You didn't see Donghae for a while after your trip to the coast, infact, matters were worse than that.

Your father had become increasingly ill and had been bed-ridden for days now that even he too was getting restless. Being the stubborn man that he was, he demanded to be permitted to get out of bed, and you being the daughter who can't evade your senior's wish spent the whole time with him as he finished crafting the doll house you had always wished for as a child.

But that was before he began slippping in and out of consciousness. Despite your brother and mother's objections of staying by your father, you remained by his side until you too passed out in exhaustion.

You woke up in your bed the next day.

There were muffled voices coming from down the hall and footsteps descending the stairs.

'She's been stressing herself out, and passed out in exhaustion. I don't know when she'll wake up but -'

You got up and opened the door, standing on top of the stairs you found your mother and Donghae conversing. Your mother's forehead was creased with worry and anxiety, Donghae patiently listened up to the point where he found you standing there in your pyjamas.

Your mother looked up to see you too.

'Honey, you're awake, how are you feeling?'

You descended the stairs, 'Mum, I'm not the one you should be concerned about,' you pointed out as you reached them.

'Didn't I say she was stubborn?' your mother asked Donghae rhetorically.

'I've had to put up with it for a couple of years,' he answered as he watched you. Your mother smiled.

'I'll leave you two to catch up. It's nice to see you again, Donghae. I hope you come by more often,' she bid, and gave him a motherly peck on the cheek as she turned to head towards the kitchen.

Donghae turned to you with serious eyes.

'I hope you haven't been over exerting yourself,' he said seriously.

You rolled your eyes.

'Not you too,' you moaned as you headed towards the dining room where breakfast had already been laid out. He followed you but didn't say anything. 'So have you seen dad yet?'

'Yes, your mother was surprised he was awake-' you looked at him quickly, '- so I suppose he's been unconscious these past few days,  and he said he wanted a word with me.'

'What did he say?' you asked quickly as you took your juice and toast upstairs wanting to talk to your dad.

'Erm, just things y'know, guy stuff,' he explained.

'I see,' you said as he opened the door for you since your hands were occupied.

'Dad?' you called as you walked into the room. Your father's eyes slowly flickered open in response to your voice.

'Baby, what are you doing here? You should be out with Donghae,' he said looking at him. You looked at Donghae who smiled sheepishly.

'I - er,' you said confused by his response. 'I wanted to see you,' you told him.

He smiled weakly. 'Go, child. Go and relieve yourself for a while. I won't be going anywhere and I'll be here when you get back.'

He took your hand and lifted it towards Donghae who took it as he watched your father with sincerity.

You looked at Donghae and then back to your dad.

'Go,' he said again. You headed towards the exit with Donghae holding your hand. 'I'll see you later, sweetheart.'

'He's a stubborn man,' Donghae reminded you, but behind the surface of those words lay a deeper meaning. He sat on your bed as you went to change in the bathroom. You smiled as you remembered him doing that just a couple of years ago, as he looked around your room at the pictures and notebooks, homework and instruments, posters and furniture that made up your room.

'Hey, I remember this,' you heard him say. You peeked to see him pick up an artificial, clay rose painted in red that he gave to you after art class.

'I still don't believe you made that,' you said, coming out.

His turned to you, his face in shock.

'I really did!' he insisted, 'I got an A+ for it! Look it even has your initial engraved here,' he said pointing at the rose.

You frowned but went to see. You followed his finger and sure enough you saw your initials on one of the rose petals.

'I made it especially for you!' he pouted, putting it down gently.

Your stomach twisted in a weird way, a feeling that couldn't happen unoticed. A familiar feeling... but you brushed it off.

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