When It Comes To You |j.k

28: 回家

it was like any other day, as much as i hoped that it wasn't. Aera was still gone. I'm still away from home. I used to convince myself that it was all a big magnificent nightmare, and that i'd wake up soon, that i'd see her again and be able to hug her like always. The truth came to me slowly.

The nightmare is my reality.

And I didn't know that things could get worse. i thought i'd already hit rock bottom. or maybe i have, maybe i'm just going down deeper.

As usual, it was after school and i'd left school grounds with the group, despite my head being gone and off scavenging for more memories of Aera.

The boys' footsteps came to a stop and so I slowed down in attempt to understand the situation. They all looked in the same direction, so i followed.

There it was, a long black polished car, with two men in suits guarding the passenger door. One of them reached for the handle and opened the door, revealing the interior of the vehicle.

it's been nearly a month, maybe they've finally realized their son wasn't home. My parents have decided to come get me.

And when they do, I know not to object.

"I should go." I gulp as everyone looks to me worriedly.

"You don't have to, Jungkook. You can stay with Jin and I." Eunae suggested with a hand on my shoulder.

shaking my head, "I do. I do have to."

I walk to the car and slide myself in. The two guards go around to the other side and take their seats.

"Bye guys." I wave back to them, who all have expressions of pure devastation etched onto their faces, as if I was being sent back to hell for a second time. And frankly that seems to be not far from the truth.

/

"Welcome home, honey." My mother sits up from the sofa and greets me with a tight smile.

"Home." I chuckle with a shake of my head. Some home.

I don't miss it.

"Where's dad?" I stuff my hands in my pockets and make my way to the stairs.

"In the bedroom, son." She sounded distressed.

i turned around to face her.

"We need you back home, because..he's sick, Jungkook. Your father's fallen sick."

No.

Sweat breaks out from my forehead and I can feel my heart thumping out from my chest.

I skip the steps up the stairs and dash up to my parents' bedroom, pushing open the door with a shaking hand. Because no, i don't believe the words she'd spoken. My tough, stern father cannot be sick. He's strong, so strong it's bothering.

No.

I closed my eyes, shut them tight. I opened them again.

This is reality.

I run my hand over my face and tears are begging to leave my eyes.

There he was, my father, on the bed with a tube up his arm.

My mother's voice sounded behind me, and I knew she chased me up the stairs, "Your father insisted to get you back home, but I thought you needed time. We're sorry, for what we did. I know it might've been too harsh. I wanted to give you time, but now your father's sick, I had to bring you home."

I couldn't hear anything that left her lips.

"What happened to him?" I croaked out as I slowly made my way into the room with my trembling feet.

She's quiet, silent, and unresponsive to my question.

That worries me even more. I sit down next to my father and I move my gaze back to her, "Mother?"

Those words came out in stutters, "Cancer, Jungkook. Lung cancer."

No.

I do not accept of this.

Everything is crumbling on top of me, i'm used to the pattern. But this has to be a joke.

This is too much.

He was just fine a month ago when I left. He was just as mean, just as healthy, just as strong. How could've this happened? Where were the signs? Everything was fine, and suddenly it's all wrong. All so, so wrong.

He was perfectly fine.

But i guess that's what we all say before seeing the irreversible.

"He'll live right? How much money do we fucking give every year to the hospital? They've got to fucking save him." My voice was loud and rough, I know it scares her but I can't control it.

I'm about to lose my fucking mind, the last thing I'd care about is the volume of my voice.

"Jungkook, it's...y-your father will be going to the hospital for a checkup this weekend, come along and let the doctor explain it to you."

"I don't need no explanations, I just need them to save my fucking dad!"

"Keep it down, you two."

My eyes widen and shift to my now woken up father. He looks to me, doesn't smile, doesn't frown, "You're home."

I nod, with my hands folded together nicely behind my back. I'm doing my best to compose myself but my tears are threatening to break my act.

"Lung cancer..is it?" My words get caught up in my throat. I want to hear it from him.

He nods calmly, "Seems to be the case. I have a handful of months left to live."

Nonsense. The doctors will save him and he will live. He will continue his business, continue nagging me for the wrong things, continue his life so he can live long enough to apologize and make things up to me.

Time will heal us.

And we will spend time together, as father and son.

that's how it should be, and that's how it will be.

"You're going to take my spot and take good care of my company."

I shake my head, with the tears finally dropping, "No. I don't want the company, I want you to live. It's your company, take care of it yourself!" My tears fall to his arm and he purses his lips with a sigh.

I sit back down to the chair with my face buried in my hands.

Everything's falling apart, Aera. And I need you. I need you more than ever.