Spring Day | BTS ✔

33

"How are we today, Miss Mina?" I smiled as the doctor in charge of the children's section – Leo – checked my IVs. I waved to him as he wrote a few notes down on his clipboard.

Leo sighed as he stuck his hands in the pockets of his white doctor's coat. He sat on the side of my bed as he watched my monitor.

"I'm the same as always: tired," I sighed and he nodded sadly, "Have Eomma and Appa come yet?"

Leo hung his head for a moment before lifting his face to mine. It's the only answer I needed. I felt a sudden tear fall down my face as I cast my eyes downwards.

"You're really astonishing sometimes, Mina," he chuckled a little and I looked up at him.

"Why?"

"You already know why," he raised his eyebrow at me and I wiped the tear away.

"I already told you, I'm not dying until I can say goodbye to them one more time. I owe them that," Leo took my hand and nodded.

"You don't owe anyone anything Mina."

Leo was more of a parent to me than those two had ever been. They paid for my medical bills, but I had never seen them once since the day they left me in the children's ward. They paid for me to keep living, but they really didn't care about me as their own daughter anymore. The only reason I hadn't let myself feel the relief of letting go finally was because I felt like I owed them at least a goodbye, for paying my treatment bills all these years.

"You don't have to wait for anyone. You're in pain, Mina, anyone can see that. If you want to go, no one will hate you for it."

I directed my eyes away from the face of the man who'd looked after me and helped me all these years. He was hurting too, letting me know I could leave finally. That I didn't owe anyone anything.

"I will miss you when you're gone. A lot of us will. But if you feel ready, don't force yourself to stay because of them anymore."

"They still pay for my treatment don't they?"

Leo didn't answer.

"Don't they?" I pushed. Leo sighed, having an internal battle that he eventually seemed to lose as he shook his head.

"The truth is...well, the district's been providing your care expenses, just like a lot of the other kids on the ward...I couldn't tell you because you were always so hopeful about your parents...hope is priceless and I couldn't risk-"

Leo sighed heavily, ashamed of himself but I gave him a disheartened but reassuring smile. I wasn't mad at him for not telling me, not really.

I wasn't surprised either, though I was hurt. More than anything, I felt like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I really didn't owe anyone anything. That was the best gift anyone could've given to me.

His pager beeped.

"I have to go. Get some rest," I knew the 'rest' bit might not have been just sleeping. We both understood that. I nodded again and he went to leave.

"Leo?" he turned around for a second and I paused, thinking hard for a second about what I wanted to ask him. If I wanted to ask him. But of course, I did.

"Please stay, please stay there a little longer," I asked him quietly and he nodded, unserstanding my wish as he sat back down.

I held his hand again and he hummed some song I didn't recognize. It was enough though. I closed my eyes and sighed.

I felt my brain go fuzzy, the monitor slowed to a halt, but I was still conscious for a moment. Leo's humming faded quickly, replaced by a sharp, shuttering intake of greiving air. But the warmth of his hand never left me.

Goodbye, Leo. I smiled to myself as a tear slid down my face, death's sweet rush of life taking me to a place I didn't know the name of. I can rest now, and I won't ever have to worry about not waking up again.

I owed nothing. To anyone. Except myself. Like Jimin said, it was finally time for me think about easing my own pain. I only hoped I wouldn't see the pink haired boy when I woke.

Then, my vision vignetted and Leo's face and the hospital room faded.

I owed no one anything.