“Here” Eunwoo voiced. Seoyeon and Hayoung followed him to sit at the centre of the audience seats. People started to fill the concert hall.

                Yubin was at back stage, trying to control her nervousness. *Don’t worry, Yubin. Everything will be okay. Just like omma said* Her phone rang and she answered it. It was a video call.

“Oi” Moonbin called. “Nae, Moonbin-ssi” she replied half-hearted. “Omma told me about your concert. So yea. Just want to wish you good luck” “Thanks. So my gift?” “Aish, don’t worry. I’ll send the chocolate and all the fancy candy home later” “Really?” she smiled. “That’s why I love you. Thank you”

“Hey, I heard that it’s an important concert” “Yup. It’s a competition” “It’s okay if you lose” “Yah, I’m going to win this thing”

                Moonbin chuckled at her. “Nae nae. I know you will. I always believe you can win” he glanced to the other side for a while. “Yubin, the class is about to start. Call you later”

“Okay. Take care” “You too” The call ended.

                Yubin’s name was called and she had to be on standby near the stage. *It’s my turn after this!*

 

                Her phone rang again. “What’s this Moonbin want again?” Yubin looked at the screen but it wasn’t Moonbin who called. She answered it. “Appa-“ Her eyes widened at Mr. Bae’s words.

 

“Contestant Bae Yubin” the MC called. Eunwoo, Seoyeon and Hayoung was staring at the stage. Everyone was waiting for Yubin to come to the stage. “Contestant Bae Yubin” her name was called again.

“Something is not right” Eunwoo turned to the girls. He jerked his head to the exit and the girls nodded. The three of them went out the hall.

Seoyeon was still trying to get to Yubin but failed. She had tried to call her for a few times until she finally picked up. “Yubin-“

“Seoyeon-ah” Yubin bawled her eyes out. “Hey, where are you?! What happen?!” Listening to Seoyeon’s panic voice, Eunwoo snatched her phone. “Where are you?!”

 

                The three ran to Hayoung’s car. “All seat belts on” she announced. “Because I’m going to speed up”

                The car stopped in front of the bus stop. They got out from the car as they saw Yubin sitting alone weakly there. They ran to her.

“Hey” Hayoung knelt before her. But before she could ask anything, Yubin already pulled her into embrace. “Appa called and said omma…” She sobbed more. “Omma at the hospital!”

“Hospital?! Why?!” Seoyeon asked as she caressed her head. “I don’t know. I didn’t hear what appa said. I just ran out here” Yubin replied between her sobs. The three stared at her. They had never seen her in this severe condition.

“Come, let’s go to the hospital” Eunwoo voiced. Yubin nodded. They helped her to get into the car.

*             *             *

                They arrived at the ward room. Mr. Bae turned to them. Yubin slowly approached the bed where her mother was unconscious. She stood there, silently crying. Mr. Bae pulled her into his embrace and caressed her head. “You have to be strong, Yubin” he whispered, trying to hold his tears.

“It’s cancer” he announced. “Doctor said she only have a few months left”

                Seoyeon, Hayoung and Eunwoo gasped. Yubin’s leg grew weak and she fell onto the floor, bawling her eyes out. Despair filled the once happy family.

*             *             *

                Yubin still staring at Mrs. Bae who was still unconscious on the hospital bed. She was alone that morning. She held onto her hand. Tears slid down her cheeks. “Omma…wake up…Please”

                A series of footsteps ran to the room. Yubin turned to the door being smashed open.

“Omma” Moonbin ran to Mrs. Bae. His luggage being thrown aside. He froze there. He blinked tears. Yubin stood and pulled him into her embrace. And let him cried in her embrace.

*             *             *

                Moonbin was seating beside Mrs. Bae.

“You must have head here all the way from the airport” Yubin helped put his luggage aside. Moonbin turned to her. She was wearing her evening dress for the performance. “And you, you must head here from the concert”

                She sighed. “But I didn’t play” “What? But you said it’s important” “Not as important as omma. I told my prof already so yea. It’s okay”

                They talked about how they got there. “But I sent my friends away. They must be tired” Yubin’s smile was faint. “You’re so lucky to have them besides you even at times like this” he voiced.

“Did you tell Grandma?” “Appa did. He said he’ll pick her up later this evening”

                Moonbin turned to Mrs. Bae again. “I wonder when will omma wake up” “Doctor said it might take some time. They gave her drug so her body need times to react to the medicine” “Aigo, our omma” he caressed her head. “This really makes me regret deciding to study abroad”

“Yah, don’t say that. It’s your dream. You can’t give up on your dream. I’m here. Appa is here too. We can take care of her”

                Moonbin turned to Yubin. “I decided to postpone my semester”

“Moonbin” she sighed. “I don’t think I can concentrate on my study if I go back” his smile was bittersweet. “If omma want to leave, I want to be next to her. That way, I don’t have any regret in the future” he held onto her weak hand.

                Yubin couldn’t lift her head anymore. Tears once again flowed down her cheeks at that thought.

“It’s true that omma sometimes annoy us, but omma had raised us all these years. There are times that I thought ‘Woah I want to study abroad to escape from home. I want to be free’. But” he chuckled. “Look now. We’re just like little kids who need our mother”

                Yubin approached him and Moonbin took her hand. He stood and let her cry on his shoulder. “Aigo” he smiled but a tear slid down his cheeks. “What are we going to do now, Yubin? How can we help omma?”