Kyungsoo paced around at the waiting area of the hospital, fidgeting with his hands.  His glazed eyes roamed over the traffic ensuing 10 floors down the heart of Seoul, and yet nothing registered.  His father’s consciousness had been erratic.  Sometimes, Yifan slept for days.  But Kyungsoo couldn’t bear to leave his father’s side, not at this time.
 

His mother was inside the ICU at the moment, waiting for his father to awaken.  
 

His mind flashed back on his church wedding to Chanyeol two weeks ago, and they never made it to the reception.  Everything that had transpired afterwards remained a hazy blur—people rushing to crowd around his father, whose eyes had rolled to the back of his head, as uncontrollable, horrific tremors ran through his body.  Somebody had called the ambulance and suddenly, Yifan was being carried into a stretcher and then…
 

And then… Kyungsoo couldn’t remember.  His family had spent all that time in the hospital as well, as Yifan slept through it all.  He was grateful that Chanyeol and his family would bring food for them and try to keep their spirits up… but his alpha could already tell that Kyungsoo’s anxiety hadn’t dissipated one bit.
 

A nurse suddenly tapped Kyungsoo on the shoulder.  He put his surgical mask on and followed the nurse inside the unit where his father was confined.
 

Tears immediately burned his eyes when Kyungsoo saw Yifan already looking at him. 
 

“Appa…” he whispered, reaching for his father’s hands. 
 

Junmyeon hugged Kyungsoo’s side as Yifan stared up at his child, blinking.
 

“How are you feeling?” Kyungsoo asked softly, as his father attempted to squeeze his hands back. 
 

All Yifan could manage was an audible exhale.
 

His father’s brown eyes turned misty, though, as Kyungsoo continued to soothe him with comforting, caring words and caressed his coarse, cold hands.  “Everything is going to be just fine, Appa.”
 

Yifan opened his mouth to speak but he couldn’t form the words.
 

Kyungsoo shook his head in understanding.  “Don’t talk.  Please save your strength.  Sarang-haeyo, Appa.”
 

Yifan gave a small nod, breathing through his oxygen mask, and then closed his eyes, two tears streaming down his cheeks as sleep once more claimed him.
 

Kyungsoo’s lower lip trembled, his chest heaving as he repressed his sobs.  His father’s health was declining.  Who knew how long he still had to live?
 

His mother, looking tired and forlorn, opened up his arms and Kyungsoo rushed into them, crying silently.
 

Junmyeon, with tears in his own eyes incessantly falling as he helplessly stared at his alpha’s fighting for his life, Kyungsoo’s black hair.  “We should let your father sleep.”
 

Kyungsoo sniffed and nodded, walking out of the unit with his mother.
 

Once outside, where they could both breathe more freely, they sat down on the sofa next to each other.  “You need to get some sleep, too.  You should go home to your alpha.”

Kyungsoo began to protest.  “But—”
 

“I will let you know when your father wakes up again, my darling.”
 

“I want to be right here when he does wake up, Omma.  Jebal.”
 

“Just trust me, Kyungja.  You’ve been here everyday.  Chanyeol must be—”
 

“He understands completely.  Why else would he come here every evening to visit and bring food?  If he were in the same position, I would be—”
 

“I can’t have you falling sick on me too!”
 

Kyungsoo gasped, and threw his arms around his mother, as Junmyeon closed his eyes and bowed his head in defeat