Loosening the muffler that had been covering the lower half of his face, Luhan smiled apologetically as he took his seat opposite Se Ryeong. It took a lot of convincing acting and persuasion before his parents finally believed nothing serious would happen to him again while they went home to freshen up and as a result, he had been late for the meet up. Although he had chosen a café near the hospital, he was unable to run the short distance in his state and he prayed that the girl wouldn’t leave before he arrives. “I’m sorry for asking you to come all the way here after a long day in school.” The girl had the same distant feel to her as Sehun first did. Her eyes carefully read his movements and he guessed that like Sehun, she was wary of people.

Although he had heard lots about her, he had only met her once when he went over to Sehun’s house to complete their homework together. The siblings lived in a shabby two-room apartment which to Luhan’s delight was warm and cosy. He knew how they struggled with part-time jobs to rent the place and he was worried that they would have gone for the cheapest house with no heater. He didn’t manage to exchange more than a few words with Se Ryeong before she had to leave for her work. It was then that he found out that Sehun was serious when he said they had to take on jobs that were beyond the understanding of a normal person who lived a sheltered life.

“Are you all right?” Se Ryeong pushed her mug of hot coffee towards Luhan which he politely rejected. Coffee had always been his favorite drink, but he had given it up in favor of his health – although he wasn’t sure if indulging in a cup would make a difference given that his time was nearly up anyway. “I was wondering… did Sehun mention anything about me recently?”
“Oppa said he had a fight with you although he gave no details. Was it a serious one? He hasn’t smiled in days.” The girl’s concern for her brother was evident.
“I guess he’s still upset with me…” Luhan’s voice trailed off as he recalled how livid Sehun was during the confession. “I kind of did something that he couldn’t accept but I really want to be able to talk to him again. I don’t have a lot of time left, Se Ryeong. Can you help me? Please?” Luhan pleaded with desperation in his voice. Heck, he was willing to get on his knees and kneel before her if it made her happy! She seemed surprised at how despaired he sounded, but more importantly, she was worried about what he had said. “What are you talking about? What do you mean when you say you’re running out of time?”
Luhan chewed on his bottom lip as he toyed with the idea of telling her the truth. Letting her in on his secret would be akin to telling Sehun, but he was in no position to be keeping secrets. “Cancer,” He mumbled so softly she barely heard him. “The doctor said five months, tops.”

She had been speculating about her brother’s ambiguous relationship with Luhan for a while now. Although he introduced the latter as his best friend, the way he talked about him held so much adoration it seemed as though he was speaking of his lover. Her brother