As the chauffeur pulled up near the hospital, Jinki impatiently opened the door and ran into the hospital.

“Jinki!” Nayeon called back. Apologizing to the driver, she thanked him before leaving as well. Following him, she met with him at the front desk. Already he was demanding to know which room his mother was in.

“What is your name?” the woman asked.

“Lee Jinki, I am her son.” the look of fear, panic, and stress told her that he was telling the truth.

“Mrs. Jung Ahn-ji is in the presidential floor; the top floor to your farthest right. A security guard will be there to you if you find yourself lost.”

“Thank you very much.” Nayeon thanked the woman. Allowing him to impatiently run to the elevator to repeatedly push the button, she took the visitor’s pass from the woman. Waiting in the elevator, Nayeon turned her husband to her. “You need to wear this.” she told him as she put the sticker on him.

“I hope she’s fine.” Jinki said as his body vibrated in distress.

“I know it’s a difficult situation right now, but you need to calm down. Freaking out like this will only cause you more stress.” She held his hand then tucked it under her arm. The elevator door opened, “You need to keep up with me.”

Stepping out together, they walked to the room and knocked. Greeted by the comfort of his brother’s face, Jinki pulled Joongki into a hug.

“I missed you, brother.” Jinki said.

“I’m sorry we have to see each other again this way.” Pulling him away, Joongki gestured to their mother. “She’s been waiting patiently to see you.”

“How long was she like this?” he asked.

“Four days now.” Joongki answered.

Slipping his hands into her cold ones, he sat on the chair next to her bed and kissed her forehead.

“I’m so sorry.” he whispered so only she could hear. “I’m sorry for neglecting you, for not picking up those calls; I’m so sorry for not knowing.”

Nayeon walked over to her husband and put her hand on his shoulder, giving him a squeeze. Right now wasn’t a time to convince him that he wasn’t at fault — he needed to release whatever was bothering him.

“This wasn’t her first .” Joongki announced.

Jinki’s eyes remained closed. Tears only thickened the stream on his face.

“The first one: she kept from us. Doctors told me that it was very minor and since we were so busy with our lives, she didn’t want to tell us. I was told by Seok that only he and the other house workers knew about her .”

“Did he know?” Jinki asked, voice uneven from the emotions.

“I asked him but he didn’t answer. So I am assuming he didn’t.” Joongki admitted.

Jinki looked at their bedridden mother. “Selfless as always.”

Nayeon sat next to him and put her hand on his knee. He looked at her and she leaned in and kissed him on the forehead. “I'm sorry, baby.” She gently whispered to him.

“I ignored their calls, Nayeon.” He confessed.

“Don’t blame yourself, Jinki.” she put her head on his shoulder, “You had no idea.”

Hyojoo held on her husband’s arm. “We’ll be leaving so you two can have your moment with mom.” She pulled Joongki so they could leave.

Nayeon looked at her mother-in-law. She was so pale and still. Nayeon’s heart sunk; she couldn’t help but tear up. Her mother-in-law didn’t deserve this. She was such a gentle soul. Regardless of her medical situation, the wrinkles around her lips lingered a little smile on her face. Such a gentle woman with such an amazing heart, it’s no wonder Jinki is such a wonderful person. She recalled their first and only encounter: before her wedding.

There was a knock on the door. The couple propped up from their seats and saw the doctor walk in.

“Hello, I’m Dr. Seo Hangyi.” she introduced.

Jinki and Nayeon bowed.

“How is my mother’s state, doctor?” Jinki asked.

“Unfortunately,” she took off her glasses and placed them in her coat pocket, “She is in a vegetative state.”

Jinki’s shoulders drooped. Nayeon spoke up, “Is there anything we can do?”

“Only time will tell.” The doctor continued. “We discovered a large hemorrhage in her brain. It can’t be cured but only doses of medication can help but at this point she hasn’t been responsive with them.”

There was a silence in the room. The doctor looked at them and sighed, “I know this is a difficult time right now but I don’t think she can revive from this state. I didn’t speak to your brother about this but.”

Jinki rose his gaze from his mother to the doctor.

“Perhaps you can speak to your family about what she would have wanted in this time.”

Knowing what she meant, Nayeon’s eyes widen. She looked at Jinki, who was spacing out from just the thought of pulling the plug on his mother.

“Thank you, Dr. Seo.” she bowed for the doctor to leave.

The doctor bowed then left the room.

“It’s only been four days,” Jinki said dazedly, “and she’s already talking about pulling the plug on my mom.”

It was late in the night but too early in the morning. Visiting hours were closed but Lee Wang always got his way. As he walked up to his wife’s hospital room, the doctor told him all the information he needed to know. From her hemorrhage to her vegetative state, Dr. Seo left nothing behind.

“Get the papers prepared for me to sign.” he told the doctor. He knew his wife didn’t want to be like this. To be pathetic and dependent on some machinery.

As the doctor went to gather the paperwork, Wang entered the room and heard the constant beeping sounds of the machine; a reminder that she wasn’t alive enough to breathe for herself. He walked up to his ill wife and cupped her face.

Cold, still, thick and lifeless.

This wasn’t his wife Jung Ahn-ji. His wife was full of life and had a radiance that no one else could.

There she laid. It broke his heart but he didn’t cry.

“Ahn-ji, my love,” he called and kissed her on the cheek. “It’s been a long time.” His hands slipped into hers and he kissed them, “I finally got Chanel in the galleria.” He laughed, “But you’re not here with me to see it.”

His only response from her were the machines.

“Ahn-ji-ah, my one and only love,” he called as he got closer, “it’s okay to let go. I’m here now. You don’t need to suffer anymore. Let go, my love. Enjoy your time in heaven while you wait for a person like me.”

He gave her a crippling smile, afraid to lose his wife, then kissed her on her forehead. “Don’t forget to greet me when I get there.”

There was a knock on the door and Dr. Seo came in.

“I have it here with me.”

“Hurry up and let me sign it.” he looked at his wife one last time. “Let me set her free from this misery.”

With the machines off and just the two of them there, Lee Wang held his wife’s hand and remained in the silence. In that same place, same position, and same solemn serenity for hours, it felt like only minutes had gone by.

His wife was gone.

Pronounced dead at 3:27 AM.

By the time he knew it the sun had risen and it was time to leave his wife. Wang took a last look of his wife then solemnly left the room.

He walked to the reception, “Call my two sons and notify them of their mother’s passing.”

The nurse nodded and Wang took his leave.

They ran into the hospital, with Jinki being ahead. Nayeon couldn’t keep up with her husband, but how could she? As they passed by workers, they all paved their way for the couple; knowing the family had just suffered a loss. Even though he was ahead of her, he waited for her in the elevator. Pressing the top floor, they panted in the space.

“Jinki,” she called.

“I don’t understand,” he shook his head, “she was literally fine yesterday!” he shouted in frustration.

“Jinki,” Nayeon pulled her husband’s hand back. “Come here.” she pulled him into a hug.

“I don’t understand.” he shut his eyes and began to cry. “It’s all my fault.”

“No it’s not.” She pat his back, “Her passing had nothing to do with you. Don’t say that.”

The elevator dinged and the doors opened. He pulled away from her but held her hand. The couple ran to his mother’s room and opened it.

Welcomed by the sound of hysterical crying, Hyojoo looked up from her tears, “Jinki! Nayeon!” she called and went up to them. She hugged them, “She’s gone!” she proceeded to cry.

He brushed off his sister-in-law and walked towards her. Around her bed was the weeping of his brother and several of the workers in her home, including Seok. Jinki looked at his mother and felt his knees weaken.

“Mom.” His lips moved but nothing came out. He held onto the bed handle and deeply exhaled.

He scrunched his eyes and dropped his head down. Gradually, his cried became more audible. Joongki looked at his younger brother and wiped his own tears away. He put his arm on Jinki’s shoulders and pulled him in a hug.

“It’s okay,” he roughly pat his brother’s back, “she’s not in pain anymore. Our mom is in a better place now.”

Jinki sobbed, “She was fine yesterday how could this happen?”

Hyojoo pulled away from Nayeon, “Doctors said they received confirmation to pull the plug.”

Nayeon was shocked, she knew how much hope Jinki had in his mother. Just the thought of it sickened his stomach. She knew he wouldn’t handle it well to know this information.

“From who?” he asked. The anger began to rekindle in him.

“Who else?” Joongki looked at Jinki.

Jinki pushed his brother off of him and walked towards the door. Nayeon pulled him back, “Jinki,” she shook her head, “Don’t. Not now.”

He looked at his wife. “Seok,” he called.

The worker stood up straight and wiped his tears away. “Yes, sir.”

“Please take my wife home once she is ready.” He looked at Nayeon, “I’m leaving right now.”

Nayeon took her hands off of him, knowing it was useless trying to stop him.

He looked at his wife, “I’ll be fine, I promise.”

“Be safe,” she warned, “I don’t want another scar on your body.”

He nodded and walked out. Halfway on his way to the elevator, Seok called for him. The butler handed him a leather-felt journal.

“This was your mother’s.” he told him. “I just thought that maybe you will want to have this.”

Jinki took his mother’s journal from Seok.

“Thank you, Seok. This means a lot to me, so thank you.”

The butler nodded then went back to the room.

Jinki walked to the elevator and got in. He flipped through them, skimming the pages of his mother’s heart until he reached the back. On the back of a short bucket list of things she wanted to do and some of her wishes. Jinki shut his eyes and leaned on the wall of the elevator. He shut it and began mourning the loss of his kindhearted mother.

Jinki marched to his father’s office and aggressively pushed his doors open. They slammed loudly behind him, catching a glance from his father.

“Why did you pull the plug on her without consulting the rest of us?”

“I knew you weren't going to like it.” Wang replied, looking back through files.

“Then why did you do it?” Jinki felt himself get angry, “What if she survived? What if she would have woken up if you hadn’t pull the plug so quickly!”

“You and I both know she wasn’t going to, Jinki. Don’t kid yourself.”

“No,” Jinki shook his head, “we will never know because you decided to give up on her so quickly.” He glared at his father, “Don’t you care about what we wanted?”

His father’s indifference bothered him. For any other occasion, it wouldn’t have bothered him so much, but this was the death of his mother and his wife.

“Mom is gone and yet here you are, isolating yourself in this damn office of yours.”

“I am internally grieving inside.” Wang said in a nonchalant voice as he continued his paperwork.

“Did she mean nothing to you?” he boldly asked. Jinki threw the open diary at his father, “She was sick all this time and you didn’t even know that.”

Wang looked at the page.

“Mom always loved you. She always saw you as the man she deeply loves. But you,” just putting himself in his mother’s shoes pained him to the core, “you allowed your work and greed for money to get in the way. You neglected your wife and replaced your responsibilities as a husband to be a robotic, money hungry bastard!”

Wang remained quiet. Nothing his son said mattered anyway. Unsatisfied with his father’s silence, Jinki kicked the chair in front of his father’s desk. It hit his desk and knocked  a stack of files onto the floor.

“You are a selfish bastard for killing mom.”

“How,” Wang stood up with a low growl, “dare you.” The old man was visibly shaking from all these pent up emotions. “Kill?” he exclaimed, “I didn’t kill your mother, Jinki. She was already dead! I just set her free.”

“She still had a chance!” Jinki argued.

“Are you stupid, son?” Wang laughed, “Because you did an amazing job of hiding it from me.”

“It was only four days! How could you have been so sure?”

“It should have been a red flag with the doctor asked you about the decision!” Wang sat down. “Leave,” he waved his hand, “it’s useless talking to you.”

“You can kick me out all you want, but it won’t hide the fact that mom’s dead. Kicking me out will never resolve that guilt you have in your heart.”

“Why are you still here moving your lips!” the chairman loudly shouted. “Get the hell out right now!”

Turning his back on his father, Jinki inhaled his last breath of anger. Before he took his leave, he had one last thing to say.

“Keep that journal and reflect on the one person who truly loved you.”

He slammed the door and walked back to his car. Sitting in the driver’s seat, Jinki’s chest rose and fell quickly. His templed loudly pound to the beat of his thumping heart as he was overwhelmed with emotions. He knew it was time to accept his mother’s death, but now was too soon. He needed time to mourn.

Hearing the sound of the door open and close, Nayeon sat up from the sofa and looked up at her disheartened husband.

“Hey,” she said not knowing what else to say. “Are you okay?” She asked. Jinki didn't reply. “Come sit down with me.” she told.

He walked over and sat next to her, eyes looking at the ground. She cupped his face in her hands and inspected his face for any signs of assault. She meant it when she said she didn’t want another scar on him.

“Did he hit you?” Nayeon asked, genuinely concerned.

“No.” he shook his head. “Not this time.”

He still wasn't looking at her. She was growing concerned, this wasn't the man she married. “Jinki, look at me.” He looked at his wife and she continued, “What do you want me to do?” she asked.

“Hold me.” He said with that gentle and apologetic voice. “Just hold me and let me be in your arms.”

With a soft nod, Nayeon scoot herself to the far end of the sofa. Jinki rest his head on her lap. She put her hand on his shoulders then trailed it down to his chest. Bringing his hand up to touch hers, Jinki held her hand as it rest on top of his heart; where a heavy feeling cradled it.

“It’s okay to cry, Jinki.” she told him. “Let it all out today, tomorrow, the day after that, and the other days that follow.”

He interlocked his hands with hers and kissed the back of her hand. Slowly, as he prepared himself, he let go of her hand and covered his face. What started with short, clusters of whimpers turned into deep, sorrowful sobs of grief.

“I love you.” she said as he cried in her arms. She pat his back and held him closer to her. “It’s okay, let it all out.”

After an hour, Jinki finally cried himself into a slumber. Nayeon waited until he was deep asleep, then pulled herself away from him. Gently lifting his head off of her lap and put a pillow in place of her. She looked outside the backyard garden and saw a beautiful, fully blossomed Magnolia tree. Nayeon walked out to the garden and touched the petals, inspecting the authenticity of the flowers.

“Kwan?” she called.

“Yes, Nayeon-sshi?”

Nayeon turned to look at the maid, “When was this planted? Why am I only seeing it now?”

“Oh,” Kwan began to sadly reminiscence, “Madame came to plant the tree there before you and Jinki-sshi moved in.” She walked up to the flowers, “Aigoo, look how fast they’ve blossomed.”

“But it’s January.” Nayeon was awed by these flowers.

Kwan sadly smiled, “There is life after death.” She lightly chuckled and wiped her tears away, “I guess this is Madame’s gift for us to keep after her departure.”

Nayeon looked at Kwan then at the flowers. The white petals were so full and were as pure as snow. She looked back at the house where Jinki laid.

“There’s always life after death.”

hay, don’t mean to advertise but i’m also working on another story on here. i tend to update one story after another so if you ever get tired of waiting for this one, you can catch me over on my other story, Vengeful Romance. it’s a YonggukxOC story and not gonna lie it’s pretty good and getting intense. i have a lot of amazing things for this story as well so it would mean a lot to me if you would check it out.