It’s been three hours that Jimin drove. He still had one hour and twenty minutes to drive before coming back to his hometown. He stopped by Daegu at a gas station. There, he brought food and drink. He was gone his stomach empty and was feeling the impacts only right now. He took a seat near a counter and started eating in front of the windows panes. Plenty cars were driving toward or leaved Daegu. Were they in break? Going back to their own hometown? Travelling? Jimin keep his mind with questions, that he will surely never obtain the answer, but at least, it kept him busy. During his reflection, a woman from his age joined him.

“Can I sit here?”

He looked up and saw a beautiful lady. She was wearing big glasses and expensive clothes, along with a strong fragrance. Jimin was wary yet, he accepted it.

He continued to silently eat while the lady was text messaging someone on her phone. Finished, she put her smartphone aside and slightly turned to face Jimin.

“Are you from Daegu?” she asked. She had a soft voice and a foreign accent shown on a few words. An American one. Jimin slurped his soup and replied to her.

“No, I’m from Busan. And you?” He was now facing her too.

“I’m from Daegu.”

“What are you looking for here?” she continued while putting down her glasses on the counter. She had light brown eyes in contrast with her strong stare.

“I take some rest before seeing my mom at the hospital in Busan.” Jimin was surprised by his words. He didn’t know her but still he told her what was going in his life. It relaxed him to talk with this woman, and wanted to know her reasons too: “And you? It seems that you came back from a foreign country.”

She loudly laughed and answered right away. “You have noticed? I came back from America today. I came to see my best friend. We were like siblings back then. Unfortunately, I don’t know if he is still here.” She had a sad tone at the end of her sentence which made uneasy Jimin. She suddenly leaved, her chauffeur calling her, he presumed; though he was aware of one thing. She was wearing a necklace written on it “Sophia”.

After her departure, Jimin took his car and drove without stopping until he arrived at Busan. Arrived, he stopped at the hospital leaving the house for another day, and ask for his mother to the receptionist.

“Room 685. Psychiatric Service. Take the elevator at your right, the Doctor must be with her right now.”

He nodded and walked to her room. The more he was walking and the more he had souvenirs from his little brother. The more he was thinking about him and the more he had difficulty to breath. In front of the door, he was having literally a panic attack. Someone touched his shoulder which made him stiff. He looked back and saw his father. He looked like he had come back from hell. His features had increased with the stress and his eyes was less joyful than the last time he saw him. “I’m here Jimin.” Jimin wanted to speak but let a sob instead. His father had wrapped him in a hug while Jimin was crying on his shoulder. The door opened and the Doctor saw them. He quickly closed the door and talked to them while leading them to a room where Jimin’s mother couldn’t hear them.

“So, your son came back?” he asked with a pity look on his face.

“Yes, Doctor. He just arrived from Seoul. So, what did she said?” declared his father with a worry tone leaved in his voice.

“She decided to be hospitalized and I think that it’s for the best. Her state, mental as psychologic, is instable and need to be watched closely to prevent any recurrence.” said emotionless the Doctor to them. His father nodded and said weak thanks while Jimin’s hair, with his finger trembling.

The Doctor took a breath and gave them his encouragement.

“I’m not supposed to say that but please support her. She is strong woman and need your strength to overcome this situation. A loss can’t be buried as fast as we would like. Medicines helping or not. You’re a family and a family always support each other.” He bowed and leave them alone.

After a moment of tears, Jimin had calmed down. His father recommended them to enter in her room because soon the visit will be finish.

They came back to her room and his father the door while declining their identity. No one answered but he still opened the door.

She was sat on the bed, a machine monitoring each of her heartbeats. Her stare was lost in the windows; when she noticed their presence, Jimin took a step away. ‘This is not my mother…’ She had lost weight, almost got older, and her stare was empty. She looked like a person who doesn’t even know what she was doing here. She had lost her reason to live.

“Jimin... Oh! How are you?” Her question took him by surprised. Their stares were locked but it seemed that she wasn’t even awake. She was acting emotionless. He slowly approached her and throw himself on her lap.

“Mom, I’m sorry but please don’t leave me… I need you too!” She his hair, and didn’t answer. She was silently crying, wondering if she could get over it or not.

His father came to embrace both.

“We’ll get over it…. But it will take time.”

*

When Jimin had come back during the vacation, the reality hit her hard. She was used of her clean life. Every day, she does the same thing, went to the same place, spoke with the same person; she was pleased with this. She could control her life and never be disappointed. Medicine helped her to not overthink.

Seeing Jimin made her realize that life was ongoing. Jimin had lost some weight but it was slightly noticeable. It was situated on his cheek area. She tried her best to look happy while he was here. Jimin seemed to have overcome this and she felt guilty to still think about the past. The past, who was only six months away at this moment.

The day he came back all soaked, she remembered Jimin. The one who was unsecure and broken at his departure. She remembered that she had two sons too. One alive but drowning. One unreachable and dead. She perfectly played her role of perfect mother but it was too much. Every night she was crying. Her husband was with her but she doesn’t understand how he could be so heartless. Was he even feeling sentiment? He had never shade a tear with her. He seemed to be the only one strong in this family according to her.

Odd how a person can misunderstand another one. Jimin thought that her mother was the strongest one despite her cries at the night. Her mother thought that her husband was the strongest one. And his father was ruined while trying to cope with work. None of them had honest feelings with their situation and they all lived in a false world created by illusion.

Jimin came back to Seoul, and she found herself clueless. She was alone with her demons. She took more medicines week after weeks. And one day, it was the last straw. Her body didn’t respond anymore and she was lead to the hospital. His husband came as fast as he can and learned there, that her wife tried to took her life away.

*

They came back home and stayed together, Jimin on the cough and his father on the other side.

The next morning, they visit her again but she