Choi and his medical staff had transferred her to a single ward after she gained back her consciousness and her condition was stable enough to transfer her to a general ward. Well, VIP ward would have been what Sungmin would have wanted to get his umma be in.

….But, it would be too expensive to handle as well.

“Umma, this is my new friend, Siwon-ssi.” He told his mom who was smiling at her son gently. She was sitting on her bed with the support of the backrest. Sungmin was holding her hand tenderly; careful enough to not squeeze her left hand tightly which could cause the needles to puncture her hand or veins at the wrong places.

“So you are the tall new friend Sungmin-ah was talking about on his first day.” His mom commented with a smile.

Sungmin gave Siwon an apologetic smile, “Sorry, I had not quite remembered your name back then.”

“I remember that.” Siwon gently smiled but gave a shy smile and rubbed his nape when Sungmin’s mom silently chuckled. “Umm… I think I should wait outside.” saying this, he left the mother and the son. He didn’t want to worry about Sungmin breaking down. He had noticed the other being strong emotionally; controlling his strong sad emotions in front of his mom and pretending to be chirpy as best as he could.

“So umma, what do you want to eat? Apple? Orange? Pumpkin! Yes, it has to be pumpkin! You know umma, I’m so hungry right now that I could gobble up all the food in the cafeteria even! I couldn’t have my break either because I was so busy!” he continued to blabber. He tried his best to act and he was doing a very good job at it. But a mother won’t be a mother if she can’t see through her child’s acts, feelings and emotions, can she?

“My baby is scared, right?” she asked with a mellow smile as she noticed her son gasp and snap his head at her with wide eyes. She slowly reached her right hand that was free towards her son and softly cupped his left cheek.

“I have carried you and nurtured you in my womb for nine months. I know, the line is very clichéd but it sure is the truth. I know you, like I know the lines on my hands. Another clichéd line.” She slightly chuckled. “My son, I know exactly how you act when you try to hide your emotions. You start blabbering.” Her voice tender, her touch gentle and her eyes soft. Sungmin had surely inherited her eyes.

Sungmin couldn’t hold it in any longer. Those eyes were enough to tell him what his mother was trying to convey. He childishly leapt on his mom and hugged her tight. And he sobbed again.

“W-why didn’t you t-tell me? Why d-id you let yourself get t-to t-this stage, umma?” his hiccupping was back as he let his tears and drool wet his mom’s hospital gown. He was crying heavily on her left shoulder.

“I’m sorry son.” Her eyes started watering as well as she rubbed her son’s back soothingly. Detaching herself from her son, she cupped her son’s face with a little difficulty due to the I.V. needles on her left hand, and wiped his face with her right one, gentle and caring.

“Umma… how will I live without you?” Sungmin hiccupped some more and gulped back his saliva that had started filling his mouth due to the heavy crying. He searched her eyes for an answer.

“You will live just fine my child. Remember that I always told you that you are stronger than you think?” Sungmin nodded his head slightly as new silent tears escaped his eyes. “So, don’t think I wasn’t saying the truth.” she continued.

“I know, there will come a day when you will fall in love and someone will fall in love with you. That has been your dream ever since I can remember. And when that happens, I’ll be the happiest soul, watching you from up there.” she added.

“But umma, you ca