INFERNO ༄ PARK JISUNG

sixty seven

"Hey, mom."

The boy stood sweatily beside her hospital bed, looking down at the practically lifeless body. Although his father told him not to see her today, he couldn't help but stop by on his run, dying to visit her on his 'special' day.

Taking her frail, cold hand into his, his lips turned downwards into a frown- worrying if this were one of the last times he would ever feel her touch.

"Today is the day, I know you've been talking about it since I was little." he bitterly chucked, frowning harder with the lack of response.

"You'll get better soon, so I'll take a lot of photos. I hate photos, but you love them and I know how much you want to see me accept my position."

In all honesty, he wasn't even sure if he was lying to himself. She laid there weakly, her chest barely moving up and down with gentle, yet slow breaths. Her face was resting in a painful expression, clearly showing that she was suffering.

"I get to see Seorin today. I know she's gonna look great, Hyerin's sent me photos recently."

He recalled the images of the once familiar face, which all seemed like a dream at this point. He noticed she had been cutting her hair short, something different from the pretty long locks he once adored.

Nevertheless, her beauty remained the same- unreal.

"You'll see us both running this Republic, mom. I'll make sure to make you prouder than ever."

He squeezed on her hand softly, rubbing his thumb back and forth the same way she always would.

The hurt was unimaginable, watching the woman you loved more than life itself lay on her death bed helplessly. The tumor wasn't getting better, nothing was getting better.

The two of them stayed there, pained to unexplainable degrees, yet in different senses.

Jisung lifted a hand to her hair, untangling it gently, the same way she would when he was stressed.

"I got a haircut, you always got onto me for it. Maybe I'll stop playing with it so much, you won't always be there to fix it."

As lighthearted as he tried to put it, the context was still devastating.

He took her palm into both of his hands now, choking back the pools that threatened to overflow. At once, he embraced the feeling of having her simply there, something incomparable.

Jisung never wanted the Republic, or any sorts of glory in the palm of his hands- he wanted this.

He wanted to be beside her forever. After all, she was always there, every single time.

"I'll make sure to see you after the banquet. I love you more than anything this world could give me." he placed a gentle kiss onto her forehead, taking in the sight of her face for a little longer.

"Your little firefly is finally gonna spread his wings, mom."

Seorin stared at herself in the full body mirror, adjusting the straps to the wine red dress that framed her figure well.

"How does it look?" she turned her body in every angle, biting her lip in distress.

"You asked this like two-hundred-thirty-three-million-trillion times!" Aerin whined, playing with the tulle pink skirt of the dress she was in.

"That's not a real number, toothless." she rolled her eyes with a smile, straightening the satin skirt of her own dress out.

On her neck was the necklace of her mother, holding the most beautiful sapphire gem that contrasted with her outfit. Her short haired was straightened, falling right above her shoulders, silky like the material of the fabric. For the cold winter weather, she had a fluffy white jacket, elegantly keeping her warm.

It was the first time she applied makeup in almost months, leaving her delicate facial features defined. On her lips was a soft lip stain coordinating with her dress, tying her whole look together.

She looked exquisite, just as any other inheritor would on the day of their banquet.

"Makeup on me!" Aerin squeaked.

"Did mom allow you?" Seorin raised an eyebrow, making her little sister silence herself immediately.

Cracking a small smile, she carried the younger girl onto her vanity chair, pulling out a pretty pink blush.

"Just don't tell mom, I'll put on a little since it's my 'big day', or whatever." she chuckled, lightly brushing it onto the apples of her cheeks.

Aerin smiled her grin with missing teeth on the sides widely, pleased with her sister's rebellion. "I'm gonna look pretty like you!" she cheered.

"What? Do you not think you're already pretty?"

"No, I'm really pretty. But sometimes I wanna be pretty like you since you wear makeup!"

Seorin knitted her eyebrows, not sure if it were completely a compliment anymore, but giggled at her confidence anyways.

Lastly, she put a clear lip balm onto her lips, giving her something natural to feel special about.

"Is this lipstick?" Aerin gawked, looking at her shiny lips in awe.

"Definitely." Seorin laughed, helping her off of the chair.

"Thanks, Rinnie! You're the best sister ever!" she hugged the calf of her exposed leg, smiling widely with her newly grown front teeth.

Seorin looked down at her endearingly, for once enjoying the feeling on her little sister clinging onto her.

In a sense she realized what she was fortunate to have, knowing others had things like this taken away from them in such an instant.

"You're the best sister ever too, Aerin. Let's head down to mom and dad now, we can't be late!"

chapter sixty seven — coming back

just woke up lol but hiiii to all my new readers :") so excited for you guys to see the next few chapters, it's really been a long ass ride