Withered - Chapter 51: Chapter 51

To my baby, I wanted to write to you because this moment, this one quiet moment dad is having difficulty. Momma is very sick and it makes dad feels really bad. And I hope my baby is fine too. Be a good child and don't make momma worried okay. Baby, dad, and mom already in love with you and we can't wait to see you and we will love you. Always.
Chaeyoung lay down his pen after writing a few words in the colourful book, not forgetting to add the date on the bottom of the page. He closes the book and averts his gaze to the girl in front; lying with her eyes shut. She must be still sleeping as the guy visit her early in the morning. Sana was there to accompany Mina through the night, but she just went home to change her clothes and to buy breakfast for Mina. The room is expectedly silenced only the beeping sound from the machine could be heard.
Chaeyoung sigh and gently put his head above Mina's bump and listen to their child's heartbeats. It's faint beats. He thought as he closes his eyes to focus hearing the sound.
"Morning"
He snaps and blinks because of the greeting whisper. Finding out that Mina already has her eyes on him. He smiles weakly before he leans over and lightly kisses her forehead whilst Mina closes her eyes and smile afterwards. He lowers his gaze to find her orbs "Morning, sleeping beauty" He murmurs then brushes their nose. The guy helps her to sit comfortably on the bed.
"How's your feeling?" Chaeyoung draws away and holds her hand, giving it a quick blow to warm it.
"Better"
He nods and caresses her finger, placing the back of his palm on his cheeks "The doctor said you are able to go home but I think it's better if you stayed in the hospital. I'm worried if something bad happens again" His voice laced with concern while his eyes soften.
"I've been admitted for a month. Are you going to let me stay until delivery? That's three months from now. I feel like living in a cage" Mina stroke his cheeks by the thumb and smile assuringly "I'll be fine. I miss home" She continues, trying to persuade the guy. Though missing home is not the only reason or even the real reason why she badly wants to discharged from the hospital. She wanted to spend as much as time she can with her family and most importantly him, Chaeyoung. She wants to do all the things she hasn't, said the things she keeps to herself, witness the places she hasn't been; together with him.
Chaeyoung sigh and hesitantly nods, he can't resist the girl's pouting and her puppy eyes anyway. He unknowingly chuckles "I'll talk to the doctor and your parents" Mina flashes her gummy smile, that's one of happiness growing, much as a spring flower opens. It's beautiful, more than anything he ever sees, more than all of the flowers he planted. Suppose he happened to know a unique flower, one that exists nowhere in the world except his planet. She is the most mystical flower that carries magic secrets in her eyes, that cast fragrance and radiance over him. And that one, the beauty inside her.
"You're blooming" He murmurs as he stares at her bright face. His brown eyes are lightened under the light touch of the morning sky. It beams penetrating through the window while he scans every bit of her feature. Their eyes meet and Mina cannot help but to grin and pinch his nose.
"Is that the way you're saying I'm pretty? Or what" She joked, which earn a playful glare from him. "Or...are you flirting?" She smirks as her mouth twitched, fighting a smile.
"You're not pretty" Chaeyoung's tone is flat as he releases her hand and rests his chin on his palm. Looking away, he breaks their eyes contact and stares out the window where mellow blues and pinks blurred together in a silver mist to create breathtaking scenery.
"Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart" He averts his gaze and look at the confuse and nervous girl "The thing is, you own both." His face coloured crimson red as he prepared himself to said the next word,
"You're not pretty. But something very magical and bright" He slowly hunched as to hide his face. He meant to do it, to say it. Lame it may sound but he pours it wholeheartedly. The shock on Mina's face makes him more embarrassed than he already is, but he does not regret saying it. He failed to see the girl's cheeks flushes pink when he already buries his face into the bed.
"I'm not flirting. I...I mean it" He mumbles against the mattress. He waits for a response but a minute passed with silence. The guy getting all nervous slowly lifts his head and peek his side just to have a mini heart attack when Mina suddenly pecks his nose. As if the time stops, every inch of him has come to a pause, giving himself a moment to catch up. His eyes widen upon realizing he stops breathing then let out a quiet sigh.
"I'm happy to hear that" Mina smiles and take a book that placed on the bedside table. She throws a quick look on the book, making sure she held it right not upside down like last time, an attempt to keep her cool and pretend she isn't really affected by the little affection she just did. When in reality, she hides her blushing face behind the cover and act as if she's really into the story, turning a new page. The girl glances over the book and lets out a small laugh as she watches Chaeyoung overreact by her action.
The guy stares at her who's face coated by a fantasy paperback then held his chest as he let his head lay back on the mattress. He smiles sheepishly when Mina's bookmark stand out, and it's at the beginning of the book, but she is reading the middle part.
That is my Mina. She tends to hide behind a book whenever she's embarrassed or shy.
*  *  *  *
"Thank you for the food," Mina says lazily. She finishes the meal, well she has to because of the demanding tiger beside her who keep feeding her though she already full. Sana, who is the one that brought them breakfast just sitting on the sofa while watching Mina and Chaeyoung quarrel over the food. She walks to them with a wide smile plastered on her face.
"Both of you looks like a newly married couple" Sana grins as she leans on the wall with her arms crossed.
The cub and the penguin instantly stop bickering and stare at the older. Sana raises her brow when unexpectedly they're not denying it. Mina looks away while the guy faked a cough. "Ahh," She nods understanding and walks away, taking her handbag with her.
"Sa-Sana noona? Are you leaving?" Chaeyoung asks as his eyes follow her movement.
Sana holds the doorknob and smirk at him before he looks at her younger sister "I don't think I'm welcomed in here. Call me if there's anything" She winks at the clueless cub.
"No wait, noona, I think you misunde---" He trails off and stops when Sana just waves and close the door. Chaeyoung sigh, turning his attention to the empty plate and clean the mess. Mina roams her eyes around the room and let Chaeyoung do the work. For some unknown reason, there's awkwardness surrounding them. Chaeyoung comes back with a banana juice, smiling as he hands it to her and back again sitting on the chair beside her bed. Mina clasps the glass and once in a while take a sip. Since she just finishes reading her book, she basically has nothing to do.
Mina steal a glance to the guy who humming a random song while unconsciously tapping his lap "Can I ask for a favour?" She shyly asks. Chaeyoung raises his head and nods. "I haven't wash my hair" Mina state while fiddling with her hair. Sana does help her to take a bath but she purposely left her hair just because, she wanted Chaeyoung to do it for her.
"I mean, you don't have to if you don---"
"Okay," Chaeyoung smiles and hops to the bathroom. It looks as it seems that he is much more excited than he supposed to. The bathroom has a modern touch. The walls are large format tiles of white honed travertine and the floor is made of dull silver tiles. The vanities are of a grey and the counters are brilliant white quartz. There is no bath but instead a huge walk-in shower.
He fills the sink with warm water and hangs a clean towel over his shoulder then prepares a chair just before the sink. He has those childish smile curved on his face as he guides Mina to sit on the chair. The girl isn't expecting that Chaeyoung actually enjoying this much, but overall she's happy. If she were to have a bucket list, one of it already checked.
Chaeyoung takes a handful of shampoo and begins to rub it into her hair. He works gently as she washes it, then running his finger through her hair with clean water to rinse it.
"Actually I've always wanted to do this for you"
Mina hum and face the younger, her brows connected causing Chaeyoung to laugh. "Like helping you and you know....." to let you know that I cared. I cared for you. He continues his speech in his mind, talking to himself while squeezing her hair with a towel. When they are done, Chaeyoung stands in front of the older and kneels with one knee as he put a basin of warm water on the floor.
"Can I wash your feet?"
Mina is stunned by the question, she is about to refuse but the guy is a step ahead "I want to do it. Don't feel awkward and ashamed" He smiles sincerely as if he just read her mind. Chaeyoung takes her slipper off then put her feet in the basin. He washes them with care and attention, softly massaging it.
Mina stares at him wordlessly. She feels the kind of sadness that seeps into her bone. But while her body seems to grow colder and her mind seems to fill with a leaden feeling, her face remains dry and so she grief on her own. Just as much as her eyes would brim with tears, she held it.
"What should I do Chaeyoung ah?"