Day by day has been passed. Taekwoon is getting weaker and weaker and his body finally succumbs with the cancer. His breath also getting weaker and all he can do now is lying on the bed helplessly. Minyoung and Hongbin couldn’t bear to see him like this. All they can do is just stay at his side and accompany Taekwoon until his last breath. Minyoung still remember how Taekwoon’s mother crying uncontrollably at his side when she saw her precious son getting closer to his death. His father and sisters have to calm her down during their visit but nothing can comfort her. She still remembers the words that Taekwoon gave to his mother that day…

Few days ago…

“Omma… Please don’t be like this. Maybe it’s my fate that I have to die at this young age. You really took care of me lot and adore me so much. You give me such a great care and you must know how grateful I am. I really want to tell you how much I love you. But, I don’t think that I could say that word again in front of you. So, omma, saranghae and gomawo for loving me and caring me with all your love.” Taekwoon let out all of his words that came from his heart.

His mother put her palm onto . She feels sad yet moved by her son’s confession. She went closer to her son and gives a peck on his forehead. “I love you too, my son. I love you too…” She couldn’t continue her words as she starts to sob harder. After that, Taekwoon look at his father.

“Appa, please take care of omma. Thanks for teaches me a lot of things during this past. Maybe you are little strict to me but I know that you did that because you care for me. Saranghae, appa.”

His father move closer to his son and also give a peck on his forehead. “I also love you, my son. I’m really proud of you. If other people ask me if I will born again, who I want to be and what I want that I can replace in the past. I just say to them that I still want to be your father and having you as my son again. I don’t think that any young people either in the future or in the past can replace you…”

Taekwoon smile at his father’s words and thanked him. Then, his sisters came forward with their red, teary eyes.

“Noona-deul…”

“Taekwoon-ah, we’re gonna miss you…”

They couldn’t help but sobbing in front of him. They couldn’t believe that they will lose their beloved baby brother, not this quickly. One of them holds his hand, “Taekwoon-ah, we really love you so much. You are the only little brother that we have. Look like we will not be able to tease you and irritate you anymore.” Taekwoon let out his little laugh hearing his sister. It’s true that his sisters always a lot since his childhood.

“You also not be able to see me in my wedding dress soon. I will never see you sit with our relatives and see me vow in front of them.” The oldest sister will be married and she can imagine the emptiness that she will feel during the ceremony. She can see how much Taekwoon want to see her with her husband-to-be walk together out from the wedding hall with a lot of people cheer on them.

“It’s okay, noona. I’m very sorry for not be able to attend your wedding. But, I can say that I’m very happy for you. I hope you and hyung will have many beautiful children in the future. I maybe couldn’t play with them but you can visit me with them if you have time.”

His sister wipes her tears that flow out from her eyes. She knows her brother really loves children and she already imagine seeing him playing with her kids but those dreams didn’t come true. “Arasso. I will do it. I promise.”

“We love you, our brother…”Then, all his three sisters give the peck on his forehead in order.

Minyoung close her eyes tightly. She was there, and she already saw each of their tears. After they went out from the room, they give hug among with them for comforting each other. She also saw Taekwoon’s father comforting his wife while wiping his tears. Each of them already starting to feel the loss of someone they loved and will part with him. Hongbin can see how much miserable Minyoung right now. He also could feel that he will lose his best friend after this. His friend that always listen to his difficulty when he want it, his friend that he always share his happiness with, the friend that always give advice to him. They are totally drowning in their sorrow until Taekwoon’s voice heard by them.

“Minyoung-ah…Hongbin-ah…”

Both of them look at Taekwoon and see him wake from his sleep.

Hongbin approach at his side, “Hyung, how do you feel right now?”

Taekwoon smile at him, “Much better. Since both of you are here.”

Then, he looks at Minyoung. “Minyoung-ah, can you be out for a while? There’s something I want to talk to Hongbin.”

Minyoung look at Hongbin, then at Taekwoon back. He gives her a signal. It’s okay. Just a short while.

Minyoung nod her head and get up from her seat and went out.

As soon Minyoung close the door, Hongbin speak, “What is it, hyung?”

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Minyoung sit at the bench that placed along at the side of the corridor. She’s now crying as much as she wants right now. Taekwoon is now in the brink of death and she couldn’t do anything. She is crying while thinking how pathetic she is now. She is not ready to let him go but she also doesn’t want to be selfish. She doesn’t want to think how her life after this. She loves him so much, so much that she doesn’t want him to go. When she was about to calm herself, Hongbin call her.

“Minyoung-ah, Taekwoon hyung want you to come in.”

Minyoung get up from her seat and went in.

“Oppa…” she sat at Taekwoon’s side.

“Minyoung-ah, you look a little bit awful now.”

“I know. Thinking that I will part from you is the thing that I don’t want it happen the most. But, it looks like I couldn’t stop it now.”

Taekwoon look at Minyoung and caress her hand.

“Minyoung-ah, I’m sorry for make you become suffer like this. I’m afraid that when I’m gone, you will forget all of our moments that we spend together and spend the rest of your life by mourn me. I want you to continue your life no matter what even without me. I want you be stronger and keep moving.”

“But, I really don’t want to lose you, oppa. I really love you and I still need you at my side. Who’s gonna accompany me after class? Who’s gonna talk with me at the park every weekend? Who’s gonna listen to me singing after this? I'm still not ready to let you go...” Minyoung put her palm on as she start to sob harder.

Taekwoon reach out his hand and caress her cheek. “Minyoung-ah, please don’t think like that. I’m always be with you. In your heart. Eventhough I’m gone, I will live inside of you.”

Minyoung’s tears start to flow faster than before. When she was about to touch his hand, he suddenly move.

“Oppa, please don’t move a lot.”

But Taekwoon still moving his body and try to get up.

“Oppa, please don’t get up. You only make your body getting worse.”

Taekwoon doesn’t listen to her. After he sat up straight, he hugs Minyoung tightly. Minyoung is surprised by him.

“Saranghae, Shin Minyoung. And…

Goodbye…”

The last word makes Minyoung stunned for a moment but she finally understand it. So, this is it? I have to let you go now? She hugs him back and her sobbing getting louder. She calm herself a bit before saying the word that she want to say him.

“Saranghae, Jung Taekwoon oppa…I’m gonna miss you…”

Taekwoon let out a satisfied smile and caress Minyoung’s hair with his right hand while the other one at her waist. The whole room filled with the sound of a girl crying and the sad separation.

Red - Pieces