25.

“So he is the one you have been calling very discreetly all this time? Your lawyer?” Baekhyun timidly nods, collecting his courage to look at Minseok in the eyes. He stays still and quiet, expecting a scolding from the elder however instead, Minseok just lets out a heavy deep sigh then slouches himself against the couch in his office. “Then…have you settled everything now?”

“Yeah, he would take care of it immediately.”

“But that is not why you decided to wife her up, right?”

The younger looks up almost immediately, then shakes both of his hands together with his head – wholeheartedly denying Minseok’s assumption. “Ah, hyung. Of course I marry her because I want to…!” Baekhyun’s lips are all puckered when he goes whiny upon answering then he scratches the back of his head, mumbling, “This inheritance thing is just…another stuff. You know…just in case.” A forced smile hesitantly rises from those pale lips, “At least she doesn’t have to live so hard anymore, and my kids would get what they deserve all this time.”

“What they deserve is you,” Minseok breathes. “What all of you deserve is a happy and peaceful life.”

“I would love if they are having it now.” The corner of the younger’s lips curls upward however after all, it is a sad one. “But I have always make them …worry about me. She, I know she never shows it but behind those quiet eyes, there is so much pain that she has been holding. She stands by me all the time, accompanying me on each session, seeing me suffer and cleaning up all the mess whenever I experience those side effects, yet never once that she sighs.”

Baekhyun purses his lips together, his lips are trembling as that face that he loves lingering around his mind. “Though that smile never fades, though her words send me comforts…I know she’s enduring the pain as well. And that pain, I would prefer to take them all.”

“Then do that by living. Not this way.” Minseok’s gaze was sharp, his tone is deep as well – showing how serious he is at the moment. “You know her well, she’d be really mad if she finds this out. On you writing your will, this way. You shouldn’t prepare yourself to die, Baek. Work on living.”

Baekhyun smirks then murmurs, “How could I when I feel myself dying bit by bit? I know my own body, hyung.” He leans down, covering his face with those two cold hands, “I want to live, more than anyone. But to see my own family is suffering from all those worries, I’d rather leave.”

Minseok nods a few times, he keeps himself composed especially since this is not the first time he faces this. This would be his third year of being an oncologist, having this kind of talk with a patient is something normal for him.

“Then I have a question for you.” Baekhyun keeps the silence, letting his friend to fill it in. “Do you really think that your family can finally be happy if you…lose this fight?”

“At least they –”

“They what? You know your wife well, isn’t it? Do you notice how much love she is pouring for you? Also, your kids are growing up. They are barely six now, have finally welcomed their real dad in their life. Joonie and Jooie still have a long way to go, you and your wife are also still considered as young; all of you have a long journey, Baekhyun. You see yourself how happy they all are when you’re here with them. Are you sure you want to leave this world? That beautiful and amazing life you just created?”

Seeing Baekhyun doesn’t stop wiping off his tears, the doctor curls a smile of relief then shifts towards that friend of his before patting his back, comforting.

“Those feelings are normal among patients, I swear. But I’m here to give you hope. To help you realize, if you lose this war with those cells, that would not be the end. The thing that you feared the most – hurting your loved ones – that is the only thing that would happen later.”

Baekhyun blows his nose to a tissue then asks, “Will all of these work? These sessions?”

“If it doesn’t, there’d be another way but I always have faith that it will. And you are doing it well, I promise.”

“Probably because I have her.”

“That’s for sure!” Minseok squints to the empty space in the air for a bit then add, “I’ve seen your life without your wife before and it was…”

“A disaster.”

“Well, you said that yourself. I guess you really had messed up life that time, right?” Both of them then laughs while Baekhyun lands a light punch on his friend’s shoulder upon his teasing. “You know, I’ve seen a lot of cases and almost all of them have told me the same thing.”

“What is it?”

“Well,” The doctor gets up, then walks to his coat hanger to place his white doctor coat, “That through all those times they have been receiving various kinds of treatment, it makes they appreciate their loved ones even more. Their mothers, their wives, their siblings, their children…I’m sure that’s how it works for you too, you see how your wife has been dealing with everything – which you know it well that isn’t something easy. Then how about repaying her hard work, her love, with being healthy again? That is where everyone gains their spirit from, Baekhyun, and so should you.”

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