2 Minus 1 | joshua✓ ( School Series )

E L E V E N

N A O M I ' S  P O V

"Mom, why did you do that? And why didn't you tell me that my brother died?" I asks my mom.

She just looked at me and smiled, I don’t understand Mom now. I noticed her tears dripping so I took a tissue and wiped her tears, when I finished wiping her tears I averted my eyes from her.

"I didn't tell you, because I should be the only one to mourn his loss." She answered my question.

I looked at her, I sighed and held her hand.

"Mom, we're family aren't we? If you mourn, I will mourn too." I said.

"But I don't want to add to your stress, especially now that I'm in the hospital. You can't work, because you're taking care of me." She replied.

"I have no problem taking care of you, you are my mother so I can't leave you." I said.

She sighed, she should no longer complain.

"Mom, I really need to take care of you. Especially now that you are here in the hospital, do you expect your partner to take care of you? No Mom, he won't take care of you." I said.

She sighed, I was preparing her food when someone opened the door. I turned around and saw Joshua, I thought he wasn’t going to be here anymore.

"Who is he?" My mom asks.

"I'm his schoolmate, by the way, good morning." He said.

"Y-yes he's my schoolmate." I answered.

I had already given Mom the food I had prepared, as she was eating I looked at Joshua.

"Have you eaten yet, Joshua?" I ask him.

Joshua looked at me, he shook his head. Meaning he hadn’t eaten yet, I prepared him food and gave it to him. When I turned to Mom she was already looking at us, so I walked towards her and sat in the empty seat next to her hospital bed.

"You look good together." My mom said.

I saw Joshua choked so I immediately gave him water, this is Mom who suddenly said that.

"Mom, be careful what you say." I said.

"I'm sorry, but what I said is really true. You look good together." My mom says.

"If I get lost in this world, I hope my daughter will have a boyfriend." My mom added.

"Mom, it's not possible yet. I still need to finish school and I need help through financial. I'll help in the future Mom, remember that." I said.

Why did Mom say that, I'm not ready to lose Mom yet. What will I do if she disappears? I removed that thought, I don't want to overthink.

"By the way, what's your name again?" Mom asks Joshua.

"Hong Jisoo, but you can call me by my nickname, Joshua." He answered.

"Can I call you by your real name? Is it okay to you?" My mom ask him again.

"Sure, you can call me by my real name. No one even calls my real name, they are already used to my nickname." He answered.

A few more hours passed, but Joshua had not yet left. Mom and I are still talking today, and they don't even pay attention to me.

"Jisoo-yah, you can court my daughter if you want." My mom says.

I choked on my own saliva because of what Mom said to Joshua, Joshua turned to me and I shook my head.

"If your daughter agrees, Auntie." He replied.

Are they crazy already? It's not even allowed, and I know Joshua hates me.

But I don't think he hates me.

"Mom, it's embarrassing for our guest, I'm not that type." I said.

But he used to like you before.

I shook my head because I thought, Joshua would never like me again because of my attitude. Also, it's okay to be single until you finish school, or if you already have a job. It’s okay if you don’t have a problem, and it’s okay if you don’t get hurt.

"I won't think about that love first, love takes time. And if I had to choose, it would be okay for me to be single." I said.

"I want grandchildren, Naomi." She said then chuckled.

"Mom, it's still a long time, and we're not sure if anyone will like me." I response.

"I'm sorry if my daughter is like this, she's really bitter." My mom said to Joshua.

Joshua just nodded, just now I noticed Joshua was smiling. I don’t know, but I found him handsome when he smiles. When it was 4:30, Joshua left. He said he still had work to do so he was leaving, I noticed that Mom was very happy when she talked to Joshua.

"I'm having fun talking to Joshua, he looks like a comedian." Mom says.

"Well, I didn't notice that because you two were the only ones talking." I response.

"You're doing something, so we'll just talk." She response.

I just sighed, the doctor said she could go out tomorrow. So in my apartment where she lived first, her partner could not take care of her in the house where they lived.

"Naomi, did you bring my phone?" Mom asks.

"Yes, I brought your phone." I answered.

I gave her phone to her, while we were leaving the hospital I was still looking for a ride. I was just surprised when a car pulled up in front of us, when he lowered his car window I was surprised to see Joshua.

"You know how to drive?" I ask him.

He just nodded, I turned to Mom who was busy on her phone.

"Mom." I called her.

She turned to me and looked at the car in front of us, when she saw Joshua she waved at him.

"Get in the car." Joshua says.

Mom preceded me in the front seat, so I had no choice but to ride in the back seat.

"Why didn’t you tell me last night that you know how to drive." Mom says.

"I forgot to tell you, Auntie. We talked a lot last night." He response.

I didn't want to join their conversation, so I decided to take a nap first.

I'll talk to you two later.

"Naomi."

I opened my eyes and saw Joshua, I looked around and I saw we were already in my apartment building. I got out of the car, I saw that Mom was no longer in the car so I turned to Joshua.

"Where's my mom?" I ask him.

"She's in you apartment right now." He answered.

I was surprised, he already knew where my apartment was?

"You know where's my apartment?" I ask him.

"I always pass by this building, so I see you coming out of your apartment at the very end." He answered.

I just nodded, I took the bag that was in the back seat too.

"By the way, I'm sorry for what Mom said, especially last night." I said.

"It's okay for me, I won't take seriously what she said last night." He said.

I nodded, turning my back on him to enter the building. But I just stopped when he called me, what else did he need?

"Naomi."

I turned to him.

"If you want me to court you, just say so." He said.

"Because no matter how hurt I was when I saw you with Seungcheol in the garden, I still like you."