When Flowers Bloom (A DaraGon Short Story)

Seven

He was standing in front of the address that's written on the piece of paper that her mom left him when he saw Dara went out of the house. Crutches were wrapped around her arms and she was just staring blankly at something while she was walking. 

She was heading her direction but it's as if she can't see him. She walked past him, he stayed a distant away so she won't notice his presence. 

She's headed somewhere so he continued to follow her. 

After a few minutes of walking, they reached her destination. It's someone else's house. 

"What are you doing here?" 

Someone spoke from behind which startled him. 

He faced the man who spoke and saw a familiar face. "Sang-Hyun!" 

Sang-hyun sat on the bench that's under the shade of a huge tree. 

Jiyong stayed standing while looking at the jolly Dara who was talking to an old woman while handing something.

"Eomeoni probably told you about her condition. Noona told her not to."

"She told me she needed help but I didn't know she's in this condition."

"She has cancer. Astrocytoma. Cancer of the brain. She's now blind. Probably temporary. I'm not sure. She's on crutches because the tumor is affecting her skills to move." 

Jiyong has nothing to say. He didn't know how to react. He kept her gaze at her. 

"Noona didn't want to bother you, Hyung. You shouldn't be here." He stood up and called her sister. 

"Noona, let me help you with that." He said, running towards her direction. 

Jiyong was left alone, not knowing what to do. 

"Oh, Sang-hyun-ah. I didn't notice you coming. How did you know I was here?"

"I followed you." He enthusiastically replied.

She just smiled but beads of sweat can be noticed on her forehead. 

"Noona, are you okay?"

"I'm fine." She replied but frowned a little, feeling pain from her head.

"Noona?"

"Sang-hyun-ah... My head." She closed her eyes and pursed her lips to even out her breathing to ease the pain.

"You should have just stayed home."

"I'll be o..." She wasn't able to finish what she was about to say, her head started to black out. 

"Noona!" 

It was a good thing her brother was there to catch her. 

Jiyong saw what's happening, he rushed to where the siblings were. She took Dara in his arms and let Sang-hyun guide them towards their house. 

When her condition wasn't getting any better, her skin still feeling cold and clammy, Jiyong decided to bring her to the nearest hospital.