The Painting

Twenty Five:

The next week or so go by fast, with the pill routine down to a tee. Jisung awakens to the sound of water running, and an empty spot beside him, indicating that his boyfriend is in the shower. Jisung drags himself out of bed, walking very slowly to the bathroom, knowing that if he overdoes it, Minho will force him back into the wheelchair. He undresses in the bathroom, stepping into the shower and back hugging the beautiful boy under the water. The elder smiles. 

"Good morning, love." He says, kissing the boy's hand.

"Morning Min." Jisung responds. They move so Jisung can sit on the ledge, comfortably. 

"How do you feel?" Minho asks, noticing the unreadable expression on the boy's face. 

"I- I don't think I'm ready... Can't it be another day?" Jisung pleads.

"I know, baby... but it really can't." Jisung sighs, defeated. "But I'll be there with you the entire time, okay?' Jisung nods. The boys finish their shower and then return to their bedroom to get dressed for the long day ahead of them. Rather, Jisung sits blankly staring at the wall while Minho dresses them both. 

"May we take the wheelchair? I don't think I can stand today..." Jisung asks, meekly. The older boy nods, carrying the boy to the car. The drive to the church is quiet and Jisung is lost in his thoughts, staring out of the window. Minho intertwines their hands as he drives, letting the younger know he's there.

Minho parks the car, getting out to put the wheelchair together. He then gets his boyfriend out of the car, wheeling him into the church and to the front pew to sit with family. Before the elder can go sit with the rest of the guests, Jisung grabs his hand tight. "Don't leave me, Min..." The older boy complies, sitting next to his boyfriend.

The service starts and Jisung's hand never loosens on Minho's. Rather, it tightens when he sees his mother in her casket. That's when the poor boy begins to sob. Minho pulls Jisung's head to his chest to comfort him. His cries don't die down, not during the entire service, and not when they lower them in the ground. People come up left and right to pay the crying boy their respects. Jisung barely listens.

"Jisung?" Comes the voice of a woman. The young boy looks up, eyes puffy.

"Grandma?" He says, shocked. His grip on Minho once again tightens. Minho steps closer to the boy protectively.

"It's been some time, look how you've grown." She says fondly, looking her grandchild over. He nods, lost for words. She tries to continue the conversation. "Did you break your leg, hun?" Jisung shakes his head no.

"Your perfect son did this to me." He responds curtly. She nods, now the one lost for words. Then she tries another approach, deciding to acknowledge the older boy who is holding hands with her grandson.

"And who is this, Jisung?"

"Lee Minho." Minho says shortly. Jisung's grandmother nods.

"What a handsome friend you ha-"

"Boyfriend." Jisung interjects.

"Pardon me, dear?" She says

"This is my Boyfriend." He repeats. She just nods.

"Oh. That's nice dear." She says, giving them both a small smile. Jisung takes a breath.

"Was there something else you needed, grandmother?" Jisung asks, the tears having paused for the time being.

"I just wanted to let you know that you're always welcome to stay with me." She says, eyes darting between the two boys. Jisung shakes his head.

"No, thank you. I'm quite content where I am now." He says, bowing his head as a signal that the conversation is over. Minho rolls him over to his friends, leaving his grandmother standing by the two fresh tombstones.

"How're you holding up, Ji?" Asks Felix, engulfing the slightly older boy I a delicate hug. The boy immediately starts crying again in his best friends arms. Meanwhile, Minho goes to talk to everyone else.

"It hurts to see him so broken." Seungmin starts, Hyunjin's arm wrapped around his shoulders in comfort.

"He just needs time." Changbin says in return, watching his boyfriend comfort the sad squirrel.

"How're you holding up, hyung?" Seungmin asks Minho.

"I'm alright. My priority is making sure he gets better. He really didn't want to do this today. And I know he wasn't ready." Minho says sadly.

"Is anyone ever really ready?" Chan says sympathetically, hugging a crying Jeongin.

"You've got a point there." Hyunjin agrees. Felix rolls Jisung over to join everyone as they both wipe tears away.

"Thank you for being here, it means alot guys." Jisung says, smiling sadly at everyone.

"Of course, Ji." Changbin says. Jisung slowly tries to stand up, Minho rushing over to help him.

"Carefully, baby." He whispers softly. Jisung nods and carefully walks over to Changbin, hugging him. This takes the shorter boy off guard but he hugs back. Then Jisung hugs everyone else, Chan lastly.

"Channie hyung." Jisung chokes out, not able to express the words he has for the oldest boy.

"I know, Ji." Chan says, protectively hugging the boy back. They stay like that for a minute and then they back away. Jisung walks slowly back over to the wheelchair and sits, all the emotions making it hard to stand. Minho kisses his forehead reassuringly.

"Jisung, they're finished if you'd like to lay your flowers over there now." Comes the voice of Mrs. Lee. Jisung nods and the boys all go over to place flowers down for Jisung's mother. He gets out of his wheelchair to kneel in front of the graves. He places places flowers for his mom and also places a single flower down for his father.

"I know you didn't make the right calls, but you were still my dad... and I miss who you were... who you both were." Jisung says, crying again. Minho kneels beside his boyfriend, holding him. They sit like that until Jisung's cries stop.

"I'm so sorry, love." Minho says quietly.

"She would have loved you." Jisung replies after a few minutes of silence. "My mother. She always wanted me to be happy. Before she completely disappeared, she wanted me to find a boy to love me as much as she did. So I really think she'd love you if she were here."

"Well, I'll always take care of her son. She has nothing to worry about. Because I'm going to love him more than she ever thought possible." Minho says, kissing Jisung's temple. They sit in each other's embrace until Jisung is comfortable leaving.

"I love you, Lee Minho." Jisung says as they drive home. Minho kisses the younger boy's band.

"And I love you, Han Jisung."