Chanyeol stared at the big F written in red ink on his test paper. Surprisingly, he didn’t feel sad or angry. He didn’t feel any pain inflicted on him, even if he was the only one among the class who failed. His friends, Chen and Baekhyun, were both yelling together; dancing festively for having an A for the first time. Since the test was easier than usual, other students were also cheering happily for getting an A. The full-fledged and mature high school classroom became like one of those clamorous kindergarten classrooms. Their voices rang in Chanyeol's ears; so noisy and irritating like the earsplitting music of an infamous rock band. Chanyeol buried his head in his arms, trying to block out the noise aggravating his ears.

 

"You okay?" a hand patted his back. It was Baekhyun.

 

"I would’ve been okay, if the classroom weren't so noisy", Chanyeol grumbled.

 

"Ignore them. They're just overjoyed that everyone in class passed", Baekhyun said.

 

"Look who's talking. You were also screaming back there like lunatic", Chen said to Baekhyun.

 

"What! But–. I–. You were also screaming back there!", he spat back.

 

They argued endlessly, making Chanyeol's ears hurt even more. A headache started to form on his head. It was a nuisance and it was afflicting him badly.

 

"Not everyone passed", he grumbled silently; his voice unheard by the jubilant crowd.

 

"Chanyeol, can you talk with me outside for a moment please?" his teacher called to him.

 

His teacher, who supposedly had a gentle voice, made a shrill sound telling him to hurry up. His classmates stared at him, along with Chen and Baekhyun, wondering what trouble he did to make their teacher call him like that. He wanted to shout profanities at them and tell them to mind their own business. But he knew he shouldn’t. It would only cause chaos and disorder. He figured that it was his headache that made him think like that. He wasn't feeling very well that day.

 

Chanyeol stood up and followed his teacher. She was standing outside, hands on her hips and looking at him sternly.

 

"Perhaps you already know that you're the only one who failed, Mr. Park", she said to him; keeping her flinty eyes on his.

 

Chanyeol winced. "Yes Ma'am".

 

She sighed. "You've been having a lot of failing grades recently, Chanyeol. You need to fix your grades or else you wouldn't be able to go to college" she paused "Well, you can choose not to but, as your teacher, I know that you are capable of being able to go to a good university. But only if you do well".

 

Chanyeol hung his head low, acting guilty and trying to hide how pissed he was. His eye twitched n annoyance and his mouth turned into a frown. The teacher saw it ignored him and continued her babble. "Try to think about your future for once, Chanyeol. If you think more about it, you'll realize that getting your grades high again would be the right path to choose". She looked at him sternly "I'll leave the decisions up to you, but I'll be watching your performance".

 

She headed back inside the classroom, heels being slammed against the tiled floor, leaving Chanyeol alone in the hallway.

 

Chanyeol sighed and ruffled his hair in frustration. It wasn't her position to delve into his business. He didn't care about what she said earlier and only listened to half of it. But his teacher was right. Of course, a man has his pride and wouldn't admit being wrong when accused or scolded. If only he'd let down his pride and think about it, then he'll realize how important those words are and how it can affect his life if he chose the wrong path.

 

❋   ❋   ❋   ❋   ❋   ❋   ❋   ❋   ❋   ❋   ❋   ❋   ❋   ❋   ❋

 

He sat on the cold tiled floor, horrified to what he'd heard awhile ago. He brought his hands to his hair and tugged at them. His eyes were moist, tears ready to fall. He just didn't want to cry. He didn't want to be weak and vulnerable. The fruits he brought awhile ago tumbled out of the plastic bag, scattering on the floor. The words he heard from his father's room were unbelievably impossible but also true.

 

 

Chanyeol went to the hospital after school, passing by the noisy bustle of the doctors and nurses in the ground floor and immediately heading to the silent hall of the third floor. He reached his father’s room with a bunch of fruits in hand. He was about to turn the doorknob, but then, realizing that the wooden door was slightly opened; light seeping out of the tight space between the door and the doorframe.  Hushed voices can be heard from inside. Chanyeol leaned closer to the door, trying to hear what they're saying.

 

"How have you been lately, Mr. Park?" a man said. It was the doctor.

 

"I-I'm fine", a man with a weaker voice said. Chanyeol gulped. It was his father, stuttering and having trouble speaking.

 

"You didn't have to speak"

 

"A-and I c-can't write either", he said, followed by a weak laugh that sent pain in Chanyeol's heart. "A-and I'd l-like to hear m-my voice f-for one last t-time before l-losing it c-completely".

 

The doctor sighed. "Have you written your will yet, Mr. Park?"

 

"It w-was finished a l-long time ago". A sad chuckle emanated from his father. "W-why do y-you ask D-doc? D-does that m-mean I'm d-dying?"

 

Chanyeol held his breath. To hear that line coming from his father’s mouth hurt him. Hearing his sad laughs and chuckles made it even worse.

 

"I usually don't have the heart to tell the patients that they're dying; I never do". The doctor breathed out a sigh again. "But you have a good heart, Mr. Park. You don't seem to be scared, even when you know you're dying. The truth is…”

 

The time stopped for awhile; a longing silence filled the room. Two beating hearts anticipating a response; the weak one was expecting the negative while the healthier one was expecting to hear the positive. A lone heart, stuck between the two, was beating furiously; its owner confused whether to spill out the truth or continue to fill the patient's mind with lies.

 

"I think you already know the answer, Mr. Park", the doctor's loud voice broke the silence.

 

"I'm g-going to d-die, aren’t I?" The way his father said it made it sound like a statement, not a sentence.

 

Chanyeol waited for the doctor's answer; his heart beating rapidly.

 

"Yes. Yes you are"

 

A knife stabbed Chanyeol's heart as he stepped away from the room, not wanting to hear anything any longer. He dropped the plastic bag; squashing the delicate fruits inside. That knife had already been there from the start. Now, someone turned the knife and plunged it even deeper into Chanyeol's heart.

 

 

 

Chanyeol stood up and picked up the fruits that fell to the floor. The mangoes were already squashed from the impact. The carton that held the strawberries opened and scattered the red fruits on the floor. The apples and grapes were fine, but he didn't think anyone would like to eat fruits that fell on the floor. Chanyeol threw them on the trash bin.

 

He wiped his eyes and sat down in the floor again; cold and miserable. His father was going to die. He and his mom had already expected it when they realized his health wasn’t improving. But there was still hope in their hearts that wished that the doctor could make him fine and healthy again. That hope has just been torn from his heart and shot by a gun. Chanyeol realized that there was no hope, after all.

 

Somebody tapped Chanyeol's shoulder softly. He turned around to see Miyoung standing there, grinning impeccably.

 

"I'm not in the mood to be happy and cheery right now", he said and brushed her away.

 

"I know", she said. "It's pretty obvious when you're sitting in front of the trash bin with a dark aura surrounding you".

 

"What do you want?" He groaned.

 

"I just to help you"

 

Chanyeol scoffed. "Help me?"

 

"Yeah. Are you up for a job right now?"

 

He looked at her. "What job?"

 

Miyoung shrugged. "Same as before. I go out with my boyfriend, Kris, while you take care of Hyejin for awhile and then I pay you money!" She was too happy and he was disgusted by it. It annoyed him that she could be so jubilant while he was there; downcast and miserable as he took in the news.

 

"How can that help me?"

 

She shrugged. "Maybe you could occupy your mind with something other than your problems and, you know, earn some money. Is that good enough for you?"

 

Chanyeol sighed. She was right. He needed something to occupy his mind for awhile. Then he can prepare himself for the worse. And he could earn some money and maybe use it to buy something useful for his father. Something that would make him happy before he dies. He looked at Miyoung, whose face was annoyingly giving him a pleading look.

 

"Fine, I'll do it".

 

a/n:

That’s all for Chapter 4. I hope you all like it! Please tell me if I improved or not.  And for those who read the story from the very start, Thank you so much! Also, thank you to those who subscribed! Please comment and subscribe! (If you want to, I’m not forcing you or something). By the way, sorry for the late update. I’ve really been busy lately due to school. I’ll try to update even faster this time~!  :):):)