Namjoo held his hands, suddenly feeling protective over her best friend that seemed like a brother to her for the past years. Sungjae only smiled in return then squeezed her hand. Namjoo sighed and stared at the almost lifeless body on the bed.

"Sungjae, I only want what's good for you." She took his hand and slowly rubbed it to her cheek with her eyes closed. Sungjae chuckled while he caressed Namjoo's hair with his free hand, the one with the IV. 

"Namjoo, I'm not the little boy you used to play with. I'm now a man. I have to make my own decisions now. Men make their own decisions, not their girl best friends." Their laugh filled the four white corners of the room, completely overshadowing the beeping apparatuses that stood as music to Sungjae's ears for weeks. 

"You can't blame me," she guiltily looked at her best friend, examining his pale skin, chapped lips, tired eyes and—bald head. "I'm the only girl you've ever been with." That was supposed to be a joke but seeing her childhood friend suffer this kind of condition was nowhere near to a laughing stock. She stopped herself from tearing up and focused her sight on his smile, the one that never faded. It was the only thing that reminded her that the man rested on the bed was the same boy she used to play with. 

"Hey, hey." Sungjae sat up and lightly turned Namjoo's chin to look at him. "No more tears, alright? No m