"Dad! It's unfair! You have to start when I said three! Not one!" Baekhyun's complaint was ignored by Beomseok as he kept on eating his fresh and juicy piece of watermelon. Instead of getting mad, Baekhyun cracked a smile.

"Fine dad! You win" the son raised both of his hand, willing to give in for his sick father. There was no point arguing with Beomseok anyway. What matter was his father's contentment and certainly, his happiness. Keeping his gaze at Beomseok, Baekhyun continued eating his part.

"Hyunie" Beomseok mumbled as his mouth was stuffed with watermelon. The side of his lips was stained with watermelon juice, almost reached a part of his cheek. Baekhyun shook his head as he reached for tissue. Gently, he wiped the watermelon's juice stain around Beomseok's lips.

"I want to see Areum" Beomseok's sudden request surprised Baekhyun. His hand on Beomseok's face halted, as his mind tried to process Beomseok's words. The guy thought he heard it wrong when Beomseok wanted to see Areum.

"Did you said, Areum?" Baekhyun enunciated Areum's name clearly in case Beomseok said it wrong. With a frantic nod, Beomseok affirmed. Baekhyun blinked a few times, extinguishing the surreal state he was in. This was miracle.

"You remember Areum?" Baekhyun needed a confirmation. Beomseok never remembered a stranger. He needed to see the individual often in order to recognize him or her. Areum could be considered a stranger to Beomseok and yet Beomseok remembered her like he had seen her for years.

Beomseok nodded in respond, causing Baekhyun to slump on his seat. Areum was indeed not an ordinary girl. Not only in Baekhyun's eyes, but Beomseok as well. That girl unbelievably had left a very great mark on Beomseok to the extent Beomseok could remember her easily.

The phone rested on the table vibrated, diverting Baekhyun's attention to it. Snatching his phone, Baekhyun instantly opened his inbox. A smile creased on the guy's face as he read the sender. Speak of the devil. It was Areum.

Are you free tomorrow? Can we meet?

Baekhyun's smile widened as he read the word 'meet'. It had been a week since they last met each other at the sauna. He admitted that he really enjoyed himself there. Even though it was only a day, it was more than enough to lift the pressure he had been bearing. Hurriedly, Baekhyun's fingers danced on the keypad.

Yes sure! I'll send you the navigation

Realized he had been smiling too much, Baekhyun shook his head frantically. The guy tapped his cheeks a few times, assuming that he was not in the right mind. Baekhyun himself failed to decipher the way he behaved. He was sure he had close his heart for any woman after Yejin.

But that confidence of him started to dwindle.

...

Areum chosed a sleeveless sky blue dress that draped beautifully just above her knee. A white cardigan was matched with her dress, adorning Areum even more. Her heart was beating fast against her chest as she waited for Baekhyun. 

This was the day. The day Baekhyun would meet his mother. Using herself as an excuse, Areum succeeded in bringing Baekhyun out. The plan that Areum and Goeun had been arranged for the past few days with the assistance from Chanyeol was working out well. At least yet.

Getting Baekhyun out was not that hard. It was the respond from that guy that terrified Areum. She hated to deceive Baekhyun but there was no way Baekhyun would agree to see her if she said Goeun would be there as well. 

"Areum-ah!" Areum turned her head upon hearing her name. The beautiful sight of Baekhyun came into her view, forming a smile on her face out of her will. It was just impossible to refrain a smile in front of this man, no  doubt. Areum waved her hand, responding to Baekhyun.

Baekhyun's smile widened as he shortened the distance between him and Areum. Never crossed his mind that he would be this delight to see that girl. The urge to pull Areum into his arm was raging inside him but Baekhyun held himself from doing so. 

"Am I late? Sorry I overslept!" Baekhyun scratched his head in a dorky way, bringing out a chortle from Areum. To others Baekhyun might look dumb but in Areum's eyes, this man was killing her with his adorable side.

Areum shook her head subtly. Reaching for Baekhyun's hand that was tucked in his pocket, Areum led him into the cafe. Her heart was thumping so hard against her chest. Her nervousness was hidden very well with the smile on her face. 

Areum knew more than well that the risk was huge. She knew Baekhyun might hate her. That guy might refuse to see her after this but she did not care less. This was the only thing she could do for him. Reconcilement with his mom. Hatred might be seen in the surface but Areum knew deep in Baekhyun's heart, lied the yearn he had for his mom.

Areum took the seat first, avoiding Baekhyun to take the seat facing the entrance. It would be easier if Baekhyun had his back on the entrance as he would not see Goeun coming. Still oblivious on what was playing in Areum's mind, Baekhyun smiled widely, showing his arranged teeth.

"How's work?" was the first question that could pop out from Areum's mind. The restless girl was attempting to divert Baekhyun's keen sense from the surrounding, particularly from the entrance. To her luck, it worked out well. 

Failed to sniff Areum's intention, Baekhyun started to ramble about his work as a driver to Hongbin. How sleepy he was when Hongbin needed to go to the airport early in the morning, how tiring it was when Hongbin had to go here and there in a day and how he almost got himself into a car crash because of his carelessness. 

Areum could not help but smiling. She really loved it when Baekhyun told her about his days when she not around. He looked like a kid who just went back from playing in the amusement park, telling stories to his mom. However, the smile of hers did not last long when her round eyes caught a familiar figure nearing the entrance.

"What's wrong?" Baekhyun's voice snapped Areum from her short trance. Being a sharp person, Baekhyun noticed Areum's wavering eyes. Baekhyun was about to turn his back towards Areum's direction when Areum suddenly reached for his hand, hindering him from doing so. 

"Baekhyun-ah" Areum gulped nervously. It was almost the time and Areum felt like her heart was going to leap out from her chest. She tried to show a calm demeanor but it came out the opposite. Clueless, Baekhyun took out his hand from Areum's and placed his on hers.

"Hey, your hand is freezing. Are you okay?" Baekhyun looked into Areum's eyes which elevated her anxiety to the utmost level. Without her noticing, she was avoiding Baekhyun's eyes, rising suspicion that was growing in him since a while ago. He knew, Areum was hiding something and he could feel that it was not something good.

And he got the answer right away when a woman in a dark blue long coat approached both of them with a smile that he found fake no matter how sweet it was.

"Baekhyun my son" 

...

The smell of antiseptics and chemical wafted around the atmosphere. Doctors were walking back and forth, checking on their patients. The sound of people cringing and crying were filling the space inside the hospital. It was hectic but could not defeat the one in Baekhyun's mind.

The frustrated man rubbed his face harshly. The tightening chest of him was making it hard for him to breathe. There was this urge to cry, to scream his lungs out, to even kill himself, conquering Baekhyun's heart. Nevertheless, the man was still holding for this single leaf of strength which was waiting to fall any moment.

Your friend suffers from a heart disease and his condition is worsened. I'm so sorry but I'm afraid that, he doesnt have so much time left.

The doctor's voice kept replaying itself inside Baekhyun's mind without a single thread of guilty as if it did not aware of the man's chaotic mind. The fact that Chanyeol was dying fell hard on him. How he wished everything was just a nightmare. He could wake up, at least. The surge of regret gushed all over him. 

It's all my fault..

If I stayed earlier, this thing wouldn't happen..

...

"Areum-ah, how dare you do this to me?!" Baekhyun raised up his voice, scaring the hell out of the petite girl in front of him. Areum lowered her head, did not even dare to spare a look into Baekhyun's flaring eyes. If Baekhyun's eyes could kill, Areum was already dead long ago.

"Son, it's not her fault. It's me who force her. I-" Baekhyun shot Goeun his obnoxious look, hindering the woman from finishing her sentences. Baekhyun was always cold to her but this was the very first time he was very mad that she could not even recognize her own son.

"You!" Baekhyun raised his index finger and pointed it right into Goeun's face. Ferocity overtook him that he did not care about being rude. Bull. Like he ever respect her anyway. To this man who was left by his mom at 9 years old, Goeun was indeed contemptible. No argument.

"Stop doing anything you're planning because it wont work on me!" Baekhyun's thundering voice was occupying each nook and crook of the cafe, drawing attention from all the customers but that man did not care less. His chest was moving up and down as he refrained the urge to bring his fist towards Goeun in front of him.

"Do you know who that I hate the most?" Baekhyun's lips formed a smirk before he resumed.

"It's you" Baekhyun hissed. Turning around, Baekhyun strode away, did not even have a slightest intention to look back at his mother. Losing her strength, Goeun fell on her knees. Her body trembled, as she felt her world shattered into pieces, piercing her to death.

Being a bystander the whole time, Areum could not decipher the fact that those harsh, hurtful words came from Baekhyun. Baekhyun that she knew was a loving man with tender heart. That man had gone to far. Without she realizing, she already grabbed Baekhyun's wrist. Harsh, Baekhyun yanked his hand from Areum's grasp. 

But, giving up was not in her dictionary that day. Fail to control her own body, Areum found herself chasing after Baekhyun. Fastening her pace, Areum caught up with him. Before she knew it, she was already stood firmly in front of Baekhyun, blocking his way. 

"Move" Baekhyun's scrutinizing eyes was boring into Areum, shaking her a tad. Unwittingly, Areum gulped.

"I won't as long as you don't apologize to your mom" Areum rebutted, despite the fact she was a little bit terrified by Baekhyun.

"Who are you to tell me this?! You're merely a stranger who come to beg for a pity!" Never crossed Areum's mind that those words would spill out from this guy. Not from him. Her mind went vacant for a moment as she tried to swallow each word that pierced through her heart.

Baekhyun's patience was running out and Areum totally used it up. Anger and calmness were in battlefield and looked like anger won the war. He did notice Areum's quivering lips. He did know that the girl was about to cry but it did not work on him. Instead, it riled him up even more. 

"Byun Baekhyun! Enough! It's too much!" Chanyeol's screeching yell stopped Baekhyun from spurting out more painful words. Instantly, he averted his gaze towards Chanyeol who was pacing towards them. Thanks to his long legs, Chanyeol was already standing beside Areum in a blink of eyes, looking straight into Baekhyun in the eyes.
 

"What the hell is wrong with you?! I know you're angry! I know you're disappointed but-" Chanyeol shut his eyes close briefly. His brows knitted together as he tried to look for the right word. Opening his eyes, Chanyeol took a lungful of air before he continued.

"But it doesn't mean you can just hurt anyone. You cannot just simply spill out your anger at anyone. Areum-" Chanyeol swirled his head towards Areum who was already crying. To Chanyeol's surprise, seeing Areum's trickling tears wrenched his heart. The guy then flitted his gaze towards Baekhyun.

"Areum- it's just- it's not her fault okay? She just wants to help you. She wants you to get better with your mom. That's all!And do you know what you did? You just yell at her and saying that she is a stranger! What's wrong with you?!" Chanyeol exploded.

"What the hell is wrong with me?! What the hell is wrong with you guys?! Oh come on! You know how much I despise that -" a punch landed on Baekhyun's face, causing him to be thrown on the hard ground.

"Baekhyun-ah!" Areum shrieked as he rushed towards Baekhyun. Blood spurt out at the corner of his lips, staining his perfect complex. His cheek had turned blue, ready to be swollen at any time. As much as Baekhyun, Chanyeol was hurt as well.

"That is your mom Byun Baekhyun! Yes, she is a but it was a long time ago dude. A long time ago. Do you know how much she miss you? Do you know how much she wants to hold you? Do you even know that she still loves you, ing brat? You should be thankful because she is alive. Me? I never even have a chance to meet my mom! I never know how it feels to have a mother! But you- simply push her away and-" Chanyeol paused.

Chanyeol could feel the air around him was thinning and soon he found himself having difficulty to breathe. The man tried to say something but it turned out to be a croak. The unbearable pain forced him to clutch his chest in hope to alleviate the pain but to no avail.

Chanyeol collapsed.

Baekhyun stared blankly at the white wall, as if the scene was played on it, on and on, losing it stop button. He wished he could find it but his legs were so weak he could barely stand straight. He had no choice other than replaying the scene again and again. 

Chanyeol-ah..

I'm so sorry...

Please..don't leave me..

Not you too

Okay this is going to be an angst for a little while but yeah I'm not good at angst sorry