room 127 ✿ park chanyeol

TEN

I'll muster up my strength again, for you who has waited for me.

"Chanyeol-ah! It's been so long!" After Minjeong's unexpected call, I had made excuses to the other members and dashed right away, hoping to make it to the hospital in good time. I did, and wasn't disappointed to see Minjeong waiting for me outside the building. She looked so much different than when I had last seen her, and it came as a huge shock to me as she hugged me around my waist.

Once a lively and vivacious woman- much like [Name] was in her teen years- Minjeong looked tired, sleep depraved, and seemed to be ageing way ahead of her time. Out of all the things that hadn't changed, though, were her eyes, and the kindness and warmth they held as she looked up at me in earnest.

"Ahh, what a handsome man you've become!" she said tenderly, looking up with a bright smile. "I know for a fact [Name] will be so happy to see you after all these years."

"I hope she will," I said halfheartedly, grimacing at the weathered woman. She frowned at me, and let her arms drop from around me. "Minjeong-ajumoni, what's wrong with [Name]?"

The [Surname] breathed out a sigh as she stepped back, crossing her arms. Dressed in black leggings and a dark, floral print top, Minjeong-ajumoni's thin figure could be seen under her clothes, and I looked at her with worry.

"Ajumoni, is everything okay with you and [Name]?" I asked warily, eyeing Minjeong out. She sighed, and beckoned for me to follow her.

"Let's walk, shall we?" With a nod, I followed Minjeong into the awaiting hospital building, and we both walked side by side in small steps.

"Now..." As Minjeong and I slowly made our way to the building, she began to talk. "How do I say this... well, Chanyeol... [Name] is very sick. And she's been very sick for a long time."

"Sick? Sick with what? Since when?" Minjeong waved at me to be quiet, and I did so, although I was rather taken aback by her news.

"I'll explain it all. Okay. Here we go." She took a deep breath.

"Chanyeol, do you remember how [Name] and I moved to Seoul?"

"Yes...?"

"We moved here because [Name] needed treatment. She was diagnosed with leukaemia at a young age, and although she was in remission during elementary, it relapsed during middle school, and she got worse as the years went by."

"[Name] has leukaemia?"

Minjeong nodded, but no matter how much she talked to me, none of her words were sinking in. I had known [Name] for a good chunk of my life, and had considered her one of my best friends- how could I not have picked up the fact that she was sick? And sick with leukaemia? What in the actual fuck?

"[Name] never wanted you to come to our house when you were little because it was small," said Minjeong sadly, eyes cast on the ground at her feet. "What with all her treatments, I couldn't afford a proper place for [Name] and I to stay in, hence why you were never invited to our house. [Name] was embarrassed, and quite frankly, I don't blame her. There was only one room, and that in itself was like a prison cell. That was the room [Name] had; I slept in the living room. Ah, Chanyeol, it was horrible, and I'm actually glad you never got to see it.

"When you went away in high school, [Name]'s condition was worsening and worsening. In fact, I'm surprised she's managed to hold on for so long... it's been years, and doctors were still unsure of when she would, you know, let go. But last month... [Name] and I couldn't afford her treatment anymore. She got worse."

I was confused.

That's all I could describe myself as in that moment. Completely, utterly confused. [Name] had leukaemia. She never told me. I never knew. She cut me out of her life. What was going on?

"She's caught a cold now," said Minjeong, her voice heavy with grief. "It's developed into pneumonia, I'm afraid."

"Pneumonia?!" Leukaemia, pneumonia- what was all this?! What was going on?!

Minjeong looked up at me with a half smile, and I realised that we had stopped walking a long time ago. We were now standing outside Room 127, with the name [Name] [Surname] next to the door, and I looked at Minjeong with wide eyes.

"Why didn't [Name] tell me?" Minjeong merely shrugged, and beckoned for me to enter the room.

"I suggest you ask her yourself." My hands became clammy as I shot Minjeong a look of disbelief, torn between going into the room and running out of the hospital. I felt like a whole load had just been dumped onto my shoulders, and it wasn't a pleasant feeling. I looked to Minjeong for reassurance, and nodded at me in reassurance.

"She's waiting for you, Chanyeol."