As promised, Jaebeom goes to classes the next day, before his mother starts rehab but after his aunt comes back looking refreshed and energised. The visit to the spa actually helped her and Jaebeom feels so glad it's like that, it makes him feel more at ease as he heads to university. On the train, he goes over the notes his classmate sent him so he won't be that lost in the lecture during the day.

For the first time in the term, Jaebeom can actually concentrate during the lecture. His mood is a lot better and his worries are more manageable. Today he finally listens to what the professor is saying instead of wondering if his mother will wake up today or not. Paying attention makes him realise how behind he is in all his classes, and now that his mother is on her way to recovery, Jaebeom has room in his mind to worry about his school life.

Not appealing, really.

By lunch break, Jaebeom has not decided if he'll sneak to go see his mother or just grab some kimbap from a pyeonuijeom while reviewing content and actually thinking of his final project. However, he's surprised when he comes out of his classroom just to find Mark and Jackson waiting for him.

"Hyung!" Jackson cheers, smile wide and bright as he steps forward. "Congratulations! Your mother is finally awake! We're so happy for you." Mark nods along to what Jackson is saying, his smile as bright as the other boy.

Jaebeom smiles happily and grateful, well aware his friends indeed are delighted his mother is awake. They have already filled him with so many texts and emoticons to celebrate. Now, Jackson adds a tight hug that almost crushes Jaebeom's bones, yet the boy doesn't complain and just chuckles.

"How's eomeoni doing?" Mark asks while Jackson is still giving him a bear hug, so Jaebeom looks over his friend's shoulder to meet the older man's gaze.

"The doctor predicts some degree of paralysis. She can't move all her limbs at will and her speech is super limited and she stutters, but that aside, she's the same person. She recognises us all and even without a word she nags me to come to classes."

Jackson pulls back just to laugh in his signature high pitched giggles, and Mark smiles even wider. Jaebeom cannot stop his own smile.

"She's definitely the same, and that's such a relief," Jackson points out. "Do you think we can go visit her today?"

"She'd love it," Jaebeom answers as he feels his phone vibrating. Casually, he takes it out to check like ten Kakao notifications from Youngjae. "And Youngjae is also coming. I'm sure having you two around will make him feel less anxious at the hospital."

"Ah, Youngjae-yah, it's been a while since we last saw him," Jackson muses. "They grow up so fast."

Mark pulls Jackson by the hoodie to give Jaebeom some of his personal space back, and to also return Jackson to where he belongs, next to Mark. Sometimes it's disturbing how those two, when in the same place, can't never be at more than two metres of distance.

"I have one more lecture after lunch, so we can go after that," Jaebeom suggests, writing a reply to Youngjae to tell him Jackson and Mark are also going. The reply from his cousin comes in the shape of many dancing Kakao Friends.

They agree on the time and where to meet in campus, and then go to have lunch together. The difference from Jaebeom three days ago with the one in the present day is outstanding and he never realised how his own mood was affecting his friends. They tried so hard, all the time, to cheer him up, and that was draining them. Jaebeom was draining them. Now his friends are effortlessly cheerful, without having to watch their every word, without trying so hard to make Jaebeom part of it and cheer him up.

It feels like it used to be.

Slowly, Jaebeom's life is going back to what it used to be, the heavy weight that was choking him is finally gone and he can breathe easily. And as Jaebeom realises how happy and comfortable his friends look now, his mind goes back to Jinyoung, wondering how the young man is doing. He feels himself like a better company for his new friend, and his mind is more open to actually help him if he needs.

Jackson's and Mark's laughter fills the small restaurant as they eat their gigantic portion of kimchi bokkeumbap, and at the sound Jaebeom can't help wondering if Jinyoung could join them, laugh along, and even tease his friends. Could Jinyoung actually fit in with his friends?

Just as the thought crosses Jaebeom's head, another more possessive and selfish one also does: he doesn't want to share Jinyoung. Oddly, their time together is always special and unique, Jaebeom feels a lot more free when he's with the younger after exposing himself so much, he feels even more comfortable than when he's in front of his childhood friend, and that's odd. Jaebeom doesn't want that dynamic to change because more people join the picture.

"Why are you completely and utterly ignoring us?" Jackson asks.

"What are you thinking about?" Mark translates in a more reasonable question, clearly noticing how Jaebeom just zoned out. "Worried about your mother?"

"Uh, I... not exactly. I mean, I do worry about her and all what's to come, but I'm confident we'll make it through," Jaebeom answers.

"But you weren't thinking about that right now," Jackson sees through him, easily.

"No," he concedes and looks down, feeling somewhat embarrassed and reluctant to tell them exactly what he was thinking about.

Whom he was thinking about.

"Why do you look like you're thinking of your crush? Last time we checked you didn't have a crush or even the time to look at anyone else but you mother," Jackson muses, squinting his eyes as if like that he could run some X-Ray of Jaebeom and find out exactly what's inside his head.

Jaebeom feels even more embarrassed at the suggestion, his cheeks actually warming up and surely exposing a very unbecoming blush that only incriminates him further.

"Wow, and now you're blushing. Seriously, what's going on here?" Jackson cries out, more exaggerated than needed, worsening Jaebeom's embarrassment. "Did you meet someone that you haven't told us about?"

Jaebeom rolls his eyes, trying to act nonchalant about the issue so they'll stop nagging him.

"The only person you've mentioned is the one you've saved three times," Mark points out and Jaebeom freezes, his eyes widening. It's not like he was caught, because it's not how his friends are imagining, but he was thinking about Jinyoung so they aren't that far from it. "Have you met him again?"

"Oh. My. God. Look at how he's blushing! He was thinking of his suicidal prince!" All embarrassment leaves Jaebeom when he hears that, frowning and clearly disapproving of Jackson's words. "Sorry, it was the first cheesy thing I could think of. But seriously, what's going on there?"

"Nothing. We've met a few more times and grew closer, I guess. I was just worried, last time I saw him he looked very unstable and fragile."

"You do worry about him now," Mark comments, watching him with a small smile that makes Jaebeom uncomfortable because it's as if his friend was scanning and uncovering all his secrets.

"Well, I kinda owe him and he's not as crazy as I thought," Jaebeom mutters, looking away.

"It sounds like a lot has been going on, and you're a terrible friend who doesn't let us know if you've met the love of your life. How awful of you," Jackson pouts and Jaebeom feels both nervous, surprised and annoyed at his friend's statement.

"Stop saying he's the love of my life or anything like that, Jackson. He's barely a friend who's got a lot going on in his life. If you knew him you'd also worry about him," he states confidently, but late does he realise he should've chosen his words more careful.

"Then introduce him to us!" Jackson chirps. "We'd love to meet him, wouldn't we, Mark?" He then asks to the older boy by his side, big puppy eyes and slightly pout that begs him to agree with him. Needless to do that, Mark agrees with Jackson ninety-eight percent of the time.

"Yes, that'd be great. I'm curious to meet the person who managed to become your friend even when you were so reluctant to see him ever again. He must be a very interesting person," Mark comments with that little grin that carries a deeper meaning to his words. It makes Jaebeom incredibly uncomfortable.

"Then... I'll ask him to meet you next time I see him," Jaebeom agrees with a little stuttering, not exactly comfortable with the idea.

"Can't you call him? Maybe he can go with us to the hospital," Jackson asks, overly eager as usual.

"I don't have his number," he answers easily and feels uncomfortable to the puzzled expression on his friends' faces.

"You don't? Then how do you meet?" Jackson asks.

"Serendipity."

"Fated," both Jackson and Mark say in unison, as if they had rehearsed it, and then immediately giggle, which lessens the impact of their statement. Jaebeom laughs it off as well, not wanting to think of something like that although it's a bit uncanny how they keep meeting so frequently even in a big city with more than fifteen million people.

Luckily for Jaebeom they leave the topic and finish eating so he won't be late for his last lecture of the day. After that, he meets them again and Youngjae to head to the hospital, and to his horror, Jackson makes sure to tell his cousin about Jaebeom's crush: a mysterious and charming boy

Jaebeom's cheeks sport a cherry pink colour during the whole ride. It's pointless to refute Jackson when he teams with Youngjae, the two way too excited about something that isn't even as they think it is. And the fact that Mark laughs amused at their antics isn't helping at all.

Honestly, Jaebeom is relieved when they make it to the hospital and to his mother's room, where she's with her sister. The smile on her face is automatic when she sees the other three young men in the room, the same as always and it's evident it doesn't only touch him because Youngjae tears up as he calls for his aunt, rushing to her side.

Jaebeom watches with a smile how his friend and cousin surround his mother, making her smile and expressing their love and worries. It's a scene that warms up his heart.

His aunt approaches him as there's not much space near his mother for anyone else.

"The rehab went well, and in the afternoon they performed some tests. Tomorrow we should find out the results to know the extent of the damage caused by the accident," she informs him and Jaebeom nods. "The doctor came to visit and said that you'd mother would have to stay, probably, for another month here to monitor her and work on her rehab. If things progress well, it could leave sooner."

"I'm sure it'll be sooner," Jaebeom mumbles and he truly means it. He does have a good feeling and trusts his mother, knowing she'll work hard to get better and leave the hospital.

"She looks happy," his aunt comments, also watching the scene, how Jackson immediately gives her a massage on her legs, Youngjae trying to curl up closer to his aunt and Mark smiling fondly.

"Indeed she does," he agrees, loving the smile on her mother's face and he's so happy that she can do that on her own and without problem. "She'll be fine."

The certainty and determination is such a warm feeling in Jaebeom's chest and it's so refreshing, being able to breathe properly after three torturous months of uncertainty and gloom. He's happy, too.

∞

I hope you enjoyed this week's chapter. Let me know what you think on the comments!

Bel, xx