Withered - Chapter 30: Chapter 30

Chaeyoung runs to his car while occasionally checking his wristwatch. His feet stop with sudden realization wash over him. He turns around, panting whilst his eyes searches for someone but there's nothing except the pure black of night.
"The scarf...I lend it......" He trails off, talking to himself. He bites his lower lips while sighing. I'll just ask for it tomorrow morning, that will be fine. He sigh and takes a step before he stops again. His eyes roams the path and his surrounding, it seems familiar. A smiles creeps on his face  when he sees a specific bungalow complex. It's where Chaeyoung and his brothers' lived together. He thought Irene's house must be near his neighborhood. He takes note of it and continue rushes home.
As soon as Chaeyoung arrives, he spots Mina sleeping soundly on the couch. Sighing, he walks closer and sits on the floor. "Are you waiting for me?" He half-whisper, smiling sheepishly as he tucks Mina's hair behind her ear. He brings his hand to hold hers then soon realize Mina's right hand occupied by a fork. He raises his brows and glances towards the empty plate on the table. He chuckles and laughs foolishly at his own wishful thinking. "Nope, you're waiting for the doughnut"
Guilty twisted his features as he stares at the box beside him. He sighs and thinks about whether to wake the girl or not. A smile crosses his face when she heard the penguin's little snore. Maybe she's tired He decides not to disturb her sleep and proceed to carry her to her room. He lay her gently on the bed then pulls the blanket up to her chin, making sure she's warm and comfortable.
He sits on the floor and holds the girl's right hand. Hesitantly, he kisses it, barely even touch her skin. It's more like his lips brushing against the back of her hand. "Good night" He watches her sleep and takes a second to gaze at her, smiles contentedly and then off to sleep, head resting on his arms. His usual position at the moment.
*  *  *  *
Chaeyoung awakens by his phone alarm, he jumps a little and quickly turns it off. Sighing in relief when Mina still in dreamland. He tiptoeing as he walks himself out of the room and slowly shut the door behind him. He fishes his phone and order from Big Apple Bagels for delivery. "Topped with chocolate glaze" He mumbles as he searches for the specific doughnut that the girl wanted and also some other kind, just in case.
While waiting for the delivery, he dashes to the nearest chocolate store and buys a Belgian chocolate box that provides an assortment of milk and white chocolate in an elegant gold box with a bow on top. Suit her well he thought before thanking the clerk. He also buys a bouquet of red roses. He runs back home not minding the weird look people thrown at him. Who would have thought, a guy running like a maniac with his still morning hair and wearing slippers?
He's faster than the delivery man by a minute, he thanks him and give him a tip for his services. Thankfully, Mina is still in deep slumber when he peeks inside the room. He starts to prepare breakfast and put the bagels on a plate. Working silently in the kitchen and have that satisfied smile when he's done. The clock hand point at quarter past seven. Chaeyoung brows connected as he stands outside the house waiting for Irene. She's late. This's the first time He talks to himself, no he's not complaining but finds it a bit odd and also he needs the scarf back.
Just then, he receives messages from the maid, informing him that she couldn't come today due to some personal reasons. He worriedly asks if she's sick and offers to bring her to the hospital if she really did, a friendly act, he thought. Irene assures him that she's totally fine and thank him for the offer. She ends the call after apologizing for her absence.
Chaeyoung let out a deep sigh and call his professor, asking if he can take a day off. There's no way, he could leave Mina alone for half of the day. He hangs up the phone when he heard a 'yes', not wanting to elaborate his excuses. He takes this chance to spend time with Mina thinking about his responsibility as a husband and a father to their child. He only accompanied her to the doctor appointment and never actually involved in the pregnancy. He wants an uninterrupted time for bonding and natural conversation to happen between them as partners in raising their new baby. He starts to do research and plan some special date---you might call---jotting them down on a piece of paper.
When he's done, he heads upstairs to check on the girl, and stop just in front of the door when he heard Mina's groaning. He peeps through a small opening and smile before running down the stairs, taking the assorted tray of bagels. He knocks on the door before he enters, softly chuckles seeing the girl's messy hair as she sits cross-legged with her eyes closed.
"Good morning" He greets, putting the tray on the bedside table.
Mina opens one eye and tilts her head to the side, her lips quirk upwards in a small smile. Chaeyoung quickly averts his gaze, that gummy smile makes the world stop around him. A smile that brings back a million memories in a split second. That kind of smile that never failed to make his heart skip a beat.
Mina stretches her arms and returns the greetings "Good mor------ning?" She unsurely ends her words and snaps her head towards him. "What happened last night? Where were---"
"Here" Chaeyoung cut in, handing her a plate with a bagel on it and utensil. "Don't worry, I didn't forget the doughnut" He adds, smiling when Mina takes it and set it on her lap. "Last night something came up, I was a bit late...I'm sorry," He says apologetically.
He drops his head when Mina gives him a stern glare, playing with his fingers. Mina sigh and look away, she starts eating ignoring the latter. I'm not worried about the doughnut idiot. Just where were you? You didn't even bring your phone. Are you a child or what? Did something come up? Is that your excuses? Seriously? Chaeyoung gulp looking at Mina who's staring into space. She clutches tightly the knife on her right hand while her left poking the food with the fork repeatedly at the same place.
That doughnut could be me He talks to himself as sweat dripping down his forehead. Hesitantly, he approaches her and sits behind the girl. Mina's thought goes away when she feels a pair of hands running through her long hair. Chaeyoung gently fluffs her hair, brushing his fingers against it. He pulls it into a low ponytail then tie it off with an elastic he found on the bed. He isn't sure where the courage comes from but he doesn't regret it.
"Are you...mad?" He asks when he's done, letting his hand fall to his side. Mina leans her body against him, resting her head on his shoulder as she put her hand above his, squeezing it a little. "You're not going to tell me why you were late. Aren't you?" She sighs when there's no answer from the latter. They stay for minutes without talking but just there feeling each other presence.
"I bought chocolate," Chaeyoung says, trying to lift up the mood. Mina instantly turns around, happiness flare in her eyes and for the first time in a while it begins in his too. And..it's working He secretly praises himself as he gets up to get the chocolate for the now excited penguin.
*  *  *  *
Irene locks herself in her room all day, she is thinking hard whether she'll continue or stop before it's too late. She's in a war with herself until she received a phone call from the hospital. She storms out of the tiny house and takes a bus. Her eyes glistened with tears and soon coming down like a waterfall, unaware of strangers talking and staring at her. The only thing that she could think at the moment is the safety of someone who's more precious than her own life.
Her heart pounded and hands begin to feel clammy against her bouncing knee, stomping her feet impatiently as she waits for the bus to arrives.
With her already weak legs, she pushes herself to run as fast as she could. "Mom!" She calls out as she turns the doorknob of a wad room. A few nurses have to drag her outside the room as a group of doctors trying to save her mother.
Thankfully, it's treated right away and the doctor explains that her mother was having sudden cardiac arrest where her heart stops beating for a minute and it's a close call. She bows to the doctors before she enters the room, settles down on the chair beside her sleeping mother. "Please don't do that again, you promise me you'll see me get married and have a child. So, please....I need you" She whispers as she holds her mother hands.
She stays in the hospital, wiping her mother's hands and face with a wet towel. Just then she got a call and pick it up right away after looking at the caller.
[Why didn't I get any news Irene-sii?]
"C-can I take it back? I'll do anything else you want. Anything else....I just can't"
[How about your mother? Is she doing well? You don't want her to get kicked out of the hospital huh? I've paid for the surgery cost and I give you money, now do your work that's it. Don't make it hard for both of us. Better deliver me good news next time]
She sighs when the call ends. Things were done and she already accepts the offer and now she's stuck between her mother life and someone else. "What should I do mom?"