The next morning was like the usual mornings Sungmin had been having since the very first day of his internship. In other words, it was yet again filled with him enduring the snarky, uncouth behaviour of his preceptor.

“Doctor, I was wondering if I could go a little earlier for the break today.” Sungmin calmly asked, praying to get a positive response from the man in front of him, clad in white coat; seated on his office chair. Kyuhyun was scribbling something down on a log book, possibly registering the expired drugs on the blue book with a deep scowl. The intern noticed the young pharmacist’s right hand dressed with a white coloured bandage.

I wonder what might have happened to doctor Kyuhyun’s hand. The younger couldn’t help but think. His nature really was very caring and he couldn’t help it. No matter how harsh the other was to him, he couldn’t bring himself to hate or disrespect his mentor. Realizing that his preceptor might have not heard his previous request, he decided to repeat it yet again.

“Doctor Kyuhyun? I think you weren’t able to hear my request earlier. I was wonde—”

“Are you trying to say that I’m deaf now?” Kyuhyun’s voice was dangerously calm. He was still scribbling on the book.

“W-what? No. I—”

“I had heard you. You asked if you could leave early, right?” he interrupted the younger’s sentence yet again. His eyes were fierce despite his calm tone as he looked at the now slightly confused boy.

“You heard? Well, I have something important to do. So I was—”

“And I suppose that important task involves someone special?” Kyuhyun’s eyes were intimidating while his tone was completely contrasting it. He observed the shorter male nod and got irritated.

Beyond irritated; actually.

“Well, Yes. It’s—”

“Why? Want to spend more time flirting around with the interns here?” the comment was passed so smoothly by Kyuhyun one could just look at him with disbelief.

“I’m sorry?” was what escaped Sungmin’s mouth.

“Oh yes, you should be!” Kyuhyun ultimately snapped.

“But—”

“Get out!” the snarling of the older was too startling for the innocent boy.

Remember that I always told you that you are stronger than you think? Sungmin remembered his mom’s words. I can’t disappoint umma. I must not get scared. I’m strong. He thought to himself.

“I said get out!” Kyuhyun yelled and noticed how the intern went to the corner to retrieve the pink bag and calmly walked out of the pharmacy.

Seeing the boy so calm was driving him crazy. He wanted to see the boy run away looking nervous and scared.

He threw the blue ink pen that he had been using on the floor with such an impact that the pen broke into two and the refill spilled its ink on the white tiled floor.

“Aish!” he groaned in frustration. Good thing he was alone in the inpatient pharmacy as the others were on their break.

He eyed the bandage that was wrapped around his right hand’s palm and whacked it hard on the table, letting the white cloth drench with fresh deep red liquid.

………………………………………………………………….

“I’m fine, umma. I took an earlier break today.” Sungmin softly smiled as he fed his mom a piece of the unpeeled red apple.

“But, isn’t your in-charge moody? You told me that he was very unpredictable on your first day.” his mom managed to say as she chewed on another piece of the apple fed to her by her son.

“He allowed me to have my break early.” he managed to hide his furrowed brows as he stretched his upper body to take a washed orange from the plate on the overbed table on his mom’s bed. He was quite shaken up by the earlier unpleasant incident he had faced but he managed to keep his exterior calm. He had other more important things to ponder about and the event earlier was of his least concerns at the moment.

“Okay umma, time to talk about the important topic now.” he began. “It’s about your chemotherapy.” he added.

“I have one or two months at my hand, Sungminnie.” He could see his mom’s eyes that depicted sadness. He noticed how tired her face looked and how thin she had become, feeling guilty of not noticing her state earlier.

“But umma, we can give it a try. Why are you being pessimistic about it?” he stated seriously, yet his voice was gentle. He managed to fight back his tears. He didn’t want to upset his mom anymore.

“I don’t want to feel the pain for the remaining time when I can actually spend them happily with you.” his mom tenderly held his right hand that was feeding her a slice of peeled orange.

“I’ve read about miracles mom. We can hope for one. I had read some time ago that laughing also helps fight cancer. You have to try.” he was stubborn. He really wanted to believe his own words.

“My miracle is you, Sungmin-ah. I should really stop with the clichéd and cheesy lines.” she chuckled at her own words. Sungmin lightly chuckled too. But he couldn’t prevent his tears anymore.

“I had talked to the doctors earlier when I had discovered about my illness.” she tightened her grip at her son’s hand unconsciously. “The virus had been present in my body since years, and the cancer cells had developed far more than usual and,” she gulped her saliva as her voice became teary, “and, it was already too late to throw the cancer out of my body.” she glanced at her son whose tears were crawling down his cheeks in a silent cry. “I wanted to live longer…for you. So I wanted to look for any treatment that could pull me out of this condition.” She continued as she rubbed her son’s tears from the back of her right hand that was free from the I.V. needles. “But, maybe…your little