F4: Sunflowers ‖ 𝓵.𝓱

58.

TW: mentions of death and loss of a loved one.

In life, there are several things that we are able to control. We can control our habits, the actions we take every day, the people with whom we decide to form bonds of friendship or love. Most people have the freedom to decide what college to study and what job to take. Our day-to-day is full of small decisions, things over which we have control.

But life is also made up of things over which we do not have the slightest control. The climate, the family in which we are born, the city where we are born, and the circumstances that surround us.

Born and die.

Haechan was well aware of these things, as any other human being is. Nevertheless, he never thought that he would have to face this last one twice in a little more than a decade. 

When he saw Jeno running down the stairs with an expression full of panic, the boy deep down already knew it. 

Everything after that seems like a blurry memory. The only sure thing that was engraved on his mind was the brown-haired girl he loved so much never to leave his side for a moment, always holding his hand. 

Time began to run at a completely different pace when he saw that stretcher covered with a white sheet leave the room in which he had already used to spend his days.

He doesn't remember at what time Dohee and Doyoung had arrived, nor Renjun, Jaemin, and the other guys, but at the end of the day they were all there.

Haechan felt the warm embrace on his right arm disappear when he had to let go of Dahyun's hand to go home and change his clothes. 

Numbness. That's all he could feel on the way back home. 

Renjun drove him there, none of them talked on the way there.

The Chinese boy silently picked the outfit for his friend to wear and helped him to fix everything. If he had any doubt he would ask the sunkissed boy but the only answer he'd get was a nod or shake of the latter's head. 

In no time both arrived at the wake room. The traditional altar was already settled and when Dohee arrived, she put their mother's picture in the middle of it. 

After having a brief moment alone inside the room with the altar, where both siblings took the opportunity to hug and comfort each other, they had to follow the traditional protocol where, being the closest relatives of the deceased, they had to receive and attend to everyone who came to the wake.

One person after another arrived, giving the brothers their condolences. Certainly that ended up emotionally draining the minor, who just wanted to run out of there and confine himself in some faraway place. Thankfully, Doyoung and Renjun took the responsibility to contact people to serve the guests, so the siblings never had to leave the room to see if everything was okay outside.

A spark of assurance spread on the boy's chest at the sight of a familiar group entering the premises.  Sooner than later, the minor found himself engulfed in a warm embrace between Jeno and Jaemin. Both gave him reassuring words, trying to be as supportive as they could. 

After that, Chenle and the Park siblings gave their condolences, bringing with them two beautiful flower arrangements, which were greatly appreciated by the host siblings.

Haechan felt like tearing up once again when Mrs. Kang's arms went around him, giving the young man a hug that wordlessly exuded love and sympathy. Mr. Kang and Jiyu came after her. 

And at the end, when he thought he was about to collapse, she appeared in his sight, which was enough for him to go and hold her in a tight hug, almost as if having her in his arms would eliminate any bad thing from his life. As if having her close would take him to a peaceful place.