Chasing the Sun

074

"Finally, I'll be out of this hellish place.", New muttered as he looked at the room.

We had packed all our belongings and are ready to leave, New's mom was just settling the bill at the hospital's front desk.

I wasn't especially happy that we were leaving the hospital with no good news to pocket before departing, but it would only be a waste of both time and money if we continued our stay. And it's not like New was wanting to stay there further, I was pretty sure he didn't want to spend the remainder of his life bed-ridden in a hospital.

"Are you sure you've packed everything up?", I asked him.

"Yeah, I have all of my things here in my bag", He said cheerfully as he patted his bag. He really seemed to look forward to that day.

"When I go out, I'll eat a whole cake and a tub of milkshake. Ugh, I missed eating sweets!"

"You sure are energetic for someone with an illness, aren't you?"

"Well, nothing won't change if I wear a frown, so why not be happy with the way things turned out?", New said without a pause.

"Staying at this hospital, I realized how miserable it was to be diagnosed with a disease as deadly as mine. Yes, I'm too young, but think of the babies and kids who're in the same position as me. They will not get to see the world the way I see it, the same way I won't get to see the world grow as you get older."

"I used to think that I was the most unfortunate boy in the world for having cancer at such an early age, but with all the time I spent in that machine, lying down in the middle of a dark room, I realized that I had nothing to regret at all. I was able to have a childhood, eat the foods I wanted to eat, go to a high school and make friends....and have a boyfriend."

His smile never faded with each word that he mouthed. It was almost six in the evening, and the skies painted a gradient of orange and red. Seeing him in his wheelchair talking about how grateful he is for living a life that had not regrets, I understood where he was coming from. And although his demise was an inevitable heartbreak that I would feel for an eternity, seeing him smile from ear to ear made me happy too.

"Tawan?", New called out. I realized I was deep in my thoughts as I looked at his face when he called out my name.

"Yes?"

"When I die...don't leave my mom, okay?", He asked, still smiling at me. But this time, his smile was a rather sad smile. It was the kind of smile someone wore when they asked for a favor because they won't be around to do it anymore.

"My mom, she sacrificed a lot for me already. She's cried plenty of tears, spent tons of money, and worried about me day and night. I'm sure she's feeling lethargic right now, but she doesn't want me to see because it might make me sad.", New was already looking at the floor as he continued talking, and I couldn't quite read if he was smiling or crying.

"I'm the only one she has right now, and my demise will surely be a devastating moment to her. When that time comes, I want you to hug her for me, will you?"

I didn't have to go nearer to see that he was already shedding tears. New may have already known that his passing was inevitable, but bidding farewell to her mom was something he didn't see coming, and probably couldn't bear doing.

I walked towards New, sat in front of him and leveled my face on his.

"Of course, baby. I won't let her live alone. I'll do it for you, and I'll do it for her too.", I said as I planted a kiss on his forehead and wiped the tears off his face.

Just then, the doors swung open and in came New's mom.

"All set? The car's waiting outside now."

"Wait!", I said. I went back to where I stood and positioned my camera to where New and his mom stood, and set the timer. They were both confused at first, but I assumed they had already understood what I wanted to do.

"Let's take a picture before we leave."

As the camera's timer counted down, I took a look at New, who was wearing his brightest smile as he looked at the lens of the camera. It was the same smile that made me fall in love, and seeing it made me smile from ear to ear too.

3..2..1..

That night, the most beautiful picture I've ever taken came into existence. Not because of the camera or the background, but because of the people inside the frame and the memories I had with each of them.