It’s all white. I hate it. Why do I have to be here, inside this small square room? Oh, I mean in this hospital room? Yeah, I remember it now. I’m dying. I have leukemia and it’s on its worst stage at the moment, meaning I will die soon. It’s ironic because I’m alone. From the day I was born until the day I die, I am always alone. Nothing else could get any better. And so I was spacing out. My phone suddenly rang. I wish to ignore the call since I’m never interested to talk to anyone, but then, something inside urged me to take the call. I saw the caller’s name. It was my best friend, Kevin. A small smile crept from my lips. I decided to take the call already.

                “Hey midget!” he exclaimed.

                My smile grew bigger, so as my tears. They started flowing down my cheeks.

                “Midget! Taetae! Why aren’t you answering?” he asked, his voice is loud as usual.

                I kept silent. I don’t want him to hear my voice crack. He ended the call and sent me a message.

                “Why aren’t you talking? What happened to you? Were you kidnapped? Where are you now!? I’m worried to death!”

                I laughed at his questions. He’s exaggerating things a lot. So here I am, laughing with dried tears. I am really insane. I pressed reply and typed a small message for him.

                “Hahaha. You’re exaggerating things again! Don’t worry about me, I’m alright.”

                I looked at the message for a while and then pressed sent. I don’t know if I liked my reply or not. But since I’ve got nothing else to say, I sent it anyway. After that, I was spacing out again. I looked at the window of my room. I saw nurses and other men walk through the hallway. It was a busy hospital day for everyone. My phone beeped again. It was no other than Jaejoong. Another smile crept from my lips again as I read his reply.

                “Will you please change your template? I really hate that smiley with the sentence “Don’t worry about me, I’m alright.” And please, do inform me if you are too busy. Are you writing another story? Is that the reason why you’re nowhere to be found?”

                I laughed again. This best friend of mine really knows me well. I typed in another reply.

                “Hey! That isn’t my template! I’m always alright and there’s nothing to worry about me. And about the story, I’m finishing one now. That’s why I’m really budsysg.”

                Pitiful coughs echoed throughout the room. I covered my mouth with my right hand. After about a minute, my cough went away. I removed my hand and saw blood on it. My phone beeped again. With my bloody hand, I reached my phone and read my best friend’s reply.

                “What’s budsysg? Why is miss writer misspelling things? Hahaha. Okay, you must be really busy. I’ll leave you alone then. Let me be the first one to read your story, okay?”

                I was about to type another reply but my vision became very blurred. I can’t control my hands anymore. I dropped my phone somewhere else and dropped to bed. Maybe I still need more nap.

                About four hours later, I woke up with the nurse checking on my condition. She smiled at me and I smiled at her too.

                “How are you ma’am?” she asked me.

                “I’m alright.” I replied with a wide smile.

                “I’ll be going now ma’am. Just press the alarm button if you need something.” She said before she walked away.

                And since I’ve got nothing else to do, I decided to finish the story I am currently writing. What I said to my best friend before is the truth. I am currently finishing a story that will obviously be my last.

- - - - - - - meanwhile

                I just finished taking a warm bath. Tonight, I will visit Jessica. She will be really surprised. After that I’ll drop by Taeyeon’s house to check her out. She might be lying to me. I know someone cannot be alright at all times. And so wearing my best shirt and jeans, a fine fragrance, and some confidence, I am ready to go.

                On my way, I spotted roses sold by some old woman. I decided to buy some red roses for Jessica and white for Taeyeon. I hired a cab and went to see my beloved lady. I am so excited. We’ve been together for five months and this will be the first time that I will surprise her. I know women loves surprises so she might be really happy.

                I climbed the stairs to her apartment and as I reach a higher step, my heart beats faster and my smile grows wider. And then, I suddenly heard noises. Not just normal noises but weird. It’s as if someone’s making love. Well, since the area is an apartment, I shrugged my doubts away. But still, something inside me kept on telling me something’s wrong.

                I grabbed a key of her house hidden under the pot beside her door. I unlocked the door and was so surprised with what I saw. I really thought I will be the one doing the surprising act, but I wasn’t. It was Jessica.

                I saw her all over another guy who’s shirtless. The entire room was a mess and so is Jessica. Their eyes grew wide as they saw me staring at the two of them.

                “Jaejoong!” Jessica said.

                “Oh, I must’ve interrupted something.” I replied.

                “Jae… Let me explain. I…”

                “Oh, then how will you explain this?”

                Before Jessica could say another word, the guy stood up. “Jess, there’s no need to lie anymore. Just tell him the truth. Tell him that you never loved him and that you only did this to have me back. Tell him you just used him to make me feel jealous.” The guy said.

                And so, Jaejoong’s jaw dropped. “Thanks dude. I know she won’t tell me. Enjoy yourselves guys. You still have a long night.”

                I walked down the stairs quickly. The only girl I loved lied to me. I thought everything’s right. I thought every lie was the truth. I am so foolish. And so I decided to dial Taeyeon’s number. I really need my best friend now. She's the only person I can count on in this times.

                It’s no use. She won’t pick up the phone. I nearly crashed the roses into pieces until I saw one white rose, the one I was supposed to give to Taeyeon. And so I decided to look for her. I ran to her house.

                I finally reached Taeyeon’s house. But it’s no use. There is no sign of any living species inside her locked house. I decided to ask her neighbors about her whereabouts and the second surprise of the day came across my face. She is confined at the hospital and is dying.

- - - - - - - - -

                “When will you look at me? When will you notice? When she’s around, I feel so small and helpless. Just as I thought, I’m nothing. This will continue like this. But it’s alright. I’m the only one hurting. As long as you are smiling, as long as you remember me, your best friend, then I will be fine. I will be alright. That would be enough, loving you from a distance.”

- - - - - - - - -

                I reached the information booth and asked the receptionist of Taeyeon’s room number. I quickly went to the fifth floor to check her. I don’t care if I would knock someone else on my way. The fact that she’s dying anytime kills me.

                After a minute I reached her room. I opened the door and saw two nurses keeping all the apparatus they used. When I glanced at the bed, I saw Taeyeon sleeping. She is so pale. Her usually pink lips are now as white as her skin. Her face was so blank and it showed no expression at all. I approached her and touched her hand. My eyes grew big. I turned to the nurses and they just shook their heads.

                Tears flowed down my cheeks. First was my girlfriend and now my best friend. Why do I have to be this unlucky? While holding her hand, I cried and cried. I tightly held her hand and I wouldn’t hold my hand tight too. I can’t believe it. I lost her now. That damn leukemia took away her life.

                After about half an hour, they said I shall leave because her body will be taken somewhere else. I sat alone. I never stopped crying. I still held the last white rose I was supposed to give her. I suddenly remembered our conversation a while ago. Why does she always say she’s alright and there’s nothing for me to worry about? That midget! Why did she die? Why did she have to?

                I heard footsteps approaching me. I looked up and saw a nurse with a thick notebook. She handed me the notebook and said it was Taeyeon’s.

                “She kept on writing on that notebook while she’s confined. She isn’t allowed to but she begged for it. She said she’s going to end her story. I didn’t know she was the writer of my favorite one shot story! I kept on reading her stories online and it really inspired me. I am so upset that she died early. Since you’re her only relative, I will give you this.”

                I took the notebook and the nurse walked away. Even until her last hour, she still holds her pen. Sometimes I think her best friend was a pen and not me. Since I’ve got nothing else to do, I decided reading her last story.

- - - - - - - - -

                “Are you alright?”

                “Yes, I am alright. There’s no need to worry about me.”

                “You know what? I love her.”

                “Oh, you do? Then you should court her.”

                “You know what?! We’re together now!”

                “Oh, I’m glad to hear that.”

                “When will you look at me? When will you notice? When she’s around, I feel so small and helpless. Just as I thought, I’m nothing. This will continue like this. But it’s alright. I’m the only one hurting. As long as you are smiling, as long as you remember me, your best friend, then I will be fine. I will be alright. That would be enough, loving you from a distance.”

- - - - - - - -

                My tears flowed like rivers. I know this story. This story is Taeyeon’s story. At last, she was able to tell her own feelings. But this only made me feel bad. This made me feel really evil. How can I not notice? How can I be this stupid? But she lied to me. She said she’ll finish the story. And she always has happy endings with all her stories! How could this one end like this! Why did I let this end like this?

                I quickly returned to her room. I touched the bed, the cover and the pillows. I hugged it tightly, sensing her smell from the cloth. Tears never stopped falling. My vision was so blurred, I could hardly read or see.

                When I lifted the other pillow, I saw her phone. I flipped it open and saw her black wallpaper. I browsed through the messages and saw she erased everything. I wanted to ask why but nobody would answer me. I browsed through her gallery and all her files were deleted, except for one recording. I quickly played it.

                I wasn’t wrong. It’s midget’s voice.

                “I’m sorry. I think this will be my end. I’m sorry because I can’t put an ending to my story. Will you write its ending? I do know, by now, you already realized who the characters were. At least I’ll confess before I die. I love you Jaejoong, ever since we were in high school. I was so happy on the first day that we became friends. I thought someday you’ll love me too. I thought being best friends will lead to something romantic but things went out of plan. I guess we’re really not for each other. And here goes this disease my ancestors gave me. I’m sorry because I didn’t tell you. I thought I’d lose you. It’s also because you are with Jessica. I never wanted to ruin your relationship. But please don't mind me. I’m just insane. You have common sense so you should know what I’m talking about. Please put a nice ending to my story. It’ll all be up to you. Post it to my online journal as my last story. My password was your name. So, that will be all. Thanks for the memories Jaejoong. Goodbye my friend.”

- - - - - - - - - - -

                A few days later, the story Goodbye my friend was posted online and it became viral. The ending was really epic and it became a hot issue:

To all the readers,

                This is Jaejoong, the author’s best friend. To be honest with you, I am the stupid male lead in this story. I’ll accept all of the blame from Taeyeon’s readers since I know how stupid I am. I cannot put an end on this story. I can’t put the real ending. To tell you the truth guys, she died a week ago because of a severe illness. That’s why she wasn’t able to put an end to this story. She told me to put an end but I can’t. Can you guys help me?

- - - - - - - - - -

                Replies like “You’re so dumb!”, “Did you love her?” and “It shall be a happy ending” flooded the journal. I didn’t mind answering each. I made up my mind. Even for the last time, I would return the love Taeyeon has been giving me. I would create an end for her last story.

- - - - - - - - - -

                “Even though I lose all my blood, even if it meant my own life, I would do everything just to keep you alive.” Jae said.

                “Silly, I have cancer. I’m dying soon.” Taeyeon said.

                “No, you can’t die. If you die, then I will die too.” Jae replied.

                “Don’t you ever commit suicide!” Taeyeon exclaimed.

                “Don’t worry, I won’t.” Jaejoong replied with a smile.

                “Good thing then.”

                “I won’t because you won’t die.”

                “What are you talking about?” Taeyeon asked with a puzzled face.

                “You’re not dying. It’s just some respiratory problem. The doctors made a mistake with the records. Your record was switched with someone who has leukemia.”

                “Oh, you’re funny.”

                “No he’s not. You really not dying.” The doctor said with a wide smile.

                A smile crept from her lips and so was from mine. We looked at each other and smiled. I hugged her tightly and caressed her face. My face went closer and closer.

                “Hey, Jessica would be really mad. You’re exaggerating things again.”

                “Don’t worry about that, she isn’t the one for me. She’s a fake. You’re the one I love Taeyeon.”

- - - - - - - - - -

                Sweet ending; that’s how the last story turned out. Jaejoong got lots of positive reactions and tears. But a story will remain a story. And their real story came to an end even before the novel was. Even though Jaejoong returned the love to Taeyeon in the story, it will never happen in reality. It’s simply because she wouldn’t feel it anymore. It’s because everything’s over. 

[author's note]

How was it? Please do comment! It's my first drama. Sorry if it wasn't that good! :( thank you for reading!