Chapter 7​​​

She settled down on a chair, wiping sweats off her son's face and neck with a clean towel. His brows knitted made her reached out her hand, erasing his frown. She watched her son's now serene face as his chest heaving up and down rhythmically. She held his hand, it gently before kissing the chubby little fingers.

She was waiting for Taeyeon to be back as she went to lend out the documents for administration. When the nurse asked her to fill out the form, Taeyeon didn't let her and asked her to just sit and wait for her as she was the one who grabbed the form for her so she didn't have to drag her numb feet around. She didn't even know where she got a pen and clipboard for her to write on comfortably.

The doctor had informed her that Stephan was fine. Apart from having a fever, he coughed several times in his sleep but thankfully it was nothing severe. She felt very ashamed when the doctor asked her if he had been having trouble eating lately because it seemed like he had an empty stomach. That was why he advised her to let him stay the night and put him on an IV. 

The VIP room door slid open, signaling Taeyeon's arrival as she came in with a pair of plastic cups. "Hey, I grab coffees at coffee shop nearby." She drew closer to her. "I don't know what you like. I get Caffè Latte and Caramel Macchiato, which one do you prefer?"

Tiffany fished out the cup randomly and thanked her in a faint sound. She took a sip of her drink and let out an audible sigh as she felt the warm content invading her dry throat down to her belly.

She took another long sip before checking the time and timidly turned her head to Taeyeon who was still standing at the foot of bed. "It's getting late." She spoke, averted her gaze back to her lap as she couldn't look at her any longer still feeling embarrassed by her outburst earlier. She fiddled with the cup of coffee on her lap. "You have to go home."

Taeyeon gave a nonchalant nod. "I will later. Don't mind me." She paused for a moment. "You also have to take care of yourself. You need to rest. You can't take care of him if you're like this."

"I'm fine. I'll rest beside him." She shot her a vulnerable smile.

"At least take the couch. I'll watch over him."

"Thank you, Taeyeon. But I'm fine."

She heard Taeyeon let out a deep sigh in defeat and watched her moving and dropping her body on the sofa. She tore her gaze away from Taeyeon as she stared back at her with such intense eyes. She her lips, suddenly felt thirsty again and drank the rest of content till the last drop.

"Are you still thirsty? Want me to get you something else?"

"No, I'm fine."

"You keep saying that. But in fact you don't." She said under her breath. 

Tiffany heard Taeyeon's little rambling but rather ignore it. A moment later she felt something draping on her shoulders and her nose immediately caught a whiff of her smell which made her stiff body somehow relax a bit. "Why don't you wear warm clothes? It's getting cold." A hand grabbed her empty cup. Strolled over toward the cabinet on the left side of the hospital bed, Taeyeon snatched the remote and adjusting the temperature of the air conditioner. She threw the cup into the trash bin afterward, before sitting back casually as if it wasn't a big deal.

Tiffany felt a tug in her heart. As much as she loved Taeyeon's immense attention and thoughtfulness, she was afraid it would burden her. She had literally done everything for her, which was hard for her to understand why.

But she also couldn't lie that she really needed her now. And she wanted her to be beside her. For an unknown reason.

Tiffany eyed the person who had occupied her mind, -had her head down staring at the phone and fingers tapped the small screen swiftly- busy with her device.

When Taeyeon felt eyes watching over her, she brought her gaze up and they shared an eye contact. No one spoke up, one tried to convey her gratitude through her eyes and the other was clueless waiting for the other woman to speak what was on her mind.

Tiffany disconnected the unspoken gaze. She turned to her son, grasping his hand and bringing it up to her cheek. She knew she was selfish but she wanted Taeyeon to be here with them tonight, so she wouldn't ask twice if she wanna go back home. She wouldn't mind if she did, but she would definitely be dissapointed. She doubted it though, knowing Taeyeon's nature now she wouldn't leave them alone. The mere thought brought a small smile to her lips.

She leaned her body forward resting her head on the bed beside his body, snuggling her face closer to his palm. Her eye lids grew heavy, demanding her to shut them close. She didn't have the energy to fight back drowsiness and let the darkness took over. 

It's okay. She's here. She chanted in her head before fell into slumber soon with easy mind implanted in her head.

Taeyeon was playing with her phone when she heard a muffled sound come out across the hospital bed. She immediately rose from her seat, approaching him. "Hey, you're awake. Are you okay?"

Stephan held out his tiny hands to her.

"You want me to pick you up?"

The boy nodded his head feebly.

Asking no more Taeyeon granted his wish and carried him into her arms carefully, avoiding making any unnecessary commotion and waking up the woman who was sleeping soundly now. He huddled up to her immediately, and she could feel the heat of his body delivered to her skin.

"You're still hot." She spoke tenderly in concern, touched his face removing his fringe out of his face and inspecting his temperature. "Are you feeling cold?" A sigh escaped her lips as he snuggled further into her neck at least of response.

She walked to the other side of bed, hauling along the pole that supporting to his infusion. She picked up the glass of water provided by the hospital and it to him. He refused at first, but listened to her after she said she would take him back to bed.

She was still on her feet, rocking him back and forth so he could go back to sleep. She had one of her hand on his back, rubbing it gently. When she felt he started to doze off, she took him back to the hospital bed. As she tried to loose his grip on her, he whined and she had no choice but bringing him along to the couch. She tightened her hold as she took a seat, not wanting the sick boy slip out of her embrace and endanger him. 

She exhaled a long breath, she was tired but she didn't think she could sleep and leave the boy unsupervised. She looked down at him, brushing his hair tenderly studied his features, the feverish color painted on his face. She wished he gets well soon, so he could play around again and his mom could stop worrying about him.

Hours later the said mom woke up, blindly reaching out for her son. When she found nothing, she jerked her head up which sent a sharp pain in her head. She ignored it, looking at the bed that supposed to have her son now empty. Before she could panic, a rough throaty voice called her out.

When her hearing caught a screech sound of a chair, Taeyeon snapped her eyes open and straightened her posture. "Miss Hwang." She cleared as her voice came out raspy. "Stephan woke up earlier, asked me to carry him and whined when I tried to put him back to bed."

Tiffany let out a sigh of relief and nodded her head in response. She looked outside, noticed the sun had by now risen and shone thinly through the window.

She caught a sight of a jacket on the floor, which she recognized belonged to Taeyeon. She bent her body slightly, gathering the fabric up and cradling it close to her. She set her eyes back at her, her son looking so comfy and at ease in her embrace. And the view made her inside palpitating somehow.

"You don't sleep?" A nonchalant nod was the only response she got.

She watched her get up from the couch, moving toward her direction and laying her sleeping son on the hospital bed that thankfully didn't make a fuss this time.

A painful cracking sound was heard as Taeyeon stretched her body as soon as she placed him. Taeyeon let out a sigh of content and excused herself to the toilet.

"I wanna go out to grab breakfast. Any particular food you want?" Taeyeon asked as she came out of the restroom with her front hair dampen. 

All of sudden Tiffany felt self-conscious about her appearance. She was sure she looked so dishevel and her eyes were swollen from crying last night, she hoped at least there weren't any dark circles under them. She abashed under her stare, not willing Taeyeon to see her in this state. "Anything is fine." She said timidly.

She rushed to the toilet right away after Taeyeon stepped out the room and washing her face. Later on after she freshened up and applying some light make up, a doctor and nurse came in and checked him again.

As the doctor explained to her his current condition, Taeyeon entered the room and she listened along closely.

"So what are you going to do now?" Taeyeon started a conversation as they halfway devoured their sandwiches. 

Tiffany swallowed down the food first before replying. "I don't know. I mean yes, his temperature has decreased now. But you've heard the doctor, Stephan is having trouble eating." Tears were beginning to surge up in her eyes again, making her lose her appetite. "He barely eaten anything since the occasion in the park. And I can't blame anyone but myself." She continued, uttering the last sentence in a whisper to herself.

Tiffany sighed. She was about to put the food back in its wrap when a hand was holding back hers. "No. You have to finish the sandwich. Do you want to get sick like your son too? Who will take care of him if you're sick as well?" She looked at Taeyeon's stern expression yet eyes filled in concern, before eating the food quietly. 

Taeyeon handed out her a bottle of juice. "So have you decided yet whether he will stay here again or not?" Taeyeon took the bottle back when it seemed like she had a hard time opening the cap. 

"No. I'm waiting for him to wake up first and by the time he does and still refuses to eat, I guess I could do nothing but stay another night." She took a sip of orange juice before fixed her eyes on Taeyeon and check