More weeks passed and Kate remained by his side. There were some nights Yoongi called her name in his sleep, causing the hospital to list her in as the main emergency call. Naturally, she'd have to sneak out of the house to take care of him. And though, he still felt vulnerable and weak at every moment they spend together, being taken care by multiple nurses and Kate, he couldn't bear to part with her. Yoongi wanted her to be there with him.

Shoot. How will he ever gain the strength to break up with her to not let him get in the way of her dream to graduate? Especially now. Kate has started school again. She does her homeworks in the hospital while also going back and forth from her home to the hospital, from school to Yoongi's room and vice versa.

It was getting harder for both of them, they could tell. There are going to be times where Kate would need to take a break from seeing her boyfriend in the hospital, leaving it to Mrs. Min for once. Even if it didn't feel right to Yoongi. It just wasn't the same.

"I brought noodles." Mrs. Min enters, lightly chuckling as she leaves it on the tray in front of her son.

"Mom. It's been a while." Yoongi says quietly under his breath, somewhat hoping his Dad was here, too. "Is Dad with you?"

"Oh, your Dad’s going to visit tomorrow. He's taking care of the restaurant for now."

"Oh,"

"How are you feeling?"

"A bit fine, I guess. Kate's been there for me."

"That's because you keep asking for her." Yoongi couldn't help but notice the change of tone coming from the older.

"I'm closest to Kate, that's why."

"Okay, Yoongi, stop it." Mrs. Min finally spoke about this attitude towards her. "I'm your mother. Haven't I always been there for you, far longer than your girl? You shouldn't be letting your world revolve around her."

"I'm not." Yoongi sternly disagreed. "You got it all wrong, mother. You don't know a single thing about your son."

"Oh, and I suppose Kate does?"

"At least Kate talks to me. She knows about my therapy. She knows I've been producing music behind your back and I've been quite successful because of it. She knows I love music more than anything." There, he said it all to be done with it all. In a minute.

"Yoongi...how could you— what therapy? What music?" Mrs. Min couldn't breathe and she knew she needed to calm down in order to stay sane for this conversation. She sat down beside Yoongi's bed, holding on to her head to feel if she had a fever. "How could you have kept all of this from me?"

"Why? Would you have been supportive if I told you this before?" Yoongi witnessed it all; the thrashing of his notebook, deleting his old drafts and completely denying his dreams in their household.

"I'm sorry." To Yoongi's surprise, the pride his mother had been using as a shield from him crumbled. She apologized. This could possibly be the hardest thing she had to do for him, other than facing the fact her husband cheated on her. "I– I'm really sorry..."

"We can't change what's been done." Yoongi stated. "I got fired. I can still talk to my therapist, but only through my recorder, though. Just when I gathered the courage to talk to him in person." This was all overwhelming to take in a single meeting, of course. But somehow, Mrs. Min took this opportunity to change things around between the two of them.

"But... we can still be a family, Yoongi. I believe that. Don't you?"

"I want to believe it."

Mrs. Min attempted to wrap her arms around him, but she knew she had to ask him first before doing so. "Can I hug you, at least, for starters?"

Yoongi swallowed, nodding slightly. That's when he felt his mother this time. First, his Dad and now, her. Did he really have to get into an accident before they can finally acknowledge his existence as their original son?

🎧

Kate and Rosé were talking during their group study for the upcoming preliminary exams. While Kate was mainly focusing on the subjects they needed to work on, Rosé couldn't help asking about their relationship.

"How's Yoongi doing?"

"I think he's getting better? Two months to go before he gets released from the hospital." Kate updates, smiling a small smile after her statement.

"Are you..planning on visiting him after class today?"

"I always do. I can't let him sleep alone." Kate remembered that one night the hospital called her and she arrived to his room where he couldn't stop sweating all over, struggling in his sleep. Yoongi woke up in her arms, completely relieved she was there by him. "He's worth taking care of."

"I don't mean to wreck your relationship or anything, but do you actually think someone like him would take care of you this much if you were in his place?" This question made Kate snap inside her head. Why did her friend have to go and ask such a thing? You don't know anything about us, Rosé.

"I'm positive he will." Yoongi was always there whenever she needed him. They both were.

After their little study session, Kate went and called a cab to get to the hospital. As soon as she arrived, she took a cup of water and knocked before entering. Kate saw that Yoongi had been sleeping peacefully; she couldn't help but smile over the sight, closing the door gently, kissing him in his sleep before placing down her papers on the spare table to review a few of her notes for the exams.

In a short moment, Yoongi felt that someone was in his room. He tried moving his eyes even though he knew very well he was blind, so he called out, "Who's there?"

"Kate is." She went over immediately, "Do you want to pee? Drink water? Anything?"

"Are you doing anything?" Yoongi asked, dodging her questions.

"I have exams tomorrow."

"Then why didn't you go straight home?" Guilt was eating at him again. He felt helpless, not able to convince her to do anything he wanted her to do, instead.

"I wanted to see you."

"You've seen me everyday. Haven't you had enough?" Yoongi didn't mean that. The words just came out. Maybe it was the weather. Or the fact it was already night time that's causing him to be sensitive.

"Acting cranky again, huh?" Kate went and poured him a cup of water, placing it beside his table. "Drink this,"

"I want you to go home."

"Not until you fall asleep."

"I just woke up!" He sighed, taking a breather to calm down a bit, so the words could come out easier. "Look, I'm sorry. But I think you and I should talk."

"Is there a problem?"

"Why are you still here?"

"You want me to disappear?"

"Kate, I want you to break up with me."

The words came out and went through Kate's chest like a bullet you can't dodge halfway. She was too shocked to speak, she held on to her mouth, the other free hand on her heart.

"W-Why are you talking like this?" She remembered his mother visiting earlier. "Did your mom say...something?"

"No, Kate. Please try to understand this is coming from me."

"I can't. I won't. I don't see any reason why you want to break us up."

Kate's voice kept cracking the longer she spoke to him. Yoongi noticed. Yoongi very much noticed, his heart panicking more than ever. He wanted to stand and hug her. Kiss her. Make her stay and reject his idea.

"I don't think you should be putting so much time and effort to be with someone like me. Not when you have your education and your family you should be loving more."

Stop. Stop it. He kept telling himself. You don't want this. You fucking want her. Don't do this.

"I have the time! We can make this work." Kate went, kissing his lips once more before resting her head onto his chest. "I love you. If that's the only thing making you doubt this... drop it. I'm not going anywhere."

"Kate! I'm serious!"

"Then let's make a deal." Kate suggested.

"No. No deals, please." Yoongi pleaded.

"Once you're cured and get all better, we go out again." Kate couldn't bear to part with him like this, but if this is want he wants.

"I can't promise you that."

Kate held on tight to his casted hand. Tears dropping onto it.

"Then, do it."

It doesn't have to go to waste. The times they spent together. The times they kissed and held each other. The times they promised things, their dates, their first moments. Time will come and heal them both. For now, they need patience to get through and let fate decide.

THE END.

[ posted DECEMBER 31 2018 ]

author's note: please do feel free
to ask anything related to the
story ;; any points that confused you
and i will answer them in the
explanation chapter !!!