The following days went well for Chanyeol. He and Minjung were even more in love and his mother was feeling a lot better, doctors told them she was on the way of recovery and Chanyeol had hugged his mom close to him and he heard her tell him that soon, they could be home together again and live like they used to.

But that little dream started collapsing when the principal of the school came to fetch Chanyeol in the middle of class one Wednesday morning. The students had seen the look on Chanyeol’s face that read true fright when he was called and he had quickly scrambled together his books and followed the principal out of the classroom. Chanyeol knew exactly what it was when the principal had called his name.

His mother

Chanyeol gulped hard when he walked out of the school with the principal, Mr. Choi, and walked over to his car and Mr. Choi drove him to the hospital.

In the car Mr. Choi told Chanyeol that the hospital had called and told them that Mrs. Park’s condition had worsened and that she wanted to see her son. Chanyeol stayed quiet, forcing the tears that wanted to break free to stay locked in his eyes.

At the parking lot of the hospital Mr. Choi took Chanyeol’s hand and patted it before ushering him to go. Chanyeol did as told, thanking Mr. Choi for driving him to the hospital before he closed the door and almost ran into the hospital. He walked up to the reception and stuttered out his name.

A nurse fetched him and told him to follow her. Chanyeol asked her what had happened; she didn’t answer but looked sad. Chanyeol swallowed as they stepped out of the elevator and he was met by a doctor who Chanyeol knew too well.

It was Dr. Kim, who was Chaemin’s personal doctor and was helping her through cancer.

“Hello Chanyeol” she said and Chanyeol nodded, looking around himself for his mother.

“Why don’t we go into my office and talk” Dr. Kim said and Chanyeol nodded and they walked into the office and sat down. Dr. Kim started pulling out some papers and Chanyeol swallowed hard as he waited for her to talk.

“So. You know that your mother was responding well on the treatments and that we said that she was on the way of recovery” Dr. Kim started and Chanyeol nodded. “Today around lunch she started to feel worse and we did a check up on her and… we noticed that the treatment has backfired.”

Chanyeol swallowed and he looked at Dr. Kim who looked back at him with a sad expression. “We are not sure anymore how long she’ll be here-“

“Don’t you have anything you can do?” Chanyeol asked as the tears fell from his eye.

“We have tried everything we can” Dr. Kim said and Chanyeol shook his head.

“You have to do something” he said and the tears now fell freely down his cheeks, not that he noticed.

“We don’t have anything more we could try. We have tried everything. I’m really sorry” Dr. Kim said and stood up from her seat. Chanyeol sat in his seat and clenched his hands in his lap. He hung his head as he sobbed and the tears fell down in his lap. Dr. Kim walked over to Chanyeol and pulled him in her arms.

He fell into her arms and sobbed against her shoulder.

“Why? Why does it have to be her?” he asked and Dr. Kim patted Chanyeol’s back soothingly and whispered in his ear.

“Why don’t you go to your mother?” Dr. Kim said and Chanyeol nodded. He dried his cheeks with the back of his hand and they walked out of the door. He was taken to his mother’s new room and he spotted his mother laying on her bed. His heart broke when he saw her; she looked paler than ever and more tired than ever, as if she hadn’t slept for several days.

“Channie” Chaemin croaked out when she spotted her son at the door with the doctor. She saw how Chanyeol’s eyes were red and how he bit his lip hard so that he wouldn’t start bawling out loud. Chanyeol walked over to his mother’s bed and sat down on the floor beside her bed, he rested his head on her bed. He let his tears out again when he felt Chaemin’s hand caress the top of his head.

“Why?” he mumbled and gripped onto the sheets while he stared down at the floor and rested his forehead against the bed. “Why does it have to be you? You were getting better just a few days ago”

“I know sweety. But this is life. Everything doesn’t go as planned” he heard Chaemin say with a weak voice and Chanyeol looked up. Chaemin’s eyes looked dull, almost like Minjung’s, and tired. Her cheeks were sunken in and she looked pale like the moon at night.

“If it’s time for me to go. Then it is. I want you to know that I love you and your father loved you a lot before he disappeared out this world. And keep up the faith-“

“How can I when you’re gone? You’re the only person I have anymore!” Chanyeol cried out and grabbed his mother hand and looked into her eyes.

“You have to. You have to keep fighting. And you’re not alone, you have Minjung too” Chaemin smiled and Chanyeol’s cheek. He sniffled loudly and felt how his mother dried his cheeks.