"Changjo, pick up my call," Ricky whisper through the phone with desperation straining his voice. Pain are pricking every parts of his body and he can't move. Laying down on the hard, cold concrete it burn his hot, feverish back. He blink the tears away and bit his lower lips. Right now, every movement felt like knife stabbing on his already sore limbs. "Changjo" He whispers again as heard the torturous tone from the phone.

CLICK!

From the end of the line, Changjo's programmed voice cheerfully piped in. "This is Changjo. I can't take the call right now. I'm currently working. Leave a message after the BEEP okay? I'll check on it later. BBEEEEPPP," Instantly, he broke into a ball of mess. Tears streaming down his pale cheek and his breathe choked down by his fat sobs. Pressing the red button, he call and call again only to be greeted by Changjo's suddenly annoying voice.

'How could you didn't answer my call when I need you,' Ricky chant it in his heart like a mantra everytime he call Changjo. Giving up, Ricky finally left a voice mail for Changjo.

"I'm hurt, Changjo. I fell down the stairs." Truthfully, Ricky don't even know if Changjo will understand that pathetic message said in between his sob. Right now, he felt like a breathing dead person. Like a soul trapped inside a deceased body. He felt helpless. His life all this long are meaningless and useless. Why did god give him so much time anyway, if what he does with it are only feeling sorry for himself. It would be much better if God take his remaining time and give it to people who actually wants to live.

In the end, he just keep calling Changjo. Trying to seek solace from the voice of the man he loves so much, that made him choose to live until this day. "This is Changjo. I can't take the call right now. I'm currently working. Leave a message after the BEEP okay? I'll check on it later. BBEEEPPP," Unconciously, Ricky mutters along Changjo's voice with a dead tone. Even mimicking the beep sound.

He can't help himself but to wish for death. Stranded on the cold stairs of a run-down apartment at winter's most cold morning, he really wish he is dead. This sickness who out the joy out of him, he hates it, despise it with every breathe that he takes. Of course Anemia is curable but he's too poor to get a surgery. Eventhough Changjo is working as a manager in a cafe and taking up four to five part-time jobs now, it was only enough for his prescriptions, bills and food.

"This is Changjo. I can't take the call right now. I'm currently working. Leave a message after the BEEP okay? I'll check on it later. BBEEPP," Ricky mutters again along with Changjo before the darkness swallow him up.

<3

"Changjo-ahh, I'm taking a break first. I'll bring your food to the kitchen," Niel whisper at Changjo who is busy wiping the table after a customer left. It's still 11 o'clock, so there are only a few customer taking